The only reason why BYU is independent and will keep it that way unless a P5 gives them an invite: the University of Utah. Independence is preferable than being in a G5 conference no matter how much money and concessions said conference throws at them. It’s Big XII or bust for BYU.

UConn had the fortune of having good connections with the Big East schools that shared a conference with them since the 1980’s. It was the only AAC school that still had an old Big East vibe while the rest were just C-USA schools with a new logo patch on their jerseys. It also helps they don’t have a long history playing at the FBS level so going independent was not seen as a big deal.

Any other G5 school no matter how Power 5ish thinks of itself will not sacrifice its football program to go independent and be at the mercy of P5 schools and the networks plus they won’t play for basically anything other than be bowl eligible. The service academies could do it and before anybody says NMSU, UMass and Liberty, they had no other option but to be independent (although UMass had the option of going all sports in the MAC) and would gladly join a conference especially NMSU.