Utah simply could not go Independent and survive. I am not sure however the MWC would not have ben elevated to BCS status had any two of the three big programs (TCU, BYU and UTAH) dstayed. As it turned out, the BCS so far as AQ status and segregation is dead. Things are essentially back to a reset and 1993, which is good for college football.

As for BYU, it alone was capable of forging an independent path and so it is very good for UTAH to have gotten into the PAC-12. BYU's Independence ply began probably 4 years earlier when the plans for the Broadcast Center were being laid out and the planning for BYUtv expansion was germinating. That was several seasons before the actual decision to leave the MWC was completed. But anyone who thinks BYU knew jerked itself out of the MWC without prior planning does not know what it requires to build a network, plan a withdrawals or construct a major broadcast facility. The small Las Vegas PBS facility was probably close to four years in the planning design and building stages and it is no where near the size of what BYU did. Trust me, BYU was planning their move all along!