Colorado went to the PAC, had been threatening it for years, saying that inviting them would bring other BIGXII teams. I think the BIGXII was more than willing to let Colorado go... and thus when Colorado went, they tried everything to get Texas and OU to join them... Texas and OU didn't... the PAC needed another member to fill the void... Utah isn't associated directly with the Church... thus they were the next best in line. If BYU has no association with the church, BYU would have been in the PAC or even the BIGXII decades ago.