it makes them look very, very weak. scared. afraid. frail. worst of all, irrelevant.

by playing BYU and winning, they get to crow that they are the top dog in the state. but, by playing BYU and losing they're proved to be more of a fraud than they really are. by not playing BYU but doing OK in the PAC, or making it to 6-6 they are viewed as at least competent. by not playing BYU, sucking in the PAC they're viewed as the 3rd best program in the state behind both BYU and USU.

the ute braintrust did the math and figured they didn't have to expose themselves to the risk of playing BYU and losing. by barely making it to 6-6 in 2012 and not even making it to bowl eligibility in 2013 and now it looks like 2014, they're officially a dumpster fire. put more succinctly...THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE.