Schedule 2 difficult (upper tier P5) games, load the rest up with bottom feeder P5's, or middling G5 opponents (avoid BSU, South Florida, teams that generally defy the G5 odds)...finish 10-3 at worst. Record almost guarantees a ranking. Do it for multiple seasons, build hype, get an upset win over a "brand" like Texas, break into a NY6 bowl as an outsider.

Granted, that's what this season should have been, so perhaps it's not realistic...but 9-4 with a tough schedule is about as meaningless...and it carries a high probability of egg on your face. Look at Utah...they were ranked, but played a week before any other ranked team, 2 weeks prior to any meaningful bowl games, and are pretty much an afterthought in the CFB conversation.

If BYU goes 6-6 next year, or even gets to 8-9 wins, no one will remember that they played a tough schedule.

...so the plan should be to look really good on paper, which is accomplished by multiple 10+ win seasons strung together. I think that was the original Indy plan, but Holmoe got too concerned with the negative PR of having a weak schedule, and lost sight of the end game.