The MWC hasn't made much progress since its inception (losing its best members). Looking at the WAC now, one could argue that's the MWC's future (or that the MWC is just the WAC re-visited). I'd like to be playing for a conf. championship but agree the main thing all BYU fans wanted in past good years wasn't the conf. championship, but a shot at a good bowl / national relevance. I'm not convinced the G5 and a locked in mediocre schedule offers that any more than independence, despite the NY bowl access. The Las Vegas bowl was my single biggest gripe as a BYU fan in the MWC days. Independence hasn't given us much yet, but could, if we beat good teams. And I believe that a football fan in some other market is more likely to develop an affinity for BYU through seeing them on TV more than a team they never see. People eat what they're fed, and if it's BYU, its relevance will grow. I've never been to North Carolina but like Duke, mostly due to exposure and winning on a national stage. As has been said before the key now that we're on a bigger stage is that we must win. If we do, options will open.