They are not going to have the same financial resources that their peers do. If they tried to buy big name free agents like the Angels and Rangers, they would be screwed. So they figure out ways to outsmart the system.

Like the A's, we contend in a market that is grossly unequal. We have unequal revenue. We have personnel limitations based on our Honor Code, our academic standards, our geographic location, and our refusal to cheat. To get a seat at the big boy table as an independent, we will have to constantly beat the big boys at their game while trying to overcome this gulf of inequity. I would like to say we could do it (and maybe, if lightning strikes, we could do it for a season), but the chances of us going undefeated against a top 15 schedule are less than miniscule.

For example, consider UCLA. Is there a college team with more going for it on paper than UCLA? It is better suited than BYU to produce a winner in every single possible criterion (weather, academics, nearby talent, lack of honor code, beautiful campus, location, Rose Bowl, P5, etc, etc), yet UCLA has had ONE undefeated season in its entire 100 year history. If UCLA can't do it, what are our chances? We don't have the ability to lose two games and still go to a top bowl. If we consistently lose two to four games, we will descend to a level of irrelevance that even BSU would scoff at.

If there is any team in CFB that is similar to the A's, its BSU. They know who they are. They are not trying to beat the competition at their game. Rather they are taking advantage where they can, making the best of the opportunities they get, and they are outsmarting the competition. We would be better off emulating BSU than UCLA. We could out BSU BSU.