Pac-12. Now we're getting into "not completely implausible territory," but it's worth remembering that even if the Pac-12 is interested in BYU -- hardly a given -- it has to also be interested in a second school, since no one wants a 13-team conference. And who might that second school be? Boise State? Fresno State? Finding a team No. 14 that could actually add to the Pac-12's revenues rather than just divide them by another school seems ... difficult.
I still think that BYU should focus it's attention on trying to break into the the PAc-12. Better confrence and I would get to see them more often in CA. Colorado is not better than BYU and Utah is not better than BYU. Why not? BYU is better than WA, Wa ST. We get no love from the PAC-12 but if they added us they would realize the benefit of having BYU in the confrence. I hope by the end of the year that we get the invite to the PAC 12.
If Holmoe is being this up front about needing a Power 5 invite -- while he said the school isn't about to just give up independence tomorrow, "that's what we've got and that's where we are" isn't exactly a ringing endorsement -- it's safe to assume BYU's spreadsheets aren't looking independence-friendly at the moment. But where could the Cougars land? A quick, knee-jerk ranking of the Power 5 conferences, from least to most likely to offer BYU safe haven: