Every game counts and the big bowls are in play. Even as an independent, with a good schedule and a flawless or one-loss record, there is a lot of excitement because a big time bowl might be the destination.

With most teams, once you drop below that threshold, it is a "lesser" bowl, and whether it be set in stone like BYU's or variable like the P5 conference bowls, they are all still a similar, lesser bowl. I really don't care about the bowl name if it is a lesser bowl, I mainly divide it at NY6/Playoff and "the rest". If a P5 team drops 3 games in a season, their chances to make a big boy bowl most often go down the tubes too. They do have a shot at redemption to make the NY6 via autobid conference championship, which is definitely an advantage - most often though, if the team is good that year, they go. If not, they don't.

Independence has it's drawbacks, but it isn't as bad as it might be made out to be. If BYU has a great team and plays a great year, they'll go. If not, they won't. This year BYU is not outstanding, so it doesn't bother me that it'll be the vegas bowl. Utah is very good this year - I think they absolutely deserve to have all those big bowls in play. That said, Utah has had other years where they don't have those bowls in play, and end up in a lesser bowl too. It all works itself out.