P-12 invite. Unlike BYU, Utah would never have been able to land the ESPN contract.

This is the point that several of us are trying to make here.

Let me re-state it one more time. Utah, with its Pac-12 invitation, was given the best option. Nobody disputes that. It puts the Utes in a fantastic position relative to BYU.

BYU is one of a handful of schools that could pull of independence, and the reasons are because the school has certain things that other schools don't. BYU is in a fortunate position to take advantage of an option that most schools don't have. To make fun of BYU for having the qualities that allow it to have the option of independence is misplaced criticism.