Going to the AAC would be well over a 50% cut in media revenue.  It is true our media revenue is 1/2 of the P5 conferences, but it is also much, much higher than any G5.  It would also mean watching most of our games on a small network like CBS sports. 

Competition wise we would be exchanging Wisconsin for Houston.  LSU for Memphis.  The bottom teams wouldn't look a whole lot different either, although may be a slight step up.

It would be harder to schedule P5 teams because we would no longer count as a P5 opponent. 

So would you be willing to cut your salary by over 50% to go to a lesser job with worse colleagues because you might have the opportunity to win employee of the month at a second tier organization.  I mean it has been a bad year, so you might as well give up money and prestige for a chance at the elusive employee of the month trophy, right?