I'm not so sure that it is better from September to December. Winning is always more enjoyable than losing.
Beating Wyoming is more fun than losing to Wisconsin. Blowing out Nevada is more satisfying than getting blown out by Washington. Barely beating Air Force is much better than barely losing to UCLA.
Going 10-3 or 11-2 is always more fun than winning 8 or 9 games.
The enjoyment of an independent schedule is equal to the same enjoyment associated with playing the lottery. You buy a ticket. You think about how much fun it will be when we win. Then the drawing happens, and you lose, again. The anticipation has been better than the reality every year as an independent.
If we had any kind of track record of being successful with the type of schedules were are scheduling, I would feel differently. However, we insist on playing 5, 6, or 7 games against P5s, and we know how that is going to end. I'm fine with being independent, but playing a G5 type schedule with 2 or 3 P5s and no more. For me, that would be more fun.