P5 is obvious and if it was an option all involved would have jumped at it. Lo, it wasn’t to be. But the choices were:
a) be define forever more as a second-rate also ran with no real chance at CFP (see UCF)
Or,
b) take a chance at defining your own place somewhere in between but with a lot more options and opportunities to be something more and have a shot at glory but with a lot more risk (see BYU season schedule this year).