and love while playing in a conference, the WAC and then the MWC. Consistently winning conference championships, 17 AP top 25 rankings (end of season) from 1977-2009, building the BYU name in football, going 26-13 against Utah during my lifetime prior to the current losing streak, having a late October or early November game mean actually something more substantial. I don't know the solution, but I know the P5s aren't calling. I know losing to Utah 9 times in a row is infuriating. I know Kalani, nice guy he may be, is not the answer. I know the money from independence is great, but it hasn't resulted in enough on field success. I know we often play several MWC teams anyway (3 this year), so why not trade the Liberty, Umass, Idaho State games for conference games? They could still schedule several P5 teams, and maybe occasionally beat them (this needs to start with Utah). I know there is a greater chance at a NY6 Bowl game as a member of a conference than there is as an independent, which would likely require an undefeated or one-loss season to even be considered. Notre Dame got in to the playoff once and a NY6 game once. BYU is not Notre Dame. The last time BYU finished with only 2 losses was 2009. One loss? 1996. Best finish as an independent? 10-3 back in 2011. Even getting into a NY6 is going to be extremely difficult. A 2 loss ND and a 2 loss Boise got in. Houston had one loss and the rest, UCF twice and W. Mich once, were undefeated. It's a rigged system. I was very frustrated in the early 2000s as well, but this feels different. It feels like BYU is on a downward spiral, rather than a program simply going through a few rough years. I hope I'm wrong.