finishing in the Top 25.
Since we went independent we've only done so once (in our first year, when we finished with 10 wins). And yet SDSU, Boise, Houston, Navy, USF, etc have all spent a lot of time in the Top 25 as well as finishing there.
These teams are also playing for NY6 games, something that we could only ever hope for by finishing with 0 or 1 loss against our schedule, including our meat grinder September every year.
So why again are we independent? For money? If this is what slightly more money gets us why do we bother?