I think you "stay the course" BYU fans are too dismissive of the effect a NY6 bowl would have on you. Utah's Fiesta and Sugar Bowl wins are the reason we're in the PAC 12 right now. The energizing effect on the fanbase was amazing. Now part of that was being undefeated, but just going to those big games was worth it.

I'm sure there are enough of you around that were fans of BYU in the 80s to 90s. How did you feel about BYU going to the Cotton Bowl in 96 to play K State (when they were good)? Or the Citrus Bowl in 85 to play OSU? Or any of the other bowl games against ranked opponents after great seasons? That's possible if you're in the MWC. I don't think it is if you're independent. You go 11-1 or 6-6 and you end up in the same level of bowl. Once the contracts come back into effect, you end up in the same bowl, not just the same kind of bowl, against a 6-6 P5 team or a mid-level G5 team. You don't get to go play Miami in the Peach Bowl or Texas in the Cotton Bowl or UW in the Fiesta Bowl. You get to play Memphis in the Miami Beach Bowl or the Poinsettia Bowl against Wyoming every single year.