Why would one think it was dumb luck? Utah was the perfect fit for the PAC12. They were a cultural fit, a geographic fit, a research/academic fit, and they had performed admirably on a national stage in the biggest sport (football) in the decade prior to inclusion. They were a logical choice in pretty much every category one would consider.

Yeah, the PAC12 would have absolutely loved to have taken Texas and the other big fish of the Big 12. But if they could not, Utah was a great option. It's spelled out pretty clearly in the article. And Utah knew who they were. They knew they weren't Texas or Oklahoma, but they did everything they could to make themselves an attractive candidate, be easy to work with, and they slowly and steadily put forth effort to make it happen. It wasn't dumb luck. But if it was, you know what they say...luck is when preparation meets opportunity.