Old Miss, South Bend, Michigan, Ga Tech, Stanford, Tennessee, USC, Baylor, Virginia, Washington, Missouri, Nebraska, etc., etc., all on national TV, is not to be preferred over Albuquerque, Laramie, Reno, San Jose, UNLV, Fresno, etc., with the MW's sorry TV exposure?

I'm sorry but if a player has nothing to play for on national TV with the venues independence offers, then something is wrong. Additionally, I've been to many of those away games and, frankly, the conference options, be it MW, American, or some variation, would hold absolutely no interest for me in terms of road trips.

Our problem is not independence but a coaching staff that is not prepared for the task at hand.