There are a few truths about BYU Football that need to be spoken, and important questions that need to be asked. I think the BYE week has forced me to take some inventory.

An important truth, which I'm not sure is spoken enough, is that there are not many college football programs (even "Power" programs) I would trade BYU's tradition for straight up. BYU has an undisputed national championship in the modern era of college football. BYU has a Heisman Trophy winner in the modern era of college football. BYU players have won more than their fair share of awards, honors, etc. for outstanding play on the field. BYU had one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. BYU has a nationally recognized brand in CFB (the current strength of which is up for debate but exists nonetheless). And that brand has allowed BYU to put together some pretty impressive Independent schedules for the foreseeable future.

My first question is this: Is Independence helping or hurting the BYU Football brand? Honestly, I can see merit to both sides of the argument.

BYU is often grouped with the Power teams by media because of their status as a "major" Independent (admittedly without the perks of actual P5 status). Since going Indy, BYU has played and beaten the following big time programs: Texas, Nebraska, Michigan State & Wisconsin. Not to mention, they've also beaten Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Miss State, Cal, Arizona, Oregon State, Virginia, Washington State, UCF, Houston & Cincinnati, few of whom BYU would've been able to play had they been tied to a conference. And the truth is that BYU got a ton of mileage out of the Texas wins, the Nebraska win, and the Wisconsin win. And those games have strengthened the brand.

But there have been some brutally embarrassing losses as well: Michigan, Washington, LSU, Wisconsin, Utah, UMass, and Memphis (for other reasons). Not to mention, BYU has also lost plenty of run-of-the-mill type games because, to be honest, Independent schedules are a series of exhibition games that don't necessarily have a ton of importance. BYU isn't playing for a national title and has no other championship to play for. I've convinced myself BYU is playing for a Top 25 ranking, but that is a moving target and not necessarily an accomplishment worth celebrating. The one Independent BYU team to finish in the Top 25 had a schedule that ended with the following games: San Jose St, Idaho, Idaho St, New Mexico St, Hawaii, and comeback wins against Utah St & Tulsa. So it can be argued that the embarrassing losses and the lack of ranked BYU teams have actually hurt the BYU brand on the whole.

My next question is this: Is there a situation available to BYU that is better than Independence?

I will preface my analysis with a couple of points. I think Bronco really hurt the program when he caved to outside pressure and disrupted a winning formula by letting Anae walk just as BYU was entering Independence. BYU needed consistency at that point, and the offense has been an abject mess ever since he left. A status quo Anae 1.0 offense teamed with the dominating defenses Bronco was putting on the field in the early 2010s likely gives fans an entirely different outlook on the potential for success and feasibility of Independence. Additionally, Utah getting the Pac-12 invite and "Power" conference membership really limits the moves BYU can make without significantly harming the brand (or further harming the brand), at least on a local level.

I do know this, as we sit here on October 18th BYU once again has very little to play for. Fortunately the Utah game falls in November this season. But this is the time of year conference races are shaping up and teams are playing their most important games. Meanwhile, BYU will be playing UMass, New Mexico St & Northern Illinois over the next month in front of increasingly smaller crowds at LES. The only interesting story line about BYU Football is the development of Zach Wilson as he finishes out his Freshman season. But most fans get excited to watch successful teams, not to watch the development of a potentially good QB.

Naturally, I wonder: Would playing the likes of UCF, Houston, Cincinnati, Memphis, USF, etc. for a conference title be more interesting than the current slate? Absolutely. But would it harm BYU's brand and give Utah a definitive leg up for the foreseeable future? Probably, but this is likely the case already. Or would joining a conference of programs that deserve the P5 designation (but just haven't been granted it yet) put BYU exactly where they belong? Perhaps. And if Boise State (and a select few others) were to come along with BYU, the only question would be whether an acceptable TV deal could be worked out. If something along the lines of what was offered to the Big East prior to its breakup is a possibility, it would be a very enticing situation.

The more I think about this possibility, the more I think it needs to become a reality should the impending 2024 P5 realignment not shake out favorably for BYU. The potential upside to this path would be, despite not being in a designated "Power" conference, being in a conference with the programs listed would not carry the stigma of a typical G5 league, thus allowing the associated schools the opportunity to continue moving their programs forward. College football is supposed to be fun. And while some of the lack of fun of BYU football recently is tied to the product on the field, much of it is tied to the lack of something to play for.

BYU has a unique history, especially for a team still not included in a Power conference. The move to Independence was largely made to protect that history and tradition, and rightly so. But unless BYU somehow becomes a national title contender as an Independent, there doesn't seem to be much point to the endeavor long term. Joining forces with programs widely considered deserving of power conference inclusion, but yet remain uninvited, seems to be the best way for BYU to continue building on its brand long term. Such a conference would include consistently tough games against quality programs in order to win a championship. So those conference titles would have meaning, and they'd result in BYU playing in major bowl games, something BYU's tradition lacks. This would help build BYU's brand for the future and potentially give the program a sense of momentum again.