be ignored is the psychology of being an independent. Conference teams play a pre-season for a reason. Day one everyone hopes they go undefeated. If they lose a pre-season game, however, that hope is kinda dashed but not dead. Because they know the conference slate gives them a chance to win the conference championship and hopefully get elevated to the playoffs. So every team in a P5 conference has a reason to fight for every single win during the season. You're never really out of the race until the math says you are.

But BYU's situation is rough day one. Their first game is the season. So is game two. So is game three. BYU doesn't get do-overs or a conference championship to vie for that can cover up an early loss. Every game played has to be perfect because one loss, effectively, ends the only goal and that's to get to the playoffs. Once that first loss occurs the only goal left to pursue is the ever-falling bowl qualification bar of 6 wins.

BYU players know this and no doubt it weighs on them. Once they lose their season is over because the only real goal that everyone can buy in to is getting to 6 wins, which is not demanding nor does it drive them to excel because they know there's room for 6 losses to still enjoy a "successful" season. No matter what dumb fans say, playing for pride is not a sufficient impetus to put in the work necessary to have a special season.