Here are the pluses:
1) BYU gets on TV a lot..."Exposure" (Oooooohh!) Check.
2) BYU gets to play 4-5 P5 teams each year (and loses half of them). Check.
3) BYU somehow, without any of us knowing how, magically makes only $5 million less than the Yew... (Something tells me BYU could find a way to make the same money it is making now, somehow, even if in a [gulp] G5 conference). Check.
4) Arrogant Indy-lovers get to gloat BYU isn't "stuck" in a G5 conference.

Here are the downsides:
1) BYU gets to play its P5 schedule to start the season, leading to either a losing record or, at best, a record of 2-2 by the end of September. But, hey, that's okay. BYU played the equivalent of four bowl games again P5 teams, right?
2) Because BYU plays a defacto exhibition schedule (12-13 meaningless games), the players don't have the drive and/or focus to 1) not lose games they should win (here's looking at you Toledo and USF) 2) play like they have a shot at an NY6 game, or 3) win a conference championship.
3) Novembers suck.
4) I could go on, but I'm tired.

Sure, we all want to be P5. I would also guess that most of us want Warren Buffett to send each of us a check for a million bucks. Unfortunately, neither is going to happen...EVER.

The simple fact is that there are only so many slots in the top-25...the AAC has four of them, the MWC has two. If BYU would simply swallow it's pride and join the AAC with Boise, SDSU, and Fresno State (or pick another fourth team you like better) in football only (if that's what it has to be), the AAC would (in fact) be a defacto P6 conference, in spite of not getting paid like one.

Before long, the CFP will expand to 8 teams with one guaranteed spot for the best G5 team. It's time to suck it up and punt on independence. An independent BYU will make the CFP in the eleventh year of each decade...meaning NEVER.

Flame away. I'm too tied to care...