Utah's progression is real. A win and a "possible" CFP invite or at worst a Rose Bowl invite would have been another step ahead for Utah and another step BYU falls behind. This is tangible. This is what matters. BYU can't afford to fall behind more than it already has with recruiting BYU kids, BYU legacy kids, in-state recruits and LDS kids in general. The program is slipping and if it slips too much further Indy may be a permanent resting place for the program. All the perceived benefits the program brings may be washed way in a decade long slog of mediocrity.

I understand all the "I hate this" and "someone spilled a beer on me" and "Max Hall's wife's sister's brother's Kyle's mom's Indian head dress" examples, but they are anectdotal. These things happen in every college football rivalry to one extent or another. We just don't hear about them because we don't follow other rivalries as closely as this one. I was done paying attention to this stuff a long time ago, because it is just a balm for a fan base that has little hope for the future. It covers up the real issues in the program itself.

The real issue being an indictment as to the short-sighted, "we realize Indy isn't a long-term solutions, but we are comfortable with Indy" drivel we get out of our AD. BYU's football program has been stuck in neutral for 10 YEARS! Think about that? Outside of a few wins against P5 teams there has been no discernible improvement in this program. And the capper is we have lost 9 straight games to our rival. Recruitment is stuck, therefore talent and depth are stuck. Coaching has been inconsistent at best and now we have to live with the promise that somehow things will magically get better with a contract extension for a .500 head coach. Really Tom? This is what we are supposed to be buying? This is what we are supposed to support? Mediocrity? If Indy is where we are at for the foreseeable future how about doing something with it rather than just marinating in it?