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Feb 24, 2021
12:18:20pm
krindorr Redshirt Freshman
Better PAC12/Big12 options than Boise
Sorry, BSU isn't going P5 unless they get bundled with BYU for something.


And BYU is having a tough enough time making it in on their own. If the cost of bringing in BYU meant they had to be bundled with Boise, then it becomes simple enough to not bring either in.

If we're looking at Western US candidates for PAC12 (Big 12 has plenty of eastward options - UCF, Cincy, Houston, Memphis) then the under-the-radar candidates are UNLV, San Diego State or Colorado St.

UNLV has an incredible new stadium, a large population base, is a Tier 1 Research Institution, is right by HS powerhouse Bishop Gorman, has a strong basketball history and is nicely central for the PAC12. Granted, they're terrible at football, but a couple years with the right coach and some success and they could be very appealing. Honestly, I think one of BYU's best shots at the PAC12 is if UNLV establishes themselves as a program on the upswing and BYU is taken as their partner.

San Diego State is a Tier 2 Research University and probably too close to UCLA/USC, but otherwise a decent bet. They're still better academically than Boise and have a large population, along with continual, decent success in football and basketball. They're never great, but they're always at least respectable.

Colorado St doesn't do much for the PAC12 in terms of market, but does balance things out for the PAC12. Unlike the improved UNLV scenario, where I could see BYU being the secondary team to make things work, Colorado State would have to rely on the PAC12 wanting to invite BYU. At that point, BYU/Utah would be the natural rivals, in line with the rest of the PAC12 setup, so Colorado State might come as the follow-on for Colorado to have a rival.


And then, talking Big 12, I don't even see BYU as a strong candidate, let alone Boise. Not so long as the Big 12 has West Virginia, which means they're going to look more eastward for any expansion. Right now it's probably UCF, Cincy, Memphis and then BYU or Houston. Boise wouldn't be in the top 5. BYU is 1871 miles from West Virginia, which is bad enough, but Boise is 2000+ miles away. Yes, Boise has been better at football in this century, but BYU has a better history, fanbase, academics, etc and is more geographically useful. All that said, if the Big 12 goes west that's BYU and Boise? Maybe Colorado St? Whereas UCF and Cincy is a lot stronger pairing.


In my mind, as things currently stand BYU is always the bridesmaid in any current expansion scenario. There's a couple of feasible scenarios that could change that though.

1) Notre Dame goes to the ACC or the ACC otherwise decides to expand and poaches West Virginia from the Big 12. Now BYU is operating on fairly equal footing with Cincy, UCF, Memphis for a real shot at a Big 12 invitation. As long as West Virginia is in the Big 12, there's just too many metrics that favor those schools over BYU, even without getting into the religious issues.

2) Either as an extension of point 1) or for another reason, the Big 12 makes a move and pulls Colorado back in the fold. When Colorado left, the Big 12 was in disarray with the smallest payouts and least respect. That conference is now the PAC12. If the PAC12 loses Colorado, they'd be in desperate straits. We know they don't WANT to add BYU, but if the options are a terrible UNLV, a SDSU right next to their flagship USC program, a poor academics Boise St with nothing besides football or a well-respected BYU, there's a chance they grab BYU to pair them with Utah.

3) Alluded to earlier, but if UNLV takes off, with their prime location, facilities, resources and becomes a very strong P5 candidate, then the PAC12 might need someone to pair them with. There's still no guarantee this would be BYU, but with the lack of strong programs in the western US, there may be no other suitable options.
krindorr
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krindorr
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