Big 12 puts up a good fight with ESPN, OU, and UT, resulting in a settlement with ESPN that allows the Big 12 to bring in up to 4 new schools of their choice and receive the same overall payments they now get for the next 10 years despite OU and UT leaving.

Whether in phases or all-at-once, the Big 12 brings in BYU, Cincy, UH, and UCF. There's a five-year phase in to get full distributions. So, for at least the first five years, the current Big 12 members would get the same they are getting now or maybe a little more, depending on when they get to more than 10 schools. Eventually, they will get a little less. But with the added benefit of stability and the knowledge that they could have been in the AAC otherwise, they deal with it.

BYU gets 10 years in a P5 to figure out next steps and hopefully get into the new league that will eventually be formed by ESPN and the SEC.

With the boost in recruiting, BYU treats the 2020s like the 1980s, especially as it relates to the team up north. After BYU wins all of the recruiting battles, Utah sinks to the bottom of the Pac 12 and gets left out of the new league. Utah forms a best of the rest league with schools like Weber, USU, Liberty, ISU, and CCU.