I thought I had read something like that several years ago as the reason why BYU didn't join the Pac12. It had nothing to do with the football program. It had everything to do with religious bigotry of certain members of the conference.
Sid, I love ya, but based on what?!?!? If you look at their history, about the only major conference that would seem to give them a chance at success is the B12. Overall record 561-409 Overall records against P5 (using current alignment): ACC 7-11 B10 4-8 B12 11-14 (including 4-1 against texas) P12 40-123 (including 3-1 against Wazzu but NOT including 31-55 against Utah) Utah 31-55 (last five: 0-5; last ten: 3-7; last twenty: 7-13) SEC 5-5 (including 2-1 against A&M, while they were not SEC) ND 2-6 Overall against P5: 150-222 Overal against G5 and FCS: 411-187 To accumulate that overall record they have stacked up winning records against Air Force (24-7), CSU (39-27), Hawaii (21-8), Montana (11-5), UNLV (16-3), UNM (47-35), Western St. (18-0) and Wyoming (44-30) for a total of 220-115 leaving their record against all others (G5 and FCS) at 191-72. And about half of those remaining wins are gainst FCS. They are the classic big fish in a small pond that had a pretty good team a few years. But even in their glory years, they pretty much chewed on small fry for most of their success. Basically what I'm getting at is that BYU's chance at success in the big leagues is improved by being in the B12, not in the P12. Plus, we don't want 'em, we got the better option in Utah. Let texas deal with them, (and for Terry's benefit) they're school produces almost as much arrogance.
I had no idea that Utah owned those guys, I would have bet it was the other way around to tell you the truth.
Kes, I certainly accept your facts. Truthfully, I am very surprised. I was basing my comments on my impression of their strength over the years, given a few down periods. I don't know about their fit n the B12 vs. other power conferences, but my guess that they'd be in the P12 upper division in most years obviously was dead wrong. Also, like Terry, I'm surprised that Utah has dominated them so convincingly in recent years.
From 1972 to 1992, BYU had insane success against Utah, losing only twice in that span. Considering that 19 of their 31 wins occurred over a 21 year span, shows you how much of an anomaly those two decades were considering the almost 100 years they have played each other with only 12 more victories the rest of the time. Surprisingly, when you talk to BYU fans, they think this time period represents the entire series. When you explain that BYU won only five times in the preceding 50 years, they think they must have turned the corner in the 70s and 80s, and that's how things are still. Then you talk about the last more than 20 times they've played, in which BYU has only won 7 times, they are shocked. I don't know how the perception started that BYU was a power, but it must have been in that stretch when they had so much success against Utah and beat up on everyone else in conference. I think the BYU athletic department fools themselves into thinking they are more competitive than they are, which is the only thing that explains their wanting independence. Yes, they have a national following, but the product isn't usually top tier.
I have to wonder why is it that Utah has had the edge on BYU. I would think both teams would be dominated by Mormon kids, and that BYU would have a huge edge in recruiting with Mormon kids. I doubt if guys like Giff Nielsen, or Steve Young would have ever considered Utah over BYU.
:idea: Mormons have told me that Utah State is their second choice after BYU: not University of Utah, which is filled with out-of-staters.
The Utah campus is normally the resort destination for SoCals, Arizonians and other west coast kids who have been squeezed out from their home state schools. Parents don't mind because it's clean living compared to places like Arizona State and the education is still quality.
I think Notre Dame should have come into the SEC. Nice contract for the ACC. Remember the days when the NCAA controlled who could be on TV each week and we would have one or two games and there was a limit of how many times a team could be on National TV?