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PROVO — As presently constituted, the BYU football program needs tofind a way to produce its toughest schedule possible each season or humble itself and ask back into the Mountain West.
Since we know humility and the Mountain West aren’t happening at any point, then BYU has annually re-created next season’s model in which the opponents include Nebraska, UCLA, Missouri, Michigan, Cincinnati, East Carolina and Utah State. Even if a hard schedule leads to a string of disappointing seasons, it’s the only way the Cougars stand a chance at gaining access to the new football playoff system.
“I intend to play the very best teams we can play on the biggest stages,” says coach Bronco Mendenhall.
Good thing. As it stands, staying as an independent could drive BYU into obscurity, especially if in-state rival Utah continues to climb the Pac 12 standings.
Despite boasting a national championship and a Heisman Trophy winner, BYU is in a precarious position of having to fight to remain relevant. By virtue of belonging to a Power 5 conference, many perennially lousy programs can claim better access than BYU to the football playoff or the accompanying glamorous bowl games.
I don't think expansion is close at all. There are no candidates out there that bring the equity that these schools are now earning in the current Big 12.
–Dennis Dodd
And it’s not just P5 snobs that are turning their noses up on BYU. As we saw with the abysmal turnout at LaVell Edwards Stadium last week against perpetually downtrodden UNLV, BYU’s own fans aren’t interested in turning out to watch pathetic competition.
Repeated stiff competition is the only way for BYU to open eyes and bust its way into P5 recognition.
“I’m going to be very aggressive in pursuing (P5 inclusion) until someone opens the door,” Mendenhall says.
The Big 12 is the obvious solution to BYU’s problem. But the conference, which has only 10 members, doesn’t seem inclined to add schools to align with its name.
Dennis Dodd, a respected national writer for CBS Sports, has repeatedly stated the Big 12 has no financial incentive to expand. No potential candidate, he says, can generate the $21 million annually each school now receives, meaning expansion would dilute the payout that is expected to soon increase to $30 million.
“I don’t think expansion is close at all,” Dodd said in an interview with 97.5-FM and 1280-AM The Zone Sports Network. “There are no candidates out there that bring the equity that these schools are now earning in the current Big 12.”
But things can change, particularly with the new playoff system.
Related:
Explaining the drop in attendance for BYU football
BYU football's recent contest with the UNLV Rebels had an announced attendance of 53,622 — well under the stadium's capacity. While the number itself was disappointing, it is safe to say that there were not even that many fans in the stands come game time. Here are four reasons, besides mediocre play, attendance at LaVell Edwards Stadium is slipping.If the Big 12 doesn’t get one of the four spots in the playoff, it might be because the conference doesn’t have a championship game. NCAA rules require a minimum of 12 teams in order to play a title game.
Not having a championship game could work in the Big 12’s favor, which might irritate the four power conferences that do have two division winners face off each December. The other four conferences could demand uniformity in playing a championship game.
Whatever happens, BYU should follow Mendenhall’s lead and be proactive in seeking inclusion. BYU needs to dispel the accurate perception that it has been hard to deal with and also be flexible with any financial requirements.
On more solid financial ground than other candidates, BYU could cut a deal to take less money to get into the Big 12. The school also could propose joining only in football, leaving other sports in the lesser West Coast Conference.
For now, the stacked schedule is the only way to go, even if some believe that next season’s slate of games could lead to disaster.
“I think they bit off more than they can chew,” former BYU quarterback and offensive coordinator Brandon Doman said during one of his three weekly appearances on The Zone Sports Network.
“I think they’re getting a little overzealous over there. Maybe because they’ve lost a little bit of enthusiasm from some of the fans, they feel like they need to reinvigorate with a better schedule.”
