While pondering the last Holy War as conference rivals ...

[Top Ute]

... I wondered what things would be like today had BYU had the foresight 20 years ago to see the direction college football was headed, and realized that going independent in the 1980s would have been the best thing for the program.

At the very worst, it avoids the non-BCS stigmatization that it has been forced to endure for the last 15 years. In terms of facilities, performance and fan support, BYU is a BCS program. If it looks, walks and talks like a duck, isn't it a duck?

So what happened? I know it was bantered about a few decades back, but who got the cold feet? Or was BYU's flirtations with independence back then just a legend that sounds better with the passing of time?

[originalsocal]

What I have always heard

And have chosen to believe, is that BYU was offered an opportunity to go to the PAC 10. We accepted on the condition that Utah would come with us as a package deal. The PAC 10 said no, and well...

[LiveCoug]

And have chosen to believe, is that BYU was offered an opportunity to go to the PAC 10. We accepted on the condition that Utah would come with us as a package deal. The PAC 10 said no, and well...

This is correct.

[Top Ute]

And have chosen to believe, is that BYU was offered an opportunity to go to the PAC 10. We accepted on the condition that Utah would come with us as a package deal. The PAC 10 said no, and well...

When did this happen?

I don't doubt that such discussions were held. At the same time, the Pac-10's actions -- few as they may be -- have shown a consistent avoidance of any religious-based institution as a member of its conference. The idea that Utah was the program holding back BYU from the Pac-10 is something I can't wrap my mind around.

Especially with the pre-emptive Colorado strike/invite in the Expansion Missle Crisis of 2010. That was the Pac-10's way of saying no way in hell to Baylor ever becoming a member.

[Portland Ute]

This is correct.

I'd love to see at least some shred of evidence.

This is new. I've always heard the Big12/Ann Richards bit of lore, but never this most recent PAC10 legend. Until recently.

[YOhio]

I'd love to see at least some shred of evidence.

This is new. I've always heard the Big12/Ann Richards bit of lore, but never this most recent PAC10 legend. Until recently.

Don't be so cynical. Just trust us on this one.

[LiveCoug]

When did this happen?

I don't doubt that such discussions were held. At the same time, the Pac-10's actions -- few as they may be -- have shown a consistent avoidance of any religious-based institution as a member of its conference. The idea that Utah was the program holding back BYU from the Pac-10 is something I can't wrap my mind around.

Especially with the pre-emptive Colorado strike/invite in the Expansion Missle Crisis of 2010. That was the Pac-10's way of saying no way in hell to Baylor ever becoming a member.

I believe it was in 1992....

[myboynoah]

Don't be so cynical. Just trust us on this one.

Exactly. If Ute Fans can't figure out how to use a Google machine, I'm not inclinded to do their heavy lifting. We've done enough of that already.

[DrumNFeather]

Don't be so cynical. Just trust us on this one.

I'll believe you...unless you pay on net vs. gross, then I might have to reevaluate.

[Surfah]

I'll believe you...unless you pay on net vs. gross, then I might have to reevaluate.

I pay gross.

[DrumNFeather]

I pay gross.

[BlueHair]

... I wondered what things would be like today had BYU had the foresight 20 years ago to see the direction college football was headed, and realized that going independent in the 1980s would have been the best thing for the program.

They had the foresight. Brigham Young mentioned it when he insisted on elevator shafts in the Salt Lake Temple.

[shoganai]

And have chosen to believe, is that BYU was offered an opportunity to go to the PAC 10. We accepted on the condition that Utah would come with us as a package deal. The PAC 10 said no, and well...

The people I know that could be considered "sources" have always told me something very different - namely that the message was sent loud and clear quite some time ago that the Pac-10 would rather take UNLV than a religious school like BYU.

For all the bluster from the fan base, I think BYU has known since almost the time of Rex Lee that the Pac-10 was never going to happen.

[shoganai]

... I wondered what things would be like today had BYU had the foresight 20 years ago to see the direction college football was headed, and realized that going independent in the 1980s would have been the best thing for the program.

At the very worst, it avoids the non-BCS stigmatization that it has been forced to endure for the last 15 years. In terms of facilities, performance and fan support, BYU is a BCS program. If it looks, walks and talks like a duck, isn't it a duck?

So what happened? I know it was bantered about a few decades back, but who got the cold feet? Or was BYU's flirtations with independence back then just a legend that sounds better with the passing of time?

If BYU had broken off in the 80s, they would have ended up doing what virtually every other independent ended up doing - joining a conference by the early 90s.

And, it would have more or less been the MWC, just five years earlier. My opinion anyway.

[BoylenOver]

If BYU had broken off in the 80s, they would have ended up doing what virtually every other independent ended up doing - joining a conference by the early 90s.

And, it would have more or less been the MWC, just five years earlier. My opinion anyway.

It's perfectly reasonable to assume that, while BYU wouldn't have ended up in the PAC-10 (probably), they could've been a part of the Big 12 or at the very least, the undisputed financial/competitive/influential kingpin of a "non-BCS" conference. An independent BYU in, say, 1987, never in a million years allows ESPN, Comcast, or Craig Thompson to give them a raw deal.