Let’s discuss the chances of Utah getting called up to the super league

It’s a ways out but we will be a part of the breakaway group UNLESS something crazy happens and flips the P2 idea on its head. In that case, we’re already in the P4 so one way or another we’ll be there.

Many want to take the approach and argue why we won’t but we’re not the little WAC school anymore. Research funding approaching a billion, increased enrollment and growing, AAU, more on campus housing, SLC (top 25 media market in 5 years), regional location and accessibility, Olympics within 10 years and of course the football environment, success, etc.

Despite the local naysayers who you should not waste your time with, it’s not if but when…there a handful of schools praying that the P4 stays intact but I can confidently say we’re not one of them.

As we’ve seen, things can be flipped upside down in an instant in CFB so this isn’t a guarantee but…

I’m not too sure about us being better positioned in the TV ratings, than we were in the Pac-12. The Big 12 has 16 teams now, so that’ll make it more difficult to get on the major networks. I believe we’ll be seeing more game on ESPN-plus, than we’d been saddled with on the PACN.

I agree with most of your post. Reportedly USC wanted to bring us and not UCLA along with them. It’s nice to have a big school like that have your back. The thing is, the B1G wanted Stanford. The only reason UCLA got in is because Fox wanted them, so it really is the networks calling the shots. My point is that Stanford probably gets in before us regardless of football success.

I also don’t think we’ll get better ratings in the B12. We no longer have the LA schools, UO, or UW to play against. We’ll see more games get moved to ESPN2 and FS1 as a result.

I think a lot will depend on whether the P2 expand or whether the new league starts from scratch. Take Vanderbilt’s exclusion as the certainty that many assume- Vanderbilt is a lot like Stanford. Elite school, elite endowment, elite location, less-than-elite athletics. Yes Vandy is somewhat less elite than Stanford and TN has 10m people while CA has 40m. But Vandy is in the largest city of the state and has enormous financial wherewithal.

The SEC is not going to expel Vandy. The only way Vandy gets left out is if the SEC dissolves. The problem with dissolving the SEC is that the SEC has enormous support and power. The schools within the SEC are perfectly content.

USC became discontent watching other schools surpass them in revenue. No one has surpassed the SEC schools and this looks stable for now.

If you are starting from scratch and you can choose only one between Stanford, Vanderbilt, and Utah, the decision may be harder than Utah fans want to believe.

Having said all that, I don’t see any reason to fret over Utah’s future. Utah will be included in some capacity. Will they be on equal footing as the top 10 programs? Probably not- just like the Jazz are not on equal footing with the Lakers despite the NBA’s aggressive revenue sharing. The Utes have never had the greatest advantages and that is part of the fun. Utah’s future is bright.

While I agree we have made ourselves good candidates, our arguments for inclusion are based on the expectation that the process will be fair and merit based, and I’m not certain that will be the case.

Ongoing realignment will be driven by multiple different factors and involve multiple different groups who have different agendas, which means that in the eventual mish mash of who goes where, it’s likely some deserving teams will still be left out in the cold.

While we should definitely hope for the best, in the meantime we need to stay humble and hungry.

Same thing goes for the Big12. While we all legitimately have good reasons to believe we can win the conference our first season in, but if Cam Rising can’t finish the season due to another injury, very little about our season is guaranteed.

I know BYU fans who claim that nobody would desire Utah in the P2, and that we are out of our minds delusional to even think that Utah could get an invite.

To prove them wrong, I would like a list of prominent people who claim that Utah could or should be included in the P2.

I know of:
Rick Neuheisel (quoted in an article that just came out)
Greg Flugaur (claimed that USC wanted Utah to join the B1G)

Any others?

I fully anticipate Utah to be part of the big realignment. You have earned it through your play on the field. Us BYU fans like to poke fun at your losses in the Rose Bowl, but of course we would swap the last 15 years of football success with you in a heartbeat.

I routinely hear national pundits (like Cowherd) talk about how much they respect Utah. Utah is a tough culture with an elite coach, and very tough D who puts a lot of guys in the NFL.

As much as it pains me to say it, football drives everything and you guys had a great rise at the right time. I’d be shocked if you’re not part of the 60 team (or whatever the number ultimately is) super league.

I also think BYU has a lot to offer and I am very surprised by BYU’s NIL spending in basketball. Maybe we’ll start to do the same in football. We have a lot to offer with good TV ratings and our sports outside of football, but we all know football drives everything and we have unfortunately been very mediocre the last decade. As of right now I would think BYU is on the bubble and I would put Utah firmly in.

One of the first questions I think that has to be answered is whether there will be football only conferences or even football only members or divisions if there are just 2 conferences.

Utah is a much more well rounded/respected institution right now then in the past. But right now we have a great football program. Conversely a place like Stanford or if you want to keep picking on Vanderbilt or some of these older more established institutions are bigger but have bad football.

One of the two super conferences will want Rocky Mountain presence……..hence Utah