NOW having a seat at the big boys table with a guaranteed path to the 12 team playoff and are (as of 2024) making more money each year than either school has EVER made.

After hearing all the grousing from Utah fans this week (including the AD in his outburst) about being in the Big 12 it strikes me how crazy it is to think about the current position of both the University of Utah and BYU athletic programs as it stands today. 20 years ago... membership in the Big 12 and all that it brings with it would have been unthinkable for both schools.

BYU and Utah are the two WAC teams that actually got out and made it to the Power 4. No more Mountain West, no more independence, no longer shut out of access to prestigious bowl games and now an automatic bid each year to our conference champ for a chance at a national title. I realize actually winning a national title is not realistic but at least there is a path where there was none before in the BCS era.

It's interesting how the relative fan bases and football programs are treating this so differently... BYU seems overjoyed with celebrations and fan events to mark the momentous occasion of joining the Big 12. Utah grousing and complaining (Kyle Whittingham won't even acknowledge in his media interview last week that BYU and Utah will be playing into the future being in the same conference, 'only saying who knows where we will be in 2 years'). It also seems a loud section of Utah fans on X and social media constantly putting down and complaining about the Big 12.

It's a shame that one program is still remembering their roots and seemingly grateful for a seat at the table and one is completely ungrateful and not realizing the lucky position these two WAC schools are now in. They took very different paths, but in the end, both original WAC schools are incredibly fortunate to be exactly where they are today: members of the Big 12 and one of just 4 power conferences left.

Both schools are making more MONEY this year than they ever have. Both schools have a direct path to play for a national championship. Both schools are part of the best basketball conference in the nation. I think Utah football coaches and admin should feel embarrassed for their behavior and it is evident that they have totally forgotten where they came from.