Really no national demand. It was all about Harbaugh and no other real college games on tv at the same time. First weekend of the year.
Had it been Hoke no one would have cared. This was not a program enhancer for Utah. If it was so good why have they not re-upped with Michigan? If BYU is so low tier they should fill a B or C slot and you have other slots for Michigan, ND (who you did a one and done), Alabama, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma etc. Yo could also start with an offsite game to start vs a real team, maybe at Jerry World if you are so big time.
Do believe fans from NYC or Iowa said "let's tune into see the Utes"? No one cared. They second the game was over no one cared.
Utah is a nice program that has done a lot better. To people outside of Utah it is like Rutgers run or Louisville, you are not like USC not UCLA nationally.