Utah left BYU behind. They had moved past us. They viewed us the way we view Utah State. They're Power 5 for 14 years, playing for conference titles, playing Oregon and USC in meaningful November games, and we're languishing in Independence trying to fill a November schedule against San Jose State and Wagner. Their identity--tattoos, car wraps, t-shirts--was built around the PAC 12. It was how they justified playing BYU whenever they wanted, demanding 2 for 1s (though that never happened). You add to that the fact that it took us 11 years to beat them once they entered the PAC 12.

They believed they were on the edge of being a true national powerhouse--starting seasons ranked in the top 15 consistently. You even hear recruits saying they believed Utah was a good class away from a national championship run. Snowden and Isaac Wilson (trust me on this) went there because they believed Utah was on the cusp of a playoff run. The talent was better. The program was on solid footing.

Then the last 15 months happened...

The PAC 12 has a quick implosion in the most improbable of ways. Utah is the absolute LAST holdout trying to make it work, trying to keep the conference alive. Harlan is making calls at the last minute to Oregon and Washington...trying to convince the big dogs to stay and keep it together. It falls apart anyway...and the situation with the Big 12 goes from 'give me a break' to the ONLY option.

They begrudgingly go to the Big 12 with absolutely zero excitement. The fans aren't happy, the AD has failed, the coach is ticked. They are suddenly back at the same level with their rival. The AD, the coach, the fans, all believe a Big 10 invite is coming at some point especially IF they can go into their new conference and dominate. And everyone expects them to...they're overwhelmingly picked to win the conference. Ranked 11th in preseason rankings. Local sports writers are guaranteeing their spot in the playoffs. Klatt and Herbstreit are calling them legit contenders to make a deep playoff run.

Then the games are actually played. You lose 4 in a row to mediocre teams--including to Houston in an empty rainy stadium.

The ONLY way you can salvage your season is to beat your rivals at home. And...you lose it like that. Now you're in an 'inferior' conference, the season is falling apart, you haven't beaten your rival in 5 years (it'll be over 6 calendar years since a win by the time you play them next), and they're ranked #6.

And it all came pouring out of Harlan at one moment. He said what he's been thinking since day 1: they're better than this conference, better than the backwater redneck towns in the conference, better than their rivals, not just this game...but their future as a program was 'stolen' from them. Players are quitting, coaches are quitting, recruits are flipping. That's why he didn't just attack the refs, he attacked the conference, mentioned the commissioner, promised to 'call' him. After all, they should still be in the PAC 12 playing USC and Oregon in meaningful November games, not going to Stillwater and Orlando and Houston and Ames to play football on dark Fall evenings.

Harlan's rant was about all that stuff FAR more than it was about a holding call.