Boise State football: 3 best post-Mountain West options
By John Scimeca
3. Become an Independent
One tantalizing option for the Broncos would be to follow the path of BYU and Army, and more recently of UConn and Liberty: shedding the conference affiliation and going out at the Division I FBS level alone.
Pros: The ability to negotiate a separate TV broadcasting deal would be a boon for Boise State’s coffers — if the demand exists, that is. Notre Dame is the crown jewel of Independent programs and has a national following that if few, if any programs, can match.
BYU has a new TV rights deal with ESPN, as of last month, and could serve as a model for what Boise State could expect if it were to also become Independent.
Cons: Losing the thrill of a conference race during the season would be a tough sell for fans. Boise State has won two of the past three MWC championships and has finished first or tied for first in its division in six of its nine seasons in the league — not an automatic shoo-in.
There would be concerns, too, about the quality opponents that Boise State could continue to put on its schedule. Would the non-MWC Broncos be stuck playing Liberty and New Mexico State every November?