BYU Football: Conference Shuffling Continues, So What Do the Cougars Do?

Less than a week ago, it seemed a foregone conclusion that BYU would leave the Mountain West to become independent in football and join the WAC in all other sports.

But when Nevada and Fresno State snuck out the back door to the MWC, it changed everything.

The MWC is now sitting in a very good position. They lost Utah to the new Pac-12 but they gained Boise State and the two recent defectors.

They would now have a conference of 11 teams, up from nine in 2009, if BYU were to stay. Better yet, they would have a better argument for becoming a BCS conference.

BYU, Fresno State, TCU, Boise State... This conference would be just about as top heavy as any current BCS conference.

But, of course, BYU wants to be independent in football, which brings us back to our original question. What is BYU to do?

This means they need to join a conference where basketball is similar to that of the MWC.

The only conferences in the West are the WAC, Big West, Big Sky, Pac-10 (err, 12) and the WCC.

The WAC now has a mere six teams: Hawaii, Louisiana Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State and San Jose State.

Unless the WAC quickly gobbles up two or three teams to replace what they have lost, I do not see them acquiring BYU.

The Big West and Big Sky are too small for the likes of BYU.

This leaves the West Coast Conference, which has made phone calls to BYU about their interest in joining them.

It is a conference that does not play football. They already have basketball powerhouse Gonzaga and a Saint Mary's program quickly on the rise.

BYU, being a faith-based institution, would also fit into a conference with six other faith-based institutions.

Television deals already exist with ESPN and ESPN Pacific Rim for basketball.

If the WCC has all of this going for it, why wouldn't BYU say "yes"?

To answer "What will BYU do?" they need to figure out if are they better off as an independent for football and in a another conference for all other sports or stay in the MWC.

Bottom line, which will make more money in the long run?

BYU's goal is to be the Notre Dame of the West. Notre Dame has to finish in the top eight in the BCS rankings to claim an automatic bid.

Unless BYU can work something similar to the Notre Dame deal with the NCAA, they should remain in the MWC.

What is BYU to do? Remain in the MWC.