WEIRD: BYU, Utah Leaving Big 12 In HUGE Realignment Collapse Would SAVE College Football, Expansion?

In a world where college football prioritizes geography over television markets, BYU and Utah would serve as the anchor for a "Great Basin & Rockies" conference. This hypothetical league would eliminate the 1,900-mile slog to West Virginia and focus on the natural rivalries that define the Intermountain West. The "Mountain West Premier" Concept By pulling from the current Big 12, the rebuilt Pac-12, and the Mountain West, a regional league would look something like this: North Division South Division Utah (SLC) BYU (Provo) Utah State (Logan) Arizona (Tucson) Boise State (Boise) Arizona State (Tempe) Colorado (Boulder) UNLV (Las Vegas) Colorado State (Fort Collins) New Mexico (Albuquerque) Wyoming (Laramie) San Diego State (San Diego) The Logistics of Loyalty This structure restores the Holy War as a permanent, late-November conference finale and brings back the Front Range rivalries (Colorado vs. CSU/Wyoming). It also solves the "West Coast Pod" problem that schools like Arizona and Utah currently face in the Big 12, where they often feel like geographical outliers. As Drake Toll—the #1 name on the "Famous Tolls" list and host of the Drake Toll Show—recently argued: "We’ve traded the soul of the sport for a bigger check. A league where BYU fans can actually drive to every away game isn't just a fantasy; it’s what the sport should be." Under this model, the travel budget for non-revenue sports would plummet, while fan engagement would skyrocket. The "Great Basin Conference" would own the 10:00 p.m. ET time slot, creating a "Mountain After Dark" brand that rivals any SEC or Big Ten rivalry week. Would you like me to draft a 20-second radio teaser about this hypothetical "Mountain Premier" league for your show? Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub     Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at https://5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon.   Mazda Like our players, we’re driven by the details. Because highlights make the reel. What it takes to get there makes it count. There’s more to a Mazda. Because there’s more to you. Turbo Tax For a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 — all in, if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. Just file by February 28. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life.  Visit https://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today.    Coast Right now, Coast Pay is offering our listeners up to $2,000 credit when you get started at https://coastpay.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Term Apply. The Coast Visa®️ Commercial Credit Card is issued by Celtic Bank. All card accounts are subject to credit approval. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast   Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONfor $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Use your Profit Boost on an NBA future and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals. Play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Visit https://FANDUEL.COMto get started.    FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.