Special Season Defined

On media day, Bronco was asked what a special season in 2014 would be.



He answered that firstly, a base expectation for every season is 10 wins and a Top 25 ranking. Then he said anything better than that is a special season.





11 Wins. Special Season. Unlike me, he did not caveat based on SOS.



Will fans accept this definition - 11 or more wins and a Top 20 ranking is a special season?



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Most would. 2014 needs to be beyond special. With the ever-shifting landscape of CFB, and the threat of BYU getting left in the dust when P5 splits off, 2014 and 2015 are perhaps the most important football seasons in school history. This would be a most advantageous time for a couple of truly legendary seasons - say 12-1 or 13-0 (14-0?).

Y 4 Ever wrote:
Most would. 2014 needs to be beyond special. With the ever-shifting landscape of CFB, and the threat of BYU getting left in the dust when P5 splits off, 2014 and 2015 are perhaps the most important football seasons in school history. This would be a most advantageous time for a couple of truly legendary seasons - say 12-1 or 13-0 (14-0?).

BYU's win loss record has little to do with why they have not been included in a P5 conference. Ask Boise State.



Indirectly, it will boost TV ratings and sell out home games which drives potential TV contract revenue, so it can help.



BYU fans need to pack LES for every game and travel even better than they have and win to get in the national discussion and hope that is enough.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib wrote:

Most would. 2014 needs to be beyond special. With the ever-shifting landscape of CFB, and the threat of BYU getting left in the dust when P5 splits off, 2014 and 2015 are perhaps the most important football seasons in school history. This would be a most advantageous time for a couple of truly legendary seasons - say 12-1 or 13-0 (14-0?).

BYU's win loss record has little to do with why they have not been included in a P5 conference. Ask Boise State.



Indirectly, it will boost TV ratings and sell out home games which drives potential TV contract revenue, so it can help.



BYU fans need to pack LES for every game and travel even better than they have and win to get in the national discussion and hope that is enough.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I completely agree that win/loss has little to do with joing a P5. It's common to hear that the secret is winning but it's not. Since when has the BCS/P5 good old boys club cared about who is the best team on the field? BYU's on field performance even in the last 5 years is enough to qualify us for the P5.



You're either in because you tied yourself to the money making teams long ago or because you were the best business/culture fit when a TV contract is coming up. We could average 11 wins for the next 5 years or average 9 wins/year and I don't think it makes a difference. Either things like the Big12 needing a CCG or the 4x16 super conference happen so someone picks us up or were not in.



Winning keeps us as a candidate but it doesn't get us in.

I just want to put a beat down on all the P5 teams out of spite. I don't think W/L matters either, but losses do give them an excuse to dismiss us. I'll be in Austin as will thousands of other Cougars. I want that game!

Stirfry wrote:
I completely agree that win/loss has little to do with joing a P5. It's common to hear that the secret is winning but it's not. Since when has the BCS/P5 good old boys club cared about who is the best team on the field? BYU's on field performance even in the last 5 years is enough to qualify us for the P5.



You're either in because you tied yourself to the money making teams long ago or because you were the best business/culture fit when a TV contract is coming up. We could average 11 wins for the next 5 years or average 9 wins/year and I don't think it makes a difference. Either things like the Big12 needing a CCG or the 4x16 super conference happen so someone picks us up or were not in.



Winning keeps us as a candidate but it doesn't get us in.

Butts in the seats and eyeballs staring at the TV. That is what will ultimately count. Agreed that averaging 9 wins or 11 wins won't make the biggest difference. (Although, making the CFP would catapult BYU upwards).



However, averaging fewer than 6 wins would make a huge difference, because attendance and TV ratings would suffer greatly. So winning helps BYU to sustain and build its market, which indirectly increases value - but it will ultimately fan support and TV ratings that drive BYU's future.

For this year though a special season would be only 1 loss imo.

Stirfry wrote:
I completely agree that win/loss has little to do with joing a P5.

No.



But yes:

Stirfry wrote:
Winning keeps us as a candidate but it doesn't get us in.

Winning is a necessary condition for moving up to the P5 club, but it is not a sufficient condition.



Those that joined a P5 (Utah and TCU) both won, a lot, and recently.

But they also had particular elements that made them attractive to P5 conferences (research, geography, TV revenue potential) and did not have issues that made them unattractive (Sunday play, "difficult" rep).



To get in, BYU's gotta win. But that's not the only thing they need to do/be.

CrimsonCoug wrote:

I completely agree that win/loss has little to do with joing a P5.

No.



But yes:

Stirfry wrote:
Winning keeps us as a candidate but it doesn't get us in.

Winning is a necessary condition for moving up to the P5 club, but it is not a sufficient condition.



Those that joined a P5 (Utah and TCU) both won, a lot, and recently.

But they also had particular elements that made them attractive to P5 conferences (research, geography, TV revenue potential) and did not have issues that made them unattractive (Sunday play, "difficult" rep).



To get in, BYU's gotta win. But that's not the only thing they need to do/be.

You forgot some of the other powerhouse schools that moved conferences like Colorado. I realize it was P5 to P5, but winning clearly had nothing to do with it. Oh. Rutgers. And, was it Maryland? And Missouri to SEC. And WVA to Big 12. And some ACC additions. Even Utah had started to decline from the Glory year.



And Boise State - the biggest winner of them all - out in the cold.



Conference alignment is about money, politics, bigotry, politics, money, money, and money and only indirectly about winning.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib wrote:

Stirfry wrote:
I completely agree that win/loss has little to do with joing a P5.

No.



But yes:

Stirfry wrote:
Winning keeps us as a candidate but it doesn't get us in.

Winning is a necessary condition for moving up to the P5 club, but it is not a sufficient condition.



Those that joined a P5 (Utah and TCU) both won, a lot, and recently.

But they also had particular elements that made them attractive to P5 conferences (research, geography, TV revenue potential) and did not have issues that made them unattractive (Sunday play, "difficult" rep).



To get in, BYU's gotta win. But that's not the only thing they need to do/be.

You forgot some of the other powerhouse schools that moved conferences like Colorado. I realize it was P5 to P5, but winning clearly had nothing to do with it. Oh. Rutgers. And, was it Maryland? And Missouri to SEC. And WVA to Big 12. And some ACC additions. Even Utah had started to decline from the Glory year.



And Boise State - the biggest winner of them all - out in the cold.



Conference alignment is about money, politics, bigotry, politics, money, money, and money and only indirectly about winning.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

No, I didn't forget them. I said that winning was necessary but not sufficient for moving up to the P5 club. All those others you mention, except BSU, were already in the club. They weren't moving up. They were (somewhat literally) in a different league.

As for BSU, they're the poster child for explaining the difference between a necessary and a sufficient condition. You gotta win, but winning's not enough. Money, politics and the rest are also important. But those without winning, I believe, are also not enough (See Ivy League).

No is definition is not a special season. It is a solid season that is impressive, but not a "special" season. Max Hall's years were solid, but not special. Special includes beating a top 10 team (that remains ranked in that area), a top 10 ranking and potentially a top tier bowl....or something unique around the season (Detmer winning the Heisman and defeating the defending NC). There have only been a few seasons in that past 40 that qualify as a special season (84, 90, 96 etc).

Finishing in the top 15 counts as a special season for me.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">