Independent BYU fired up to make Independence Bowl statement

BYU had hopes of landing an upper-tier bowl game with a resume that includes a 10-2 record and the College Football Playoff ranking -- No. 13 -- only a dozen teams can trump.

BYU went 5-0 against Pac-12 teams this season and also defeated Virginia of the ACC.

Yet, the Cougars aren't even close to the New Year's Six and landed in a bowl game that gets the team back home well before Christmas.

Being an independent brough