Everybody stands to profit if the nationally ranked team from Provo, Utah, looks good roping the University of Wyoming Cowboys in Saturday's league championship game at sold-out Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
The Fiesta Bowl dollars are a staggering $8.75 million, making it a true Emerald City destination for a league whose other bowl opportunities are as bleak as Kansas in the winter. Each WAC team stands to make about a half-million dollars should BYU stay on the yellow brick road and receive an invitation to the elite Bowl Alliance ball.
"I think the fans of the WAC, collectively, want the league to do well," Wyoming head coach Joe Tiller said during this week's conference call. "But I don't know for instance, how many Utah fans will cheer for BYU.
"I would think that you might be surprised to find that a higher percentage of fans would go either way on this game.
"Over the years, the BYU-Wyoming rivalry has been a good one. Both schools look forward to playing in it. They were off the schedule this year, but lo and behold, we get to play them in a playoff game, which is a huge incentive."
The sad fact is, if No. 20 Wyoming loses, there's a strong chance the Cowboys won't be a part of the postseason parade. That's because the WAC's only other opportunity is the Copper Bowl, and Utah is the leading contender on that side of the bracket to face Wisconsin.
If Wyoming wins, the Cougars fall into the Copper Bowl slot with the Cowboys going to the Holiday Bowl. Should BYU win and be passed over in the Fiesta Bowl, the Cougars would probably go to the Cotton Bowl, which offers a $3 million payday.
Veteran BYU head coach LaVell Edwards is well aware of all the different scenarios, but refuses to think too far ahead. He knows a loss to Pacific Division winner Wyoming will cost the Cougars dearly.
So with that in mind, he tells his players to block out all the possibilities and concentrate on the task at hand. This game-by-game approach is the main reason BYU is 12-1 and ranked sixth nationally.
"I've told our guys we can't worry about anything beyond this week," Edwards said. "The only thing we have control over is the championship game. I told the players that something good can come of it if we run the table."
An appropriate term, considering the title matchup is in Las Vegas. The Cougars are a solid 101/2-point favorite over the 10-1 Cowboys, who have not beaten BYU since 1988.
The Cougars are 33-28-3 vs. the Cowboys in the long-running rivalry that began in 1922. During the WAC summer meetings, Edwards bemoaned Wyoming being off his regular-season schedule.
Perhaps he should have been careful what he wished for. After all, the Cowboys have an explosive offense, and a defense capable of controling BYU's new-found balanced attack.
It's up to Edwards to make sure BYU stays focused and not let the pressure of a potentially great season cause the Cougars to fold.
"I'm encouraged by how well we handled the situation with the Utah game," Edwards said of the 37-17 win over the Utes that clinched the Mountain Division.
"That's why I'm not worried about our guys losing their focus. They know the easiest way to fall off the mountain is to get caught looking ahead.
"Wyoming is one of our great rivalries. We've had some great games with them and it will be interesting playing them at a neutral site."
But just how neutral is it?
The Cougars already have secured 12,000 seats in a stadium they haven't played in since drawing 31,000 in a win over Nevada-Las Vegas in 1980. There is also a large Mormon population in southern Nevada, meaning a majority of the 40,000 fans will be pulling for BYU.
"It's going to be a great atmosphere in a great setting," Edwards said. "There's been a lot of hype over the weekend on ABC. We're stuck right in the middle of the SEC and Big 12 conference championship games in an excellent time slot.
"I think it's extremely important that we showcase our talents and our abilities. I think it's going to be a great matchup and a very exciting ballgame."