LAS VEGAS -- Is it the Sunday games, the academics or something else? The man at the helm of the BYU football program suggests the thing keeping the Cougars out of another conference might be religion.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall didn't single out the Pac-10, while saying Utah's move to that conference completely shakes up the in-state rivalry.

"BYU isn't any other place. There are some conferences that, quite frankly, don't want a faith-based institution," Mendenhall said.

It's not the first time someone has suggested the Pac-10 snubbed BYU over religion. A columnist on BleacherReport.com made the point even before the Utes' move was official.

Still, Mendenhall says don't expect the Y to change.

"We're very clear on who we are, what we represent and how we're going to play -- and [we] don't measure ourselves against anyone else."

E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com