You're trying to justify a schedule that lacks any consistent identity or rivalry. We face a gauntlet in the Big Sky every single year, with real conference title stakes on the line each week. Your "variability" just means you never build the depth needed to actually win a championship becuse you're constantly getting beat up by bigger teams. A 10-2 independent record is hollow when those wins are against middle-tier power conference teams having a down year. We play for trophies and playoffs, not for moral victories from so-called quality losses. Your argument is just an excuse for not having a real home.