I don't have to time fully respond to this, but I'll just point out that you are saying it's fine to lie to people about your reasons for doing something as long as "everyone knows" the actual reason is different.
As far as why U of U should play BYU, I can think of many reasons off the top of my head:
* Because the Ute fans by and large want it.
* Because the taxpayers of the state want it.
* Because the state legislature wants it.
* Because it's been a great, historic rivalry.
* Because what goes around comes around, and the Utes should follow the Golden Rule.
* Because BYU, although not as good as the U this year, is still a quality team and will help the Ute's RPI.
* Because in future years when BYU is better than U again in basketball, it'll DEFINITELY help the Ute's RPI. (This is sort of a combination of the previous two ones.)
For the heck of it, I'll make another two lists as well:
Reasons why the U should not play BYU
* Because Coach K got his feelings hurt.
* Because beating BYU would not really help the U very much next year.
* Because losing to BYU would be bad, especially for in-state recruiting.
Reasons which have been given for why the U should not play BYU, but which everyone in this thread (even Ute fans) seems to be acknowledging are not part of reality:
* Because Coach K is afraid his players will get hurt.
I personally think list 1 far exceeds lists 2 and 3. But YMMV.
Chris Hill has said that most Ute fans are indifferent towards playing BYU or would want to see the game go away.
The taxpayers of the state have no say in this. Forcing a public school to play a private, religious school? lol. Come on now.
For your next point, see above.
Utah vs Utah State was a great, historic rivalry before BYU came along. Utah vs Colorado was a great historic rivalry before BYU came along. Unlike BYU sports, Utah sports actually have history that extends back before the 1970's. For example:
The 1930 Utah team made its way into my book by force. Few teams have put together a more prolific run than Ike Armstrong's Utes from 1929-32. They were, at worst, in the 99.6 percentile in each of those years, peaking in 1930, when they scored 340 points in eight games, including 320 in six Rocky Mountain Conference contests. BYU went 5-2-4 but lost, 34-7. Colorado went 6-1-1 but lost, 34-0.
Utah was an interesting program at that time. The school was easily the class of the RMC and between 1928 and 1932, it lost only to Pacific Coast Conference foes (Washington and Oregon State in 1931, USC in 1932).
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/3/1/11137904/college-football-history-best-offenses
"What goes around, comes around?" Huh? What does that mean? Do you honestly think Utah will one day leave a good basketball conference and go to the WCC? Do you honestly think that Utah will decide to leave a great situation to go independent? I don't get what that means, what goes around, comes around. Yes, Utah will struggle in the PAC-12. It has already happened. BUT, Utah will also be very successful in the PAC-12, and that has already happened.
What could possibly happen that would force Utah to plead for the rivalry game to be back on?
BYU is a somewhat quality team that can help with RPI. BUT, are they worth the drama? Why not just go find another mid-major with less drama to fill that role?
BYU has been better than Utah in basketball, for what, 3 years? Forgive me if I find it a little unreal to expect BYU to get this huge basketball foothold and surpass Utah for any length of time. I'm as scared of BYU overpassing Utah in basketball as I am...I dunno? St. Mary's? That's the only other team I can think of from your conference.
Your list is one sided and has nothing of substance in it.
What does Utah gain in playing BYU?
Does beating BYU help in recruiting? Nope.
Does beating BYU help in national perspective? Remember the 54-10 game? Afterwards, NO ONE was talking about Utah nationally. They did not suddenly become ranked. That win did NOTHING for Utah.
Does it help bring in money? Maybe a little here. BUT the money is so low, that the risk of injury is not worth it.
Does it help build brotherly relationships and bring the state together? Nope.
Again, how does this help UTAH?
Not state legislatures, not BYU fans, not Karma, not your fantasies of BYU somehow ever being better than Utah. But actually help the University of Utah?
It doesn't. It doesn't help Utah at all.