The travel costs can definitely be an issue.
Keep in mind you have non-revenue sports that need to travel, the Olympic sports so to speak. Women's Volleyball etc.
True. Here is what women's vball did this year.
8/24 Road trip to Baltimore for tournament- 4 games
8/31 Road trip to New Britain CT- 3 games
10/6 Road trip to CHI- 1 game
10/7 Road trip to South Bend- 1 game
10/19 Road trip to Pitt- 1 game
10/21 Road trip to Tampa (USF)- 1 game
11/2 Road trip to Cuse- 1 game
11/4 Road trip to Marquette- 1 game
11/7 Road trip to Rutgers- 1 game
11/16 Road trip to Milwaukee (BE tourney)- 1 game
So a lot of one off trips. They could work their way out west playing 2 games first or go west and work back.