November 30, 2008

Should Boise State be in the BCS?

First of all, there are ten BCS spots so it would seem that the top 10 in the BCS should be in a BCS bowl. Boise State will be in the top 10, so they should be in a BCS Bowl.

The talk last year about teams from conferences like the WAC and MWC needing to soften their schedule to Hawaii like levels to improve their chances of an undefeated season and a BCS berth are silenced. Two undefeated teams, Boise State and Ball State, are likely to miss the BCS this year because a team with a more difficult schedule sits above them.

TCU will become the first team from outside the big 6 to qualify for an at large spot with a loss, and they did it with two losses. They would certainly have been ahead of Ball State with another win, showing even in these conferences differences in schedule can count for more than a single loss in the BCS.

Utah will be higher than Boise State in the BCS and earn the single guaranteed spot. The SEC champion will be in the NCG, and the loser of that game will be in the Sugar Bowl. Either Texas or Oklahoma will play Missouri next week for a chance at the NCG while the other waits to see if they will get an upgrade from the Fiesta Bowl, which would then go to Missouri. Virginia Tech will play Boston College for an Orange Bowl spot where they will play Cincinnati.

With a win over UCLA, USC would earn a Rose Bowl berth against Penn State. With a loss Oregon State would win the tie breaker (Oregon would be eliminated when record vs teams with as many conference wins as California are examined, and Oregon State wins the two way tie with USC), but USC's perception would be greatly tarnished with the loss. For now lets assume they win.

Utah looks set for the Fiesta Bowl. This leaves the Sugar Bowl with a choice between Boise State and Ohio State. A precedent will be set.

Never before had a BCS Bowl been forced to choose to select between a team outside the Big 6 and a lower ranked historical power. Every time a lower ranked team has been selected it has involved a historical tie in for a bowl or Notre Dame. Neither of those would be in play this time, though the assumption has always been that the outsider would draw the short lot. This year the BCS will be forced to make that choice.

Make up your mind. Is the BCS system good enough to use as a conference tie breaker and seed the National Championship game, or is it an arbitrary ranking imposed on college football that should be ignored? If the BCS ignores it in this case, what signal does that send?

Perhaps Boise State did not play the likes of USC. One could argue, neither did Ohio State. I would like to see Penn State vs Oregon.

And before you try to use Hawaii against them, remember Boise State has been here before and won. Boise State sold their tickets to the Fiesta Bowl, and would sell their share again. They travel VERY well, often setting attendance records at opponents stadiums in their conference games. And that is for the regular season. Does anyone question whether the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (after 2006) got higher TV ratings than this years Orange Bowl will get?

Does anyone outside of the Buckeye State want to see Ohio State play a third SEC team in as many years? Isn't it time to let someone else take a shot? Isn't it time Boise State learned what SEC football was like? Or maybe it is time for the East coast to learn what Boise State football is all about.

And if USC loses to UCLA, and it is a three way tie for an at large spot? Does that not diminish both USC and Ohio State? If USC can't beat a team thats not going to a Bowl, do they deserve a spot in a premier bowl? How do you let Oregon State, Cincinnati and Virginia Tech or Boston college in and leave out a top ten undefeated conference champion?

If a conference champion as low as #20 (Pittsbugh in 2004) can get into one of the four premier bowls, certainly a conference champion in the top 10 should get into one of the five premier bowls.

Boise State should be in a BCS bowl this year.

Posted by Ben Prather

Comments:

Should Boise State be in the BCS?
First of all, there are ten BCS spots so it would seem that the top 10 in the BCS should be in a BCS bowl. Boise State will be in the top 10, so they should be in a BCS Bowl. The talk last year about teams from conferences like the WAC and MWC needing to soften their schedule to Hawaii like levels to improve their chances of an undefeated season and a BCS berth are silenced. Two undefeated teams, Boise State and Ball State, are likely to miss the BCS this year because a team with a more difficult schedule sits above them. TCU will become the first team from outside the big 6 to qualify for an at large spot with a loss, and they did it with two losses. They would certainly have been ahead of Ball State with another win, showing even in these conferences differences in schedule can count for more than a single loss in the BCS. Utah will be higher than Boise State in the BCS and earn the single guaranteed spot. The SEC champion will be in the NCG, and the loser of that game will be in the Sugar Bowl. Either Texas or Oklahoma will play Missouri next week for a chance at the NCG while the other waits to see if they will get an upgrade from the Fiesta Bowl, which would then go to Missouri. Virginia Tech will play Boston College for an Orange Bowl spot where they will play Cincinnati. With a win over UCLA, USC would earn a Rose Bowl berth against Penn State. With a loss Oregon State would win the tie breaker (Oregon would be eliminated when record vs teams with as many conference wins as California are examined, and Oregon State wins the two way tie with USC), but USC's perception would be greatly tarnished with the loss. For now lets assume they win. Utah looks set for the Fiesta Bowl. This leaves the Sugar Bowl with a choice between Boise State and Ohio State. A precedent will be set. Never before had a BCS Bowl been forced to choose to select between a team outside the Big 6 and a lower ranked historical power. Every time a lower ranked team has been selected it has involved a historical tie in for a bowl or Notre Dame. Neither of those would be in play this time, though the assumption has always been that the outsider would draw the short lot. This year the BCS will be forced to make that choice. Make up your mind. Is the BCS system good enough to use as a conference tie breaker and seed the National Championship game, or is it an arbitrary ranking imposed on college football that should be ignored? If the BCS ignores it in this case, what signal does that send? Perhaps Boise State did not play the likes of USC. One could argue, neither did Ohio State. I would like to see Penn State vs Oregon. And before you try to use Hawaii against them, remember Boise State has been here before and won. Boise State sold their tickets to the Fiesta Bowl, and would sell their share again. They travel VERY well, often setting attendance records at opponents stadiums in their conference games. And that is for the regular season. Does anyone question whether the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (after 2006) got higher TV ratings than this years Orange Bowl will get? Does anyone outside of the Buckeye State want to see Ohio State play a third SEC team in as many years? Isn't it time to let someone else take a shot? Isn't it time Boise State learned what SEC football was like? Or maybe it is time for the East coast to learn what Boise State football is all about. And if USC loses to UCLA, and it is a three way tie for an at large spot? Does that not diminish both USC and Ohio State? If USC can't beat a team thats not going to a Bowl, do they deserve a spot in a premier bowl? How do you let Oregon State, Cincinnati and Virginia Tech or Boston college in and leave out a top ten undefeated conference champion? If a conference champion as low as #20 (Pittsbugh in 2004) can get into one of the four premier bowls, certainly a conference champion in the top 10 should get into one of the five premier bowls. Boise State should be in a BCS bowl this year.