Just a Bunch of Thoughts

[Jason G]

Oh horsefeathers! A one loss Auburn or Michigan or USC or Tennessee or Florida should be in a BCS game way, way ahead of an undefeated Boise State.

I agree and disagree. It is important who you play and who you defeat but at the same time I don't think schools or teams should be eliminated from a chance at a championship or BCS berth based solely on their schedule either. In many cases that would amount to penalizing a team for the conference they play in. That amounts to favortism toward teams that play in tougher leagues.
An example of this right now could be West Virginia. Yes, their schedule hasn't been as tough or at least is not perceived as such by most. Does this mean they clearly are not one of the best two teams in the nation? It certainly does not.

Spence, I agree that SOS has to be considered but I also believe that how a team tried to schedule has to be as well. You say that playing a weak schedule makes it a team's own fault if they are not given the same opportunities. I say this may or may not be the case. As I have stated before in this forum often times teams like Boise State are unable to schedule games against top-notch opponents despite great effort to do so. It isn't fair to penalize a team for their schedule if they tried to construct a strong non-conference schedule and were unable to do so or if they thought they had a tough schedule but their opponents faltered unexpectedly. Plus, as I said above, you can't penalize a team for the league they play in.

As far as the Broncos go, I am not knowledgeable enough about their program to know if they attempted to have a higher level non-conference schedule or not. My guess is they probably could have done a little more to bolster their schedule but at the same time they did play Oregon State and if that game was scheduled a few years back they probably thought they were going to be getting a pretty good ball club in the Beavers at the time of scheduling. I applaud them for getting that one done.

[Spence]

I don't buy that. If Boise State wanted to schedule a game with USC, Texas, or Oklahoma, they could get it done. If you choose to schedule Missouri, you may get a good team, you may not. If you schedule a top flight program, the chances that they will be good are in your favor. Teams like K-State may run from a Boise State match up, but a team like Texas never will.

[Jason G]

Your point is well taken. I would say though that those types of teams are also the ones that many schools try to schedule just for a paycheck (not to mention a lot of big name schools want more of a cupcake than a BSU team). Therefore, it is harder to get on a marquee school's schedule than it is another upstart type of BCS school. Plus teams like USC, Oklahoma, and Texas are much less likely to agree to return trips and 2-for-1 types of deals with schools like Boise State.

All schools have an obligation to their home fans, season ticket holders, corporate sponsors, and the local economy that depends and benefits from their scheduling of home games. Therefore, in many ways it may be more beneficial in many ways for a school to schedule multiple games with schools like Oregon State and Missouri than it is to schedule a single game with a school like USC or Texas. The biggest way it probably isn't as beneficial, however, is in the area of exposure and national respect.

As we talked about at the conclusion of last season, though, all of these issues could be addressed somewhat if there was some sort of systematic non-conference scheduling apparatus in place that would help even out the opportunities afforded all 1-A schools.

[donovan]

I don't buy that. If Boise State wanted to schedule a game with USC, Texas, or Oklahoma, they could get it done. If you choose to schedule Missouri, you may get a good team, you may not. If you schedule a top flight program, the chances that they will be good are in your favor. Teams like K-State may run from a Boise State match up, but a team like Texas never will.

I think it is never as simple as they could get it done. There are a lot of factors that we can only suppose
1. Strong schools may play a pre season home game against a Boise State, but will never travel there. That limits the number of games that could be scheduled because no team is going travel away from more than one or two pre season games. They have home town fans and in Boise's case, they sell out every game albeit 30,000.

2. There is a risk of scheduling a current Boise State team. They could be better than a Big name school wants to find out. They get nothing for the win and could lose big in a loss, so their value ratio is pretty low.

3. I think the Boises could do better at regional games, like Oregon, Utah, BYU, Colorado,...they have played these types of teams, but not to the extent I think they could.

4. There is always the chance that the year your schedule, the team is not good. Fresno State is a prime example,...picked high...been good,,, this year...not so hot.

Anyway. Will root for the Broncos....Think for financial reasons if they go undefeated they will go to the Fiesta Bowl..that way no other bowl takes a money loss on a game no one cares about. Fiesta makes it up week later in National Championship... Always about the grease that makes it all happen.

And lastly.....the reports of the Boise Idaho game and Boise struggling were by reporters that did not see the game. Idaho had three conference wins and when they scored a couple, Boise put it in gear that was the end of that. They are not the only school that plays down to their competition.

[Spence]

You are right about the strong schools not traveling to Boise, with only a 30, 000 seat stadium that will never happen. If it were only about the money, though, Boise St could make more money traveling to Ohio State or Michigan then it would at a home game.

The power schools wouldn't care about the risk in scheduling a current Boise State team. USC went to Auburn and Arkansas recently. Texas scheduled Ohio State. Michigan plays Notre Dame every year. The power schools don't back away from teams based on their record. The reward ratio is better then you think. If you schedule a team like Boise State and win, and they go on to have a great season, it helps your SOS.

I don't think you should quit rooting for your team no matter what they do. All I am saying is that Boise State might make the BCS without playing anyone, and that is what I think is wrong. There are a ton of teams out there that schedule a tough schedule so, if the win, they can be recognized. A team should be allowed to skate into the BCS. That is my point. Boise State cannot help their conference schedule, but they should have to schedule a couple good OOC games to make the BCS. That is my rub with the process.

[mountainman]

My two cents:

Winning games, demonstrated ability to play the game, and strength of schedule are the three major considerations in the BCS Rankings.

When applied consistently, I cannot find much wrong or unfair about that.

[Spence]

I agree MM. Especially, demonstrated ability to play the game. You are not always going to have a great schedule. Ohio State at this point has only played one good team - Texas. While the jury is still out on whether Ohio State is championship material yet, they have beaten everyone they have played by no less then 17 points. If you beat the teams you should beat and beat them soundly, that is "demonstrated ability to play the game". It should be considered because it can be as important as SOS.

[mountainman]

Yep, I think so ...... and in that order of importance too.

[Jason G]

I agree MM. Especially, demonstrated ability to play the game. You are not always going to have a great schedule.

I agree with this completely but in my mind that sounds like an argument for Boise State and not one against them. Winning games as often as BSU has in recent years shows a demonstrated ability to play the game in my opinion.

I agree that number of wins and demonstrated ability should be weighed heavier than SOS. That is not to say that SOS should be a miniscule consideration either, just not as big of one as the other two components.

If the season ended today I'd think BSU should be given a BCS berth under the new BCS qualification standards but they should in no way be considered for the national championship game.

[Spence]

The problem with Boise State is you have to crush opponents that good teams should crush if you don't play anyone that is ranked.

[colorado_loves_football]

I don't buy that. If Boise State wanted to schedule a game with USC, Texas, or Oklahoma, they could get it done. If you choose to schedule Missouri, you may get a good team, you may not. If you schedule a top flight program, the chances that they will be good are in your favor. Teams like K-State may run from a Boise State match up, but a team like Texas never will.

I look at it a lot differently. For one thing, Boise St likely wouldn't want a 'home & home' against Texas & vice-versa. There's no tradition there, I can think of. Maybe you can come up with one, try if you can.
Texas Christian, however is another story. I'm sure they 'jumped' at the opportunity to play a SWC 'rival' which is what they are, rivals. It's not all about playing 'good' teams, simply because they are 'good'. Texas & Michigan never played until the Rose Bowl, 2005. TCU & Michigan never have played, either. There has to be some 'basis' for it, other than "I need to get my SOS higher".
And, in case you guys haven't already noticed: Wyoming is 4-4. Not too bad, IMO. Oregon St is 4-3, presently, with USC next. Boise St. isn't 'ducking' anybody I can think of. NMSU & Hawaii, last week was a pairing of the two best passing offenses in the country! B.S. beat both.
All those things need to be evaluated before writing off B.S.'s SOS, IMO.

[Eric]

Look at Florida's SOS. They've defeated, no, crushed Southern Miss (one of the best teams in C-USA this season), they beat LSU in the Swamp, they've defeated Alabama, and they went into Knoxville to beat the Volunteers. Their only loss came to a highly ranked Auburn team on the road. Something is telling me that Boise State can't come through that unscathed. They would probably get only 2 wins out of this brutal stretch at most.

Look at USC even. Nebraska, Arizona, Arkansas, Washington, Washington State, and Arizona State. Boise State would come out of that stretch 3-3 at best.

[Spence]

And, in case you guys haven't already noticed: Wyoming is 4-4. Not too bad, IMO. Oregon St is 4-3, presently, with USC next. Boise St. isn't 'ducking' anybody I can think of. NMSU & Hawaii, last week was a pairing of the two best passing offenses in the country! B.S. beat both.
All those things need to be evaluated before writing off B.S.'s SOS, IMO.

This quote says it all about your undestanding of team strength.

[Eric]

Hawaii is a pretty good team, but they are no Auburn, LSU, or Alabama.

Oh? You mean that New Mexico State team that has lost to 18 straight 1-A schools? I know they are better, but they are not good, CLF.

[Spence]

If you want to know what it takes to become an elite team, go back and look how Florida State rose to elite status 20-25 years ago. Bowden's motto was "we will play anyone, anywhere" and not only did he do that, he won doing that. This is the key to becoming a BCS championship contender. You can play and beat the Hawaii's and New Mexico State's you want, until you start taking down the Auburn's, Southern California's, and Michigan's of the world, no one is going to take notice. It is a fact of life in D-1A football. You can be mad about it, you can scream and howl about it, but it is how things work. I didn't make up the unwritten rules that guide the haves and the have nots, but I do recognize them.