What if..

[billybud]

On reflection...Boise has not played a Top 30 team (as ranked by Sagarin)....but Boise's schedule to date has been tougher than WVU's and Louisville's (according to Sagarin).

It's really about proving that you are a good team...Boise State MAY BE...but who knows if you do not beat quality competition?

That's the beef with the Big East as well...The Big East conference has not won a game against a Top 30 team (Sagarin) to date. Is WVU good? How good? And how do we know? Is Louisville good? How good? We beleive these teams are very good, but it will take a game against a ranked opponent for us to know. It's matches with known quality competition that allows the defining of a team as "BCS Bowl material".

If Boise plays and beats a few ranked teams...they may have a better soapbox to speak from when wanting tom play in a BCS bowl;.

[Eric]

I think if teams beat who they should by as much as they should, they should be given respect. Boise State hasn't even done that.

We won't know how good West Virginia or Louisville are until they play somebody either. But I don't think it's a stretch to say they are BCS caliber teams. Louisville is, they just haven't played to their potential. I mean, the Cincinnati game wasn't a good enough game to measure. Brohm had just come off of injury. The team didn't play very well against KSU but that was because they had Cantwell in the game. With Brohm, Louisville is an elite football team.

[Spence]

Oh, I think Boise State has a pretty good team. I just find it funny that people complain about the system, when they have had years and years to put together a good schedule. This isn't the same as the B-East teams, they had to fill in their schedule. They had set schedules and they were disrupted by teams leaving. Last year Boise State put some BCS teams on their schedule and got beat by all of them, this year they had one and won one. They beat Oregon State who themselves have beaten one BCS school.

Billybud is right, you have to prove you are good. If you have a weak schedule, then you need to crush those on your schedule.

[Eric]

Which is exactly what Utah did. Utah actually had 3 middle-of-the-road teams on their schedule (Arizona, Texas A&M, North Carolina) and beat all of them pretty decisively. Then they demolished most MWC teams with the exception of Air Force. I think Boise State has a good team, but they have played well on occasion and bad on occasion.

Don't be suprised when Boise State wins by 2 touchdowns against New Mexico State. The Aggies will battle.

[Spence]

Utah played a schedule that at least deserved consideration. That really is the difference.

[Eric]

Well you see, I don't care who teams play. What matters is how you beat the opponents. If UL Monroe beat every team they played in the Sun Belt by 1 point and their OOC schedule had Duke, Louisiana Tech, and Northwestern State and won all of those games by a point, I would say no to them being in the BCS. If Boise State played a very weak schedule and won by an average of 45 points, I would say yes to their being in the BCS.

It matters more that you beat who you should and win how you should. I think a slip-up or two is fine to have, Utah beat Air Force by a TD if I recall correctly.

[Spence]

I still think you need to have someone for reference on your schedule, but mostly I agree with you.

[donovan]

you live in a fantasy world.

For a team to be able to schedule "strong teams" you have to do that six and seven years in advance. There are reciprocity agreements, regional consideration and the list goes on and on.

A team has to have a strong program for years running to get the good schedule and then for smaller schools it is still tough. "Good old boys"

Nobody is complaining....it is just a reality that you can not have a 7 and 0 team one year and think Ohio State is going to schedule you six years from now. Truth is...Status quo is what makes money..football or government or Wal Mart. Do not fix what keeps the register ringing.

Bosie State did not look very good tonight....

[Eric]

TCU is going to play Texas and LSU in the future. Fresno State found a way to schedule USC and Oregon in the same season. They play Oregon and LSU this year. Nevada scheduled Arizona State this season. Southern Miss played Florida and will play Virginia Tech.

And the best Boise State can do is Oregon State? If they quit scheduling teams like Sacramento State and Wyoming and win, they will get the respect they deserve. They tried that with Georgia and that didn't turn out too well.

[Spence]

you live in a fantasy world.

For a team to be able to schedule "strong teams" you have to do that six and seven years in advance. There are reciprocity agreements, regional consideration and the list goes on and on.

A team has to have a strong program for years running to get the good schedule and then for smaller schools it is still tough. "Good old boys"

Nobody is complaining....it is just a reality that you can not have a 7 and 0 team one year and think Ohio State is going to schedule you six years from now. Truth is...Status quo is what makes money..football or government or Wal Mart. Do not fix what keeps the register ringing.

Bosie State did not look very good tonight....

I don't live in a fantasy world at all. Ohio State scheduled Northern Illinois after they won the MAC. The large schools want to schedule good mid majors. It makes their SOS better in the computer polls. That didn't work so well for Ohio State this year, because NIU hasn't played well. That was, however, the reason the game was scheduled.

No you won't ever get a home and away with Ohio State if you are Boise State because of the money thing, but you could easily get the game scheduled. You can't know for sure how good a team will be seven years down the road, but you can be pretty sure you will get a good team if you schedule one of the top 10 teams historically. You may have a hard time scheduling an average BCS school, but if Boise State wants to take on one of the "big boys" they can get it done. The big schools pay pretty well for teams to come in and play in home and home series.

Boise State has a great shot at a BCS game this year. They will get a quality opponent in the game. This is their big chance to prove they belong. Much the same way as West Virginia elevated their status in the preseason polls by beating Georgia. If Boise State wins they will get respect, if they don't it will be back to the drawing board. But they will have had their chance.

[billybud]

you live in a fantasy world.

For a team to be able to schedule "strong teams" you have to do that six and seven years in advance. There are reciprocity agreements, regional consideration and the list goes on and on.

A team has to have a strong program for years running to get the good schedule and then for smaller schools it is still tough. "Good old boys"

This is mainly BS.....excuses but not based in reality.


Air Force.... has been able to play California, TCU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma in the past few years and is playing both Tennessee and Notre Dame this year.

Akron has played Purdue, Virginia, Penn State, and Wisconsin since 2001 and is playing Penn State, NC State, and Cincinnati this year.

Alabama-Birmingham has played FSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Pittsburgh, Florida, Tennessee, Miss State...and is playing Oklahoma, Georgia and Miss State this year.

Arkansas State has played Missouri, Oklahoma State, LSU, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech in the recent past and is playing Auburn and Oklahoma State this year...

This, just from starting with the "A's"...

Boise could schedule good BCS teams if they desired...other "small guys" do.

[Eric]

you live in a fantasy world.

For a team to be able to schedule "strong teams" you have to do that six and seven years in advance. There are reciprocity agreements, regional consideration and the list goes on and on.

A team has to have a strong program for years running to get the good schedule and then for smaller schools it is still tough. "Good old boys"

This is mainly BS.....excuses but not based in reality.


Air Force.... has been able to play California, TCU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma in the past few years and is playing both Tennessee and Notre Dame this year.

Akron has played Purdue, Virginia, Penn State, and Wisconsin since 2001 and is playing Penn State, NC State, and Cincinnati this year.

Alabama-Birmingham has played FSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Pittsburgh, Florida, Tennessee, Miss State...and is playing Oklahoma, Georgia and Miss State this year.

Arkansas State has played Missouri, Oklahoma State, LSU, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech in the recent past and is playing Auburn and Oklahoma State this year...

This, just from starting with the "A's"...

Boise could schedule good BCS teams if they desired...other "small guys" do.

That was my point too, billybud. Some BCS schools do cower away from better teams. I mean, Auburn can play Arkansas State because they need a scrimmage; they might think twice about scheduling a team like Tulsa. Even so, there are plenty of teams that will willingly step up to the plate to take on better non-BCS schools.

[billybud]

Shoot...a Troy can give you trouble...just ask Nebraska and FSU...There is actually more downside to playing a lesser non BCS program than one of the best non-BCS teams.

Lose to TCU or Boise and folks give you credit for a loss to a tough opponent. Win, and it's a good win. With Troy, UAB, etc., you get no credit for a win and a loss ends all respect.

BYU at least played a home and home with Boston College...BYU has lost both gams, but they gave themselves a chance to beat a good team.

[billybud]

Nebraska...four straight bowl losses to FSU...ask the Huskers.

Huskers one for six against the Noles and have never played in Tallahassee. No bragging rights for corn sniffers.

Actually it was Southern Miss that beat the Huskers...had my teams mixed up...

[billybud]

Yeah...my bad...It was Southern Miss that beat the Huskers....