Potential best non-BCS game goes up in smoke

2009-09-08T11:21:06-04:00

2008-12-03T23:02:45-05:00

2008-12-06T12:35:37-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/624/913/thumb/Romeo.jpg 11 ID

ForReal!

Boise 625553

73 Boise has lost what, 3 or 4 games in the last 3 seasons? Grant it, the WAC is not an impressive conference and the Mountain West is getting there. The AD's should take note of up and coming programs and perhaps let the hype play out by having a mid level play a Goliath a couple or few times each season and see what happens. Either the Goliath's will run up the stats allowing them to rise in the pollls or the Mid levels can actually beat them and hope for the same. Bottom line more out of conference scheduling should happen to really test these programs. No matter what the field is still 100 yards in any stadium. Ian Johnson broke LaDanien's TD record (and from TCU he turned out pretty well) and Ian has tied Marshall Faulks TD record (and he was from San Diego State and turned out pretty well. Soo, give them a chance and see what happens, unless of course the BCS teams are scared of losing to a smaller school who takes the field with guys who probably would not have even seen any playing time at a larger school but were given a chance and made names for themselves and got the nation to take notice. 3563126

2008-12-06T16:40:59-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/884/14/thumb/al.jpg 81 CA

Franco

San Francisco 88714

Boise has lost what, 3 or 4 games in the last 3 seasons?

75 Boise has played 90 games (including bowl games) since 2002. It's only lost 10 of those 90 games in that time span, it has several one loss seasons in there, the undefeated 2006 season and potentially can be undefeated (including whatever bowl game the play at this year). Now that Ball State (unfortunately for them lost), I do hope that one of the BCS bowl with at large picking options will seriously considering paring Utah and Boise (presumably the Fiesta Bowl would have the option to do so). 3564564

2008-12-04T22:56:12-05:00

350

Stuntman Mike

Casablanca 624219

I think it is time to combine/expand some conferences and perhaps have some teams drop to a lower division.

57 Like Ball State and Boise St 3544420

2008-12-06T12:51:20-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/624/913/thumb/Romeo.jpg 11 ID

ForReal!

Boise 625553

Like Ball State and Boise St

74 Growing up in So Cal I followed the Pac 10, maybe it should be the Pac 12? Add Boise and Reno (Hawaii is too far) and they will probably finish in the middle for a few years, just look at what happened to UCLA and Washington this year, these teams could definitely do beter. Combine the WAC and Mtn West's using their top remaining teams and drop the slackers such as: U of I, Wyoming, ISU, etc to a lower division and let them play each other. I remember (before my time) reading about a Pac 8, Big 8, etc. 3563176

2008-12-06T12:35:37-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/624/913/thumb/Romeo.jpg 11 ID

ForReal!

Boise 625553

2008-12-06T09:47:00-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/486/014/thumb/staypuft.jpg 1727 OH

Dallas_W

Cincinnati 486454

72 Buffalo 42, Ball State 24. Anyone still want to send Ball State to a BCS game? 3562337

2008-12-05T16:56:10-05:00

vindawg555

Boynton Beach 596247

They also played in and won the most exciting BCS game since the system's inception: second only to the USC-Texas NC game

69 Actually, I think most will agree that the Boise-OU '07 Fiesta was BETTER! Hell maybe the best college football game ever. Seriously. 3555940

2008-12-05T17:44:00-05:00

276

FarawayTiger

Hosston 150281

Actually, I think most will agree that the Boise-OU '07 Fiesta was BETTER! Hell maybe the best college football game ever. Seriously.

71 It was a good game, but the stakes were not as high as UT-USC. 3556735

2008-12-04T10:18:52-05:00

agmetzler

Indianapolis 504945

16 Ball State would beat every team in the top ten. 3533878

2008-12-05T16:57:40-05:00

vindawg555

Boynton Beach 596247

Ball State would beat every team in the top ten.

70 Bwawahahahahahahah!!! Yeah, okay. 3556006

2008-12-04T11:19:02-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/614/036/thumb/KHNYMMECWLTVFKL.20080405024010.jpg 26 VA

coachme

Charlottesville 614676

I'm so tired of this Boise nonsense every year. The one time they take a risk and schedule a decent opponent in the regular season (UGA in Athens), they get beaten like a drum. Zabransky, the hero of Idaho, threw I believe 5 ints in the first half and was benched. No one said a word about Boise State for the rest of that season. The next year their schedule returns to a bunch of also-rans in the WAC and a mid-level PAC10 team, they beat those teams, and suddenly they are a great team again. What a joke. It's not in Boise's best interest to schedule tough games because it takes them out of the discussion. It's even more ridiculous to reward them for their weak scheduling and pretend they are a legit national title contender because they haven't lost.

20 They also played in and won the most exciting BCS game since the system's inception: second only to the USC-Texas NC game 3535013

2008-12-05T16:56:10-05:00

vindawg555

Boynton Beach 596247

They also played in and won the most exciting BCS game since the system's inception: second only to the USC-Texas NC game

69 Actually, I think most will agree that the Boise-OU '07 Fiesta was BETTER! Hell maybe the best college football game ever. Seriously. 3555940

2008-12-05T11:56:28-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/625/744/thumb/BC.jpg 5 OH

TD780

Galloway 626384

No one wants to see the Bearcats face whatever ACC opponent is coughed up between the Eagles and the Hoakies.

64 And you think a majority would be interested in watching Boise St or Ball State instead? 12-0 means nothing when you play no-one. 3550064

2008-12-05T15:01:23-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/884/14/thumb/al.jpg 81 CA

Franco

San Francisco 88714

And you think a majority would be interested in watching Boise St or Ball State instead? 12-0 means nothing when you play no-one.

68 No - I don't. I don't think Ball State belongs in any of these conversations. For one thing, they still have a game to play. Utah and Boise State have finished their season and have done so as undefeated teams AND as champions of their conferences. No, I don't think the WAC or MAC champion can necessarily beat the Big 12, Pac 10, Big 10, or SEC champion. HOWEVER, do any of you really believe the ACC or Big East champion can beat Penn State, USC, or likely the Sooners and the winner between the Gators and the Tide? No? I didn't think so. I think a game between Utah and Boise State would be a great one and it would get great interest from many except for the homers who feel the Cowpokes or some other 5th place team in their conference is better. I've no interest in Ball State versus anyone. I also think pitting Utah against say Texas is a mistake. Pit Texas against the loser of the SEC championship game, let the Buckeyes play the Big East winner (they have comparable records, both having out of conference losses to the champion of another BCS conference) and let the ACC, which is supposed to be such a parity league, play Utah (although given the geography, I doubt this will happen). But the currently likely scenarios mean really crappy games almost all the way around. 3553712

2008-12-05T13:49:12-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/486/014/thumb/staypuft.jpg 1727 OH

Dallas_W

Cincinnati 486454

I share the poster's sentiment in comment #6. It's getting to the point where it's hard to care about college football as a sport anymore. They shove the BCS Poll down your throat all season, then turn right around and tell you the BCS Poll doesn't matter to the bowl games because #9 Boise State isn't the right choice for their business model.

66 Ok everyone, let's take a deep breath and remember the most important part of the BCS: the only rankings that really matter are 1 and 2. The number 9 team is ELIGIBLE for an at-large BCS bid. Eligible. They are not owed a spot, regardless of your own personal opinion. We wouldn't be having this conversation if Boise had played even an average schedule this year. Someone listed that they played eight bowl eligible teams this year; that's really not saying a whole lot when seven of that eight have seven wins or less. They beat one ranked team this year and benefited from the asinine ranking systems some pollsters use (ex. #2 lost this week so let's drop them to #9 below two teams they beat). It's interesting that when a school from a BCS conference schedules three games a year against cupcakes they get crucified for it, but when a mid-major plays these same lower-level cupcake teams 10-12 times a season in conference play their fans demand BCS attention! Does anyone ACTUALLY believe that Utah, Ball State, or Boise State could all beat Oklahoma State this year? Do you honestly believe Utah would beat Texas Tech, or Ohio State? So, in summation, to the whiners and mid-major homers: wait to complain until your teams actually win a game worth being proud of. A win in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago has no bearing on this year. 3552412

2008-12-05T14:17:16-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/625/744/thumb/BC.jpg 5 OH

TD780

Galloway 626384

So, in summation, to the whiners and mid-major homers: wait to complain until your teams actually win a game worth being proud of. A win in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago has no bearing on this year.

67 That's what I was trying to say... 3552868

2008-12-05T10:54:10-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/163/368/thumb/Photo0027.jpg 11 NE

Omahan

Omaha 163668

"Intriguing" would be to give them tests against the top teams not to make BCS bowls (Texas Tech - Boise St., anyone?)

63 Yes, and that's exactly the type of matchup you used to see in bowl games. Now it's all an unholy morass of pre-arranged tie-ins and secondary tie-ins and contracts that guarantee certain appearances to certain conferences no matter how mediocre they are. It galls me that friggin' Clemson is going to play on New Year's Day. And I guarantee you they'd be playing 6-6 Notre Dame if the NCAA bowl rules allowed it. I share the poster's sentiment in comment #6. It's getting to the point where it's hard to care about college football as a sport anymore. They shove the BCS Poll down your throat all season, then turn right around and tell you the BCS Poll doesn't matter to the bowl games because #9 Boise State isn't the right choice for their business model. It's easy to say Ball State and Boise State (not to mention TCU and BYU) haven't done this or that. But who's going to elite bowl games ahead of them? Clemson, which has 5 I-A wins? Nebraska, a clear-cut fifth-place team? Michigan State, similarly miles behind the elite teams in the Big Ten? South Carolina? An Orange Bowl between Cincinnati and Boston College? It's pathetic that college football has 34 bowl games, and can't work anything out to get these two teams a reward for a great season. 3548474

2008-12-05T13:49:12-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/486/014/thumb/staypuft.jpg 1727 OH

Dallas_W

Cincinnati 486454

<div class="photo_container image_center"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/davis-johnson.jpg" alt="Davis-johnson" width="614" height="400" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: left;">Nate Davis (left) and Ball State could have faced Ian Johnson and Boise State in the Humanitarian Bowl. Andy Lyons/Getty Images; Steve Conner/Icon SMI </div> </div>   What could have been the most intriguing non-BCS game on the bowl schedule won't likely happen. Ball State has passed on an opportunity <a href="http://nwitimes.com/articles/2008/12/03//updates/breaking_news/doc49373d8e23c5c973657875.txt)">to play Boise State in the Humanitarian Bowl</a>, a game that, if the Fighting Lettermans beat Buffalo for the MAC crown, would be the only bowl game to feature two unbeatens. Instead, the Cardinals are likely to go to either the GMAC Bowl or the Motor City Bowl, while the Broncos now seem Poinsettia Bowl-bound. Nevada and Maryland will likely play in the Humanitarian. So why would Ball State balk on a game that's sure to draw tons of attention? MAC commissioner Rick Chryst told the Idaho Statesman. "I think the importance of our own bowl relationships and the proximity of those games for Ball State probably were the facts that keep Ball State in our bowl mix for this season." Staying close to its Muncie, Ind., campus may be one reason, but Ball State simply didn't want to have to play this game on their opponents' home field. Can you blame the Cardinals? The Broncos are 64-3 on the SmurfTurf the past 10 seasons. Before the announcement, there were preliminary talks of the teams playing in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, one of the three games affiliated with the MAC. But the main hang-up was trying to find a site both schools could be happy with. "I don't sense there's definitely a neutral site out there," WAC commissioner Karl Benson <a href="http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20081130/SPORTS2001/811300354/1006/RSS02">told The Star Press</a> (Muncie). "Somebody's going to have home-field advantage." But doesn't tossing out a matchup that's actually on one of the team's home fields seem like a cop-out? Granted, Detroit is closer to Muncie than Boise, but the Cardinals don't play every game at Ford Field. They could consider the Independence Bowl, which if both the SEC and Big 12 send two teams to BCS games, would have had two at-large spots available and would no doubt be clamoring for a hyped matchup like this. Of course, neither team has accepted a bowl bid, which means it conceivably could happen, but if it doesn't, does Ball State end up looking like the bad guy because it didn't want to play on its opponent's field in a bowl game? Credit the Humanitarian Bowl, which at least tried to make it happen, but you can't fault the Cardinals for balking on playing in Boise. What it comes down to is that a game that would have given national buzz to a non-BCS bowl schedule that's, let's face it, often laced with tryptophan, won't happen. If the Cardinals end up playing in Motown and Boise State in San Diego, both the MAC and WAC will be to blame for not delivering. 28861 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/471/4/thumb/mccartney_cory.jpg 15 GA

Cory McCartney

Atlanta 4734