OT - Gameday on Boise St.
Just saw the Gameday crew talk about Boise St., and while I agree that they should not play for the BCS title, Desmond made a statement that really bugs me. He said that Boise needs to start scheduling big-name teams on the road, like Texas and Florida. What drives me crazy about that statement is that I am sure Boise has sought out those type of match-ups, but most good teams never want to take a chance with an early-season loss, especially against a non-BCS team. Sure, you get the random Houston-Ok St. or BYU-Oklahoma, but for the most part teams do not want to suffer a OOC loss, especially at home. I do think that Boise St. does not deserve to be ranked #5 because their own marquee win will be against Oregon, but to insinuate that they are not trying to create a better resume every year is just lazy journalism.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^
I thought Oregon at the time was a big game. Oregon came into the season with some pretty big hopes and Boise dominated them. The boise defense was much better than I expected. It is horrible that just because they aren't from a "big six" conference they don't have a chance.
EDIT: The same Oregon team that just last week blew out #5 California, with Heisman hopeful Jahvid Best, by forty points.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
Boise State's conference is just too weak to justify them being in the top two at the end of the season.
Their strength of schedule rank per Sagarin:
2008 - 94 (This SOS was worse than all of the top 40 teams. 41st ranked team was Richmond.)
2007 - 113
2006 - 90
2005 - 98
2004 - 78 (wow, only 19 spots from having a schedule better than 50% of teams)
2003 - 103
2002 - 112
2001 - 98
2000 - 107
1999 - 106
1998 - 116
1997 - 98
Last year, the second highest ranked team in their conference was 7-6 Nevada, ranked 71st by Sagarin.
I'm sorry, but there is no way that a one loss team from a BCS conference should ever be passed over for a team that plays a schedule this weak. It would be more unfair to those schools to allow a Boise State in than it would be to a Boise State if you keep them out.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^
Unfortunately, Desmond was never the brightest bulb in the pack.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^
And you base this on your feelings? Your feelings that they're trying to create a tougher schedule? Maybe they are, but I'd have to see some evidence.
Bottom line is the Boise State can either join a conference that doesn't suck or work on developing their conference into a legit one. Which means other schools in that conference need to develop.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 AM ^
They can't just up and join a conference at their will. You don't think Boise would be in the Pac-10 with all that increase in revenue if they had a choice? And how are they supposed to develop the other teams in their conference.
No way is Boise as talented as the other top 10 teams in the country and at the end of the season it's highly likely that 2 teams will have better resumes than Boise, but this is not necessarily there fault.
I agree that Boise has probably tried to schedule better games, and the big-name teams don't want to schedule them. The big schools would either have to pay Boise to come and maybe beat them, or they have to accept a home-and-home and try to play on the blue turf which seems about as unappealing.
That team is so well coached and their talent is maximized that while I don't think they're the best team in the country by any means, give them a one-game scenario and I think they can make it interesting.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:02 AM ^
was to equate Desmond with any kind of "journalism." He's a former football player, not a journalist.
As to Boise, they will never win. BCS schools will avoid scheduling them because they're "too good," and then the BCS conferences will claim Boise isn't good enough because they didn't play enough BCS schools.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^
Boise State should be able to schedule 2+ BCS teams per year, especially if it plays in a weak conference. If Utah, BYU, and TCU can do it despite playing in a more competitive Mountain West Conference, then there is no reason Boise State can't.
BOISE STATE
2005 -- Georgia, Oregon State
2006 -- Oregon State, Utah
2007 -- Washington
2008 -- Oregon
2009 -- Oregon
2010 -- Virginia Tech, Oregon State
UTAH
2005 -- Arizona, North Carolina
2006 -- UCLA, Boise State
2007 -- UCLA, Oregon State, Louisville
2008 -- Michigan, Oregon State
2009 -- Oregon, Louisville
2010 -- Notre Dame, Pitt, Iowa State
BYU
2005 -- Notre Dame, Boston College
2006 -- Arizona, Boston College
2007 -- Arizona, UCLA
2008 -- Washington, UCLA
2009 -- Oklahoma, Florida State
2010 -- Florida State, Washington
TCU
2005 -- Oklahoma
2006 -- Texas Tech, Baylor
2007 -- Texas, Baylor, Stanford
2008 -- Oklahoma, Stanford
2009 -- Clemson, Virginia
2010 -- Texas Tech, Baylor
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 AM ^
I'll bet that boise is trying to schedule these games. And like bronxblue said none of these teams want that early season loss to a non-bcs school. Boise needs to get into the pac-10 or something. Not sure if the pac-10 is looking to add a school or not but that would be an option.
Or not sure if this could happen or not, make another conference with bcs ties. Take Utah, Boise, TCU, BYU, Houston, Hawaii, and whoever else. I'm not sure if this would even be possible.
Or make everyone happy and go to a playoff.