No incentive for BCS conference teams to play Boise State

[Dr. Strange]

WAC commissioner Karl Benson told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday that Boise State is struggling to schedule a BCS-conference opponent for 2011 — even with the help (and exposure and money) of ESPN behind the effort.

The Broncos are not asking for a return game in Boise. Just one road game. And about 10 teams have turned the Broncos down, according to Benson.
...
No one is naming names, but here are some teams that have openings in 2011, according to nationalchamps.net: Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas A&M, Alabama (though the Crimson Tide plays at Penn State in 2011), Texas, Oklahoma State

more here: http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2009/11/04/bmurphy/no_incentive_bcs_conference_teams_play_boise_state

Bunch of wusses.

[joeybee12]

1. Yup, gotta keep up the illusion that the BCS knows what it's doing...

...and the illusion that only the big conferences have good teams.

[JonLP24]

3. Yes

The comment in the article has it spot on.

Just as I said on the last article on this:

Let’s face it, it is a no win situation for BCS teams to play BSU. If they win people will say "so what, you beat a WAC team". If they lose they will go down big. BCS teams want to play against non-BCS teams they know they can beat; the risk is too big they will lose to BSU. This is why we need a playoff system.

from the article.

[GaYellowDawg]

20. I am all for playoffs.

If non-BCS teams had a great team, they could demonstrate it on the field. Boise State's victory over Oklahoma and Utah's trampling of Alabama are ample evidence that the very best non-BCS teams could make serious noise in the playoffs.

In terms of BCS teams playing Boise State - I think that Boise has probably earned enough street cred with the wins over Oklahoma and Oregon to where people don't think of them as just another WAC team. There are a few non-BCS teams that many BCS teams would rather not play. I'd say those would be Boise St., Utah, BYU, and TCU. Some years, Fresno State. I know my Dawgs didn't hesitate to add Boise State when there was a chance, but not all BCS teams are that way.

We played Oklahoma State, Arizona State, and Georgia Tech out of conference this year. We play at Colorado next year and have home-and-home games scheduled with Louisville, Clemson, and Oregon in the future in addition to our yearly rivalry with Georgia Tech. So I don't think fear is a factor in our scheduling.

[Iggo]

2. PLAYOFFS!

[TZ]

4. Couldn't agree with you more.

That Boise win in the bowl game plus Michigan losing to Appalachian State has scared these guys off.

[Upton]

5. Boise State ought to stop sniveling

they weren't forced to play in that glorified high school conference they now reside in.

[JonLP24]

6. Yeah, they could've stayed in the Big Sky Conference

I'm confident when the Big West ended it's football program they weren't getting any conference invites from the Pac 10.

[Upton]

7. The Pac 10 is an elite conference

not just any school meets their standards....

And I must say that Boise State's use of gimmicky blue turf is not befitting of a football program that wishes to be accepted as among the nation's best.

[JonLP24]

8. You said no one forced them to play in that conference

and then you admit Pac 10 wouldn't take them so really they have no options or go back to the Big Sky (Div II)

[Upton]

9. Now that you mention it

Boise, with their little players and blue turf, looks much more like a Div. II school. Too bad that can't become a reality, Boise is mucking up the BCS rankings with their cheap wins over soft opponents..

[JonLP24]

10. You're so full of shit

Maybe Oregon shouldn't be ranked so high since they were held to season lows in points scored and yardage gained and not to mention they lost to a Div. II school.

[GaYellowDawg]

17. Ha...

Boise State's use of gimmicky blue turf is not befitting of a football program that wishes to be accepted as among the nation's best.

Yes, because Oregon's uniform gimmicks are ever so dignified.

By the way, Boise State will play in its second BCS game of the decade - something only Southern Cal and Oregon from the PAC-10 can claim. I'd say that Boise State is closer to being among the nation's best than, oh, 8 of the 10 PAC-10 teams. And I'd say that if Boise State had played a PAC-10 schedule for the decade, they'd own winning records over everyone but Oregon and USC. If on-the-field performance counts for anything, the PAC-10 should be more willing to include Boise State than any team from Arizona or Washington.

On edit: This decade, Boise State is 4-4 against PAC-10 opponents, and they haven't even gotten to play the conference patsies. They are also 2-0 against Oregon the past couple of years - and we're talking about a 10-3 Oregon team in 2008 and the PAC-10 conference champs this year. No PAC-10 fan has a right to sneer at Boise State, at all, because not a single PAC-10 team has beaten Oregon for two consecutive years.

[JonLP24]

21. Leave the Arizona teams out of this

Before I begin they shared the Pac-10 title with USC just two years ago. I know Arizona State had a bad record but their defense was #1 in the conference in yardage allowed and points allowed. Their problems were at quarterback where they stuck with an ineffective Sullivan all year and they certainly played well in several games, they just happened to lose.

20-17 @ Georgia
14-10 USC
23-21 Cal
20-17 Arizona
UCLA was 23-13 but let me explain. The offense had 3 straight fumbles right before halftime where one was returned for a touchdown and an interception returned for a touchdown but the defense held them to 9 points and two of those field goals were the result of a fumble recovery so ASU's offense scored more than UCLA's offense but the two defensive touchdowns killed them. Plus Szakacsy was making his first start.

Plus they lost 6 offensive linemen to injuries, Omar Bolden their best corner was out with a season ending injury, Thomas Webber a Lou Groza Award Winner missed almost the entire season with a groin injury, and 3 receivers went down at time or another.

Their team is very young and will be back and better next year especially on the defensive side. Last year's recruiting class was one of the best in recent memory and many of those freshman starters such as Vontaze Burfict, Brock Osweiler, Gregory Smith, Gerrell Robinson, and as well as their solid Sophmores will be back and better.

I hate to defend Arizona but they certainly should NOT be considered for dropping. They have wins over Central Michigan(MAC champion, it counts), Oregon State, Stanford, and USC. All of those are solid wins and they are 8-4 in a solid conference from top to Washington State. Washington State is lousy, I don't care if the Pac 10 drops them for Boise St.

I also disagree Boise St would have winning records over everyone in the decade. They were 2-2 against Oregon State and in 2007 they lost to Washington 24-10 which pretty much got it's ass handed to them by the Pac 10 that year. I'll point out Arizona State because ASU always beat Oregon State at home until this year, they had 3 straight wins over Oregon in 2002-2005 and in the year Boise St lost to Washington a 10-2 Arizona State beat the Huskies 44-20.

However if you paid attention to all those posts I have since the beginning of the season I always defended Boise St specifically from Upton. But being the kind of person Upton is my teams get caught in the crossfire because they represent the region of teams Upton puts on a pedestal and he does a lot of slamming of other teams so I constantly have to defend mine when they've been put through.

I'll put my credibility on the line and say Arizona State will have a 8+ win season next year though at this point I think Stanford will win the Pac 10 next year given that they have one of the best QBs in the nation as a freshman Andrew Luck who will only be better next year and Harbaugh will be around for 3 more years.

[GaYellowDawg]

22. Fair enough.

Speaking of explanations, in the ASU-Georgia game, Georgia had 3 turnovers, including a pick-6 and 2 other turnovers inside our 40. We had a 334-204 total yardage advantage so that game shouldn't have even been close.

I wasn't saying that the PAC-10 should drop the Arizona schools - not at all. I was saying that I thought that Boise State was a better football program than either of those schools or either of the Washington schools right now.

[JonLP24]

23. Defense played well in that game

However Danny Sullivan is horribly so even if he had an average game they could have pulled out that win. Plus Lou Groza Award winner was out with a groin injury which affected them in other close games as well. Too bad ASU couldn't of capitalized with that last turnover. Still hurts :(

We never know but I will concede Boise St is better than ASU this season but I think their defense would be able to hold them but they wouldn't have the firepower to compete. I think Arizona could win but Boise St would probably win 70 times if they played each other 100. Washington can play well, however WSU is lousy. Boise St would win 99/100 times(save 1 for a fluke game).

(Point about the first paragraph--If you take away the two tune up games and the game against Washington State Arizona State only scored 20 points or more twice and one was a 21-23 loss to Cal. QB play was awful)

[Upton]

25. "Lou Groza Award winner was out"

You know how many times you've used that excuse?..

[JonLP24]

26. It's not an excuse

I'm just saying he was out and they lost. So what? I never said that they won. Being a fan I go through several scenarios in my head if they did this differently or that differently or if this didn't happen but I'm not making excuses. What did I do after Georgia won? Post a thread here in the Sports forum congratulating Georgia. However if they blown a coverage here or there or fumbled every snap against Idaho State and UL Monroe as well as Washington State they would be 0-12. Also both times I've said that was in response to someone saying it shouldn't of been that close. So I explain many ways it was that close despite this happening and it makes sense if you've seen what I have seen. Not attempting any field goals 25 yards or further, missing every possible FG attempt there is.

Why are you always an asshole to me? I've tried to be nice many times to you.

[Upton]

27. You use it all the time

never failing to mention that Weber is a former Lou Groza Award winner...

Admit it, it comes from your arsenal of excuses....

[JonLP24]

28. He did win the award didn't he?

And I don't have an arsenal of excuses. Like I edited I only said it twice to someone who said whatever fucking game it was it shouldn't of been that close so in my mind I'm thinking scoreboard. It was close then I explain ways they could have won so I'll say they could have fumbled every possession or threw an interception every possession and they would have gone 0-12.

See how that works? You said Cal gave ASU 'gift' by fumbling at the 1 yard line then I point out that ASU fumbles at the 1 yard line and you say I made the excuse. I'm tired of this shit being turned around on me.

[GaYellowDawg]

30. I don't think you watched that game.

I was there. Georgia was up 14-3 at the half and it was easy. ASU only got past the Georgia 45 yard line one time in the first half. And the one time you got past the Georgia 45 in the second half was due to a turnover. Without the turnovers, that would have been a very comfortable UGA victory. If we'd had no turnovers and you'd had your Lou Groza Award winning kicker, it still would have been a very comfortable UGA victory. We were clearly a much better team.

[JonLP24]

31. I did watch the game

I said before the offense had problems moving the ball but the defense kept them in the game. Like the turnovers and the Vontaze Burfict stops 4th down. That was the story of their season. I wouldn't doubt other then games against Idaho St, UL Monroe, and Washington State that they were out gained on offense in every game. The offense was horrible and I never said otherwise.

I wish they capitalized on the last turnover you know, a win is a win. :)

[Upton]

24. Boise State

has been undefeated 2 out of the last 3 seasons..that's due to nothing other than a cupcake schedule. Do you honestly think they would have anything near that kind of record playing in the Pac 10 every week?

Let them play a REAL schedule, then they'll get my respect..

[GaYellowDawg]

29. They beat your conference champ.

That ought to be enough for respect. While I don't think they would have as good a record, I think that Boise State would have been at least the 4th or 5th place team in the PAC-10 for the decade. Your argument about "playing a REAL schedule" is specious; they are a fairly strong team in a weak conference. Here are their games against BCS conference teams since their first win vs. a BCS conference team in 2002:

Iowa State (7-7) W 34-16
Oregon State (8-5) L 24-26
Oregon State (7-5) W 53-34
Georgia (10-3) L 13-48
Oregon State (5-6) L 27-30
Boston College (9-3) L 21-27
Oregon State (10-4) W 42-14
Oklahoma (11-3) W 43-42
Washington (4-9) L 10-24
Oregon (10-3) W 37-32
Oregon (11-2 or 10-3) W 19-8

You ought to be able to acknowledge that's a decent record against those teams. Yes, they've been blown out once, and yes, they lost to a crappy Washington team - but even good teams get upset by crappy teams (see Southern Cal vs. Stanford, 2007).

I think Boise State could be competitive in the PAC-10, especially given the recruiting boost they'd see from joining the conference.

[hughee99]

11. Why would anyone want to play them?

There's the danger of losing to a team that isn't a BCS team.

As far as joining the Pac 10, adding a team they'd become the Pac 11, which more importantly, I think, would REQUIRE that they have a conference championship. They don't want their best team possibly losing just before the BCS standings are finalized.

[JonLP24]

12. You need 12 teams to have a conference championship

Despite the name the Big 10 has 11 teams so they are one short of a conference championship. Personally I'd want Fresno State(solid team who has scheduled tough opponents the last 10 years) and Boise State to join the Pac 10 and divide the teams North and South.

[hughee99]

13. It's 12? I thought it was just "more than 10".

In the long run, I think it would be better for them. The Pac 10 winner would probably get more "BCS love" if they played a tough game at the end of the season. That works for the SEC and Big 12.

[JonLP24]

14. It is 12, otherwise the Big Ten would be forced to play a Conference Championship

They have 11 teams.
1.Michigan
2.Ohio State
3.Illinois
4.Purdue
5.Iowa
6.Minnesota
7.Wisconsin
8.Michigan State
9.Indiana
10.Penn State
11.Northwestern

I agree with you what you say about the Pac 10.

[GaYellowDawg]

18. I think it'd do the PAC-10 good to add two teams.

Boise State and Utah. And yes, I'd choose Utah over BYU, because Utah has won 2 BCS games. BYU hasn't even gotten into the BCS. And you could divide the PAC-10 into North and South divisions.

I think the Big 10 needs to drop Penn State and pick up Notre Dame and Iowa State. I see Penn State as a better fit for the Big East and I think it'd be a little more fair to Iowa to have their in-state rivalry count as a conference game. Oh yeah - the Big 12 could replace Iowa State with TCU and move Oklahoma to the North division (which would renew Oklahoma-Nebraska as a yearly rivalry).

[GaYellowDawg]

15. Well, our schedule's full.

The last time we had the opening for Boise, we took it and bitch-slapped them. We'd do it again in 2011 if the schedule wasn't full. Boise gets no fear from the Dawgs.

[JonLP24]

16. I just checked Boise State's 2010 schedule

Looks like Virginia Tech and Oregon State will play them as well as Toledo and Wyoming.

VTech and Oregon State should be worthy opponents for the Broncos. I checked this after I replied to you so it appears there are teams willing to take them on. :hi:

[trumad]

19. That's a bit better

and what is surely needed for them to garner nationwide respect.