"It" has really hit the fan now. Big 10 commissioner and giant egotistical d-bag Jim Delany has finally said what he and the rest of the BCS head honchos have all been thinking for years, and it is exactly what you think it is. The selfish, entitled elitists like him have really dug themselves in deep. Delany's statements are asinine. I was never able to fathom what kind of massive bullcrap is floating around that ugly balding head of his until now. But let's go back to the beginning and set the table for what went down yesterday.
It all started last Sunday, December 5th when the final BCS Rankings were released on ESPN. For some reason Boise State fell from 10th to 11th, swapping places with LSU. Nobody thought much of it because the computer ranking system is as ridiculous as it is convoluted. However, on Monday morning, BCS analyst Jerry Palm discovered an error in one of the computer's formula. Wes Colley didn't include the Appalachian State/Western Illinois playoff game in his rankings and that was enough to put the Tigers ahead of the Broncos. Go ahead and read the story here. Fortunately, Colley is the only one of the 6 computer that makes his formula public. He and BCS director Bill Hancock have since apologized.
First things first; what in the world does a Division 1-AA (FCS) playoff game have to do with the current BCS Rankings? It blows my mind. Add in the fact that whatever happened between Appalachian State and Western Illinois was enough to change the order of the rankings, and you have a problem. What if the erroneous computer scores had put the wrong team in a BCS Bowl? There would me mass hysteria and backlash for Mr. Colley and the BCS system. Also, how do we know the other 5 computers didn't make similar or more egregious mistakes? There's no way to check them because they are kept secret. In other words, the BCS blows and we have just another example why.
Anyway, as we all know, Boise State president Bob Kustra is never short on words. He is always at the front, carrying the "abolish the BCS" flag. Well he lit into Hancock, Colley, and anybody else who would listen about the lack of transparency and honesty in the computer ranking system. He sent a heated e-mail to all conference commissioners saying just that, which you can read here.
I agree with the points that Kustra made in the e-mail, but you knew that his actions and words were just going to escalate things even more, which they did.
Delany's and other conference heads' threats, or ultimatums if you will, can be read here. Here are some excerpts that sum of how he and the rest of the BCS-Conference schools feel;
From Jim Delany:
"The problem is your big stage takes away opportunities for my teams, to play on the stage they created in 1902."
"We gave up the Rose Bowl, the SEC gave up access to the Sugar Bowl, others were included but they never had access to any of this before. You have to understand who brought what to the table. Who's continuing to give and who's continuing to get."
From Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe:
"Don't push it past this because if you push it past this, the Big 12's position is we'll just go back to the old (bowl) system. You're getting the ability to get to places you've never gotten before. We've Jerry-rigged the free market system to the benefit of those institutions and a lot are institutions that don't even fill their stadiums."
Pac 10 commish Larry Scott:
"The six (BCS) conferences have bent over backwards and tried to be politically correct to their own detriment, probably further than they had to, maybe should have."
These are the juiciest parts. At least they finally told us how they really feel. What gives them the right to dictate and decide who is good enough to participate in their prestigious bowl games? Are all schools not playing the same game? It's like all non-AQ schools have leprosy. Basically, Delany and the rest are saying that Boise State, TCU, and Utah are lucky that they even get the scraps off of the big boys' BCS table. Ridiculous. It can only get worse for them. Saying things like this are like sending an open invitation to Congress and other government entities to investigate them even deeper for anti-trust violations.
So I ask; is the BCS a cartel? A corporation? A company? A business? A bunch of arrogant know-it-alls sitting in a room conspiring ways to maximize their financial intake while excluding deserving programs because they see them as inferior? Yes to all! The truth is finally out there straight from the horses' mouth, and it is not pretty.
Showing posts with label BCS Rankings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BCS Rankings. Show all posts
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Can Boise State Pass TCU by the End of the Year?
The answer is; yes. Yes they can. Obviously they have to win out and do it in convincing fashion. A blow out of Fresno State on Friday is a good start, but then they have to travel to Reno for a match up with the Wolfpack that is yet again looking like it will be a fantastic game. The final game of the year is at home against a terrible Utah State Aggie team and I am not worried about it at all. That means that we, as Boise State Broncos fans, have to do our part and more to cheer the team on to victory.
With that said, we all know that the BCS Rankings were released on Sunday and the Horned Frogs stayed in third. However, the Broncos cut their lead in half and have positioned themselves to jump in front by season's end if everything goes right. As easy as that sounds, it is much more complicated. One of my favorite blogs is obnug.com. It's ran through sbnation and you can write your own fanshots and read all the blogs and information on it. It is quite amusing oftentimes and also very informative. On the subject of BCS Rankings and where Boise State may end up, one of the followers (named MyDadTeachesatBSU) created a very educated post about the computers and how they work. Read through it here, probably more than once so as to take in as much as you can. I will take some parts that I find interesting and shed my own personal light on them.
Richard Billingsley's computer is ridiculous. The whole system where you only get points if you win, and you get more if it is deemed to be a "good win," is asinine. It does not take anything else into account, including how your opponents do in their past and future games. MyDadTeachesatBSU tells us "Billingsley's computers are not retroactive, meaning that he does not adjust point totals based on performance after a game is played, so Utah's loss to ND did nothing to hurt TCU, even though their large lead is based almost entirely on that win." That sucks. In the end, the writer gives us only a 10% chance of getting ahead of TCU in this particular computer. Lame.
Kenneth Massey's seems to be pretty fair. His numbers are based on a strength of schedule system. That means that with one game left for TCU (against a terrible New Mexico team), they have less to help themselves out than Boise State, who has three games left, one of which is a top 25 program in Nevada. "If Fresno can beat Cinci, VT keeps winning, and Baylor loses to Oklahoma, we will pass TCU in the Massey rankings." Good enough for me. Come on Hokies!
There is seriously something wrong with Jeff Sagarin's computer. The fact that it has Boise State ranked 12th is off the chart absurd! It is based on the performance of opponents and yet seems to take no account for what the team in question actually does on the field, other than saying "W" or "L." Just like Massey, we need Virginia Tech to win out, take the ACC Championship game, and for Baylor and Utah to continue to bite the dust. Fortunately, there is a good chance that exactly that happens.
Then there is Peter Wolfe. His disparity in what Boise State and TCU are ranked is preposterous. As MyDadTeachesatBSU tell us, "From what I have read and what I can tell, his rankings are based mostly off of performance against expected performance. So if you win a game you were supposed to win, then it doesn't do much for you. This is bad for BSU because we are supposed to win every game." While I agree with that, I want to add that TCU is supposed to win all of their games as well. But if it really is based on performance against expected performance, then why are the Broncos ranked so low compared to the Horned Frogs? According to this, Boise State has actually done better against the spread than TCU has. Something is definitely wrong with the Sagarin and Wolfe computers. This just adds fuel to the anti-BCS fire, especially since Wolfe is so secretive about his equations and logarithms that determine the rankings.
As I have mentioned, Boise State got a huge boost when they jumped TCU in the human polls on Sunday. But remember, those polls only account for 1/3 of the BCS standings. I also need to point out that only three of the six computers have Virginia Tech ranked, and that is keeping the Broncos so low in many of them. If the Hokies keep winning, including in the ACC Championship Game, all six will show them and it will boost the Broncos up even higher. Nevada being ranked so highly is great as well, as long as Boise State beats them. There is one last thing to add; the highest and the lowest computer rankings are thrown out for each team and they remaining four standings, coupled with the human polls, are averaged out to get the BCS Rankings (absurd, I know). The writer on obnug.com says, "If we are ahead in 3 computer polls and close in the other 3, then the voters will ultimately determine who is the highest non-AQ team, and since we just jumped them and we have 3 games left against better competition than their last game, I would say that we have about a 70-90% chance of finishing ahead of TCU." I like those odds. On the comment section of the same post, TheRooster13 gives us this;
"So let’s guess where TCU and BSU will end up in each computer.
(…in the order listed above.)
BSU: 4, 4, 4, 5, 9, 6
TCU: 5, 3, 5, 6, 8, 4
Taking out the top and bottom for each team we end up with
BSU: 4, 4, 5 ,6
TCU: 5, 5, 6, 4
I’m totally guessing here, but my point is, it doesn’t really matter which school is ahead in more computers, what matters is the relative position."
My conclusion; Boise State wins out and ends up third in the BCS Standings at the end of the season. If Auburn or Oregon lose, Boise State finishes 2nd. If both teams lose, we still finish 2nd, being jumped by LSU. If this is the case, the Broncos will play in the National Championship Game against either Auburn, Oregon (oh please yes!), or LSU. All I'm saying, is that this is for real folks. There is a definite possibility that this could happen. Enough teams behind the Broncos have lost and taken themselves out of consideration that we find ourselves on the cusp of a possible NC Game berth. I never thought it would be possible given the bias against non-AQ teams. We still need a little bit more of that chaos, but it could happen. Don't get your hopes up to high, but cheer for who we need to win, and against who we need to lose.
Also, did anyone see Kellen's pistols after the long bomb to Titus? Priceless!
This week is going to be a little different as far as my posts are concerned. Since I will be in Boise Friday getting ready for the game, I will not be able to put up anything. That means that instead of doing my Weekend Picks on Thursday, I will do them on Wednesday (which happens to be tomorrow!). Naturally, that means the Weekly PTW will be up on Thursday instead of its normal Friday spot. So check back in tomorrow and get yourself ready for the weekend!
With that said, we all know that the BCS Rankings were released on Sunday and the Horned Frogs stayed in third. However, the Broncos cut their lead in half and have positioned themselves to jump in front by season's end if everything goes right. As easy as that sounds, it is much more complicated. One of my favorite blogs is obnug.com. It's ran through sbnation and you can write your own fanshots and read all the blogs and information on it. It is quite amusing oftentimes and also very informative. On the subject of BCS Rankings and where Boise State may end up, one of the followers (named MyDadTeachesatBSU) created a very educated post about the computers and how they work. Read through it here, probably more than once so as to take in as much as you can. I will take some parts that I find interesting and shed my own personal light on them.
Richard Billingsley's computer is ridiculous. The whole system where you only get points if you win, and you get more if it is deemed to be a "good win," is asinine. It does not take anything else into account, including how your opponents do in their past and future games. MyDadTeachesatBSU tells us "Billingsley's computers are not retroactive, meaning that he does not adjust point totals based on performance after a game is played, so Utah's loss to ND did nothing to hurt TCU, even though their large lead is based almost entirely on that win." That sucks. In the end, the writer gives us only a 10% chance of getting ahead of TCU in this particular computer. Lame.
Kenneth Massey's seems to be pretty fair. His numbers are based on a strength of schedule system. That means that with one game left for TCU (against a terrible New Mexico team), they have less to help themselves out than Boise State, who has three games left, one of which is a top 25 program in Nevada. "If Fresno can beat Cinci, VT keeps winning, and Baylor loses to Oklahoma, we will pass TCU in the Massey rankings." Good enough for me. Come on Hokies!
There is seriously something wrong with Jeff Sagarin's computer. The fact that it has Boise State ranked 12th is off the chart absurd! It is based on the performance of opponents and yet seems to take no account for what the team in question actually does on the field, other than saying "W" or "L." Just like Massey, we need Virginia Tech to win out, take the ACC Championship game, and for Baylor and Utah to continue to bite the dust. Fortunately, there is a good chance that exactly that happens.
Then there is Peter Wolfe. His disparity in what Boise State and TCU are ranked is preposterous. As MyDadTeachesatBSU tell us, "From what I have read and what I can tell, his rankings are based mostly off of performance against expected performance. So if you win a game you were supposed to win, then it doesn't do much for you. This is bad for BSU because we are supposed to win every game." While I agree with that, I want to add that TCU is supposed to win all of their games as well. But if it really is based on performance against expected performance, then why are the Broncos ranked so low compared to the Horned Frogs? According to this, Boise State has actually done better against the spread than TCU has. Something is definitely wrong with the Sagarin and Wolfe computers. This just adds fuel to the anti-BCS fire, especially since Wolfe is so secretive about his equations and logarithms that determine the rankings.
As I have mentioned, Boise State got a huge boost when they jumped TCU in the human polls on Sunday. But remember, those polls only account for 1/3 of the BCS standings. I also need to point out that only three of the six computers have Virginia Tech ranked, and that is keeping the Broncos so low in many of them. If the Hokies keep winning, including in the ACC Championship Game, all six will show them and it will boost the Broncos up even higher. Nevada being ranked so highly is great as well, as long as Boise State beats them. There is one last thing to add; the highest and the lowest computer rankings are thrown out for each team and they remaining four standings, coupled with the human polls, are averaged out to get the BCS Rankings (absurd, I know). The writer on obnug.com says, "If we are ahead in 3 computer polls and close in the other 3, then the voters will ultimately determine who is the highest non-AQ team, and since we just jumped them and we have 3 games left against better competition than their last game, I would say that we have about a 70-90% chance of finishing ahead of TCU." I like those odds. On the comment section of the same post, TheRooster13 gives us this;
"So let’s guess where TCU and BSU will end up in each computer.
(…in the order listed above.)
BSU: 4, 4, 4, 5, 9, 6
TCU: 5, 3, 5, 6, 8, 4
Taking out the top and bottom for each team we end up with
BSU: 4, 4, 5 ,6
TCU: 5, 5, 6, 4
I’m totally guessing here, but my point is, it doesn’t really matter which school is ahead in more computers, what matters is the relative position."
My conclusion; Boise State wins out and ends up third in the BCS Standings at the end of the season. If Auburn or Oregon lose, Boise State finishes 2nd. If both teams lose, we still finish 2nd, being jumped by LSU. If this is the case, the Broncos will play in the National Championship Game against either Auburn, Oregon (oh please yes!), or LSU. All I'm saying, is that this is for real folks. There is a definite possibility that this could happen. Enough teams behind the Broncos have lost and taken themselves out of consideration that we find ourselves on the cusp of a possible NC Game berth. I never thought it would be possible given the bias against non-AQ teams. We still need a little bit more of that chaos, but it could happen. Don't get your hopes up to high, but cheer for who we need to win, and against who we need to lose.
Also, did anyone see Kellen's pistols after the long bomb to Titus? Priceless!
This week is going to be a little different as far as my posts are concerned. Since I will be in Boise Friday getting ready for the game, I will not be able to put up anything. That means that instead of doing my Weekend Picks on Thursday, I will do them on Wednesday (which happens to be tomorrow!). Naturally, that means the Weekly PTW will be up on Thursday instead of its normal Friday spot. So check back in tomorrow and get yourself ready for the weekend!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Boise State's Naughty List
So, as the season continues along past the half way mark, Boise State's current bowl outlook is as murky as it ever was. Hawai'i has already accepted an invite to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, and with TCU jumping the Broncos in the BCS Standings, there are still plenty of possibilities as to where they will end up playing. These possibilities range from the Humanitarian Bowl to the National Championship, along with multiple teams that could end up being their opponents. There are many groups, individuals, teams, and entities that are doing their best to keep the Broncos in the worst bowl game against the worst team possible. In the spirit of Christmas, I have decided to make a "Naughty List" of these evil people. Boise State fans loathe them and I will provide an explanation for each. They are in order of their evilness, level of Bronco hatred towards them, and their state of suckiness. In no way am I making this personal (unless I state that it is personal). I just want everybody to know where they stand and how terrible they are. Enjoy!
8.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
The team that came out of nowhere has evolved into a force to be reckoned with. The same can be said for their suddenly stingy defense. They feasted on Idaho turnovers and converted them into short-field scores. The Rainbow Warriors come into Saturday's game at Bronco Stadium with their high-flying, pass-happy offense, boasting a 5-0 WAC record and are at 7-2 overall, only losing to USC on opening night and a tough game at high-altitude Colorado. They will do their best to take out Boise State. If they do, they will most likely win the WAC championship and will definitely knock the Broncos out of National Championship and BCS Bowl discussions. Guess who the last WAC team to beat Boise State was? Yep, the Rainbow Warriors. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Hawai'i. Please lose on Saturday.
7.
Utah Utes
The most over-rated team in the country is now a legitimate threat to jump Boise State in the BCS Rankings. How in the world are they ranked 5th in the country? Suddenly we see them right right behind us as their showdown with 3rd ranked TCU comes to a TV near you in just a few days. The winner will be looking good in the eyes of the computers and voters. Somehow Boise State fans hope that they can beat the Horned Frogs and yet lose to BYU (I don't see the latter happening). The Utes have not played anybody remotely close to being a decent team yet and still they find themselves high enough in the rankings to be considered National Championship contenders. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Utah. Is there anyway both teams can lose?
6.
TCU Horned Frogs
It seems like we just can't get away from the purple clad folks from Fort Worth. Two years in a row as bowl opponents and then they jump us in the BCS rankings. Analyst Jerry Palm does not expect it to stay like that, but we just can't shake them. Their game with Utah on Saturday is huge for many programs nationally, including the Broncos. We beat them last year, how can they be ahead of us when they are essentially the same two teams? Don't tell me that you can't use results from last year to decide how things will be this year. The whole rankings, especially preseason, are based on last year. If they win out, they could get a spot in a BCS Bowl ahead of Boise State, just like last year. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you TCU. My head hurts...
5.
Voters
The reason why poll voters aren't higher on the list is because they are at least still keeping the Broncos in the picture. Still, jumping Oregon over Boise State was a travesty for which I will have a very hard time forgiving them. The same thing I said about TCU applies to the Ducks. Boise State moved from 2nd to 3rd in the coaches poll for blowing out an opponent. What would happen if they played a somewhat close game? It seems that no matter what, the voters will do their best to keep us just out of reach of the NC game. Thais is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you voters. Your bias is insulting.
4.
Oregon Ducks
They are a great team, there is no doubt. But something about them just rubs me the wrong way. It probably has a lot to do with how arrogant and condescending Chip Kelley is as he attempts to compensate for his lack of manhood. We know you are a great squad, but don't run up the score as you look around, making sure the nation sees how many points you can throw down in a game that was decided two quarters ago. A quote from Mr. Kelley after the USC game; "I'm not into messages, just winning." Right. You're a d-bag. Once they play somebody with a decent defense on the road I think they might be given a run for their money. Meanwhile their ridiculously pompous fans continue to gloat and also wave their "six-footers" around the message boards and blogs. The Ducks are in the driver's seat to play for the crystal football come January 10th. The fan reaction would be hideously egotistical and unbearable. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Oregon Ducks. Please lose and go back to where you belong in the polls.
3.
Craig James
This one is personal. I googled his name in Google Images and a whole bunch of pictures of James Bond came up. How inaccurate and ironic is that? Somehow a wimpy, annoying, and butt-ugly loser from Jacksonville, Texas become a self-glossed voice of reason and elitism? Probably the same way his tool of a son single-handedly got Mike Leach fired from Texas Tech for allegedly locking him in a shed when he was concussed. Apparently, d-bagness runs in the family. He constantly gives Boise State its lowest ranked vote and then does nothing but trash them on ESPN in the rudest, most egotistical way that he possibly can. Good thing he thinks he's way more influential than he really is. Still, being on ESPN carries some weight and he could hurt the Broncos' chances of getting to the National Championship. This is why we, as Broncos fans, hate you Craig James. Please somehow get seriously maimed with at least permanent damage to your vocal chords.
2.
Mark May
This one is also personal. I'm not sure what he is doing in this picture, but it is similar to what he does to the head honchos who run the BCS system. If you were to poll Boise State fans and ask them who is the most anti-Bronco, hated, elitist, and rude d-bag of them all, Mark May would win hands down. It wouldn't even be close. When it comes to keeping the little guy down and stomping on his face with an elitist, egotistical boot, MayDay is leading the way. Whether he is demeaning any accomplishment that Boise State achieves or having an huge "O" in his pants over the SEC, everything he does, lives for, or says is an attack on Boise State. It makes it worse that he is teamed up with perma-lisp grandpa Lou Holtz, who actually tries to defend the Broncos. May just demeans him as well. It's like he's picking on your grandfather, kicking your puppy, and making inappropriate advances at your mother all at the same time when he talks. He is that bad. If ever there was a time when I contemplated suicide it was when Mark May and Craig James both appeared on my television set at the same time. I'm surprised May's massive ego-laden head fits on camera by itself. He has much more influence than James does, and his anti-Boise State lifestyle is enough to sway many people and voters away from the Boys in Blue. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Mark May. You're lucky we don't know where you live.
1.
The BCS Rankings/Computers
Again, this is very personal. The only reason that the BCS takes number in my Naughty List is because it is comprehensive of many of the things that have already been discussed, but also has its own set of terrible qualities that make it even worse. It's like the worst traits usually spread out amongst many people combined into one hideous conglomerate of blinding horror. As I have mentioned many times, it was created as a way to benefit the power conferences and traditional schools, something that is plainly evident today, even as upstart programs are becoming as good or better than said traditional power universities. It involves computer rankings that rate strength of schedule, opponents' strength of schedule, oponents' oponents' strength of schedule (etc.), conference status and rank, how hot the girls at the school are, and how many students like Neapolitan ice cream (I may have made up the last two). All of this combined creates some ludicrous formula that spits out numbers that rank the teams. It's retarded, I know. But it is all part of a system that somehow decides who will play for the National Championship. I found this comic and it is so true about the BCS and how it is now;
Gross, huh? With a combination of voters, computer rankings (which are as ridiculous as a palm tree in Minnesota), big conference bias, elitist trustees, and absolutely no involvement from the NCAA, somehow schools are ranked and rated. It is a beauty contest in which schools from the WAC and Mountain West have absolutely no shot of winning. In every possible way that those in charge can come up with, non-AQ schools are left out in the cold week in and week out. They will be jumped by less-deserving "power conference" schools left and right. Boise State, TCU, and Utah are constantly getting screwed. For this reason we, as Broncos fans, hate you BCS Rankings/Computers. You are as outdated as my 1992 Plymouth Acclaim. We hate you.
8.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
The team that came out of nowhere has evolved into a force to be reckoned with. The same can be said for their suddenly stingy defense. They feasted on Idaho turnovers and converted them into short-field scores. The Rainbow Warriors come into Saturday's game at Bronco Stadium with their high-flying, pass-happy offense, boasting a 5-0 WAC record and are at 7-2 overall, only losing to USC on opening night and a tough game at high-altitude Colorado. They will do their best to take out Boise State. If they do, they will most likely win the WAC championship and will definitely knock the Broncos out of National Championship and BCS Bowl discussions. Guess who the last WAC team to beat Boise State was? Yep, the Rainbow Warriors. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Hawai'i. Please lose on Saturday.
7.
Utah Utes
The most over-rated team in the country is now a legitimate threat to jump Boise State in the BCS Rankings. How in the world are they ranked 5th in the country? Suddenly we see them right right behind us as their showdown with 3rd ranked TCU comes to a TV near you in just a few days. The winner will be looking good in the eyes of the computers and voters. Somehow Boise State fans hope that they can beat the Horned Frogs and yet lose to BYU (I don't see the latter happening). The Utes have not played anybody remotely close to being a decent team yet and still they find themselves high enough in the rankings to be considered National Championship contenders. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Utah. Is there anyway both teams can lose?
6.
TCU Horned Frogs
It seems like we just can't get away from the purple clad folks from Fort Worth. Two years in a row as bowl opponents and then they jump us in the BCS rankings. Analyst Jerry Palm does not expect it to stay like that, but we just can't shake them. Their game with Utah on Saturday is huge for many programs nationally, including the Broncos. We beat them last year, how can they be ahead of us when they are essentially the same two teams? Don't tell me that you can't use results from last year to decide how things will be this year. The whole rankings, especially preseason, are based on last year. If they win out, they could get a spot in a BCS Bowl ahead of Boise State, just like last year. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you TCU. My head hurts...
5.
Voters
The reason why poll voters aren't higher on the list is because they are at least still keeping the Broncos in the picture. Still, jumping Oregon over Boise State was a travesty for which I will have a very hard time forgiving them. The same thing I said about TCU applies to the Ducks. Boise State moved from 2nd to 3rd in the coaches poll for blowing out an opponent. What would happen if they played a somewhat close game? It seems that no matter what, the voters will do their best to keep us just out of reach of the NC game. Thais is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you voters. Your bias is insulting.
4.
Oregon Ducks
They are a great team, there is no doubt. But something about them just rubs me the wrong way. It probably has a lot to do with how arrogant and condescending Chip Kelley is as he attempts to compensate for his lack of manhood. We know you are a great squad, but don't run up the score as you look around, making sure the nation sees how many points you can throw down in a game that was decided two quarters ago. A quote from Mr. Kelley after the USC game; "I'm not into messages, just winning." Right. You're a d-bag. Once they play somebody with a decent defense on the road I think they might be given a run for their money. Meanwhile their ridiculously pompous fans continue to gloat and also wave their "six-footers" around the message boards and blogs. The Ducks are in the driver's seat to play for the crystal football come January 10th. The fan reaction would be hideously egotistical and unbearable. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Oregon Ducks. Please lose and go back to where you belong in the polls.
3.
Craig James
This one is personal. I googled his name in Google Images and a whole bunch of pictures of James Bond came up. How inaccurate and ironic is that? Somehow a wimpy, annoying, and butt-ugly loser from Jacksonville, Texas become a self-glossed voice of reason and elitism? Probably the same way his tool of a son single-handedly got Mike Leach fired from Texas Tech for allegedly locking him in a shed when he was concussed. Apparently, d-bagness runs in the family. He constantly gives Boise State its lowest ranked vote and then does nothing but trash them on ESPN in the rudest, most egotistical way that he possibly can. Good thing he thinks he's way more influential than he really is. Still, being on ESPN carries some weight and he could hurt the Broncos' chances of getting to the National Championship. This is why we, as Broncos fans, hate you Craig James. Please somehow get seriously maimed with at least permanent damage to your vocal chords.
2.
Mark May
This one is also personal. I'm not sure what he is doing in this picture, but it is similar to what he does to the head honchos who run the BCS system. If you were to poll Boise State fans and ask them who is the most anti-Bronco, hated, elitist, and rude d-bag of them all, Mark May would win hands down. It wouldn't even be close. When it comes to keeping the little guy down and stomping on his face with an elitist, egotistical boot, MayDay is leading the way. Whether he is demeaning any accomplishment that Boise State achieves or having an huge "O" in his pants over the SEC, everything he does, lives for, or says is an attack on Boise State. It makes it worse that he is teamed up with perma-lisp grandpa Lou Holtz, who actually tries to defend the Broncos. May just demeans him as well. It's like he's picking on your grandfather, kicking your puppy, and making inappropriate advances at your mother all at the same time when he talks. He is that bad. If ever there was a time when I contemplated suicide it was when Mark May and Craig James both appeared on my television set at the same time. I'm surprised May's massive ego-laden head fits on camera by itself. He has much more influence than James does, and his anti-Boise State lifestyle is enough to sway many people and voters away from the Boys in Blue. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Mark May. You're lucky we don't know where you live.
1.
The BCS Rankings/Computers
Again, this is very personal. The only reason that the BCS takes number in my Naughty List is because it is comprehensive of many of the things that have already been discussed, but also has its own set of terrible qualities that make it even worse. It's like the worst traits usually spread out amongst many people combined into one hideous conglomerate of blinding horror. As I have mentioned many times, it was created as a way to benefit the power conferences and traditional schools, something that is plainly evident today, even as upstart programs are becoming as good or better than said traditional power universities. It involves computer rankings that rate strength of schedule, opponents' strength of schedule, oponents' oponents' strength of schedule (etc.), conference status and rank, how hot the girls at the school are, and how many students like Neapolitan ice cream (I may have made up the last two). All of this combined creates some ludicrous formula that spits out numbers that rank the teams. It's retarded, I know. But it is all part of a system that somehow decides who will play for the National Championship. I found this comic and it is so true about the BCS and how it is now;
Gross, huh? With a combination of voters, computer rankings (which are as ridiculous as a palm tree in Minnesota), big conference bias, elitist trustees, and absolutely no involvement from the NCAA, somehow schools are ranked and rated. It is a beauty contest in which schools from the WAC and Mountain West have absolutely no shot of winning. In every possible way that those in charge can come up with, non-AQ schools are left out in the cold week in and week out. They will be jumped by less-deserving "power conference" schools left and right. Boise State, TCU, and Utah are constantly getting screwed. For this reason we, as Broncos fans, hate you BCS Rankings/Computers. You are as outdated as my 1992 Plymouth Acclaim. We hate you.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Broncos Earn Gritty Win Over the LA Tech Bulldogs
Everything about this game felt weird. It was a Tuesday night in Boise, Idaho, freezing cold, and the starters had not played a complete game in a month. Couple that with the fact that Louisiana Tech had finally found itself offensively and you have a recipe for a sloppy, closer than it probably should have been contest. In the end and without playing anything close to their best game, Boise State was able to come out on top and still win by 29 points. It was definitely hard to watch at times, but we will take the "W." Let's look at some numbers and go from there. A few of them are a little surprising, you will see.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
Rushing-163..........172
Passing-305..........222
..Total-468..........394
Rushing attempts:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........36............49
First Downs:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........21............25
Yards per pass:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......10.5..........5.6
Fourth down conversions:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........1-1..........3-7
Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......3-21..........5-45
It's weird to see that Boise State was outgained in rushing yards, as that has been the strong point of the defense this year. Tech running back Lennon Creer is a beast, to say the least, and deserves a lot of credit. He was very physical throughout the night and his high rushing total (149 yards) can be attributed to that (remember, he transferred from Tennessee. He has talent, there is no question). But you also must realize that it took LA Tech 49 attempts to gain those 172 yards on the ground. Also, the Bulldogs played very fast, not wasting any time between snaps, and mixed up their play selections very well. I think that had more to do with the rushing total than anything. They had Boise State guessing for 2 quarters of the game or so. As you would guess, Boise State was able to pass for more yards than Louisiana Tech. That is great to see, especially since they put up 422 yards through the air against Idaho in their last game. It was great to see the Broncos stiffen up and stop the Bulldogs when it mattered, especially in the red zone and in fourth down situations, hence the 3 for 7 4th down conversion stat. Boise State will need to do much of the same against Hawai'i in their next game. My favorite stat is the number of penalties. Boise State finally cut down on those. It has gotten better this season as you can see.
What We Learned:
Louisiana Tech is the best WAC team that Boise State has played. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Even with the sloppiness and mistakes, they still won by 29 points. It was also a good warm up for the teams to come (Hawai'i, Nevada). The Bulldogs will be a very tough team in a few years once Sonny Dykes can get his type of players in. Too bad Boise State won't be in the WAC to see it (who knows if LA Tech will be in this conference either).
Kellen Moore might actually be human, maybe. He did throw an interception for the first time since the Wyoming game (it's still only his second one this year), but he did have a beautiful pooch punt, tackled somebody, and caught a touchdown pass from Austin Pettis. So, I guess he's still not human. He is so freaking good! Give him the Heisman now!
Sonny Dykes needs to chill out. I cannot believe that a large, southern man could get as upset as he did about an offsides call on an onside kick, especially when his player was clearly past the ball before it was kicked. In other words, he was offsides. Dykes (he, he...Dykes) will be eating some crow when he sees the tape on that one. He even got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for screaming at the referees about it, which I'm sure was laced with every kind of profanity and inappropriate slur known to mankind. Good times...
Doug Martin is amazing, especially when he gets to play a full game. How does 150 yards on 21 carries sound? That is an eye-popping 7.1 yards per carry! It's nice to see him trucking fools as he carries the rock up the middle. He broke out on some huge runs and scored 2 touchdowns along the way. He is great for eating up clock when protecting a lead. Plus he is just fun to watch. By they way, the muscle hamster thing needs to go away. They even mentioned it a few times last night. Time to move on...
Even on an imperfect night, the Broncos still dominate. Titus Young fumbled a kick off, Kellen Moore threw an interception and fell down on a hand off (which was also fumbled), and Jeremy Avery fumbled a wildcat snap. But through all that, Boise State still won by 29 (as I have mentioned). They also converted two of those fumbles into immediate touchdowns. The game was never really in doubt, either. Time to continue the rest of the WAC farewell tour. Bring 'em on!
Areas of Concern:
Injuries; I know there is nothing Boise State can do about it but Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Brotzman, Aaron Tevis, Cedric Febis, Jeron Johnson, Chase Baker, and Joe Kellogg all either did not play due to injuries or left the game because of injuries. The Broncos will need all of them to be healthy in order to compete the best that they can as the schedule gets a bit tougher. Kicking game; Kyle Brotzman being out had a lot to do with it, but a missed field goal and some bad kickoffs is something that needs to be fixed. I would have thought by now the kickoffs would have gotten better, but they really haven't. The secondary; They played well, but a couple of lapses and mistakes led to points for Louisiana Tech. Hawai'i comes in next week for a huge showdown. Other than that, they played well.
Favorite Play:
Is there any doubt what I am going to pick? Kellen Moore takes the snap in the shotgun. He turns to the left and tosses the ball to Jeremy Avery who proceeds to run to the left side of the field. Coming the other way is Austin Pettis who gets the pitch from Avery. As Pettis runs to the right side in what appears to be a straight up reverse run, he holds up and tosses the ball toward the end zone. Standing there to receive the pass is a wide open Kellen Moore. Touchdown Broncos! That's right, Pettis to Moore! It's usually the other way around! I knew it was just a matter of time before Moore caught a pass, and it was beautiful! Let's see some more of that!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Boise State had scored on every single opening drive of the season until last night. Jimmy Pavel missed a field goal on the Broncos first possession to end the streak. Tyler Shoemaker had a career night catching 6 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Boise State did not sell out the stadium as the student section had a lot of empty seats. A lot of that can be contributed to fact that it was a Tuesday night and it was really cold.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Austin Pettis had a great game. He caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. It was his first TD since the Oregon State game. He also threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Kellen Moore on what is sure to be a play that goes down as a legendary tale in Boise State history, and will also cause headaches for future opponents' defensive coordinators to try and defend. It was great to see him (as well as the rest of the starters) play a complete game. Pettis is the man. Get used to it.
Perception:
We are at the point now when no matter what Boise State does, it is not going to make a difference as far as perception goes. Whether or not the Broncos end up in the National Championship game will depend on what happens with the other top teams in the nation. Oregon, Auburn, Alabama (still), Oklahoma (still), Missouri, TCU, and Utah will have a lot of say in determining where Boise State ends up. They could get passed in the polls and BCS Rankings by one or all of them, depending on who wins and who loses. The winner of the TCU vs. Utah game has a great chance of leap-frogging them (frog pun intended). Let's just hope Utah loses to Air Force or BYU but also somehow beats TCU. No matter who loses nationally, the BCS and the pollsters will surely be looking for and probably find a reason to not move Boise State up to number 1 or 2. That sucks, but that's how it is. As I have said multiple times and will continue to say, a lot has to happen for the Broncos to be in the NC Game. It has to be a perfect storm of unforeseen chaos. Time will tell. For now, let's enjoy the weekend's action and root for USC, Nebraska, Iowa, Hawai'i, and Nevada!
Photos:
I love idahostatesman.com. Thanks again for the photos. They sure take some good ones!
Check back in tomorrow for something. I haven't decided what it will be yet. Go Broncos!
Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
Rushing-163..........172
Passing-305..........222
..Total-468..........394
Rushing attempts:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........36............49
First Downs:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........21............25
Yards per pass:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......10.5..........5.6
Fourth down conversions:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........1-1..........3-7
Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......3-21..........5-45
It's weird to see that Boise State was outgained in rushing yards, as that has been the strong point of the defense this year. Tech running back Lennon Creer is a beast, to say the least, and deserves a lot of credit. He was very physical throughout the night and his high rushing total (149 yards) can be attributed to that (remember, he transferred from Tennessee. He has talent, there is no question). But you also must realize that it took LA Tech 49 attempts to gain those 172 yards on the ground. Also, the Bulldogs played very fast, not wasting any time between snaps, and mixed up their play selections very well. I think that had more to do with the rushing total than anything. They had Boise State guessing for 2 quarters of the game or so. As you would guess, Boise State was able to pass for more yards than Louisiana Tech. That is great to see, especially since they put up 422 yards through the air against Idaho in their last game. It was great to see the Broncos stiffen up and stop the Bulldogs when it mattered, especially in the red zone and in fourth down situations, hence the 3 for 7 4th down conversion stat. Boise State will need to do much of the same against Hawai'i in their next game. My favorite stat is the number of penalties. Boise State finally cut down on those. It has gotten better this season as you can see.
What We Learned:
Louisiana Tech is the best WAC team that Boise State has played. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Even with the sloppiness and mistakes, they still won by 29 points. It was also a good warm up for the teams to come (Hawai'i, Nevada). The Bulldogs will be a very tough team in a few years once Sonny Dykes can get his type of players in. Too bad Boise State won't be in the WAC to see it (who knows if LA Tech will be in this conference either).
Kellen Moore might actually be human, maybe. He did throw an interception for the first time since the Wyoming game (it's still only his second one this year), but he did have a beautiful pooch punt, tackled somebody, and caught a touchdown pass from Austin Pettis. So, I guess he's still not human. He is so freaking good! Give him the Heisman now!
Sonny Dykes needs to chill out. I cannot believe that a large, southern man could get as upset as he did about an offsides call on an onside kick, especially when his player was clearly past the ball before it was kicked. In other words, he was offsides. Dykes (he, he...Dykes) will be eating some crow when he sees the tape on that one. He even got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for screaming at the referees about it, which I'm sure was laced with every kind of profanity and inappropriate slur known to mankind. Good times...
Doug Martin is amazing, especially when he gets to play a full game. How does 150 yards on 21 carries sound? That is an eye-popping 7.1 yards per carry! It's nice to see him trucking fools as he carries the rock up the middle. He broke out on some huge runs and scored 2 touchdowns along the way. He is great for eating up clock when protecting a lead. Plus he is just fun to watch. By they way, the muscle hamster thing needs to go away. They even mentioned it a few times last night. Time to move on...
Even on an imperfect night, the Broncos still dominate. Titus Young fumbled a kick off, Kellen Moore threw an interception and fell down on a hand off (which was also fumbled), and Jeremy Avery fumbled a wildcat snap. But through all that, Boise State still won by 29 (as I have mentioned). They also converted two of those fumbles into immediate touchdowns. The game was never really in doubt, either. Time to continue the rest of the WAC farewell tour. Bring 'em on!
Areas of Concern:
Injuries; I know there is nothing Boise State can do about it but Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Brotzman, Aaron Tevis, Cedric Febis, Jeron Johnson, Chase Baker, and Joe Kellogg all either did not play due to injuries or left the game because of injuries. The Broncos will need all of them to be healthy in order to compete the best that they can as the schedule gets a bit tougher. Kicking game; Kyle Brotzman being out had a lot to do with it, but a missed field goal and some bad kickoffs is something that needs to be fixed. I would have thought by now the kickoffs would have gotten better, but they really haven't. The secondary; They played well, but a couple of lapses and mistakes led to points for Louisiana Tech. Hawai'i comes in next week for a huge showdown. Other than that, they played well.
Favorite Play:
Is there any doubt what I am going to pick? Kellen Moore takes the snap in the shotgun. He turns to the left and tosses the ball to Jeremy Avery who proceeds to run to the left side of the field. Coming the other way is Austin Pettis who gets the pitch from Avery. As Pettis runs to the right side in what appears to be a straight up reverse run, he holds up and tosses the ball toward the end zone. Standing there to receive the pass is a wide open Kellen Moore. Touchdown Broncos! That's right, Pettis to Moore! It's usually the other way around! I knew it was just a matter of time before Moore caught a pass, and it was beautiful! Let's see some more of that!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Boise State had scored on every single opening drive of the season until last night. Jimmy Pavel missed a field goal on the Broncos first possession to end the streak. Tyler Shoemaker had a career night catching 6 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Boise State did not sell out the stadium as the student section had a lot of empty seats. A lot of that can be contributed to fact that it was a Tuesday night and it was really cold.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Austin Pettis had a great game. He caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. It was his first TD since the Oregon State game. He also threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Kellen Moore on what is sure to be a play that goes down as a legendary tale in Boise State history, and will also cause headaches for future opponents' defensive coordinators to try and defend. It was great to see him (as well as the rest of the starters) play a complete game. Pettis is the man. Get used to it.
Perception:
We are at the point now when no matter what Boise State does, it is not going to make a difference as far as perception goes. Whether or not the Broncos end up in the National Championship game will depend on what happens with the other top teams in the nation. Oregon, Auburn, Alabama (still), Oklahoma (still), Missouri, TCU, and Utah will have a lot of say in determining where Boise State ends up. They could get passed in the polls and BCS Rankings by one or all of them, depending on who wins and who loses. The winner of the TCU vs. Utah game has a great chance of leap-frogging them (frog pun intended). Let's just hope Utah loses to Air Force or BYU but also somehow beats TCU. No matter who loses nationally, the BCS and the pollsters will surely be looking for and probably find a reason to not move Boise State up to number 1 or 2. That sucks, but that's how it is. As I have said multiple times and will continue to say, a lot has to happen for the Broncos to be in the NC Game. It has to be a perfect storm of unforeseen chaos. Time will tell. For now, let's enjoy the weekend's action and root for USC, Nebraska, Iowa, Hawai'i, and Nevada!
Photos:
I love idahostatesman.com. Thanks again for the photos. They sure take some good ones!
Check back in tomorrow for something. I haven't decided what it will be yet. Go Broncos!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Broncos Smoke San Jose State on the Road
The Boise State Broncos yet again took care of business on the road against a WAC opponent. A 48-0 beat down of the San Jose State Spartans was all part of a day that should bode well overall for the 3rd ranked team in the land. The Spartans were completely over-matched and could barely muster anything close to good football. Granted, they were missing 9 starters due to injury (and one more ended up with crutches on the sideline during the game; Running back Lamon Muldrow). We have witnessed a huge reason why Boise State is bolting from the WAC to the Mountain West. Hopefully there is better competition there that will boost their strength of schedule. Either way, this was such a dominating performance for the boys in Blue. Here are some stats to get us started:
Yardage:
......Broncos......Spartans
Rushing-213..........-12
Passing-322..........92
..Total-535..........80
First Downs:
......Broncos......Spartans
........28............6
Average Gain Per Play:
......Broncos......Spartans
........7.5..........1.5
Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback:
......Broncos......Spartans
.........4............0
Third Down Efficiency:
..........Broncos............Spartans
.......55%(6 of 11)........13%(2 of 15)
Penalties:
......Broncos......Spartans
.......5-51..........4-26
As you can easily see, San Jose State was more than over matched in every aspect of the game. Again I am amazed at how Coach Petersen is able to prepare his players mentally for every game, regardless of the opponent. The total yardage allowed by the Broncos' defense was the lowest amount allowed since 1972. It is of worth noting that this is the second time this year that Boise State has held an opponent to negative rushing yardage (Wyoming). I would like to point out that the Broncos' third down conversion percent is getting better. 55% is still not great, but it is alright. Remember, the starters did not even play in the second half and a lot of the plays were rushing attempts, which skews the third down conversion numbers a little bit. Also, way to cut down on penalties Boise State! This was the first game where they had such a low number of penalties and it is really good to see that. Let's hope they can continue that.
What We Learned:
The Spartans have a long way to go. Like I said, they are victims of the injury bug this year, but it is obvious that the talent level at the school is no even close to what it has been, could be, and probably should be. The university is in northern California where this are plenty of great players to recruit. Boise State gets quite a few from that area, by the way. The commentators of the game said that Coach Mike MacIntyre has a notebook of some 200-odd pages detailing his plan to get the program competitive again. I think part of it has to be not scheduling so many top 25 opponents in one season. Let's see if MacIntyre is around long enough to carry out his plan.
Bronco Nation travels! There were about 5,000 Bronco fans out of the 20,000+ people in Spartan Stadium Saturday night. You will see great numbers of them just about everywhere that they play. This game was special, however. As I mentioned, the Broncos get a lot of players from northern California, and plenty of friends and family members of said players were in attendance. Doug Martin had the biggest contingent. They had signs and posters as well. This is great for the team and their morale; to see their own no matter where they are playing.
Kellen Moore did not even play the second half. I really wanted him to. He finished the night going 14 for 16 for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns (and no interceptions, again!). As I mentioned last week and probably will after every game from now on, imagine his numbers if he was to play all four quarters! It would be a mind grenade-it would blow your mind all over the room. The stats would be eye-popping. Alas, it won't happen. Coach Pete and for that matter Kellen himself are saving the quarterback for big games. By they way, Moore passed Bart Hendricks for the most completions ever by a Boise State quarterback. He's only half way through his junior year. Yeah, no one will ever be taking that record from Kellen, guaranteed!
Titus Young is special. He can outrun anybody on any team. That is all there is to it. He seems to go about 3/4 speed and then turn it on as soon as Moore launches the deep pass. Young had a 43 yard touchdown catch. It was a beautiful throw from Kellen right into his bread basket without breaking stride. You cannot defend that. Titus is a great football player. Best of all, he isn't getting excessive celebration penalties this year!
Areas of Concern:
Other than the third down conversion percentage that I mentioned above, there is nothing else. The performance was that outstanding last night!
Favorite Play:
Just like last game, I had quite a few to choose from. However, I am going with the Aaron Tevis pick-six. It was such a beautiful smart read by Tevis and an even better catch by him. The one handed leaping interception was awesome! Plus he rumbled down the sideline and got into the end zone to cap it all off. House call!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Cornerback Jamar Taylor was suspended for the game for an unspecified violation of teams rules. He did not make the trip to San Jose. Coach Pete doesn't put up with crap, if you haven't noticed yet. The Broncos lead the nation in total defense (210.2), rushing defense (59.3), pass efficiency (188.11) and sacks allowed (0.17). Moore is No. 1 in pass efficiency (190.35). Chris Potter, who was the third choice as the punt returner, is eighth in the nation with a 16.8-yard average. In other words, the Broncos are really freaking good!
Perception:
Oh boy! There is a lot to talk about here. The Broncos did what they had to do and win in a dominating way. That in itself will not do much to change the national view of Boise State. What took place in other games on Saturday will undoubtedly affect the Broncos and their ranking and bowl destination. Number one ranked Ohio State lost on the road to Wisconsin. It was actually a fairly dominating performance from the Badgers. Also, unranked Texas beat undefeated and 5th ranked Nebraska on the road. I think Nebraska's chances of a National Championship are over, but the Buckeyes still have time to move back up in the polls. Still, their loss appears to have removed another roadblock out of the Broncos' path. I mentioned last week that in the projected BCS standings to be released today, that Boise State should get the nod to be number one. However, according to this story, Oklahoma somehow has a shot at getting it. I have no idea how, but it is just another example of biased and scared voters trying to keep Boise State away from the precious BCS Championship that they have selfishly created for the "big boys." Still, Boise State is looking good and if a few more teams lose for the first time and some for a second time, there is no way to keep them out. Some of that mass chaos that I have been talking about has taken place. Let's hope for the rest! Virginia Tech also won again, their 5th straight. They crushed Wake Forest. The Hokies might not end up in the top 25 quite yet, but it will happen soon.
That was the good new. The bad news comes in two parts. After beating the 9th ranked Arizona Wildcats on the road last week, the Oregon State Beavers fell at Washington in double overtime. They went for the two point conversion to win but the pass was batted away to preserve the Huskies' victory. The Beavers will fall out of the top 25 again. Also, Hawai'i beat Nevada on the islands late Saturday night, also knocking the Wolfpack out of the rankings. Nevada was supposed to be the showdown between two undefeated teams for the WAC championship. It would have boosted the Broncos' strength of schedule greatly. But now, it is looking like the home game against the Rainbow Warriors on November 6 could be the defacto WAC championship game. I told you Hawai'i was looking really good! Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick had a really bad game. Still, I think the pros outweigh the cons from Saturday and Boise State should find itself just fine when the BCS Ranking come out today. We will see how long it lasts and who else loses as the weeks go by.
Photos:
Thanks again idahostatesman.com for the great photos of the game. Enjoy, fans of Bronco Chase!
Check back in tomorrow for my WAC Weekend Recap and some more takes on Boise State's status.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Spartans
Rushing-213..........-12
Passing-322..........92
..Total-535..........80
First Downs:
......Broncos......Spartans
........28............6
Average Gain Per Play:
......Broncos......Spartans
........7.5..........1.5
Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback:
......Broncos......Spartans
.........4............0
Third Down Efficiency:
..........Broncos............Spartans
.......55%(6 of 11)........13%(2 of 15)
Penalties:
......Broncos......Spartans
.......5-51..........4-26
As you can easily see, San Jose State was more than over matched in every aspect of the game. Again I am amazed at how Coach Petersen is able to prepare his players mentally for every game, regardless of the opponent. The total yardage allowed by the Broncos' defense was the lowest amount allowed since 1972. It is of worth noting that this is the second time this year that Boise State has held an opponent to negative rushing yardage (Wyoming). I would like to point out that the Broncos' third down conversion percent is getting better. 55% is still not great, but it is alright. Remember, the starters did not even play in the second half and a lot of the plays were rushing attempts, which skews the third down conversion numbers a little bit. Also, way to cut down on penalties Boise State! This was the first game where they had such a low number of penalties and it is really good to see that. Let's hope they can continue that.
What We Learned:
The Spartans have a long way to go. Like I said, they are victims of the injury bug this year, but it is obvious that the talent level at the school is no even close to what it has been, could be, and probably should be. The university is in northern California where this are plenty of great players to recruit. Boise State gets quite a few from that area, by the way. The commentators of the game said that Coach Mike MacIntyre has a notebook of some 200-odd pages detailing his plan to get the program competitive again. I think part of it has to be not scheduling so many top 25 opponents in one season. Let's see if MacIntyre is around long enough to carry out his plan.
Bronco Nation travels! There were about 5,000 Bronco fans out of the 20,000+ people in Spartan Stadium Saturday night. You will see great numbers of them just about everywhere that they play. This game was special, however. As I mentioned, the Broncos get a lot of players from northern California, and plenty of friends and family members of said players were in attendance. Doug Martin had the biggest contingent. They had signs and posters as well. This is great for the team and their morale; to see their own no matter where they are playing.
Kellen Moore did not even play the second half. I really wanted him to. He finished the night going 14 for 16 for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns (and no interceptions, again!). As I mentioned last week and probably will after every game from now on, imagine his numbers if he was to play all four quarters! It would be a mind grenade-it would blow your mind all over the room. The stats would be eye-popping. Alas, it won't happen. Coach Pete and for that matter Kellen himself are saving the quarterback for big games. By they way, Moore passed Bart Hendricks for the most completions ever by a Boise State quarterback. He's only half way through his junior year. Yeah, no one will ever be taking that record from Kellen, guaranteed!
Titus Young is special. He can outrun anybody on any team. That is all there is to it. He seems to go about 3/4 speed and then turn it on as soon as Moore launches the deep pass. Young had a 43 yard touchdown catch. It was a beautiful throw from Kellen right into his bread basket without breaking stride. You cannot defend that. Titus is a great football player. Best of all, he isn't getting excessive celebration penalties this year!
Areas of Concern:
Other than the third down conversion percentage that I mentioned above, there is nothing else. The performance was that outstanding last night!
Favorite Play:
Just like last game, I had quite a few to choose from. However, I am going with the Aaron Tevis pick-six. It was such a beautiful smart read by Tevis and an even better catch by him. The one handed leaping interception was awesome! Plus he rumbled down the sideline and got into the end zone to cap it all off. House call!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Cornerback Jamar Taylor was suspended for the game for an unspecified violation of teams rules. He did not make the trip to San Jose. Coach Pete doesn't put up with crap, if you haven't noticed yet. The Broncos lead the nation in total defense (210.2), rushing defense (59.3), pass efficiency (188.11) and sacks allowed (0.17). Moore is No. 1 in pass efficiency (190.35). Chris Potter, who was the third choice as the punt returner, is eighth in the nation with a 16.8-yard average. In other words, the Broncos are really freaking good!
Perception:
Oh boy! There is a lot to talk about here. The Broncos did what they had to do and win in a dominating way. That in itself will not do much to change the national view of Boise State. What took place in other games on Saturday will undoubtedly affect the Broncos and their ranking and bowl destination. Number one ranked Ohio State lost on the road to Wisconsin. It was actually a fairly dominating performance from the Badgers. Also, unranked Texas beat undefeated and 5th ranked Nebraska on the road. I think Nebraska's chances of a National Championship are over, but the Buckeyes still have time to move back up in the polls. Still, their loss appears to have removed another roadblock out of the Broncos' path. I mentioned last week that in the projected BCS standings to be released today, that Boise State should get the nod to be number one. However, according to this story, Oklahoma somehow has a shot at getting it. I have no idea how, but it is just another example of biased and scared voters trying to keep Boise State away from the precious BCS Championship that they have selfishly created for the "big boys." Still, Boise State is looking good and if a few more teams lose for the first time and some for a second time, there is no way to keep them out. Some of that mass chaos that I have been talking about has taken place. Let's hope for the rest! Virginia Tech also won again, their 5th straight. They crushed Wake Forest. The Hokies might not end up in the top 25 quite yet, but it will happen soon.
That was the good new. The bad news comes in two parts. After beating the 9th ranked Arizona Wildcats on the road last week, the Oregon State Beavers fell at Washington in double overtime. They went for the two point conversion to win but the pass was batted away to preserve the Huskies' victory. The Beavers will fall out of the top 25 again. Also, Hawai'i beat Nevada on the islands late Saturday night, also knocking the Wolfpack out of the rankings. Nevada was supposed to be the showdown between two undefeated teams for the WAC championship. It would have boosted the Broncos' strength of schedule greatly. But now, it is looking like the home game against the Rainbow Warriors on November 6 could be the defacto WAC championship game. I told you Hawai'i was looking really good! Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick had a really bad game. Still, I think the pros outweigh the cons from Saturday and Boise State should find itself just fine when the BCS Ranking come out today. We will see how long it lasts and who else loses as the weeks go by.
Photos:
Thanks again idahostatesman.com for the great photos of the game. Enjoy, fans of Bronco Chase!
Check back in tomorrow for my WAC Weekend Recap and some more takes on Boise State's status.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Broncos Rise, Rockets Crash
The Boise State Broncos did what they had to do on Saturday and crushed the Toledo Rockets by a final score of 57 to 14. I am continuously impressed by how Coach Chris Petersen is able to prepare his team every single week to get out there and play the best they can. The only time I have seen a let down or a lazy game from them was last year against UC Davis. In any case, Boise State is taking care of business week in and week out. With Alabama losing to South Carolina yesterday, it will be interesting to see what happens. Let's take a look at some stats that I found interesting from the Toledo game:
Yardage:
......Broncos......Rockets
Rushing-207..........65
Passing-293..........222
...Total-500.........287
First Downs:
......Broncos......Rockets
........25.............18
Average Gain Per Play:
......Broncos......Rockets
........7.9............4.8
Sacks on Opposing Quarterback:
......Broncos......Rockets
.........4..............0
Turnovers:
......Broncos......Rockets
.........0..............5
This game was a little weird to watch and take in. It appeared that Boise State was not able to stop Toledo's offense hardly at all (look at the average gain per play stat. They got almost five yards per play). But somehow the Broncos had a 36-7 lead at halftime. That is where the turnover stat comes into play. Every time the Rockets got something going and had pushed the ball close to the end zone, Boise State forced a turnover. Nabbing 3 fumbles and 2 interceptions is a good way to demoralize a team. Couple that with the fact that Toledo was amongst the best in the nation in turnover margin, and you have a blowout on your hands. The Broncos did give up a lot of yardage through the air, and most of it can be attributed to Eric Page. I said to watch out for him and he did not disappoint. Page ended the game with 11 catches for 120 yards. He also ran a couple of kick offs back, with a long of 41 yards. He did plenty of damage.
What We Learned:
The Broncos offensive line deserves a lot of credit for protecting Kellen Moore the way they have. Don't forget the massive, gaping holes they are creating for the running backs to rush through. They have only given up one sack this year, and that was against Virginia Tech. A lot is made about Moore's escapibility, but he is so protected and comfortable back there thanks to the big fellas up front. Even with the players shuffling positions and new guys stepping in, they get the job done. It's called great coaching and lots of talent.
Boise State is deep, everywhere. From Ricky Tjong-a-tjoe to Jonathan Brown (who?) to Joe Southwick, the Broncos have a lot of depth across the roster. It's nice to see these guys get playing time with huge leads, but they are also dominating when they are out there. Needless to say, the Broncos are set for years to come in just about every position.
Kellen Moore will be in New York in December, but he probably won't win the Heisman, even though he should. If Coach Pete would leave the kid out there the entire game, he would throw for 600 yards and 9 touchdowns every time! It is insane how calm he is. After throwing a touchdown pass to Tyler Shoemaker, he was seen on the sidelines not even sweating, chatting with his teammates, and laughing. Did he even play??? He should win the award, he is the best player in college football, but Petersen wants to save him for future games, and at the same time it possibly ends his chances of bringing home the stiff-arm trophy, much in the same way that he is not lobbying for the team to move up in the polls. They refuse to play "the game." Good for them! Stick it to the man!
You shouldn't try to run the ball against Boise State. It's just not a good idea and it won't get you anywhere. Toledo gained 65 yards on 31 attempts. That is 2.1 yards per rush. In fact, there have only been two teams to gain more than 100 yards against the Broncos this year. They are Virginia Tech (44 attempts, 2.9 yards per) and New Mexico State (41 attempts, 2.9 yards per). In other words, you might have more success passing it, maybe.
Maybe the WAC Sports Network isn't as bad as I thought it was. I think the big difference was that Dick Tomey was nowhere to be heard. The camera quality and camera work were just as bad, but at least I wasn't considering jabbing a rusty screw driver into my temple from having to hear the garbage pouring out of Tomey's mouth. The two commentators yesterday were much better and actually fairly intelligent. Like I said, the whole network is still a terrible idea, but I feel better this week about it. Sigh...
Areas of Concern:
Again with the penalties. We saw yet another time when the Broncos had forced their opponent to punt only to see it disappear with a penalty. The roughing the kicker was just a stupid play. Kick off coverage. It is still really bad. Granted, Eric Page may or may not be human, but that is still no excuse for letting them gash the coverage team for 30 or 40 yard returns every time. The secondary was pretty bad. Toledo had receiver's open all night. That will not fly against Hawai'i. That's it for this game. It seems like there has been a lot of improvement through 5 games, which is great to see.
Favorite Play:
There were so many to choose from. Let's make a list and go from there;
1. Titus Young's jump for a Moore pass, catching it, rolling over the defender, and getting into the end zone even though his knee clearly touched the 2 yard line first. Sick catch! Suck it instant replay!!!
2. Jarvis Hodge trucking some line backer who tried to get in his way as he was toting the rock up the middle. The fool got owned!
3. Shea McClellin sniffing out the screen pass from Dantin and Supermanning into the air to snatch it and take it in for a house call the other way. Pick-six baby!
4. The play where Moore faked an end around hand off, and the entire defense chased after the alleged hand off-e, even though Kellen still had the ball in his hands. They got duped bad!
5. The fake punt that was called back for holding. It was so beautiful! Too bad it didn't count, but it is still in the running for my favorite play! You will see it again this season, mark my words.
I don't know which one was the best. I think I will go with the McClellin interception just because of how athletic one must be to pull it off. Plus he outran the quarterback to the end zone. You could see he really wanted to stiff arm Dantin if he had gotten the chance. Remember, he played a lot of running back in high school, so it was familiar ground to him.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Michael "Canadian Bacon" Atkinson was suspended for the game and as we found out later, is indefinitely suspended for the rest of the season for a violation of team rules. We don't know what he did, but this is his second suspension of his short career at Boise State. It would not surprise me if we did not see the Bacon for a
long time, if ever again. It's too bad too, because he is a really good player. Toledo lost a quarterback, a running back, and a defensive lineman to injury during the game. It was very physical out there.
My Weekly PTW was wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker. He finished the game with 2 receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. His TD catch was the last pass Moore threw for the game. He was also the recipient of a Kyle Brotzman fake punt-pass that unfortunately got called back for holding. "Shoe" also laid down some pretty sweet blocks for his teammates when the situation called for it. He played a good game and finally we have a Weekly PTW who did something and did not get injured! Good job Tyler!
Perception:
The score of this game is a little mis-leading. Like I said, the Rockets were moving the ball down the field fine for most of the game. Unlike the Broncos, however, they were not able to make the plays when it mattered. 5 turnovers spelled doom for Toledo, especially when they happened they way they did, in the red zone and during almost every promising drive. Still, with the Broncos out of the spotlight, all the voters see is the final score and the stats. It will look very good and with Alabama's loss to South Carolina, they will move back up to number three in the nation. What will be interesting is where they will land when the BCS Rankings come out early Sunday evening. My guess is either 2, 3, or 4, but most likely number 3. As long as Boise State can continue to put up good numbers, play great defense, and be prepared mentally, things will stay looking good. Next up for the boys in Blue, the San Jose State Spartans!
Photos:
Thank you yet again idahostatesman.com for taking great pictures that I can post a link to on my blog. Enjoy.
Make sure to check back in tomorrow to see my WAC football weekend recap. I have chosen the upset two weeks in a row! Yeah baby! Go Broncos!!!!!!!
Yardage:
......Broncos......Rockets
Rushing-207..........65
Passing-293..........222
...Total-500.........287
First Downs:
......Broncos......Rockets
........25.............18
Average Gain Per Play:
......Broncos......Rockets
........7.9............4.8
Sacks on Opposing Quarterback:
......Broncos......Rockets
.........4..............0
Turnovers:
......Broncos......Rockets
.........0..............5
This game was a little weird to watch and take in. It appeared that Boise State was not able to stop Toledo's offense hardly at all (look at the average gain per play stat. They got almost five yards per play). But somehow the Broncos had a 36-7 lead at halftime. That is where the turnover stat comes into play. Every time the Rockets got something going and had pushed the ball close to the end zone, Boise State forced a turnover. Nabbing 3 fumbles and 2 interceptions is a good way to demoralize a team. Couple that with the fact that Toledo was amongst the best in the nation in turnover margin, and you have a blowout on your hands. The Broncos did give up a lot of yardage through the air, and most of it can be attributed to Eric Page. I said to watch out for him and he did not disappoint. Page ended the game with 11 catches for 120 yards. He also ran a couple of kick offs back, with a long of 41 yards. He did plenty of damage.
What We Learned:
The Broncos offensive line deserves a lot of credit for protecting Kellen Moore the way they have. Don't forget the massive, gaping holes they are creating for the running backs to rush through. They have only given up one sack this year, and that was against Virginia Tech. A lot is made about Moore's escapibility, but he is so protected and comfortable back there thanks to the big fellas up front. Even with the players shuffling positions and new guys stepping in, they get the job done. It's called great coaching and lots of talent.
Boise State is deep, everywhere. From Ricky Tjong-a-tjoe to Jonathan Brown (who?) to Joe Southwick, the Broncos have a lot of depth across the roster. It's nice to see these guys get playing time with huge leads, but they are also dominating when they are out there. Needless to say, the Broncos are set for years to come in just about every position.
Kellen Moore will be in New York in December, but he probably won't win the Heisman, even though he should. If Coach Pete would leave the kid out there the entire game, he would throw for 600 yards and 9 touchdowns every time! It is insane how calm he is. After throwing a touchdown pass to Tyler Shoemaker, he was seen on the sidelines not even sweating, chatting with his teammates, and laughing. Did he even play??? He should win the award, he is the best player in college football, but Petersen wants to save him for future games, and at the same time it possibly ends his chances of bringing home the stiff-arm trophy, much in the same way that he is not lobbying for the team to move up in the polls. They refuse to play "the game." Good for them! Stick it to the man!
You shouldn't try to run the ball against Boise State. It's just not a good idea and it won't get you anywhere. Toledo gained 65 yards on 31 attempts. That is 2.1 yards per rush. In fact, there have only been two teams to gain more than 100 yards against the Broncos this year. They are Virginia Tech (44 attempts, 2.9 yards per) and New Mexico State (41 attempts, 2.9 yards per). In other words, you might have more success passing it, maybe.
Maybe the WAC Sports Network isn't as bad as I thought it was. I think the big difference was that Dick Tomey was nowhere to be heard. The camera quality and camera work were just as bad, but at least I wasn't considering jabbing a rusty screw driver into my temple from having to hear the garbage pouring out of Tomey's mouth. The two commentators yesterday were much better and actually fairly intelligent. Like I said, the whole network is still a terrible idea, but I feel better this week about it. Sigh...
Areas of Concern:
Again with the penalties. We saw yet another time when the Broncos had forced their opponent to punt only to see it disappear with a penalty. The roughing the kicker was just a stupid play. Kick off coverage. It is still really bad. Granted, Eric Page may or may not be human, but that is still no excuse for letting them gash the coverage team for 30 or 40 yard returns every time. The secondary was pretty bad. Toledo had receiver's open all night. That will not fly against Hawai'i. That's it for this game. It seems like there has been a lot of improvement through 5 games, which is great to see.
Favorite Play:
There were so many to choose from. Let's make a list and go from there;
1. Titus Young's jump for a Moore pass, catching it, rolling over the defender, and getting into the end zone even though his knee clearly touched the 2 yard line first. Sick catch! Suck it instant replay!!!
2. Jarvis Hodge trucking some line backer who tried to get in his way as he was toting the rock up the middle. The fool got owned!
3. Shea McClellin sniffing out the screen pass from Dantin and Supermanning into the air to snatch it and take it in for a house call the other way. Pick-six baby!
4. The play where Moore faked an end around hand off, and the entire defense chased after the alleged hand off-e, even though Kellen still had the ball in his hands. They got duped bad!
5. The fake punt that was called back for holding. It was so beautiful! Too bad it didn't count, but it is still in the running for my favorite play! You will see it again this season, mark my words.
I don't know which one was the best. I think I will go with the McClellin interception just because of how athletic one must be to pull it off. Plus he outran the quarterback to the end zone. You could see he really wanted to stiff arm Dantin if he had gotten the chance. Remember, he played a lot of running back in high school, so it was familiar ground to him.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Michael "Canadian Bacon" Atkinson was suspended for the game and as we found out later, is indefinitely suspended for the rest of the season for a violation of team rules. We don't know what he did, but this is his second suspension of his short career at Boise State. It would not surprise me if we did not see the Bacon for a
long time, if ever again. It's too bad too, because he is a really good player. Toledo lost a quarterback, a running back, and a defensive lineman to injury during the game. It was very physical out there.
My Weekly PTW was wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker. He finished the game with 2 receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. His TD catch was the last pass Moore threw for the game. He was also the recipient of a Kyle Brotzman fake punt-pass that unfortunately got called back for holding. "Shoe" also laid down some pretty sweet blocks for his teammates when the situation called for it. He played a good game and finally we have a Weekly PTW who did something and did not get injured! Good job Tyler!
Perception:
The score of this game is a little mis-leading. Like I said, the Rockets were moving the ball down the field fine for most of the game. Unlike the Broncos, however, they were not able to make the plays when it mattered. 5 turnovers spelled doom for Toledo, especially when they happened they way they did, in the red zone and during almost every promising drive. Still, with the Broncos out of the spotlight, all the voters see is the final score and the stats. It will look very good and with Alabama's loss to South Carolina, they will move back up to number three in the nation. What will be interesting is where they will land when the BCS Rankings come out early Sunday evening. My guess is either 2, 3, or 4, but most likely number 3. As long as Boise State can continue to put up good numbers, play great defense, and be prepared mentally, things will stay looking good. Next up for the boys in Blue, the San Jose State Spartans!
Photos:
Thank you yet again idahostatesman.com for taking great pictures that I can post a link to on my blog. Enjoy.
Make sure to check back in tomorrow to see my WAC football weekend recap. I have chosen the upset two weeks in a row! Yeah baby! Go Broncos!!!!!!!
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