Happy New Year - I Love College Football!

I don't know about you, but my holiday break is over and that means I am back to the grind of everyday life. So as I sit here at work, where I like to blog (I know, I should be working...It happens), I have realized something. I, Bronco Chase, have not posted many fruitful or enlightening nuggets for you my faithful readers for a few weeks. For that I apologize and promise to do better. As a token of my remorse I offer you this; a smorgasbord of stories, information, comedy, and heartbreak all combined into one amazing post. I hope you enjoy it and I hope even more that you can find it in your heart to forgive a wretch like me. I am aware that there are still bowl games to watch. However, the 7 match ups that are left happen to be spread out across 8 days. That means there is time to kill and that there are posts to add on this blog. Sit back and read...



The coaching carousel has begun, just as it does every year around this time. It does seem that things have been even crazier than normal. It must be the impending doom of humanity via Nostradamus and that dang Mayan calender. It's driving people nuts. Here is what we know so far:

-Florida ripped Will Muschamp from the grasps of Texas' defense and the baffling title of "coach-in-waiting." I think he will be great for the Gators. Muschamp is a fiery individual and that will bode well in Florida. Plus, he is actually from Gainesville. Along with that, he has somehow pried Charlie Weiss from the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs as his offensive coordinator. It's an all star cast down there.

Tell us how you really feel Mr. Muschamp


-Pitt had hired themselves a pretty good, emerging head man in Mike Haywood. He had resurrected a terrible Miami (OH) team from 1-11 to 9-4 and had earned a MAC Championship to show for it. Too bad he was arrested and charged with felony domestic abuse shortly after landing what many would consider a dream job. He was subsequently fired before he even had a chance to do much of anything. All this took place in a period of about 3 weeks. Nice work, Mr. Haywood. On the bright side, he left the Panthers with an undefeated record.

I know Mike, tell me about it!


-Maryland was on the cusp of hiring the pirate-crazy and eccentric former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach. Apparently they got cold feet last minute and went a different direction. They jacked Randy Edsall from UConn less than 24 hours after the Huskies were embarrassed by Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Congrats Terrapins. I guess Maryland is a better job than Connecticut...

This man scares me


-Miami hired Al Golden from Temple. That is a good hire as well.

-Michigan will most likely fire Rich Rodriguez after another mediocre season and a blow out loss in a bowl game.

It could be worse, I guess...


-West Virginia's Bill Stewart retired. I imagine Rich Rod wishes he had never left the comfy confines of Morgantown to navigate the choppy waters of Ann Arbor.

-Stanford's Jim Harbaugh is the hottest coach in the nation. Everybody wants him, including the San Francisco 49ers. His alma mater Michigan is waiting until after the Orange Bowl to try and pry him away from the Cardinal. It will be interesting to see what he decides to do.

-Everybody wants Coach Pete from Boise State as well. I don't see it happening. At least not yet.



The Big 10 had a terrible New Year's Day. 5 teams from that vaunted, glorious conference all lost their bowl games, some in amazing blow out fashion. Here's the breakdown:

TCU 21, Wisconsin 19 (Rose Bowl)
Texas Tech 45, Northwestern 38 (TicketCity Bowl)
Alabama 49, Michigan State 7 (Capital One Bowl)
Florida 37, Penn State 24 (Outback Bowl)
Mississippi State 52, Michigan 14 (Progressive Gator Bowl)

That is a huge blow to the reputation of the Big 10. Also, Ohio State's Gordon Gee and his "Little Sisters of the Poor" comment are now eating copious amounts of crow. How does that taste?!

Should this man really be talking about football?




Congratulations to TCU for their Rose Bowl victory over the Wisconsin Badgers. This is huge for them and for all non-AQ schools. It was a great game, hard fought, and the Horned Frogs were the better team. They play great defense. They deserve to be in a BCS conference. Boise State, you are next (I hope)!

Nice work Gary Patterson. Even the Gatorade is purple!




UConn may be the worst team to ever participate in a BCS Bowl Game. Maybe not quite the worst, but they are pretty high up there. Here is my list of the worst teams to ever defile a respected and important(?) BCS Game.

3. UConn Huskies, 2011
2. Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, 2008
1. Pitt Panthers, 2006

I see two teams from the Big East on the list. I'm sensing a problem with that conference. TCU will own them.






That is all I have for now. I understand that it was bit choppy, but I had a lot of things to cover and get out of the way. Tomorrow will be more detail orientated and informative. Make sure you watch the Orange Bowl tonight. It will be a good one. I am personally cheering for the Hokies. Although, I don't like their chances.

Bronco Chase's Bowl Picks, 2nd Edition

The bowl season kicked off Saturday with three games, all of which turned into boring blow outs. I was at the Humanitarian Bowl and Fresno State played so bad. I saw it coming. Anyway, for the sake of saving time and energy, I won't go into detailed write ups of each game. I will just post the logo of the winning team, what my prediction was, and the actual score. If I predicted the winner correctly, the final score will be highlighted and italicized. Then I will continue on and give you a new batch of picks for some of the upcoming game. Let's get started.

New Mexico Bowl
My prediction was BYU wins 31 to 28
Final score: Cougars 52, Miners 24




uDrove Humanitarian Bowl
My prediction was Northern Illinois wins 35 to 28
Final score: Huskies 40, Bulldogs 17




R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
My prediction was Ohio wins 28 to 27
Final score: Trojans 48, Bobcats 21




Group total: 2-1
Season Total: 67-18

______________________________________________________________________________________


As a reminder: if the word "prediction" has stars, then it is an upset. It will look like this:

*Prediction*:

Also, I have analyzed some of the games with a write up, but not all of them. I wrote on all the bowls were WAC teams are involved and the BCS Bowls. The others just have when, where, the bowl name, who's playing, and a score prediction. Finally, I am including these bowls in my season long record.

Decmember 21st at 6 PM
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl
St. Petersburg, Florida

(8-4, 5-3 C-USA)
vs.

(6-6, 3-4 Big East)



Line: Cardinals favored by 3
*Prediction*: Golden Eagles 31, Cardinals 28

December 22nd at 6 PM
MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada

(10-2, 7-1 MWC)
vs.

(11-1, 7-1 WAC)



Line: Broncos favored by 17
If you look back to the beginning of the season, the Las Vegas Bowl is not the place that Boise State thought they would be playing their bowl game. The fans and probably the players had visions of another BCS game in their heads, most likely of the National Championship sort. But it was not meant to be. One of the greatest, most talented teams in Bronco history is relegated to a pre-Christmas bowl destination against yet another Mountain West opponent. But, there is plenty to be excited about. Do you know how many teams would kill to be in the position that Boise State is in right now? Ranked in the top 10, extremely talented, huge and supportive fan base, and the opportunity to take it to a team that has been ranked in the top 25 almost all season. At one point, the Utes were 5th in the nation. I for one, am stoked to see my Broncos play one more game this year and to see what Austin Pettis, Titus Young, Jeremy Avery, Jeron Johnson, Darrell Acrey, Winston Venable, Ryan Winterswyk, and the rest of the seniors do for their last game in a Bronco uniform. Any fan who is not excited is not really a fan. Speaking of uniforms, Boise State will be wearing a new batch of Nike Pro Combat duds, completely new. They were designed for them and three other teams in the nation. I like them. Check them out here.

If Boise State is to win, they must have the same mentality that I have. This game means everything to the kids playing it and they need to get out there and prove it. Kellen Moore's leadership and Chris Petersen's perfectionist coaching style will not allow the team to come out flat and play poorly. I do not see that happening. The Broncos will perform their best and luckily for us, their best is really good. Kellen Moore will not be stopped. Doug Martin needs to return to his soul-crushing and linebacker blowing up ways for Boise State to have success. I think that will happen. Here is what scares me and should concern the Broncos (note-I know Coach Pete and his coordinators/assistant coaches have talked and game planned for all of them): Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide are really good, really physical running backs. Boise State has had problems towards the end of the season stopping big running backs (see Lennon Creer, Vai Taua, and Kerwynn Williams). Ute quarterback Terrence Cain is very mobile. He is not Colin Kaepernick mobile, but will be tough to contain. Utah has won 9 bowl games in a row. That is amazing. Also, the Broncos tend to not play well in non-BCS Bowl Games. I am confident that the coaches have found ways to fix their problems and prepare themselves for the game. Just like the players, I very much prefer a pre-New Year's non-BCS game. Have fun in the Kraft Bowl Nevada on January 9th. Anyway, if Boise State plays up to the level that they are capable of on both sides of the ball, they will win and will win pretty handily. I can see the game being close, but barring a huge mental lapse, I don't see the Broncos losing.
Prediction: Broncos 34, Utes 24


December 23rd at 6 PM
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
San Diego, California

(9-3)
vs.

(8-4, 5-3 MWC)



Line: Aztecs favored by 5
Prediction: Aztecs 38, Midshipmen 31

December 24th at 6 PM
Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl
Honolulu, Hawai’i

(10-3, 7-1 WAC)
vs.

(9-3, 9-2 C-USA)




Line: Rainbow Warriors favored by 11
Two of the best offenses in the nation face off on the islands. Hawai’i ranks 9th in the nation in total offense and Tulsa ranks 10th. In other words, there will be a lot of points scored and not much defense played. The Rainbow Warriors have the top ranked passing game and will test the Golden Hurricane secondary in ways that they never knew. At the same time, Tulsa is a little more balanced with running and passing, but get the job done and get into the end zone. Unfortunately for the Golden Hurricane, Hawai’i is playing basically another home game.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 49, Golden Hurricane 35

Total coming in: 67-18

Check back in and get plenty more bowl coverage! Go Broncos!

WAC Weekend Recap, Week 14

I cannot believe that the season is over. It has gone by way too fast, as it always does. But we still have bowl season to look forward to! The WAC got four teams bowl eligible and all of them have accepted invites to play. As you all know, the WAC Champion is actually a three way tie this year: Boise State, Hawai'i, and Nevada. That means that the Broncos have won the title 8 out of the past 9 years. That is just ridiculous. Congrats to them and good luck in their upcoming move to the Mountain West. Anyway, let's get going recapping the weekend.

Illinois Fighting Illini at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 31
Final score: Bulldogs 25, Fighting Illini 23
Fresno State got off to a quick start in this game and then did just enough to hold off Illinois at the end to take the "W." It was 16-0 by the time the first quarter ticked away its last second. This was a big win for Pat Hill and the Bulldogs because it got them to 8 wins for the year and silenced some of their critics, at least for the moment. Illinois is a very young team and will have plenty of success here in the next few years. Both teams are going to bowl games. Illinois takes on Baylor of the Big 12 in the Texas Bowl, which takes place on December 29th. Fresno State takes on Northern Illinois of the MAC in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl on December 18th. Let's hope Fresno actually shows up this year for their bowl game...

Nevada Wolfpack at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
My prediction was Nevada wins 38 to 35
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Bulldogs 17
The Wolfpack was destined for a letdown after the emotions of beating Boise State the week before, and it happened. Well, it lasted for approximately the duration of the first half before pulling away and winning. Kaepernick and Taua both had huge games on the ground and were just too much for the Bulldogs. It has been an up and down season for Louisiana Tech and they will be watching bowl season from their own couches yet again. I think Sonny Dykes has something brewing down in Ruston. We will see in the next couple of years. Nevada earned themselves a date with the Boston College Eagles in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on January 9th. That should be an interesting match up.

San Jose State Spartans at Idaho Vandals
My prediction was Idaho wins 42 to 28
Final score: Vandals 26, Spartans 23 (OT)
Idaho probably didn't deserve to win this game. Remember the weekend before when they were the more motivated team against Fresno State and narrowly came away with the upset? They were on the other side of things this time. San Jose State played better and actually had the lead at halftime. In overtime, San Jose State got a field goal and Idaho ended it with a touchdown. Too bad neither of these teams is going to a bowl game this year. The Vandals have 6 wins, but one came against an FCS opponent in North Dakota. Better luck next year.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 21
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Runnin' Rebels 21
This game went exactly as I expected it to go. Hawai'i was obviously the better team and took it to UNLV from the start. The Runnin' Rebels, however, did put a couple of touchdowns up on the board late, most likely against the Rainbow Warriors' second and third stringers. Quarterback Bryant Moniz had a modest 380 yards passing. The heavy lifting was done by running back Alex Green, who had 136 yards on 15 carries. UNLV will not be going to a bowl this year as they have only two wins to their name. Too bad. Hawai'i, however, accepted their bid to the Hawai'i Bowl about a month ago. They will take on Tulse of Conference USA and it all goes down on Christmas Eve. It should be a good one because both teams are among the highest scoring in the nation.

Oregon Ducks at Oregon State Beavers
My prediction was Oregon wins 52 to 24
Final score: Ducks 37, Beavers 20
Oregon State hung around a lot more than I thought they were going to. Of course, Oregon still came out on top, but it wasn't as pretty as some of their other wins have been. What did the Beavers in was quarterback Ryan Katz's 3 interceptions. That and the fact that they couldn't stop LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, who rushed for 134 and 133 yards respectively. Unfortunately for the Beavers, they will not be playing in a bowl game this year. That's too bad because they are actually a good team. They just ran into some tough competition early and lost a huge part of their offense when James Rodgers went down against Arizona. The Ducks have earned their spot in the National Championship Game and will face Auburn in Glendale, AZ on January 10th. I hope no one likes defense because there won't be much of it in this game!

Auburn Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
My prediction was Auburn wins 42 to 38
Final score: Tigers 56, Gamecocks 17
Auburn absolutely pasted South Carolina to win the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, Georgia. It wasn't even a game, although it was disguised and promoted as one. Scam Newton played incredibly well, throwing for 335 yards and rushing 73 more. He is the team. Their defense can afford to gamble and basically suck because they know that Newton will just score and bail them out. The Gamecocks just had a really bad game, especially quarterback Stephen Garcia, he threw 2 interceptions. They will take on Florida State (another vanquished conference champion game opponent, this one from the ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. Maybe the Gamecocks can win in Atlanta this time around!

Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 38 to 31
Final score: Hokies 44, Seminoles 33
Virginia Tech is really good. Imagine if they would not have lost to James Madison in their second game of the season...They probably would have ended up in the Orange Bowl anyway as the ACC Champion. The Hokies became the first team in FBS history to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2. I hope people are noticing this. Boise State beat Virginia Tech...Tyrod Taylor is amazing. I don't understand why he isn't getting more Heisman love for all that he has done this year and what he means to his team. Unfortunately for Florida State, their regular starting quarterback Christian Ponder wasn't able to play with an elbow injury. Back up EJ Manuel threw 2 interceptions. They can avenge themselves against South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. As I mentioned, Virginia Tech will play in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on January 3rd against the Stanford Cardinal.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
My prediction was Nebraska wins 35 to 34 in an upset special
Final score: Sooners 23, Cornhuskers 20
I really don't like Oklahoma, mainly because their coach Bob Stoops is a giant d-bag. Anyway, they managed to hold of Nebraska and score enough points to earn the win. I will give them credit for that. For the second year in a row, the 'Huskers fall short of the Big 12 title and are on their way to the Holiday Bowl. It's hard to pick an upset special when all the favored teams win. Oh well. Nebraska will face the Washington Huskies, whom they slaughtered earlier in the season in Seattle 56-21. The Holiday Bowl takes place in San Diego on 30th. Oklahoma will play Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on January 1st. Let's see if Stoops can finally win a BCS Bowl Game. Here's to hoping he doesn't.

Record coming in: 57-16
This week (including Boise State's win over Utah State): 8-1
Total: 65-17

The regular season has ended, as you may have heard. I will be picking winners for all 35 bowl games. The first one takes place on December 18th, which is a Saturday. Look for the picks on either the 16th or the 17th. Make sure you check back in tomorrow and the rest of this week for more Boise State information. Let's go Broncos!

WAC Weekend Recap, Turkey Day Edition

It seemed like the Weekend started off bad and just got worse. From the opening kick off on Friday to Anthony Martinez' game winning field goal for Nevada it just felt like it was going to be Boise State's day. Still, there is a lot to look forward to for this year and for many more years down the road. Again, I wish to congratulate the Wolfpack for a great game and for the victory. They earned it. Let's get to recapping this weekend's action and go from there.

Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Aggies 24
This game went exactly as I expected it to. Hawai'i is a good team and New Mexico State sucks. That is what happens in such a match up. Quarterback Bryant Moniz only had 315 passing yards for the Rainbow Warriors, which I guess is a bad game for him. Their running back Alex Green went off for 327 rushing yards on 19 carries. That is insane. Next week Hawai'i hosts UNLV on the islands and the Aggies do nothing. Their season is over.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans
My prediction was Louisiana Tech wins 35 to 17
Final score: Bulldogs 45, Spartans 38
Well this bad boy turned into a shoot out, huh? I never would have thought that San Jose State had the personnel, talent, or wits to participate in a shoot out, but obviously I was wrong. Spartan quarterback Jordan La Secla had a career night, exploding for 496 yards through the air on 35 completions. It only took him 65 attempts to do it, too. I think they abandoned the run game...On the other hand, Louisiana Tech went mainly with their bruising running back Lennon Creer to the tune of 252 yards on 30 carries. Holy crap now I am wishing that I watched this game! In the end, the Bulldogs pulled it out and can now look forward to hosting the Nevada Wolfpack, whom they need to beat to become bowl eligible. San Jose State travels up to the dump that is Moscow to take on the Vandals.

Idaho Vandals at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 28
Final score: Bulldogs 23, Vandals 20
The craziest thing about this game was that Fresno State did not score an offensive touchdown until the final minute, which also gave the Bulldogs the win. That means that their offense hadn't found the end zone in almost 8 full quarters before then (they got shut out at Boise State last weekend). It was too good to be true for the Vandals. There was no way that they were going to pull off the win. Better luck next year Idaho. It's nice to see that their quarterback Nathan Enderle is consistent, throwing plenty of interceptions. One went for a touchdown for Fresno State the other way. The Bulldogs finish up the regular season hosting Illinois from the Big Ten. Idaho heads back home and will host the San Jose State Spartans. They will not be bowl eligible this year.

Arizona Wildcats at Oregon Ducks
My prediction was Oregon wins 51 to 35
Final score: Ducks 48, Wildcats 29
Arizona had the lead at halftime, but it just felt like it wasn't going to happen for them. Oregon did what it always does (except against Cal) and pushes the throttle full speed in the second half to turn the game into a blow out. The Ducks' defense is not that good, but opportunistic. Giving up as many points as they do each week is fine if their offense continues to score at will. Oregon has secured the Pac-10's automatic BCS bid with the win and now look to lock up their spot in the National Championship game. They have to travel to Corvallis for the Civil War against the Beavers next Saturday. Arizona will host their rival Arizona State. On a side note, Pac-10 officials are terrible. That is all.

Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
My prediction was Alabama wins in an upset special 35 to 34
Final score: Tigers 28, Crimson Tide 27
This contest was so frustrating to watch, especially in the second half. Alabama jumped out to a 24-0 lead early and subsequently blew it, just as we all were expecting. The Crimson Tide fumbled the ball two separate times as they were going in to score. They should have had at least 41 points. That was what was so frustrating. Also, it didn't help that they couldn't keep Nick Fairley and the rest of the Auburn defensive line out of the back field. In the end, Cam Newton was too much for the Crimson Tide and Auburn's National Championship hopes are still alive. Also, Auburn's T'Sharvan Bell body-slammed Alabama's quarterback Greg McElroy into the turf, concussing him and knocking him out of the game. It was brutal. Auburn now faces South Carolina in the SEC Championship game. That will be a good one. I wonder what will happen if the Tigers lose. Do they still get to the National Championship Game? The Crimson Tide is done for now as they wait to find out where they will go bowling.

Record coming in: 53-14
This week (including Boise State's loss to Nevada): 4-2
Total: 57-16

Ever since last Friday when Boise State got owned in the second half against Nevada, I have had one thing on my mind (and I'm sure many other Boise State fans have as well); the field goal(s). How in the world could Brotzman miss, especially the first one? Let me get one thing straight, I in no way blame Kyle for the loss. He was not the one out there missing tackles, letting Wolfpack receiver Rishard Matthews run free in the secondary, and allowing Dantay Moch terrorize Kellen Moore. Kyle should never have been put in that position if the team would have played like they can. Like I said, Nevada earned the win and they should get all the credit in the world for being resilient, hard-nosed, and relentless.

With that said, I have a huge bone to pick with the WAC and those morons that they use as referees. I have mentioned this before, but that was one of the the worst officiated games I have ever seen in my life. They did not cost the Broncos the game, I don't think, but it sure swung lots of momentum back to Nevada. Read my earlier post here in the "What We Learned" section for more. I don't want to go into details about it here. But let's get back to the field goal that would have won the game for Boise State. Look at the video here, or just look at it below:


Personally, I don't see how that was a miss. He was close enough that even if it was angled, it still would have gone in. I understand that for a Nevada fan, it was clearly a miss. I am not trying to argue that because it is basically impossible to tell on a 2-D television/computer screen. What blows my mind is the fact that the officials under the goal posts don't make any hand signals after it is kicked. They were blocked by the crowd and the stands at the beginning, but walk out with their arms to their side. I am utterly baffled. Like I said, it's difficult to tell from that particular video replay if it was good or not, but don't they normally have cameras under the goal posts as well? I don't know, I'm just frustrated at how the game went and poorly officiated it was. Call me a whiner if you want, but I would like an explanation if there is one out there.

Anyway, congrats to the Wolfpack for earning a share of the WAC title. I look forward to playing them for years to come in the Mountain West. Let's get ready for Utah State and most likely the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Let's go Broncos!

Weekend Picks, Special Turkey Day Edition (13th Week of the Season)

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Make sure you go back and look at yesterday's post in which I let you all know about the things that I am grateful for. But for today, we have an extra special weekend pick off! There are tons of good games and I am going to choose winners for all three big games that are happening tomorrow. That is six ranked teams in three games. I have mentioned this before, but there is absolutely no reason why you should even leave your couch tomorrow. With that said, let's get on with it and pick some games for this holiday weekend!

Saturday, November 27 at 1 PM

(8-3, 6-1 WAC)
at

(2-9, 1-6 WAC)

The Rainbow Warriors took care of business last week against the San Jose State Spartans in blow out fashion. In fact, the only team in the WAC that they can't beat is Boise State. Anyway, Hawai'i is bowl eligible and has already accepted an invite to play in their home town Hawai'i Bowl. Quarterback Bryant Moniz was named offensive player of the week after throwing for 560 yards against the Spartans. The team would still like to improve their record. New Mexico State on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to play for other than pride, which can sometimes be a great motivator. They are anemic offensively and suck on defense. What else is there to say about them? Better luck next year Aggies. This game won't be close.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 45, Aggies 14

Saturday, November 27 at 6 PM

(4-6, 3-3 WAC)
at

(1-10, 0-6 WAC)

Louisiana Tech finds itself on the cusp of bowl eligibility. All they have to do is win their next two games, including this one. Unfortunately for them they finish the season at home against a Nevada team that will be pissed off after getting blown out by Boise State (a little foreshadowing for later on in the post). The Bulldogs have some athletes, there is no doubt about that. They recruit in the talent-saturated south. They have improved greatly this season and should be even better next year. They can not play their best game and still beat the lowly Spartans. Not only is San Jose State the worst team in the WAC, they are also up for consideration for worst team in the country (Akron currently holds the title with a 0-11 record). This game will not change that.
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Spartans 17

Saturday, November 27 at 8 PM

(5-6, 2-4 WAC)
at

(6-4, 4-3 WAC)

This game is very intriguing. On one hand, you have an Idaho team that is fighting to become bowl eligible after pulling out an impressive win over Utah State last week. On the other hand, Fresno State just got absolutely shellacked at Boise State last week and is still hurting. They are going to a bowl game, but would like to finish strong and save some face. Which Bulldog team will show up? The one that nearly upset Nevada or the one that embarrassed itself in Boise? By the same token, which Vandal team is going to show up? The decent squad that beat the Aggies last week or the one that laid down and died against Colorado State earlier in the season? Both quarterbacks will need to play much better than they have been. A little defense wouldn't hurt either. Fresno State has the skill and athletes to take Idaho to the woodshed, but only if they want it. That's why this match up is intriguing and tough to pick a winner for. Who wants it more?
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Vandals 28

Friday, November 26th at 8:15 PM

(10-0, 6-0 WAC)
at

(10-1, 5-1 WAC)

It is finally here! We have all been looking forward to this game with child-like anxiousness. That excitement took a bit of a nose dive when the Wolfpack lost to Hawai'i, but has since built back up nicely. Nevada is ranked 19th and Boise State is 4th. Let's look at this match up logically and rationally, breaking it down into comparisons between positions and units.

Kellen Moore > Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick
Enough said. Our guy can throw, there's can't He can run, ours kind of can. Good thing that's what running backs are for.
Vai Taua > Doug Martin
This is only true because the Wolfpack use him a lot more than the Broncos use Martin. Personally, I would take either, but Taua gets the nod due solely to the fact that he gets the rock early and often.
Bronco Defense > Wolfpack Defense
This was the easiest one to choose. Boise State is much better than Nevada on defense by a long shot.
Boise State Offense > Nevada Offense
It is close, but the Broncos are more balanced and therefore get the nod.
Boise State Special Teams = Nevada Special Teams
Normally, the Broncos excel on special teams, but this year has been a bit of a downer, especially on kick off coverage. So there is no way to say which one is better than the other.
Boise State Coaching >>>>>>>>>>> Nevada Coaching
Do you think I put enough emphasis in this one. Chris Ault is known for choking in big games. Chris Petersen is known for excelling in big games and seizing the moment. Besides that, Coach Pete has his players more than prepared mentally every single week this season. There is no reason to believe that this won't happen again this week.
Boise State Intangibles > Nevada Intangibles
Bear with me here. the Broncos are playing for a BCS Bowl bid, possibly the National Championship Game, their final WAC title, pride, and respect nationally. The Wolfpack are playing for a share of the WAC title, at home, a chance to upset one of the best Boise State teams in history, and a Humanitarian Bowl berth. Who do you think has the upper hand here? That's what I thought.

Out of seven categories, Boise State holds the clear edge in 5 of them, breaks even on one, and gives up one to Nevada (as I said, the only reason I put Vai Taua over Doug Martin was due to the amount of work he gets. Both running backs average the same amount of yards per carry at 6.2). Looking at it that way, you would think that this game won't be that close. But Nevada always seems to find a way to hang around with the Broncos. Still, this is a different Boise State team, having improved considerably on both offense and defense. The defensive unit is playing lights out. Kaepernick better be scared, Taua as well. The Wolfpack will gain some yards and score, but it won't be close to enough. The only way I see Boise State losing is if they meltdown completely. Trust me, that won't happen.
Prediction: Broncos 49, Wolfpack 24

Friday, November 26th at 5 PM

(7-3, 4-3 Pac-10)
at

(10-0, 7-0 Pac-10)

The California Golden Bears have given the nation a blueprint to beat the Oregon Ducks and their potent offense. They key is to have the athletes to execute it. The Wildcats have those kinds of athletes and will be looking to try their hand at it. Unfortunately for Arizona, the Ducks have had two weeks to tweak and change their offense enough to combat that blueprint. I still think that this will be a very good game, and I would even go as far as to say that Arizona has a chance to pull off the upset. As long as their quarterback Nick Foles can play well and their defense can give them a chance, they could take this one. But, it is at Autzen Stadium in Eugene and Oregon is really good. Their defense still leaves a lot to be desired, but if you can outscore your opponents then you tend to win (right Auburn?!). The Ducks are still in the driver's seat for a National Championship and it is going to take a lot to knock them off. I don't think the Wildcats have quite enough to get it done.
Prediction: Ducks 51, Wildcats 35

Friday, November 26th at 12:30 PM

(11-0, 7-0 SEC)
at

(9-2, 5-2 SEC)

Here we go! The Iron Bowl in all its glory. This will be the best one in years. Auburn's embattled quarterback Cam Newton is the best player in college football. He has single-handedly beaten LSU, South Carolina, and Arkansas by himself. The Tigers' defense is not that good, but Newton and the offense has been able to outscore everybody so far, averaging 42.8 points in each contest. The Crimson Tide has one of the best defenses in the nation, giving up only 12.8 points per game. Something here has to give. Also, Alabama's offense isn't too shabby in its own right. Auburn is playing for a berth in the National Championship Game, while Alabama could still make it to the Sugar Bowl. Even if the Tigers lose, they could win the SEC Championship Game against South Carolina and still find themselves ranked 1st or 2nd in the nation. This should be a great game. I have to give the edge to Alabama solely because it is at Bryant Denny Stadium.
UPSET SPECIAL!
Prediction: Crimson Tide 35, Tigers 34

Well there we have it! This should be a great weekend of college football. I am getting excited/nervous/anxious for the Nevada game on Friday. Make sure you come back tomorrow and take a gander at my Weekly PTW. Let's get it done Broncos!

Bronco Chase's Thanksgiving List

Tomorrow is a big day for this great country of ours. Friday is an even bigger day for college football fans. But before we put the buggy in front of the horse, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect and give thanks for so many great things that I have in my life (both my sports and non-sports life). Then I will be back tomorrow with an extra special Thanksgiving edition of Weekend Picks. Let's get started then (in no particular order).

1. My family.

I have the best wife in the world who gave me the cutest almost 5-month-old baby boy in the world. I love them more than I can explain while typing. Beyond that, my side of the family as well as her's are wonderful people that support and love us. I find myself in a great place in regards to my family.

2. Boise State University.

I am including the football program in this, but mainly i wish to give props to the academic institution itself. I received my bachelor's degree in Mass Communication/Journalism last may (some short 6 months ago) and am very grateful for it. BSU gets a bad rap for having bad academics (mainly from Vandals), but the claims are unfounded. I will not get into that right now, but I am indeed thankful for having received a great education from a great university.

3. Blogs and writing.

My passion is to become at least a decent sports writer. That is why I started this blog. With that said, special thanks to truebsufans.ning.com for featuring me on their site. It is the first of what I hope will be many more to come.

4. Sports in general.

They just make me happy. In fact, this is pretty much my theme song.

5. Boise State Bronco football.

The amount of joy, nervousness, anxiety, excitement, elation, and happiness that I have received from being a Bronco fan is unparalleled. I have watched this team improve and put itself into the national spotlight in the last 14 years (when I moved to Boise). The rapid ascent to power is astounding as well as inspiring. Besides the success of the team on the field, the great humans that are on the team as well as Coach Pete himself make it even better. The Stephen Kinsey story from the Hawai'i game was enough to make me forget about polls, rankings, bowl possibilities, and "style points" for a while. Win or lose (there hasn't been much of the latter lately!) I know that those players are trying their hardest and that is good enough for me.

By no means is this list exhaustive. I just wanted to throw a few of them out there and let my readers know a little bit more about me. As I mentioned above, make sure you check back in tomorrow for my Weekend Picks. Let's go Broncos!

WAC Weekend Recap, Week 12

Remember how on Wednesday I said quote "I do not feel nearly as comfortable this time around. I could easily end up 4-2 having picked Utah State to upset Idaho and choosing the Aztecs over the Utes. We will see." Well, my exact fear came to life and both Idaho and Utah won. Suck. Oh well, there is always this week. I did manage to maintain a winning record for the 11th week in a row and boost my stats. Let's go over the games that I picked and get a nice little preview of the showdown in the Biggest Little City in the World (that's right, Reno). I still can't get over how amazing Boise State was on Friday...Anyway...

New Mexico State Aggies at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 21
Final score: Wolfpack 52, Aggies 6
This was expected. New Mexico State is absolutely terrible and they could not get anything going at all, especially offensively. It seems that the Wolfpack took it a little bit easy on them, maybe saving something for the game with Boise State on Friday. The Aggies were still able to muster 309 total yards, 220 of which came through the air. They just couldn't get anything in the end zone. That pass defense might need to shore up some with Kellen Moore and his group of outstanding receivers coming in. That's right, Nevada hosts Boise State on Friday in what will decide the WAC Championship. Either the Broncos take it all or Nevada earns a share. Excitement abounds! New Mexico State hosts the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors in what will be their 10th loss of the season.

San Jose State Spartans at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 48 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 41, Spartans 7
Just like the Nevada/New Mexico State game, this particular match up yielded the expected results. San Jose State is absolutely terrible and it clearly shows. Hawai'i quarterback Bryant Moniz threw the ball all over the yard to the tune of 593 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans scored their lone touchdown in the second quarter and didn't do anything beyond that offensively or defensively. Next week the Rainbow Warriors travel to New Mexico State to take on another terrible WAC team. San Jose State will host Louisiana Tech.

Idaho Vandals at Utah State Aggies
My prediction was Utah State wins in an upset special 31 to 28
Final score: Vandals 28, Aggies 6
I had this one as my upset special based on a couple of things that I noticed. The Aggies can play well at times and I figured that at home they would be able to at least show up. But they did not. Also, Idaho's players, specifically Shiloh Keo, were calling each other out about being lazy. There was a lot of turmoil in the locker room and I figured that they would not play as a team. That may have been the case as they only put up 28 points and gaining 355 total yards, but it didn't matter because Utah State played like crap. Coming up for the hapless Aggies is a bye week followed by a trip to Boise. Idaho travels to Fresno State next week and will get destroyed by a pissed off Bulldog team.

Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 35 to 28
Final score: Hokies 31, Hurricanes 17
Miami was playing out of their minds in the first half of this game, starting freshman quarterback Stephen Morris with normal starter Jacory Harris out with concussion symptoms. He did his best but in the end Virginia Tech proved to be too much for him as well as the Hurricane defense. Tyrod Taylor was a beast yet again and running back Ryan Williams showed up with an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. It also helped that the 'Canes turned the ball over 6 times. The Hokies have won the ACC Coastal Division and will play either Florida State or North Carolina State in the ACC Championship game. They still have one last regular season game at home against lowly Virginia next Saturday. They should take care of business there. Miami tries to regroup and hopefully get Harris back at home against the South Florida Bulls.

Utah Utes at San Diego State Aztecs
My prediction was San Diego State wins 35 to 21
Final score: Utes 38, Aztecs 34
This is another one that I expected to go differently than it actually did. Utah had looked terrible the last two weeks and appeared to be heading south. San Diego State had almost upset TCU on the road and was on the way up. The circumstances were perfect for an Aztec win, but it was not to be. After sucking big time in the first quarter offensively, the Utes found themselves and came back from 17 down to stun the home team and squeeze out a close victory. They still couldn't stop San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley, who threw for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns. Utah was lucky that they won and now look ahead to the Holy War against BYU at home. The Aztecs play at home against the UNLV Rebels. They should win that one.

Record coming in: 49-12
This week (including Boise States win over Fresno State): 4-2
Total: 53-14

Overall, my picking hasn't been to bad, as the overall record tells you. After all the fun that we've had, Boise State heads to Reno, Nevada to take on the Wolfpack in a huge game. I feel very confident about the Broncos right now after the beat down that they administered to Fresno State. Nevada is confident as well, but they always are when they play the Broncos. It will be a great game, but I see the BSU defense making plenty of stops and scoring plenty of points offensively to win the game. We will see how I feel when I make my picks on Thursday (Turkey Day!). As for now, Boise State has closed the gap with TCU in the BCS rankings and are behind by a measly .135 in the computers. With a win over Nevada (it probably needs to be at least fairly convincing), they should pass the Horned Frogs and will be sitting pretty should Oregon or Auburn fall in the next couple of weeks. I will be getting more and more excited as this week moves along, as well as more and more nervous. The angry ostrich Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick is always tough to stop. You know he does not want to go 0-4 against Boise State in his career. With that said, he has a tall task in front of him against a tough Bronco defense. It all goes down Friday night on ESPN. Let's get it on!

Keep coming back to see what Bronco Chase has planned for this holiday week. Go Broncos!