Mountain West Motives

As the Boise State Broncos get ready to make the switch to the (used to be better than the WAC) Mountain West Conference, the state of college football in the West remains in flux. MWC commissioner Craig Thompson and school representatives met in Las Vegas to make a decision on two things; if the conference will expand from 8 members to 10 and if TCU should visit The Blue for the lone conference match up between two of the nation's top non-AQ teams instead of the other way around, as was originally scheduled. Here's the catch; the Horned Frogs don't have a vote on either matter because they are leaving the conference in 2012.

It was decided that the league will stay at eight teams (sorry Utah State, San Jose State. You're welcome Idaho). Here's the deal; it doesn't mean very much. Remember last year around this time when Thompson announced that they would not be inviting Boise State and then two days later they back-peddled and extended their needy hand to the Broncos? All it signifies is that the MWC won't expand right now. Don't be surprised if that changes sometime in the next two days or next year.

The other item on the docket went the way of the Broncos. The representatives decided that TCU will visit Boise State in Boise next season. You have to feel bad for Horned Frog athletic director Chris del Conte. He was sitting there the whole time while the votes were cast and he could do absolutely nothing about it. Sucks to be him. Naturally, he was overly upset about it.

"I'm disappointed. We were told that they were going to be here at TCU and I'm disappointed for our fans, our community and I'm disappointed in the conference. We made an agreement that this was what it was going to be, and to switch it this late in the game leaves a bitter taste in your mouth."

You really can't blame him. Here is how the Mountain West explained their decision;

"The Board felt the change was in the best interest of the Mountain West Conference and would help address current and future scheduling concerns created by the new set of circumstances which stemmed from another change in membership."

In other words, any win that the Broncos get over ranked teams bolsters the Mountain West's status in their quest to gain automatic qualifying status in the BCS so let's give them the advantage over a departing TCU team. In other, other words, "TCU is kinda' screwing us so let's kinda' screw them back!"

It is of the upmost importance that an athletic conference do every thing it can to survive and strengthen itself in this unstable and constantly shifting college football world. The Mountain West is doing just that. The motives behind the schedule change decision may not be the most upright or ethical, but who can blame them?

Both del Conte and Thompson have valid points in this situation. So where does that leave us? In pretty much the same situation we were before. Call it a draw. As a Bronco fan, I am incredibly excited to have the Horned Frogs on The Blue next fall. Even with my move to Pocatello, you better believe that I will be at the game. TCU is renovating their stadium this year anyway, rendering a large portion of it useless during the football season. Bring on the Frogs and let the battle ensue. You know they will have a huge chip on their shoulder and they are going to have a better than average chance of winning, even with Boise State's incredible home winning streak on the line. Can it be football season yet, please!?!?

All Bowl Team

There isn’t much criteria for picking who gets the nod here other than performing really well in a bowl game. I didn’t take whether or not their team won or lost into consideration unless it was really close between two players. The winner always trumps the loser. Let me know if there is anybody that you feel I have left off the list or how you feel about those that are on it.

Offense:
*QB* - Landry Jones, Oklahoma Sooners: 34-49, 429 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT in win over UConn in the Fiesta Bowl
*RB* - Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State Aztecs: 28 carries, 228 yards, 3 TD in win over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl
*RB* - Mikel Leshoure, Illinois Fighting Illini: 29 carries, 184 yards, 3 TD in win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl
*WR* - Marcus Sales, Syracuse Orange: 5 catches, 172 yards, 3 TD in win over Kansas State in the Pinstripe Bowl
*WR* - Austin Pettis, Boise State Broncos: 12 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD in win over Utah in Las Vegas Bowl
*TE* - Coby Fleener, Stanford Cardinal: 6 catches, 173 yards, 3 TD in win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl
*OL* - Mike Pouncey, Florida Gators: Win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl
*OL* - Marcus Cannon, TCU Horned Frogs: Win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl
*OL* - Nate Potter, Boise State Broncos: Win over Utah in Las Vegas Bowl
*OL* - Michael Brewster, Ohio State Buckeyes: Win over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl
*OL* - Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin Badgers: Loss to TCU in the Rose Bowl

Defense:
*DL* - Nick Fairley, Auburn Tigers: Win over Oregon in the National Championship Game
*DL* - Billy Winn, Boise State Broncos: Win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl
*DL* – Antoine Carter, Auburn Tigers: Win over Oregon in the National Championship Game
*DL* - Brandon Jenkins, Florida State Seminoles: Win over South Carolina in the Chik-fil-A Bowl
*LB* - Casey Matthews, Oregon Ducks: Loss to Auburn in the National Championship Game
*LB* - Tank Carder, TCU Horned Frogs: Win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl
*LB* - Owen Marecic, Stanford Cardinal: Win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl
*DB* - Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech Hokies: Loss to Stanford in the Orange Bowl
*DB* - Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma Sooners: Win over UConn in the Fiesta Bowl
*DB* - Winston Venable, Boise State Broncos: Win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl
*DB* - Greg Reid, Florida State Seminoles: Win over South Carolina in the Chik-fil-A Bowl

Special Teams:
*PK* - Wes Byrum, Auburn Tigers: Win over Oregon in the National Championship Game
*P* – Dan Bailey, Oklahoma State Cowboys: Win over Arizona in the Alamo Bowl
*KR* - Rishard Matthews, Nevada Wolfpack: Win over Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

There you are. It gets pretty difficult to pick offensive lineman because they don't produce stats. I just had to think about the elite defensive players that they went up against and whether or not they shut them down. Again, let me know if there was anybody I missed or if you think someone does not deserve to be on the list.

Which is a Better BroncoTeam, 2009 or 2010?

This is the hot topic now that the football season is officially over for Boise State. I know, it's sad, but life goes on. Look on the bright side, there are only 2 months until spring ball starts! We are left with a few questions that I intend to answer to the best of my abilities. I will tackle one today and go from there.


Was this the best (most talented team) in Boise State history?

This is a loaded question. Such an inquiry deems it necessary to look at numbers, but at the same time to follow your heart. The final record of this year's team was 12-1, with a close overtime loss at Nevada. Last year the team won the Fiesta Bowl over TCU and finished 14-0. The 2006 team ended 13-0 with the now famous thrilling OT win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. If you go by just the records then no, 2010 was not the best Bronco team. Luckily for me I don't look at just the record.

There is a difference between most successful and most talented. Consider this-the 2010 Boise State Broncos averaged 521 yards gained per game (beating the 517 record mark set 36 years ago), set the record for pass efficiency at 180, and averaged 45.1 points per game (which is in 3rd place behind the 2002 and 2004 teams). That's just the offense's numbers. On defense, the Broncos registered a record 49 sacks, held opposing offenses to a pass efficiency rating of 95.2, gave up only 255 yards per game (the best total in 40 years), and allowed an average of 13.6 points per game. All that totals up to a school record 32.3 average margin of victory. That is impressive. That alone will prove that 2010 was the most talented Boise State group yet.

But wait there's more. With the Las Vegas Bowl trophy sitting in Coach Pete's office (or wherever it is) we say good bye to the seniors. Who are they and what did they do? Well, Titus Young holds the record for most career receiving yards with 3,063. Austin Pettis has 39 career touchdowns (number 1 in the record book), and the most receiving touchdowns in a single season (14). He also sits second behind Titus for career receiving yards. Kyle Brotzman is the highest scoring kicker in NCAA history and the highest scoring player (not just kicker) in Boise State history with 439 points. Don't forget the man-beast that is Ryan Winterswyk who was named as a junior to the WAC all-decade team. He sacked a lot of quarterbacks in his college career. There is also Jeron Johnson, Brandyn Thompson, Darrell Acrey, Matt Slater, Tommy Gallarda, and Will Lawrence amongst other Bronco name mainstays. It's too bad Winston Venable doesn't have any more eligibility left. His time with us was so short.

In other words, the success and talent in this senior class in incredible. That is why I think 2010 was the most talented in Boise State history. Don't let a bad second half against Nevada tarnish your memory or view of this team. Think about it, they were 30 minutes, a defended pass, a made tackle, a made field goal, a completed pass, a quarterback sack, or a blocked field goal away from a date with Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Had they made it to Pasadena and won, this debate wouldn't even be happening. Like I said, they were the most talented, but unfortunately not the most successful. Those are two different arguments. As for me, I love this team, this group of guys, and I will be sad to see them go.

What is exciting is what is ahead of us. There is plenty of talent on the roster. This article from the Idaho Statesman explains more. I will go into more detail on that tomorrow. Until then, check out the Sugar Bowl tonight!

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, 6th Edition

Now that's more like it! I have been suffering some tough bowl pick losses lately and I really needed a good day to make me feel better. I sure got it. I started off the new year at 4-0 before settling down to watch the two BCS Bowls that we were graciously offered by ESPN. TCU won the Rose Bowl. It was a great game and a few mistakes by Wisconsin (missed field goal, bad clock management at the end of the first half) cost them the game. Congratulations to the Horned Frogs. They won it for the non-AQ schools. Next came the Fiesta Bowl. Oklahoma found themselves in another lose/lose situation. If they win the game, then everybody says "Well they were supposed to. No biggee." But if the Sooners lose, the consensus is "They suck." But they took care of business and finally won a BCS game for Bob Stoops after 5 failed attempts. It was one of those games where Oklahoma dominated, but UConn hung around enough to not allow me to turn off the TV. Frustrating. I would venture to say this the Huskies are one of the worst teams to ever play in a BCS Bowl (2006 Pitt, 2008 Hawai'i). Another observation; did you notice that the vaunted SEC was 0-3 in bowl games before January 1st? Well things changed when Alabama blew out Michigan State, Mississippi State owned Michigan, and Florida hung tough against Penn State to send Urban Meyer off on a good note. Good for them. The conference really needed that boost. Anyway, let's recap the action and go from there.

TicketCity Bowl
My prediction was Texas Tech wins 35 to 28
Final score: Red Raiders 45, Wildcats 38






Outback Bowl
My prediction was Florida wins 24 to 21
Final score: Gators 37, Nittany Lions 24






Capital One Bowl
My prediction was Alabama wins 31 to 21
Final score: Crimson Tide 49, Spartans 7







Gator Bowl
My prediction was Mississippi State wins 35 to 34
Final score: Bulldogs 52, Wolverines 14






Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO
My prediction was TCU wins 21 to 18
Final score: Horned Frogs 21, Badgers 19






Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
My prediction was Oklahoma wins 38 to 21
Final score: Sooners 48, Huskies 20






Batch total: 6-0
Bowl totals: 17-11
Season total: 82-28

__________________________

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.

January 3rd at 6:30 PM
Discover Orange Bowl
Miami, Florida

(11-1, 8-1 Pac 10)
vs.

(11-2, 8-0 ACC)




Line: Stanford favored by 3
I am really looking forward to this game. The Hokies have won 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2. The Cardinal’s only loss came at Autzen Stadium against Oregon. Both squads are playing extremely well and the Orange Bowl should be an epic clash. Virginia Tech is famous for their great defenses, but this year has been a down one for many people. I think Stanford actually has the better defense in this game. In college football, I would take Tyrod Taylor over Andrew Luck as far as play-making goes. Plus, the Hokies have three very talented and explosive running backs. The game will be close. The Cardinal will make enough stops throughout and possess the ball to keep Taylor off the field.
Prediction: Cardinal 24, Hokies 21

January 4th at 6:30 PM
AllState Sugar Bowl
New Orleans, Louisiana

(11-1, 7-1 Big 10)
vs.

(10-2, 6-2 SEC)




Line: Ohio State favored by 4
Arkansas earned their BCS Bowl the hard way this year. They faced a tough schedule and came out on top, losing only to Auburn and Alabama along the way. Ryan Mallett at quarterback is tough for anyone to stop, as well as the Hogs great receiving core. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, have had a significantly week schedule and lost to the toughest team they played, which was Wisconsin. Still, Ohio States plays very well on defense and has the offense to compliment it well. Terrelle Pryor is developing into a very good pocket passer that uses his legs only when necessary. The Buckeyes are too talented and deep to lose this game. 2 BCS Bowl wins in a row for Jim Tressel. But more importantly, the Buckeyes finally beat an SEC team in a BCS Bowl game.
Prediction: Buckeyes 31, Razorbacks 24

January 6th at 6 PM
GoDaddy.com Bowl
Mobile, Alabama

6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt)
vs.

(9-4, 7-1 MAC)




Line: Miami (OH) favored by 2
Prediction: Redhawks 28, Blue Raiders 24

January 7th at 6 PM
AT&T Cotton Bowl
Arlington, Texas

(10-2, 6-2 SEC)
vs.

(9-3, 6-2 Big 12)




Line: LSU favored by 1
*Prediction*: Aggies 24, Tigers 21

January 8th at 10 AM
BBVA Compass Bowl
Birmingham, Alabama

(7-5, 5-2 Big East)
vs.

(6-6, 2-6 SEC)




Line: Pittsburgh favored by 3
Prediction: Panthers 31, Wildcats 21

January 9th at 7 PM
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
San Francisco, California

(12-1, 7-1 WAC)
vs.

(7-5, 4-4 ACC)




Line: Nevada favored by 10
The Eagles started off the season poorly. They were at 2-5 before rattling off 5 wins in a row to finish the season and secure a spot in a bowl game. It was their rugged defense against the run (top ranked in the nation) that has allowed them to get to this point. What is their reward? The top ranked rushing offense and one of the most prolific in the history of college football. It is strength against strength in San Francisco and it should be a lower scoring affair than one would think with the Nevada Wolfpack in the game. Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua will do enough to put their squad on top, even with a great Boston College defense trying to stop him. Colin Kaepernick is 0-3 as a starter in bowl games. He has already gotten the Boise State monkey off of his back, can he do the same thing in San Francisco? This will be his year. (On a side note, I hate Boston College. This one is personal.)
Prediction: Wolfpack 28, Eagles 21


Bowl totals: 17-11
Season total: 82-28

If you are paying attention, you know that I have only 1 bowl game left to pick, and it is the National Championship between Oregon and Auburn. I will be posting that as well as a detailed preview and analysis of the match up and what it means for college football. Until then, enjoy the end of a fantastic season and stay tuned to Bronco Chase for some stories, analysis, ideas, and whatever else I come up with.

Bronco Chase's Bowl Picks, 5th Edition

I'm getting worse. These bowl games are hard to pick sometimes. Who would have thought that Nebraska was going to come out and lay a complete egg against a Washington team that they crushed by 40 points earlier in the season? Who knew that Georgia's offense was as putrid and ugly as their live mascot Uga VII? (Well, I did, actually). Anyway, I will rethink this next batch and make some better, more educated guesses. But first, here is the recap of what happened since my last post. Enjoy!

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
My prediction was SMU wins 28 to 24
Final score: Black Knights 16, Mustangs 14






New Era Pinstripe Bowl
My prediction was Kansas State wins 24 to 21
Final score: Orange 36, Wildcats 34






Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
My prediction was North Carolina wins 28 to 23
Final score: Tarheels 30, Volunteers 27 (Overtime)






Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
My prediction was Nebraska wins 41 to 21
Final score: Huskies 19, Cornhuskers 7






Meineke Car Care Bowl
My prediction was South Florida wins 24 to 23
Final score: Bulls 31, Tigers 26






Hyundai Sun Bowl
My prediction was Miami wins 28 to 24
Final score: Fighting Irish 33, Hurricanes 17






AutoZone Liberty Bowl
My prediction was Central Florida wins 24 to 21
Final score: Knights 10, Bulldogs 6






Chick-fil-A Bowl
My prediction was Florida State wins 31 to 28
Final score: Seminoles 26, Gamecocks 17






Batch total: 4-4
Bowl totals: 11-11
Season total: 76-28

_______________________________

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.

January 1st at 10 AM
TicketCity Bowl
Dallas, Texas

(7-5, 3-5 Big 10)
vs.

(7-5, 3-5 Big 12)



Line: Red Raiders favored by 10
Prediction: Red Raiders 35, Wildcats 28

January 1st at 11 AM
Outback Bowl
Tampa, Florida

(7-5, 4-4 SEC)
vs.

(7-5, 4-4 Big 10)



Line: Florida favored by 7
Prediction: Gators 24, Nittany Lions 21

January 1st at 11 AM
Capital One Bowl
Orlando, Florida

(9-3, 5-3 SEC)
vs.

(11-1, 7-1 Big 10)



Line: Crimson Tide favored by 10
Prediction: Crimson Tide 31, Spartans 21

January 1st at 11:30 PM
Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, Florida

(8-4, 4-4 SEC)
vs.

(7-5, 3-5 Big 10)



Line: Bulldogs favored by 5
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Wolverines 34

January 1st at 3 PM
Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIO
Pasadena, California

(11-1, 7-1 Big 10)
vs.

(12-0, 8-0 MWC)



Line: Horned Frogs favored by 3
This looks to be a defensive battle, much like the TCU vs. Boise State bowl games in the past two years. With that said, both the Badgers and the Horned Frogs bring great offenses into this game. They both score an average of 43.3 points a game, and are quite stingy on the other side of the ball. TCU and Wisconsin have the athletes on defense to shut down opponents and the skill and execution necessary on offense to put lots of points on the board. I see this one as a fairly low scoring game, with plenty of third down stops and punts. It might not be the prettiest of bowl games, but it will be great to watch if you are a fine of hard-nosed, smash mouth football. The Frogs are a good team. Not as good as last year, but still very talented and well coached. The Badgers rely a lot on the legs of John Clay. Unfortunately for them, TCU is very good at stopping the run.
Prediction: Horned Frogs 21, Badgers 18

January 1st at 6:30 PM
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Glendale, Arizona

(8-4, 5-2 Big East)
vs.

(11-2, 6-2 Big 12)



Line: Sooners favored by 17
What can I say? The Big East gives us another average team and Oklahoma is forced to take the field against a big underdog in a BCS Bowl. Which Sooner team will show up? Bob Stoops has lost his mojo as his team has gone 0-5 in his last 5 BCS games, and 2-5 overall. They should be able to handle the Huskies easily, but the same thing was said when they played Boise State and West Virginia in their last two Fiesta Bowl appearances. With this pick, I am hoping that Oklahoma actually shows up and plays, not just take the field expecting to win without putting forth the effort. UConn will be scrappy and determined, but it won’t be enough. There is a huge talent disparity here.
Prediction: Sooners 38, Huskies 21

Bowl totals: 11-11
Season total: 76-28

Well there you have it. I sure hope I do better than the last two rounds. We will know tomorrow. Happy New Year everyone!

Broncos Dismantle Utes, Finish Amazing Season at 12-1

I honestly cannot believe that it is over. One of the best Boise State teams in school history put a cap on the season last night with a 26-3 complete domination of the University of Utah. The score wasn't even that close either. While it is sad to see the season end and to say good bye to a group of outstanding seniors, it is exciting to speculate and talk about what is to come. There will be many more amazing years of Bronco football to come. But let's not get the cart in front of the horse. Here are some stats and numbers to mull over.

Yardage:
......Broncos......Utes
Rushing-202........107
Passing-341.........93
..Total-543........200

First Downs:
......Broncos......Utes
........23..........8

Average Yards Gained Per Play:
......Broncos......Utes
........7.1........3.8

Passing Completions-Attempts:
......Broncos......Utes
.......29-40......10-24

Net Yards Per Pass Play:
......Broncos......Utes
.......8.5.........3.9

Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback-Yards:
......Broncos......Utes
.......4-21........1-7

Turnovers:
......Broncos......Utes
.........4..........3

Penalties-Yards:
......Broncos......Utes
.......3-29.......10-83

As you can clearly see, the Broncos were more than dominant in this match up. The Utes were only able to gain 107 yards on the ground because all they were doing was rushing the ball. Terrence Cain is not that much of a passing threat, and it showed. Even when they were able to make a big play in the running or passing game, it was either called back because of penalty (hence the massive penalty amount and yardage for Utah) or a receiver dropped the pass. Kellen Moore had another very efficient night and torched the Ute secondary over and over again. The turnovers killed Boise State. They could have had quite a few more points had it not been for a couple of costly fumbles and an interception. Regardless, the Broncos completely owned Utah and ended the Utes' 9 game bowl winning streak. I am happy with the win and the team.

What We Learned:

DeVonte' Christopher is a tool. What do you do when you talk some mean trash on Twitter, demeaning your opponent in the most cocky, stuck up way? Well, if your Devonte' Christopher, you catch 0 passes for 0 yards and drop the one ball that was thrown to you. Nice work. Just a suggestion Devonte', try and use something a little bit closer to legitimate English next time. I still am not sure what the freak he was trying to say. What a tool...

The Broncos D-line showed up again. It was good to see them back. They swallowed up Utah's big, physical running backs and ate Terrence Cain's lunch, limiting the Utes to a measly 107 yards on the ground. I was a big fan of that.

Pac 10 officials are really bad, in case you didn't already know that. In general, the game was very poorly officiated. They missed a lot of calls. I have no idea what in the world their replay officials were looking at on the fumble recovery in the end zone by Geraldo Hiwat. Here is a picture. If that's not a touchdown, I don't know what is.


Doug Martin is a complete beast. There's a reason why we call him the Muscle Hamster. His 84 yard touchdown run in the second quarter was a thing of beauty. It also got the Bronco offense rolling and kick started was to be a dominant rest of the game.


It was sloppy, but you can't ignore how good Boise State is. The first quarter was ugly, yes, but it got much better as time went by. If it wasn't for dropped passes, penalties, and bad decisions and calls by the referees, the final score could have ended up about 45-17. If only...

Areas of Concern:

It seems kind of pointless to even be doing this because the season is over, but let's do it anyway. Turnovers. We'll chalk it up to jitters, being rusty, and the fact that Kellen Moore was gone for a week of would-have-been practice time doing the awards circuit thing. That's it.

Favorite Play:

I don't even really need to say anything. Just watch:



Thoughts and Tidbits:
It was rainy and cold in Las Vegas. It's alright because it gave Coach Pete another chance to break out his awesome jacket! I really want one of those...I was informed from legitimate sources that the Keith Stein Boise State Blue Thunder Marching Band owned Utah's band during the pep rally. That's what I'm talking about! This batch of Nike Pro Combat uniforms were sick! I really liked them! The helmet has to stay! Utah has a tendency to make excuses when they lose. Head on over to blocku.com and see for yourself. Kellen Moore was named player of the game. I can't complain. Doug Martin would have been a fine choice as well.

Perception:
There has been a lot of talk about what could have been for this Boise State team, and legitimately so. If it wasn't for a missed field goal and a complete defensive lapse for two quarters, the Broncos would be preparing for a New Year's Bowl Game date with the Wisconsin Badgers. You're welcome Horned Frogs. But regardless, this has been one of the best seasons in Boise State history. Not only that, but it shows true determination, will, focus, great coaching, leadership, and resiliency to bounce back after a tough loss and be as dominant as the Broncos were against the Aggies and the Utes. I have never been more proud of a team and more excited to be a Bronco fan and Boise State graduate. As far as how the nation will see the team, I think it is still mixed. The Broncos have been polarizing all year. You either love them or you hate them. There has not been much middle ground. Still, this was a complete demolition of a ranked team on a big stage in a bowl game in Las Vegas. What else do people want? I know what we will hear; "But Utah had it's back up quarterback in." Or "The Utes weren't that good anyway." Well, the back up quarterback doesn't make his receivers drop every pass that comes to them, get a holding penalty every play as the Bronco D-line found its way into the backfield, or not cover any of Boise State's receivers in the secondary. Also, not being able to tackle Doug Martin wasn't Terrence Cain's fault either. If Utah wasn't that good anyway, why weren't people saying that when TCU came into Salt Lake City when the Utes were ranked 5th in the nation? Double standards shouldn't work in college football. Even if it wasn't a BCS Bowl against Wisconsin on New Year's Day, a bowl win is HUGE for a college football program, especially when it comes against a ranked team. I am happy and so is the team. The point is, this was a huge win in so many ways. It will put Boise State in the top 10 or at least the top 15 in the nation pre-season next year and make their opening day match up with Georgia even that much more exciting. Expect a lot of hype for that one, much like Virginia Tech this year.

Photos:

For the last time this season, let's all thank the Idaho Statesman for their great photos. Enjoy them while you reminisce a great bowl win for the Broncos!

Jim Delany and co. Resort to Empty Threats, Name Calling

"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.

Kellen Moore=Heisman Finalist

Was there ever any doubt? I would say no. Especially since he has improved himself and his game extensively since he has come to Boise State. Seriously, it amazes me how good he is. This is a great article about Kellen by obnug's Kevan Lee. I implore you to read it.

Think about his first year, a former two-star recruit leading Boise State into Autzen Stadium, manhandling the Ducks (I hate the Ducks, by the way), going undefeated, and coming so close to beating TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl. He finished with a passer rating of 157.11.

He followed that up with another undefeated regular season, cut his interception total down from 10 down to 3, and avenged the loss to TCU by beating them on a much larger stage in the Fiesta Bowl. His passer rating improved to 161.65. I didn't think that there was any way that he could get better. I was wrong yet again.

Flash forward to the now, Kellen's junior year. He has already shattered the record books for Boise State, and he still has another year in front of him (unless you are Jesse Palmer or Mark May, of course). How does 33 touchdowns to 5 interceptions sound? He has also added another dimension to his game - the quarterback scramble. Sure, it isn't "Cam Newton" pretty, but it gets the job done. Beyond that, he is able to squirm out of would-be sacks game after game and either fire a rocket to Austin Pettis or run down the sideline for 10 yards and a first down. Amazing. At the end of the regular season his passer rating was a staggering 185.04, second only to Cam Newton.

Here are Moore's stats for his career;
97 touchdowns, 18 interceptions (10 came his freshman year), 10,528 yards, sacked 23 times (13 his freshman year), 167.93 passer rating, and a 37-2 record as a starter. That is unbelievable in every definition of the word. But think about this, Kellen is only 6 feet tall and was lightly recruited. He only had offers from Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Boise State. There are quite a few schools in the West that are now kicking themselves repeatedly for missing out on him. Their loss is obviously our gain. I contend, and correct me if you think I am wrong, that there has never been a smarter, more prepared, or more disciplined quarterback to ever play college football. There won't ever be again, either.

But there is more. Each Heisman Trophy candidate/winner has to have something more besides numbers. The Heisman Trust statement says, "The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity." Integrity, huh? That should disqualify Scam Newton and LaMichael James right off the bat. I don't want to go into detail about either, but you can google plenty of information about both of them.

Anyway, Kellen has more than proved his integrity and excellence both on and off the field. He will graduate next week (it took him just over three years to complete his bachelor's degree) with a communications degree and will stay in school to get his masters. He is also an academic all-American athlete, second team. That's not too shabby.

Think about this as well - Kellen Moore is a dying breed. In a world where a quarterback has to be a dual threat to have success, Moore has excelled in being a pure pocket passer. The only other quarterback in the nation that is even close to that is Andrew Luck. But even then there is plenty of video of Luck running down the field, trucking defenders as he goes. He is more NFL-ready and capable than Moore is, according to the "experts." No, Kellen is in a class of his own. Defensive backs are keyed in on stopping the pass, especially the long ball. Without a running threat taking snaps, they only have to worry about one thing. Yet, Moore always finds a receiver down field that he can get the ball to, even if the receiving window is the approximately the same size as a Big Gulp Slurpee from 7-Eleven. Kellen can fit it in there. How can he just sit back there, picking defenses apart? Aren't quarterbacks supposed to be able to challenge a defense in multiple ways, creating plays, opportunities, and openings with his sheer athletic ability and prowess? Kellen does not. Yet he still dissects defenses with precision and intelligence. It's remarkable.

So let me get this straight. He isn't a prototypical NFL height, weight, and pedigree quarterback (Andrew Luck, Matt Ryan). He's not your super-big, super-fast, dual-threat, freak of an athlete (Cam Newton, Terrelle Pryor, Tryod Taylor). He is his own thing. That alone is his special, intangible something that sets him as unique and qualifies him for winning the trophy. In a college football landscape where defenses, mis-perceived "lack of competition" reigns, and an ever-changing idea of what a quarterback is supposed to be are stacked against him, Kellen Moore defies all odds and rises above and beyond. Will there ever be another player like Moore to grace college football with his presence? The clear and obvious answer is a resounding "no." Kellen is unique. He is one of a kind. He is one in a million. He is every other cliché that you can think of. He is just a regular guy, Someone once said that if you didn't know who Kellen Moore was, you'd think he was the guy that comes over to help you fix your computer. Better yet,

Kellen is Kellen, Dork Assassin, the (reluctant) cool, calm, and collected leader of an amateur athlete rebellion, shattering the mold that recruit rankings, college football elitists, BCS conference schools, NFL scouts, and no-good, dribbling doubters and haters have forced upon the game itself and us as fans of it.

Broncos Fall Short at Nevada, Pretty Much Give it Away in the Second Half

Ouch, that really hurts. As upset and dejected as I felt last night watching Boise State's BCS Bowl and title hunt go sailing wide right and then wide left of the upright, it is important that we as Bronco fans and supporters look at the big picture of this season and what is to come. The result of the game was unexpected yes, but kudos to Nevada for being up to the task, not backing down, and pulling it out in the end. Life goes on and this football team is only going to get better as the years go by, there is no doubt about that. Let's look at some numbers and see just how bad it was.

Yardage:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
Rushing-145...........269
Passing-348...........259
..Total-493...........528

First Downs:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
........21............28

There really isn't that much more to look at. These stats tell the entire story. Uncharacteristically, Boise State gave up a lot of yards. I mean a lot. That is just ridiculous. The worst part is I can't quite put my finger on what happened. The Broncos had the Wolfpack stuffed the entire first half and were also firing on all cylinders offensively. The second half started and it looked like the teams had switched jerseys. Hats off to Nevada for making adjustments and earning the victory. I still can't believe that the Wolfpack was able to move the ball that easily against what has been a more than stellar Bronco defensive front. It was shocking. What was even more incredible was the fact that Boise State's offense sputtered against the Nevada defense. They were able to get pressure on Moore and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. The offensive line was disappointing in that regard. All of these things make up why Nevada had more yards and more first downs than the Broncos. It's baffling.

What We Learned:

Nevada was confident and it showed. They were not scared to play the Broncos. Credit to Chris Ault for preparing his guys and making the adjustments at half time. Maybe he is a good coach after all. The Wolfpack never flinched as Boise State got out to an early lead but they remained focused. A few hours before the game I told my wife that this game felt a lot like the one at Hawai'i in 2007 when they earned a trip to the Sugar Bowl. It felt like a trap and it sure was.


That was the worst officiated game I have seen in a really long time. By no means is that the reason that Boise State lost, but it made it just that much harder to watch. The punt catch interference call was one of the worst referring decisions I can recall. It was a great play by Boise State. The pass interference against Jamar Taylor was ludicrous, and completely gave the momentum to the Wolfpack. Plus they missed an obvious one against Nevada the next drive where the defender grabbed Titus Young's facemask. Ridiculous. Like I said, the refs didn't lose the game for the Broncos, but it sure made me mad.

Coach Pete and the team are classy as always. Just listen to the post game press conferences. I am seriously glad that he is the coach.

Kyle Brotzman is still the man. How anyone has the audacity to threaten his life is ludicrous. There were reports that his family's house in Meridian was getting phone calls threatening to kill him. I am completely ashamed as a Bronco fan for that. I love Kyle Brotzman. He has been a great player for Boise State since he was a freshman and that does not change now. Blaming the loss on him is ridiculous. He wasn't out there missing tackles and letting Nevada's defense get in Moore's grill all night. Yes, his job is to make field goals and those two were pretty easy ones to make, but the defense and offense shouldn't have put him in that position. Death threats are asinine. How quickly we forget. Remember at the Fiesta Bowl when he did this and everybody fell in love with him?



Areas of Concern:

There are so many. Run defense. It was good all season up until this point. Protecting our quarterback. Special teams. You name it. Mainly in the second half, this was not a good performance for Boise State.

Favorite Play:

It has to be either the Doug Martin screen for an 80-something yard touchdown or the bomb to Titus Young that put the Broncos in field goal range to win the game. Too bad neither mattered in the end.

Thoughts and Tidbits:

This loss was completely deflating for fans. We go from national title contenders to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against a crappy 6-6 team probably from the Pac-10 in just one game. Such is the life of college football fans. Kellen is still the man and will be in New York for the Heisman ceremony.

Weekly Player to Watch Recap:

Doug Martin was a complete beast last night. He scored three touchdowns and accounted for 230 total yards, both rushing and receiving. It was beautiful. The Muscle Hamster strikes again!

Perception:

The whole "style points" thing is now over as is the importance of national perception. Still, I think most voters and non-biased mature college football fans will recognize how good of a team Nevada is and that Boise State losing to them is not the biggest shock in the history of the sport. I will be cheering for the Horned Frogs in the Rose Bowl come January 1st! We as Bronco fans need to see the bigger picture. We have been spoiled with a great team and most schools in the nation would be more than happy with a 10-1 (possibly 11-1 or 12-1) season. We can't win all of them. Boise State has established itself as a premier program in the country and nothing will change that. The team will be good for years to come. I see many more BCS Bowls in Boise State's future. I am very proud to be a Bronco fan for the way that our team fought in a tough environment against a good team. The loss is disappointing and sad yes, but it is important to take it for what it is. If you say anything different than you might not be a true fan as it is. I love Boise State and everything the coaches and players stand for. Remember Stephen Kinsey at the Hawai'i game. We still have Utah State and then the bowl game to cheer for. Let's go Broncos!

Photos:

Click here!

Make sure you check back in on Monday for the Weekend Recap!

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!