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!?!?
Showing posts with label Utah State Aggies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utah State Aggies. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
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!
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!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Broncos Regroup, Throttle Utah State
What is the true sign of a good coach? Some may say that it is how the team does in big games. I have a hard time arguing against that, but I have another definition; How does the team do following a big loss? That is really how you know how good of a coach you have. Exhibit A: Yesterday at Bronco Stadium. Boise State had lost just about everything with the overtime loss to Nevada (especially for many fans). What else was there to play for? Yet Chris Petersen kept his players in check, treating them and acting like he has all year. His demeanor did not change despite the devastating loss last weekend. I will take Coach Pete over any other coach in the country, hands down. According to this story, he had his players "fake it" so as to maintain the focus and attention that they need during practice and the game. I will continue with this later on. For now, let's look at some numbers from the Broncos win over the Aggies of Utah State.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Aggies
Rushing-202.........250
Passing-251..........41
..Total-453.........291
First Downs:
......Broncos......Aggies
........26...........17
Average Gain Per Play:
......Broncos......Aggies
........6.6..........4.3
Rushing Attempts/Average Gain Per Rush:
......Broncos......Aggies
.......33/6.1......51/4.9
Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback/Yards:
......Broncos......Aggies
........4/21.........0/0
Turnovers:
......Broncos......Aggies
.........0............2
As you can see, Boise State significantly out-gained the Aggies in total yards. The biggest differential was in the rushing production. But that is somewhat deceiving. Utah State rushed the ball 51 times for an average of 4.9 yards per. They weren't as efficient as Boise State, but still had some success. The 41 passing yards for the Aggies came on only 4 completions on 16 attempts. Diondre Borel had a rough outing on The Blue. The average gain per play is an important stat because it shows that the Broncos were more efficient overall than the Aggies. Boise State yet again had a sack party and at the same time didn't allow one themselves. That is always good to see. The Aggies' two turnovers were both interceptions, one coming at the very end of the game in the end zone. Overall, Boise State played very well on offense and Utah State, not so much. That's what I like to see.
What We Learned:
Coach Chris Petersen is amazing. I know that I gushed about him already above, but it is worth it to mention it again. Think about it, how many teams would have just mailed it in and not cared after being tossed from National Title contention? The answer is a lot, most teams, actually (see Utah at Notre Dame after they lost to TCU). I am impressed. That is all I will say about that...
Utah State has some talent. There is no question about that. Unfortunately for them, the injury bug had hit them hard all season long and couldn't find any type of consistency. What Gary Anderson is doing there is great to see. I hope they find their way into the Mountain West Conference. It will be interesting to see how they continue to get better as the seasons go by.
This senior class has been one of the best in Boise State history. Look back at my last post and just see the guys that are graduating. They have been a huge part of the most dominating conference and post-season runs in Boise State, WAC, and national history. They will be sorely missed. Luckily, their production and success has allowed the Broncos to recruit some great players to follow in their footsteps.
WAC officials still suck. At least one of their terrible calls went our way yesterday. Just one more reason why I am glad that we are moving on.
Areas of Concern:
The only thing that concerns me is the way that the Broncos are defending a physical runner. Louisiana Tech's Lennon Creer gained some good yardage and he is a big guy. Nevada's Vai Taua gashed and gassed the Broncos. Kerwynn Williams plays very physical and was able to get some good runs in against Boise State. Byron Hout being done for the season has a lot to do with that, but only to a degree. The coaches will need to work on that for the bowl game, especially because Utah (the most likely opponent-in the Las Vegas Bowl) has some big, physical running backs.
Favorite Play:
Kellen Moore did it again. He shrugged a sack and ran for 11 yards or so and got the first down! It is great to see that part of his game coming along. The Dork Assassin still prefers to toss the rock, but he can tuck and run if he has to!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
The Aggies focus on defense was to stop the long ball. They did a very good job. Boise State was limited to 7 yards per pass completion, which is somewhat below their season average. They were exposed to the run game so Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin took advantage of it. The crowd at Bronco Stadium gave kicker Kyle Brotzman a huge round of applause when he was introduced as part of senior night. That was great to see.
Perception:
Boise State has fallen from the public eye and their ridiculous scrutiny. They are still eligible for a BCS Bowl Game, but it would take divine intervention or blackmail for that to take place. As I mentioned above, it looks like the Broncos will be taking on the Utah Utes in the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl. The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco decided to go with Nevada and to that I say, have fun. I am excited for this match up. It is against another top 25 team instead of a mediocre 6-6 ACC squad. Besides, it was obvious that Boise State and their fans didn't want anything to do with the bowl in California. The Utes will be without their starting quarterback Jordan Wynn, who is having shoulder surgery here in the next few days, if it already hasn't happened. Utah has won 9 straight bowl games and will look to continue that streak. The Broncos will be excited and geared up to play this game. Las Vegas is a very popular destination as it is, so there will be plenty of fans there to cheer the team on. The official announcement will happen tonight on ESPN after the BCS Announcement Show. I can't wait.
Photos:
You know what to do. Enjoy them!
Come back tomorrow for my WAC Weekend Recap. That is all!
Yardage:
......Broncos......Aggies
Rushing-202.........250
Passing-251..........41
..Total-453.........291
First Downs:
......Broncos......Aggies
........26...........17
Average Gain Per Play:
......Broncos......Aggies
........6.6..........4.3
Rushing Attempts/Average Gain Per Rush:
......Broncos......Aggies
.......33/6.1......51/4.9
Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback/Yards:
......Broncos......Aggies
........4/21.........0/0
Turnovers:
......Broncos......Aggies
.........0............2
As you can see, Boise State significantly out-gained the Aggies in total yards. The biggest differential was in the rushing production. But that is somewhat deceiving. Utah State rushed the ball 51 times for an average of 4.9 yards per. They weren't as efficient as Boise State, but still had some success. The 41 passing yards for the Aggies came on only 4 completions on 16 attempts. Diondre Borel had a rough outing on The Blue. The average gain per play is an important stat because it shows that the Broncos were more efficient overall than the Aggies. Boise State yet again had a sack party and at the same time didn't allow one themselves. That is always good to see. The Aggies' two turnovers were both interceptions, one coming at the very end of the game in the end zone. Overall, Boise State played very well on offense and Utah State, not so much. That's what I like to see.
What We Learned:
Coach Chris Petersen is amazing. I know that I gushed about him already above, but it is worth it to mention it again. Think about it, how many teams would have just mailed it in and not cared after being tossed from National Title contention? The answer is a lot, most teams, actually (see Utah at Notre Dame after they lost to TCU). I am impressed. That is all I will say about that...
Utah State has some talent. There is no question about that. Unfortunately for them, the injury bug had hit them hard all season long and couldn't find any type of consistency. What Gary Anderson is doing there is great to see. I hope they find their way into the Mountain West Conference. It will be interesting to see how they continue to get better as the seasons go by.
This senior class has been one of the best in Boise State history. Look back at my last post and just see the guys that are graduating. They have been a huge part of the most dominating conference and post-season runs in Boise State, WAC, and national history. They will be sorely missed. Luckily, their production and success has allowed the Broncos to recruit some great players to follow in their footsteps.
WAC officials still suck. At least one of their terrible calls went our way yesterday. Just one more reason why I am glad that we are moving on.
Areas of Concern:
The only thing that concerns me is the way that the Broncos are defending a physical runner. Louisiana Tech's Lennon Creer gained some good yardage and he is a big guy. Nevada's Vai Taua gashed and gassed the Broncos. Kerwynn Williams plays very physical and was able to get some good runs in against Boise State. Byron Hout being done for the season has a lot to do with that, but only to a degree. The coaches will need to work on that for the bowl game, especially because Utah (the most likely opponent-in the Las Vegas Bowl) has some big, physical running backs.
Favorite Play:
Kellen Moore did it again. He shrugged a sack and ran for 11 yards or so and got the first down! It is great to see that part of his game coming along. The Dork Assassin still prefers to toss the rock, but he can tuck and run if he has to!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
The Aggies focus on defense was to stop the long ball. They did a very good job. Boise State was limited to 7 yards per pass completion, which is somewhat below their season average. They were exposed to the run game so Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin took advantage of it. The crowd at Bronco Stadium gave kicker Kyle Brotzman a huge round of applause when he was introduced as part of senior night. That was great to see.
Perception:
Boise State has fallen from the public eye and their ridiculous scrutiny. They are still eligible for a BCS Bowl Game, but it would take divine intervention or blackmail for that to take place. As I mentioned above, it looks like the Broncos will be taking on the Utah Utes in the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl. The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco decided to go with Nevada and to that I say, have fun. I am excited for this match up. It is against another top 25 team instead of a mediocre 6-6 ACC squad. Besides, it was obvious that Boise State and their fans didn't want anything to do with the bowl in California. The Utes will be without their starting quarterback Jordan Wynn, who is having shoulder surgery here in the next few days, if it already hasn't happened. Utah has won 9 straight bowl games and will look to continue that streak. The Broncos will be excited and geared up to play this game. Las Vegas is a very popular destination as it is, so there will be plenty of fans there to cheer the team on. The official announcement will happen tonight on ESPN after the BCS Announcement Show. I can't wait.
Photos:
You know what to do. Enjoy them!
Come back tomorrow for my WAC Weekend Recap. That is all!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Weekly Player to Watch, 11th Edition
I cannot believe that we have already reached the regular season finale. I get so excited when college football starts and then it pains me deeply when it ends. Despite the setback last week at Nevada, Boise State has a lot going for them for the remainder of this season, including the bowl game, and for years to come. The final game of the season pits the erratic Utah State Aggies against our beloved Boise State Broncos on The Blue. According to reports, the Broncos are focused, having fun, and ready to play this game. That is good to hear. Tomorrow will be extra special because it is senior day. We will say farewell to 18 student-athletes who have been part of the most productive and winning classes in Boise State history. Tom Scott on ktvb.com has a great tribute to the seniors as well as staggering numbers and statistics for what they have accomplished in their 4-5 years on The Blue.
Today's Weekly PTW will be different. I am going to honor this great group of seniors individually. I will mention each one by name and share a fun fact about them. They are in alphabetical order. Please enjoy!
Austin Pettis
Boise State record holder for most career catches and most touchdowns in a season. Enough said. He will be sorely missed.
Brandyn Thompson
Named Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl after nabbing 2 interceptions (one of them was a pic-six) and tipping another pass that Winston Venable intercepted to seal the victory. Also, he's my little sister's favorite player.
Daron Mackey
His career has been hampered by knee injuries, but Mackey has contributed when he is on the field. He is aggressive and ferocious out there.
Derrell Acrey
Acrey is a vocal team leader, pumping up his teammates before each game. This includes when he was a redshirt freshman at the first Fiesta Bowl. "The Preacher" is a fitting nickname for him.
Jarvis Hodge
Has a really good time mowing down defenders in mop up time. I enjoy watching him as well!
Jason Robinson
Was the key factor/player in calling the fake punt against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
Jeremy Avery
This little guy runs tough and has the moves to fake out defenders. Even when he was relegated to a back-up, he kept his head up and returned to the backfield as happy as he could be. Jeremy is a great player and is very underrated in Boise State history.
Jeron Johnson
Jeron hits really hard. I mean really hard. He is ferocious out there. Just ask Russell Hill.
Kevin Sapien
Also part of the offensive line last season that yielded a mere 5 sacks. His shoulder injuries sidelined him for good, but is used as a coach and mental leader.
Kyle Brotzman
Kyle has scored 425 career points. That is most in Boise State and WAC history. He is also closing in on the record books for most in NCAA history. Just remember the fake punt against TCU. It was beautiful!
Matt Slater
Another anchor in the Boise State offensive line that gives up very few sacks. He is also on the all-WAC academic team, so he's a smart kid as well.
Mike Coughlin
Mike was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the year for Boise State in 2006. He has been a huge leadership factor and model for Kellen Moore and the whole team.
Ryan Winterswyk
Transformed from a walk-on safety to a multiple-year first team all-WAC selection and all-WAC-Decade selection. That is amazing. He is one of the true leaders on defense.
Sean King
Sean is a local kid from Timberline High School, living the dream with the Broncos.
Titus Young
Boise State record holder for most receiving yards. Second for most receptions (behind fellow senior Austin Pettis). He is also the fastest freaker I have ever seen on a football field. Welcome to the NFL Mr. Young!
Tommy Gallarda
Tommy's one-handed catch for a touchdown against Virginia Tech was the sickest thing I have seen in a really long time.
Will Lawrence
Will started all 13 games last year. You know, the offensive line that only gave up 5 sacks, which was the lowest total in the nation!
Winston Venable
Basically, he's a beast. He plays very physical and even finds time to intercept the ball on occasion. I like him a lot!
Let's send off our seniors with a loud round of applause on Saturday and wish them the best as they move on. I hope that all of them get to start as well. Make sure you check back in on Sunday for my take on the game against Utah State. Let's go Broncos!
Today's Weekly PTW will be different. I am going to honor this great group of seniors individually. I will mention each one by name and share a fun fact about them. They are in alphabetical order. Please enjoy!
Austin Pettis
Boise State record holder for most career catches and most touchdowns in a season. Enough said. He will be sorely missed.
Brandyn Thompson
Named Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl after nabbing 2 interceptions (one of them was a pic-six) and tipping another pass that Winston Venable intercepted to seal the victory. Also, he's my little sister's favorite player.
Daron Mackey
His career has been hampered by knee injuries, but Mackey has contributed when he is on the field. He is aggressive and ferocious out there.
Derrell Acrey
Acrey is a vocal team leader, pumping up his teammates before each game. This includes when he was a redshirt freshman at the first Fiesta Bowl. "The Preacher" is a fitting nickname for him.
Jarvis Hodge
Has a really good time mowing down defenders in mop up time. I enjoy watching him as well!
Jason Robinson
Was the key factor/player in calling the fake punt against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
Jeremy Avery
This little guy runs tough and has the moves to fake out defenders. Even when he was relegated to a back-up, he kept his head up and returned to the backfield as happy as he could be. Jeremy is a great player and is very underrated in Boise State history.
Jeron Johnson
Jeron hits really hard. I mean really hard. He is ferocious out there. Just ask Russell Hill.
Kevin Sapien
Also part of the offensive line last season that yielded a mere 5 sacks. His shoulder injuries sidelined him for good, but is used as a coach and mental leader.
Kyle Brotzman
Kyle has scored 425 career points. That is most in Boise State and WAC history. He is also closing in on the record books for most in NCAA history. Just remember the fake punt against TCU. It was beautiful!
Matt Slater
Another anchor in the Boise State offensive line that gives up very few sacks. He is also on the all-WAC academic team, so he's a smart kid as well.
Mike Coughlin
Mike was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the year for Boise State in 2006. He has been a huge leadership factor and model for Kellen Moore and the whole team.
Ryan Winterswyk
Transformed from a walk-on safety to a multiple-year first team all-WAC selection and all-WAC-Decade selection. That is amazing. He is one of the true leaders on defense.
Sean King
Sean is a local kid from Timberline High School, living the dream with the Broncos.
Titus Young
Boise State record holder for most receiving yards. Second for most receptions (behind fellow senior Austin Pettis). He is also the fastest freaker I have ever seen on a football field. Welcome to the NFL Mr. Young!
Tommy Gallarda
Tommy's one-handed catch for a touchdown against Virginia Tech was the sickest thing I have seen in a really long time.
Will Lawrence
Will started all 13 games last year. You know, the offensive line that only gave up 5 sacks, which was the lowest total in the nation!
Winston Venable
Basically, he's a beast. He plays very physical and even finds time to intercept the ball on occasion. I like him a lot!
Let's send off our seniors with a loud round of applause on Saturday and wish them the best as they move on. I hope that all of them get to start as well. Make sure you check back in on Sunday for my take on the game against Utah State. Let's go Broncos!
Monday, November 29, 2010
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Weekend Picks, 9th Edition (12th Week of the Season)
First things first:
"Shiloh Keo just got a mouthful of Doug Martin!"
-Joe Tessitore
Enjoy!
As I mentioned yesterday, this is a weird blogger-week for me. I will be leaving early Friday morning so as to have a grand ol' time in Boise in preparation for the game against Fresno. My wife has some family coming into town who we are graciously treating to an evening at Bronco Stadium. How hospitable are we?! So today will be the Weekend Picks and tomorrow will be the Weekly PTW. Let's get it on!
Saturday, November 20th at 2:05 PM
(2-8, 1-5 WAC)
at
(9-1, 4-1 WAC)
This game is going to get really ugly about as fast as it can. Think Boise State at Idaho last week. The Wolfpack may just put up 28 points in the first quarter as well. “Bird Leg” Kaepernick has found his mojo again and will be running all over the lowly Aggies at home. Don’t forget Vai Taua and the rest of the running backs that Nevada throws onto the field. New Mexico State has absolutely no chance of winning this game. They have no offensive weapons and can’t play defense. That means it will be a long afternoon for the Aggies. Good thing this season is almost over for them. I would think that Nevada will play pretty conservative so as to not show too much of what they will try and do against Boise State. Still, a high school team could beat the Aggies right now.
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Aggies 21
Saturday, November 20th at 8:30 PM
(1-9, 0-5 WAC)
at
(7-3, 5-1 WAC)
The Rainbow Warriors play very well at home, having beaten ranked Nevada earlier in the season. The Spartans are even worse than the New Mexico State Aggies, having lost to them a few weeks ago. What this means is that Hawai’i will crush San Jose State with their passing attack. You could say that the Spartans are playing better, but they still only have one win to show for it (which was against a 1-AA by the way). All I’m saying is that San Jose State will be dropping to 1-10 probably by the end of the first quarter.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 48, Spartans 14
Saturday, November 20th at 1 PM
(4-6, 1-4 WAC)
at
(4-6, 2-4 WAC)
Idaho got curb stomped last week at home by Boise State. The game wasn’t as close as the 52-14 final may have led you to believe, especially since the Bronco starters sat out a bulk of the second half. Now you have cheap-shotting d-bag Shiloh Keo calling out his “selfish, egotistical” teammates (pot, meet kettle). In other words, things are not looking good for the Vandals coming down the home stretch, and bickering or accusing your teammates is not going to help. They have to win two of the next three games to be bowl eligible. They should handle San Jose State, Fresno will beat them, and that means that the Aggies are their last chance for bowl game redemption. Nathan Enderle will have to play better and stop throwing the ball to the other team if they want to leave Logan with the "W." Luckily for Idaho, Brandyn Thompson doesn’t play for Utah State. On the other hand, the Aggies aren’t anything close to a powerhouse either. Their inconsistency is baffling considering the considerable hype that came their way during the preseason. Derrvin Speight has been a beast at running back the last couple of games and they will rely on him heavily against the Vandals on Saturday. This game will be a lot closer than many people think. Remember, Utah State beat Idaho last year in Moscow. While making this pick, I am counting on the good Utah State team to show up, not the crappy one that has popped up from time to time. At the same time, with mutiny amongst the ranks and after a demoralizing loss to their rivals at home, I see the same result as last year.
Upset Special!
Prediction: Aggies 31, Vandals 28
Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM
6-3, 4-2 WAC)
at
(9-0, 5-0 WAC)
The Bulldogs come into this game playing very well, having rediscovered the power running game that they have used so well in seasons past. The crazy part is the main feature in said power run game is running back Robbie Rouse, who stands proudly at 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds, is the heart and soul behind the rejuvenated rushing attack. He has racked up 769 yards and 7 touchdowns in the past four games, including a near upset of the Nevada Wolfpack. He will be what the Broncos key on defensively, especially since Ryan Colburn is an average quarterback who is terrified of Winston Venable. A lot of young players have stepped up for Fresno State and are now playing very well. Even with the loss of Byron Hout at middle linebacker for the Broncos, they have a very disciplined and sturdy rushing defense. Still, Darrell Acrey is going to have to play out of his freaking mind. I am no longer worried about the pass defense as Brandyn Thompson and Jamar Taylor have proved in the past two games that they can lock down any receiver that comes their way. Boise State will have their hands full keeping Chris Carter and Logan Harrell out of the backfield and away from Moore. While they may get a few good plays in every now and then, there is no team in the country that can stop Boise State’s offense. The Bulldogs will have to outscore the Broncos, and with the nation’s second best defense statistically, that will not happen.
Prediction: Broncos 48, Bulldogs 17
Saturday, November 20th at 1:30 PM
(8-2, 6-0 ACC)
at
(7-3, 5-2 ACC)
I have been doing a lot of Hokie games lately. That’s because their success on the field affects Boise State more than any other team that they have played this year. This particular match up boasts two ranked teams. Virginia Tech has won 8 straight games and is in control of their own destiny. It is looking more and more like they will be in the ACC Championship game and will earn the ACC’s automatic BCS Bowl bid. This is their last test of the season, as they will host crappy Virginia on the final day. Tyrod Taylor is impossible to stop and the Hokies’ running backs are playing very well. The Hurricanes have benched long-time starter Jacory Harris and have gone with Stephen Morris. He has been playing well but has yet to see a defense like the Hokies. As a Bronco fan,I may be hoping big time here that Virginia Tech can keeps winning because I keep picking them.
Prediction: Hokies 35, Hurricanes 28
Saturday, November 20th at 8 PM
(8-2, 5-1 MWC)
at
(7-3, 4-2 MWC)
The fact that the Utes are still ranked is a complete joke. You don’t get blown out at home and tank on the road to a sub .500 team if you are worthy of a top 25 place. The Aztecs almost upset the Horned Frogs last week on the road, scoring 35 points, by far the most that TCU has given up all season. With that said, this match up has all the makings of a great watch, especially if you are a TCU or Boise State fan. If Utah wins, they salvage their season, save some face, and help out the Frogs in the polls and BCS computers. If San Diego State wins, they knock the Utes completely off the grid, screw up TCU even more than they are now, and help out Boise State. It’s amazing what Brady Hoke has done with this team. They were one of the worst in the nation when he got there 2 years ago and have turned them into a feared, respectable opponent. He is working his magic much like he did at Ball State. Except here he is in the fertile recruiting grounds of Southern California. This will be a great contest. A lot is on the line in terms of what will happen nationally depending on who wins. Utah is favored by 5 points as of today, but my guess is that changes by kick off on Saturday. The Aztecs might be getting the nod at that point.
Prediction: Aztecs 35, Utes 21
Total coming into this week: 49-12
There we have it. Let's see if I can do a repeat of last week and go 6-0. 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. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game. There is a rumor that the Broncos will be wearing all orange pants and jerseys for the game, as the stadium is doing an orange out. I hope it's true! It will be a cold, rainy/snowy night. Let's go Broncos!
"Shiloh Keo just got a mouthful of Doug Martin!"
-Joe Tessitore
Enjoy!
As I mentioned yesterday, this is a weird blogger-week for me. I will be leaving early Friday morning so as to have a grand ol' time in Boise in preparation for the game against Fresno. My wife has some family coming into town who we are graciously treating to an evening at Bronco Stadium. How hospitable are we?! So today will be the Weekend Picks and tomorrow will be the Weekly PTW. Let's get it on!
Saturday, November 20th at 2:05 PM
(2-8, 1-5 WAC)
at
(9-1, 4-1 WAC)
This game is going to get really ugly about as fast as it can. Think Boise State at Idaho last week. The Wolfpack may just put up 28 points in the first quarter as well. “Bird Leg” Kaepernick has found his mojo again and will be running all over the lowly Aggies at home. Don’t forget Vai Taua and the rest of the running backs that Nevada throws onto the field. New Mexico State has absolutely no chance of winning this game. They have no offensive weapons and can’t play defense. That means it will be a long afternoon for the Aggies. Good thing this season is almost over for them. I would think that Nevada will play pretty conservative so as to not show too much of what they will try and do against Boise State. Still, a high school team could beat the Aggies right now.
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Aggies 21
Saturday, November 20th at 8:30 PM
(1-9, 0-5 WAC)
at
(7-3, 5-1 WAC)
The Rainbow Warriors play very well at home, having beaten ranked Nevada earlier in the season. The Spartans are even worse than the New Mexico State Aggies, having lost to them a few weeks ago. What this means is that Hawai’i will crush San Jose State with their passing attack. You could say that the Spartans are playing better, but they still only have one win to show for it (which was against a 1-AA by the way). All I’m saying is that San Jose State will be dropping to 1-10 probably by the end of the first quarter.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 48, Spartans 14
Saturday, November 20th at 1 PM
(4-6, 1-4 WAC)
at
(4-6, 2-4 WAC)
Idaho got curb stomped last week at home by Boise State. The game wasn’t as close as the 52-14 final may have led you to believe, especially since the Bronco starters sat out a bulk of the second half. Now you have cheap-shotting d-bag Shiloh Keo calling out his “selfish, egotistical” teammates (pot, meet kettle). In other words, things are not looking good for the Vandals coming down the home stretch, and bickering or accusing your teammates is not going to help. They have to win two of the next three games to be bowl eligible. They should handle San Jose State, Fresno will beat them, and that means that the Aggies are their last chance for bowl game redemption. Nathan Enderle will have to play better and stop throwing the ball to the other team if they want to leave Logan with the "W." Luckily for Idaho, Brandyn Thompson doesn’t play for Utah State. On the other hand, the Aggies aren’t anything close to a powerhouse either. Their inconsistency is baffling considering the considerable hype that came their way during the preseason. Derrvin Speight has been a beast at running back the last couple of games and they will rely on him heavily against the Vandals on Saturday. This game will be a lot closer than many people think. Remember, Utah State beat Idaho last year in Moscow. While making this pick, I am counting on the good Utah State team to show up, not the crappy one that has popped up from time to time. At the same time, with mutiny amongst the ranks and after a demoralizing loss to their rivals at home, I see the same result as last year.
Upset Special!
Prediction: Aggies 31, Vandals 28
Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM
6-3, 4-2 WAC)
at
(9-0, 5-0 WAC)
The Bulldogs come into this game playing very well, having rediscovered the power running game that they have used so well in seasons past. The crazy part is the main feature in said power run game is running back Robbie Rouse, who stands proudly at 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds, is the heart and soul behind the rejuvenated rushing attack. He has racked up 769 yards and 7 touchdowns in the past four games, including a near upset of the Nevada Wolfpack. He will be what the Broncos key on defensively, especially since Ryan Colburn is an average quarterback who is terrified of Winston Venable. A lot of young players have stepped up for Fresno State and are now playing very well. Even with the loss of Byron Hout at middle linebacker for the Broncos, they have a very disciplined and sturdy rushing defense. Still, Darrell Acrey is going to have to play out of his freaking mind. I am no longer worried about the pass defense as Brandyn Thompson and Jamar Taylor have proved in the past two games that they can lock down any receiver that comes their way. Boise State will have their hands full keeping Chris Carter and Logan Harrell out of the backfield and away from Moore. While they may get a few good plays in every now and then, there is no team in the country that can stop Boise State’s offense. The Bulldogs will have to outscore the Broncos, and with the nation’s second best defense statistically, that will not happen.
Prediction: Broncos 48, Bulldogs 17
Saturday, November 20th at 1:30 PM
(8-2, 6-0 ACC)
at
(7-3, 5-2 ACC)
I have been doing a lot of Hokie games lately. That’s because their success on the field affects Boise State more than any other team that they have played this year. This particular match up boasts two ranked teams. Virginia Tech has won 8 straight games and is in control of their own destiny. It is looking more and more like they will be in the ACC Championship game and will earn the ACC’s automatic BCS Bowl bid. This is their last test of the season, as they will host crappy Virginia on the final day. Tyrod Taylor is impossible to stop and the Hokies’ running backs are playing very well. The Hurricanes have benched long-time starter Jacory Harris and have gone with Stephen Morris. He has been playing well but has yet to see a defense like the Hokies. As a Bronco fan,I may be hoping big time here that Virginia Tech can keeps winning because I keep picking them.
Prediction: Hokies 35, Hurricanes 28
Saturday, November 20th at 8 PM
(8-2, 5-1 MWC)
at
(7-3, 4-2 MWC)
The fact that the Utes are still ranked is a complete joke. You don’t get blown out at home and tank on the road to a sub .500 team if you are worthy of a top 25 place. The Aztecs almost upset the Horned Frogs last week on the road, scoring 35 points, by far the most that TCU has given up all season. With that said, this match up has all the makings of a great watch, especially if you are a TCU or Boise State fan. If Utah wins, they salvage their season, save some face, and help out the Frogs in the polls and BCS computers. If San Diego State wins, they knock the Utes completely off the grid, screw up TCU even more than they are now, and help out Boise State. It’s amazing what Brady Hoke has done with this team. They were one of the worst in the nation when he got there 2 years ago and have turned them into a feared, respectable opponent. He is working his magic much like he did at Ball State. Except here he is in the fertile recruiting grounds of Southern California. This will be a great contest. A lot is on the line in terms of what will happen nationally depending on who wins. Utah is favored by 5 points as of today, but my guess is that changes by kick off on Saturday. The Aztecs might be getting the nod at that point.
Prediction: Aztecs 35, Utes 21
Total coming into this week: 49-12
There we have it. Let's see if I can do a repeat of last week and go 6-0. 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. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game. There is a rumor that the Broncos will be wearing all orange pants and jerseys for the game, as the stadium is doing an orange out. I hope it's true! It will be a cold, rainy/snowy night. Let's go Broncos!
Monday, November 15, 2010
WAC Weekend Recap, Week 11
Things went very well for the Broncos when it comes to poll watching and impressing voters. At the same time, the opposite is true for the pesky Horned Frogs. Narrowly beating San Diego State by 5 at home (when 27.5 point favorites), giving up 35 points, and seeing Utah (their signature win) go down in holy flames at the hands of Notre Dame was exactly what TCU did not want to happen. The Broncos jumped back in front of them in the coaches' and AP Polls, and narrowing the gap considerably in the BCS Standings. At the same time, the Cal Golden Bears gave us the blueprint on how to beat the Oregon Ducks. If only they had an offense to go along with the defense that they played, Oregon may have lost as well (they only scored one offensive touchdown the entire game. That is unheard of). Arizona and Oregon State, I hope you took notes. Thank you Cal. Also, Virginia Tech keeps winning and that is good for Boise State. Too bad they are only ranked in 3 of the 6 computers. If they win the ACC, the Broncos will be in great position to pass the Horned Frogs in the BCS Rankings. According to BCS analyst Jerry Palm and ESPN writer Mark Schlabach, that may happen anyway. With all that said, let's get recapping the weekend action, including my inspired upset special pick!
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was LA Tech wins 35 to 21
Final score: Bulldogs 41, Aggies 20
The Aggies still suck and even when playing a decent WAC team, they get blown out at home. Honestly, this was a pretty easy game to pick. The Bulldogs now need to win their next two games two become bowl eligible. I don't think that is going to happen as they have to face Nevada at home. The Aggies have no shot at a bowl, so they are playing for absolutely nothing. But they can always play the spoiler against the Wolfpack and the Rainbow Warriors.
Utah State Aggies at San Jose State Spartans
My prediction was Aggies win 31 to 17
Final score: Aggies 38, Spartans 34
I said that Utah State should be able to win this game even if they decided not to show up. Well, that exact thing happened. It was a close game, but the Aggies pulled it out in the end. There really isn't that much more that I need to say about this game because no one cares about either team. Let's move on.
Nevada Wolfpack at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 35
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Bulldogs 34
This was by far the best game of the weekend. The Bulldogs outplayed and out gained the Wolfpack, but somehow found a way to lose. Running back Robbie Rouse was yet again a beast and ate up 217 yards on the ground. (He will be tough to stop this Friday in Boise.) In fact, Fresno State had the rushing yard advantage with a total of 250 to 245. They did lose two fumbles, which the Wolfpack cashed in and ended up winning the game. These are the next two teams that Boise State plays, and they better be ready. I will be there this Friday when Fresno State comes rolling into town.
Virginia Tech Hokies at North Carolina Tar Heels
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 31 to 27
Final score: Hokies 26, Tar Heels 10
The Hokies continue their tear through the ACC, having now won 8 straight games. This is great for Boise State, as I have mentioned. Tyrod Taylor was a complete monster yet again, tossing the ball for 13 completions, 249 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Nobody (except Boise State) can stop him. North Carolina made it interesting and actually had a 10-9 lead at halftime. But Virginia Tech came out after the half like gang busters and completely stifled anything the Tar Heels through at them. The Hokies have one more road test on Saturday at Miami. North Carolina will host in state rival North Carolina State as well.
Utah Utes at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
UPSET SPECIAL FULFILLED!!!!
My prediction was Notre Dame wins 31 to 28
Final score: Fighting Irish 28, Utes 3
I cannot stand anything Notre Dame. I frankly hate everything about them. Yet I found myself rooting for them to beat the highly overrated Utah Utes. It worked. The Irish completely exposed them for the absolute frauds that they are, and at the same time diminished TCU's win over them last week. The worst part for the Utes, they couldn't stop a Notre Dame team that was quarterbacked by an inexperienced freshman. Yikes. This was huge in that voters are now finally realizing that Utah sucks, TCU's win over them is not that spectacular, and they quickly vaulted the Broncos back in front of the Horned Frogs. There are now rumors that Utes Coach Kyle Whittingham is going to bench starting quarterback Jordan Wynn for back up Terrence Cain. Utah plays next week at San Diego State (who nearly upset TCU, by the way), and we sure hope that they can continue their slide. How Utah is still ranked is beyond me. Notre Dame hosts Army on Saturday, in a game that I hope they lose. It's time to get back to hating the Irish, but still being thankful that they beat Utah!
Record coming in: 43-12
This week (including Boise State's win over Idaho): 6-0
Total: 49-12
Make sure you keep checking back in for more info. on Boise State and their upcoming opponents. Go Broncos!
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was LA Tech wins 35 to 21
Final score: Bulldogs 41, Aggies 20
The Aggies still suck and even when playing a decent WAC team, they get blown out at home. Honestly, this was a pretty easy game to pick. The Bulldogs now need to win their next two games two become bowl eligible. I don't think that is going to happen as they have to face Nevada at home. The Aggies have no shot at a bowl, so they are playing for absolutely nothing. But they can always play the spoiler against the Wolfpack and the Rainbow Warriors.
Utah State Aggies at San Jose State Spartans
My prediction was Aggies win 31 to 17
Final score: Aggies 38, Spartans 34
I said that Utah State should be able to win this game even if they decided not to show up. Well, that exact thing happened. It was a close game, but the Aggies pulled it out in the end. There really isn't that much more that I need to say about this game because no one cares about either team. Let's move on.
Nevada Wolfpack at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 35
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Bulldogs 34
This was by far the best game of the weekend. The Bulldogs outplayed and out gained the Wolfpack, but somehow found a way to lose. Running back Robbie Rouse was yet again a beast and ate up 217 yards on the ground. (He will be tough to stop this Friday in Boise.) In fact, Fresno State had the rushing yard advantage with a total of 250 to 245. They did lose two fumbles, which the Wolfpack cashed in and ended up winning the game. These are the next two teams that Boise State plays, and they better be ready. I will be there this Friday when Fresno State comes rolling into town.
Virginia Tech Hokies at North Carolina Tar Heels
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 31 to 27
Final score: Hokies 26, Tar Heels 10
The Hokies continue their tear through the ACC, having now won 8 straight games. This is great for Boise State, as I have mentioned. Tyrod Taylor was a complete monster yet again, tossing the ball for 13 completions, 249 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Nobody (except Boise State) can stop him. North Carolina made it interesting and actually had a 10-9 lead at halftime. But Virginia Tech came out after the half like gang busters and completely stifled anything the Tar Heels through at them. The Hokies have one more road test on Saturday at Miami. North Carolina will host in state rival North Carolina State as well.
Utah Utes at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
UPSET SPECIAL FULFILLED!!!!
My prediction was Notre Dame wins 31 to 28
Final score: Fighting Irish 28, Utes 3
I cannot stand anything Notre Dame. I frankly hate everything about them. Yet I found myself rooting for them to beat the highly overrated Utah Utes. It worked. The Irish completely exposed them for the absolute frauds that they are, and at the same time diminished TCU's win over them last week. The worst part for the Utes, they couldn't stop a Notre Dame team that was quarterbacked by an inexperienced freshman. Yikes. This was huge in that voters are now finally realizing that Utah sucks, TCU's win over them is not that spectacular, and they quickly vaulted the Broncos back in front of the Horned Frogs. There are now rumors that Utes Coach Kyle Whittingham is going to bench starting quarterback Jordan Wynn for back up Terrence Cain. Utah plays next week at San Diego State (who nearly upset TCU, by the way), and we sure hope that they can continue their slide. How Utah is still ranked is beyond me. Notre Dame hosts Army on Saturday, in a game that I hope they lose. It's time to get back to hating the Irish, but still being thankful that they beat Utah!
Record coming in: 43-12
This week (including Boise State's win over Idaho): 6-0
Total: 49-12
Make sure you keep checking back in for more info. on Boise State and their upcoming opponents. Go Broncos!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Western Athletic Conference as Films
Today's post is going to be a lot of fun. Besides Boise State football, my other passion in life is film. I love movies and I own over 700 of them. In honor of my love for all things Bronco and my love for films, I am going to combine the two today. That's right; using the current teams in the Western Athletic Conference (I know it will change next year), I will share with you a movie that exemplifies a WAC team. I will do it for each team in the WAC, according to where they currently are in the standings. Please leave as many comments as you would like and let me know if I got one wrong or if you have a different idea for a team. Let's get started!
San Jose State Spartans = Kazaam!
The last place team in the WAC is one of the worst in the nation. For years they had Dick Tomey as their head coach. Tomey is a future hall of famer that never really did anything with his teams in San Jose. He is like Shaquille O'neal; A big name that completely bombed. Shaq never should have even thought about making a movie. "Kazaam" was such a terrible film and likewise, San Jose State has had a bunch of terrible teams. Tomey was only able to take one group to a bowl game. It's not just that. California is filled with talented football players, and the Spartans couldn't get any of them. The putrid stench coming from Northern California is only rivaled by that of Shaquille O'neal and his hideous stint as an actor. Thank goodness it only lasted for a short time! The San Jose State Spartans are the "Kazaam" of the WAC. They aren't even fun to watch.
New Mexico State Aggies = Disaster Movie
The Aggies are exactly what the name of this movie tells us. They are really bad, but they did beat San Jose State this year. The losers who keep making these "movies" (date movie, etc.) need to stop. At the same time, New Mexico State should probably stop fielding a football team. Save your money. If the Aggies go up against a good team (Boise State), they get murdered. If somehow "Disaster Movie" was to get entered in a competition with good movies, it would also get murdered. They are terrible to watch and just like the film, they leave you pissed off for having wasted your time on such a dumpster fire of a film/football team. The New Mexico State Aggies are to the WAC what "Disaster Movie" is to the film industry; a complete and utter travesty.
Utah State Aggies = Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
Let's be honest here, the first three films made back in the seventies were nothing short of fantastic. Maybe it was because too much time passed before they made the three prequels, but this movie sucked. It had so much promise before it started, just like Utah State. Many people had them picked to be in a bowl game and to be competitive, but that has not been the case. All they hype of the film and the Aggies has been wasted breath. "The Phantom Menace" has its moments of flashiness (mainly the special effects), and the Aggies have shown up for some games and have even won a few. But the successes that both have are overshadowed by their extreme and complete crappiness. Some people may like them, but they are only lying to themselves. Don't waste your time watching the train wreck of a movie nor the JV-like squad of the Utah State Aggie football team. You are the "Phantom Menace" of the Western Athletic Conference, literally and figuratively.
Idaho Vandals = Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
This one is funny for more than one reason. The obvious one involves the word "dumb." Moving on...Applying this movie to the Idaho Vandals makes perfect sense. Remember back in the day when Idaho was a good football, at one point even beating Boise State 12 years in a row? That was like "Dumb and Dumber." It was great, everybody loved them, and they both have developed extensive followings that extend into the current day. But what about the sequel? Right now, the Vandals follow up the glory days by sucking terribly and embarrassing their alumni. Don't you think Jim Carey is embarrassed by the horrible sequel to his classic film? In other words, the Vandals of today are a shell of what they used to be, and they are terrible. "Dumb and Dumberer" is a crap fest compared to its predecessor. Oh yes, the good ol' glory days when Idaho and "Dumb and Dumberer" still had their dignity. They are gone, forever. Idaho, you are to college football and the great history of your football program, what "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" is to the "Dumb and Dumber" franchise. I cringe just thinking about it. Ewww...
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs = Vanilla Sky
After you watch "Vanilla Sky," you ask yourself "what the freak was that?" After you see the Bulldogs play, you ponder something similar. Whether it is their starting quarterback Ross Jenkins cutting of the sleeves of his jersey,
or Sonny Dykes belligerently screaming at an official over an blatantly obvious offsides call to the point of getting a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct flag, it is just a mysterious, ugly mess. "Vanilla Sky" tries to be smart, to outwit its viewers, but it fails miserably. It's like the people who wrote it tried way too hard with a crappy plot and less than desirable acting, and ended up with a steaming pile of a film. That is how the Bulldogs are. They try so hard to run a no-huddle, fast-paced, quick strike offense, but they don't have the talent or intelligence to pull it off. You are left with jumbled disorder. Sometimes they play well and score some points, just as the movie has scenes and portions that are decent, but the end does not justify the means. Both would have more success by trying less. How is this for next year's campaign slogan: "Louisiana Tech-putting "vanilla" into the WAC." I am not sad to see them not in our conference next year.
Nevada Wolfpack = 17 Again
This was actually a pretty good movie. Don't get me wrong, it wouldn't be my first choice of films to watch, but it was entertaining nonetheless. Just like Nevada, "17 Again" gets the job done and entertains those who watch. But in no way would you rank either as top-tier or best in their conference/genre. Think about it; the lead role in the film is played by Zac Efron. The Wolfpack's leader is Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick. Both are preppy, handsome, pretty-boy "studs" (I use that term loosely) that are completely overrated. Which is better, being the star of "High School Musical" and parlaying that fame and success into other teen-flick roles, or being the starting quarterback for a one-dimensional middle to high-tier team in the WAC? Both are fine, but not what I want to be doing. "17 Again" and the Nevada Wolfpack, like two pees in an under-performing pod.
Fresno State Bulldogs = G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
I actually enjoyed this film. I like action and special effects, and it was fine once I looked past the cliché, lame, and unthoughtful dialogue and plot line. In fact, I remember seeing "G.I. Joe" advertised during the Super Bowl more than a year before it was released. It promised so much. Hey that sounds like Fresno State! They show so much promise each preseason and proceed to go below expectations year in and year out. But understand, they are indeed a good team with great players and a fearless coach, but they are constantly a let down, just like the film. Look at the stars in the movie; Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Marlon Wayans, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sienna Miller, and Brendan Fraser. That is not a complete A-list, but enough to create a sparkling action-flick worthy of high praise. But it did not live up to the hype. The Bulldogs recruit plenty of talent every year, but are underwhelming in their accomplishment. This comparison was just too perfect; "G.I. Pat Hill: The Rise of Underachieving Bulldogs."
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors = Juno
"Juno" was so wrong in so many ways. The exploitation of pregnant teenagers is only comparable to one thing; the exploitation of an alleged dangerous offense that refuses to utilize the run, therefore making it not dangerous to decent defenses. I cannot stress to you how overrated and annoying this movie was. Hawai'i is about as overrated of a team as there has been in college football this year and in the past few. "Juno" had it's moment to shine when it picked up an Academy Award for best original screenplay (how it did that is beyond me), just as the Rainbow Warriors had their time to shine in the 2007 season. They promptly threw it away (as well as any respect that non-AQ schools may have had at the time) with their (lack of) performance in the Sugar Bowl. The point is while a lot of people may like this film and see a fictitious deeper meaning in it, it's still erroneously glorified and finds itself completely off the mark when it comes to film making. Hawai'i has its fans, but it remains an overrated farce of a good team that wants you to think it's cooler than it actually is (but hey, they're from Hawai'i!). The Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors: the annoying over-hyped, exploited, and pregnant teenage girl of the Western Athletic Conference.
Boise State Broncos = Gladiator
That's right, and it's completely true! Now some of you may say "wait a minute! These movie is so far ahead of those on the list, it's not even fair!" To that I say; exactly! You get it! Congratulations! The Broncos are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the conference that it isn't fair. Hence the exit to the Mountain West! But let's think about it, "Gladiator" is deep, complex, violent, glorious, successful, and a lot of fun to watch. In the previous sentence, replace the word "Gladiator" with "the Boise State Broncos" and all of it is still true. Their offense is so complex, it confuses opposing defenses play after play. Their talent is so deep that 3rd string defensive lineman are throwing Bryant Moniz to the turf like a rag doll. Their defense plays so physical and violent that the starting quarterbacks of their opponents are scared to face them. Their glory rests in the number of wins they have had in the past few years and can be summed up in 5 words; "Two Time Fiesta Bowl Champions." That is all I need to stay about that. True gladiators are forged on the battle field and come out victorious, having destroyed their foes against all odds. Boise State is Maximus, plain and simple.
So what did you think? I had a lot of fun creating this post and the comparisons. Check back in tomorrow for my Weekend Picks and some insight. Let's go Broncos!
San Jose State Spartans = Kazaam!
The last place team in the WAC is one of the worst in the nation. For years they had Dick Tomey as their head coach. Tomey is a future hall of famer that never really did anything with his teams in San Jose. He is like Shaquille O'neal; A big name that completely bombed. Shaq never should have even thought about making a movie. "Kazaam" was such a terrible film and likewise, San Jose State has had a bunch of terrible teams. Tomey was only able to take one group to a bowl game. It's not just that. California is filled with talented football players, and the Spartans couldn't get any of them. The putrid stench coming from Northern California is only rivaled by that of Shaquille O'neal and his hideous stint as an actor. Thank goodness it only lasted for a short time! The San Jose State Spartans are the "Kazaam" of the WAC. They aren't even fun to watch.
New Mexico State Aggies = Disaster Movie
The Aggies are exactly what the name of this movie tells us. They are really bad, but they did beat San Jose State this year. The losers who keep making these "movies" (date movie, etc.) need to stop. At the same time, New Mexico State should probably stop fielding a football team. Save your money. If the Aggies go up against a good team (Boise State), they get murdered. If somehow "Disaster Movie" was to get entered in a competition with good movies, it would also get murdered. They are terrible to watch and just like the film, they leave you pissed off for having wasted your time on such a dumpster fire of a film/football team. The New Mexico State Aggies are to the WAC what "Disaster Movie" is to the film industry; a complete and utter travesty.
Utah State Aggies = Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
Let's be honest here, the first three films made back in the seventies were nothing short of fantastic. Maybe it was because too much time passed before they made the three prequels, but this movie sucked. It had so much promise before it started, just like Utah State. Many people had them picked to be in a bowl game and to be competitive, but that has not been the case. All they hype of the film and the Aggies has been wasted breath. "The Phantom Menace" has its moments of flashiness (mainly the special effects), and the Aggies have shown up for some games and have even won a few. But the successes that both have are overshadowed by their extreme and complete crappiness. Some people may like them, but they are only lying to themselves. Don't waste your time watching the train wreck of a movie nor the JV-like squad of the Utah State Aggie football team. You are the "Phantom Menace" of the Western Athletic Conference, literally and figuratively.
Idaho Vandals = Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
This one is funny for more than one reason. The obvious one involves the word "dumb." Moving on...Applying this movie to the Idaho Vandals makes perfect sense. Remember back in the day when Idaho was a good football, at one point even beating Boise State 12 years in a row? That was like "Dumb and Dumber." It was great, everybody loved them, and they both have developed extensive followings that extend into the current day. But what about the sequel? Right now, the Vandals follow up the glory days by sucking terribly and embarrassing their alumni. Don't you think Jim Carey is embarrassed by the horrible sequel to his classic film? In other words, the Vandals of today are a shell of what they used to be, and they are terrible. "Dumb and Dumberer" is a crap fest compared to its predecessor. Oh yes, the good ol' glory days when Idaho and "Dumb and Dumberer" still had their dignity. They are gone, forever. Idaho, you are to college football and the great history of your football program, what "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" is to the "Dumb and Dumber" franchise. I cringe just thinking about it. Ewww...
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs = Vanilla Sky
After you watch "Vanilla Sky," you ask yourself "what the freak was that?" After you see the Bulldogs play, you ponder something similar. Whether it is their starting quarterback Ross Jenkins cutting of the sleeves of his jersey,
or Sonny Dykes belligerently screaming at an official over an blatantly obvious offsides call to the point of getting a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct flag, it is just a mysterious, ugly mess. "Vanilla Sky" tries to be smart, to outwit its viewers, but it fails miserably. It's like the people who wrote it tried way too hard with a crappy plot and less than desirable acting, and ended up with a steaming pile of a film. That is how the Bulldogs are. They try so hard to run a no-huddle, fast-paced, quick strike offense, but they don't have the talent or intelligence to pull it off. You are left with jumbled disorder. Sometimes they play well and score some points, just as the movie has scenes and portions that are decent, but the end does not justify the means. Both would have more success by trying less. How is this for next year's campaign slogan: "Louisiana Tech-putting "vanilla" into the WAC." I am not sad to see them not in our conference next year.
Nevada Wolfpack = 17 Again
This was actually a pretty good movie. Don't get me wrong, it wouldn't be my first choice of films to watch, but it was entertaining nonetheless. Just like Nevada, "17 Again" gets the job done and entertains those who watch. But in no way would you rank either as top-tier or best in their conference/genre. Think about it; the lead role in the film is played by Zac Efron. The Wolfpack's leader is Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick. Both are preppy, handsome, pretty-boy "studs" (I use that term loosely) that are completely overrated. Which is better, being the star of "High School Musical" and parlaying that fame and success into other teen-flick roles, or being the starting quarterback for a one-dimensional middle to high-tier team in the WAC? Both are fine, but not what I want to be doing. "17 Again" and the Nevada Wolfpack, like two pees in an under-performing pod.
Fresno State Bulldogs = G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
I actually enjoyed this film. I like action and special effects, and it was fine once I looked past the cliché, lame, and unthoughtful dialogue and plot line. In fact, I remember seeing "G.I. Joe" advertised during the Super Bowl more than a year before it was released. It promised so much. Hey that sounds like Fresno State! They show so much promise each preseason and proceed to go below expectations year in and year out. But understand, they are indeed a good team with great players and a fearless coach, but they are constantly a let down, just like the film. Look at the stars in the movie; Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Marlon Wayans, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sienna Miller, and Brendan Fraser. That is not a complete A-list, but enough to create a sparkling action-flick worthy of high praise. But it did not live up to the hype. The Bulldogs recruit plenty of talent every year, but are underwhelming in their accomplishment. This comparison was just too perfect; "G.I. Pat Hill: The Rise of Underachieving Bulldogs."
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors = Juno
"Juno" was so wrong in so many ways. The exploitation of pregnant teenagers is only comparable to one thing; the exploitation of an alleged dangerous offense that refuses to utilize the run, therefore making it not dangerous to decent defenses. I cannot stress to you how overrated and annoying this movie was. Hawai'i is about as overrated of a team as there has been in college football this year and in the past few. "Juno" had it's moment to shine when it picked up an Academy Award for best original screenplay (how it did that is beyond me), just as the Rainbow Warriors had their time to shine in the 2007 season. They promptly threw it away (as well as any respect that non-AQ schools may have had at the time) with their (lack of) performance in the Sugar Bowl. The point is while a lot of people may like this film and see a fictitious deeper meaning in it, it's still erroneously glorified and finds itself completely off the mark when it comes to film making. Hawai'i has its fans, but it remains an overrated farce of a good team that wants you to think it's cooler than it actually is (but hey, they're from Hawai'i!). The Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors: the annoying over-hyped, exploited, and pregnant teenage girl of the Western Athletic Conference.
Boise State Broncos = Gladiator
That's right, and it's completely true! Now some of you may say "wait a minute! These movie is so far ahead of those on the list, it's not even fair!" To that I say; exactly! You get it! Congratulations! The Broncos are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the conference that it isn't fair. Hence the exit to the Mountain West! But let's think about it, "Gladiator" is deep, complex, violent, glorious, successful, and a lot of fun to watch. In the previous sentence, replace the word "Gladiator" with "the Boise State Broncos" and all of it is still true. Their offense is so complex, it confuses opposing defenses play after play. Their talent is so deep that 3rd string defensive lineman are throwing Bryant Moniz to the turf like a rag doll. Their defense plays so physical and violent that the starting quarterbacks of their opponents are scared to face them. Their glory rests in the number of wins they have had in the past few years and can be summed up in 5 words; "Two Time Fiesta Bowl Champions." That is all I need to stay about that. True gladiators are forged on the battle field and come out victorious, having destroyed their foes against all odds. Boise State is Maximus, plain and simple.
So what did you think? I had a lot of fun creating this post and the comparisons. Check back in tomorrow for my Weekend Picks and some insight. Let's go Broncos!
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