They feel like champs even without the title (Boise State's Dream Finish)

LA Times ^ | 1/3/06 | Chris Dufresne, Times Staff Writer

[BurbankKarl]

Monday night's Fiesta Bowl was as good as it gets for underdogs like Boise State, an imperfect college football system and any sandlot kid who ever drew up a trick play.

Seldom has a major event in sports ended up this way …

Billy, you go deep, run around the fire hydrant, and I'll hit you between there and the ice cream truck.

Boise State's 43-42 overtime win over Oklahoma at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., was the kind of thriller with the kind of buzz that spilled into the next day.

It was a victory for big dreamers and have-nots.

Oklahoma has won seven national titles in football. Boise State was a junior college until 1968.

"It shows that the gap is decreasing fast," Boise State running back Ian Johnson said about the gulf between the top teams and those not considered among the elite.

The Fiesta Bowl was supposed to be a nice prelude to next Monday night's Bowl Championship Series title game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Florida in the same stadium.

Instead, the first Fiesta stole the spotlight, at least for a day, of the "big" game.

"I hate to say this, I fell asleep and my wife kept hitting me," Florida Coach Urban Meyer said after arriving in Arizona on Tuesday. "She said it was the greatest football game she ever saw."

Shelley Meyer was not alone.

[JZelle]

Has this game shown up on ESPN Classic yet? I know last years' Notre Dame/USC game was on the next day.

[dfwgator]

Let's not get carried away here.

BSU beat OU, who was the champion of by far the worst major conference this year. The Big 12 combined is 0-14 against ranked teams this year when they've played ranked teams outside of the Big 12.

Florida played 10 bowl-bound teams this year, and if they beat Ohio State, there is no way they can be denied the title. Boise State would definately have a case for finishing 2nd, but champion? No way.

[Hildy]

I'm a new football fan...after years of fighting the men in my life, I decided to join. In the past several years, I finally have taken the time to learn what football's really about...and can appreciate how beautiful the game is. Now, with that being said, that game was SPECTACULAR!!! I honestly had a hard time falling asleep that night because I was so pumped up!!!

[BurbankKarl]

You and Bob Stoops will agree.

[thinkthenpost]

The front of the goal-line is the boundary, IMO the ball is clearly over the line.

[38special]

I like that second picture. One security guard has turned to look at the action on the field. Greatest college game I've ever seen!

[thinkthenpost]

The front of the goal-line is the boundary, IMO the ball is clearly over the line.

[Red Badger]

I don't know why we watched it, we are not college football fans, NFL yes. My wife and I just sat there staring mouths agape.......

[BurbankKarl]

I am talking about the writers....there are 1032 articles on Google (since the game finished after the East Coast deadline) The writers put Florida into the final game....stranger things have happened.

[thinkthenpost]

sorry for the double post.

[commish]

And if OSU loses, I think Boise State should get a share of the title.

Why not if OSU wins? Boise and Ohio St will have the same 13-0 record.

[dfwgator]

Now, if only they will let my beloved TCU Horned Frogs play next year...

You might have made it last year, if you'd only beaten SMU.

(Mentioning that game will get any TCU fan hot under the collar)

[ElmoMobito]

Its going to be a classic to be rerun on ESPN for years. Loved the game. Best since the Rose Bowl last year when Vince Young (Texas) beat USC.

[muleskinner]

We need a playoff system. .

[commish]

It was a great game, but in that top photo, the ball carrier had his left hand out of bounds and the ball was not over the goal line

Actually, the PYLON is considered in play and IN THE ENDZONE. It is clear his left arm hit the pylon on the way down - Ergo he crossed the plane of the goalline before he went OB.

[nhoward14]

The ball broke the plane before the hand went down.

Sorry OU.

[griswold3]

You're kidding, right?
2006 Boise State Broncos Schedule/Results

Won 13 Lost 0

Aug 31 - W vs. Sacramento St, 45-0 Box
Sep 7 - W vs. Oregon State, 42-14 Wrap Box
Sep 16 - W at Wyoming, 17-10 Wrap Box
Sep 23 - W vs. Hawaii, 41-34 Wrap Box
Sep 30 - W at Utah, 36-3 Wrap Box
Oct 7 - W vs. Louisiana Tech, 55-14 Wrap Box
Oct 15 - W at New Mexico St, 40-28 Wrap Box
Oct 21 - W at Idaho, 42-26 Wrap Box
Oct 28 - Open
Nov 1 - W vs. Fresno State, 45-21
Nov 11 - W at San Jose St, 23-20
Nov 18 - W vs. Utah State, 49-10
Nov 25 - W at Nevada, 38-7
Dec 2 - Open
Jan 1 - W at Oklahoma, 43-42 OT

This will be OSU's THIRD game against a number 2 team.

[Fierce Allegiance]

LOL! As new englanders, we will never be allowed to forget the Flutie hail mary play.

[Alberta's Child]

The primary goal of the BCS system is not to crown a "legitimate" champion of college football, but to basically ensure that the major bowl games would involve teams that would generate the largest television audiences.

Boise State could have gone 75-0 this year, and the NCAA would have done whatever it would take to keep them out of a national title game.

[Alberta's Child]

I'm pretty sure that's counted as a TD as long as he strike the pylon first before his hand goes down out of bounds.