Boise State, TCU Deserve Better

SI.com ^ | 7 Dec 2009 | Cory McCartney

[The Pack Knight]

This should feel like a just reward for an offseason where the non-automatic qualifiers extolled their virtues in front of Congress, then reached unprecedented heights in the BCS era on the field.

It can't be understated that for the first time, two teams from outside of the major conferences have been granted access behind the BCS' velvet rope as No. 3 TCU and No. 6 Boise State will meet in the Fiesta Bowl. "I think the Fiesta Bowl, to their credit, is putting two very, very deserving teams on the field against each other," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said.

It's a statement, no doubt, but maybe not the one that this landmark moment should deliver, because the Broncos and Horned Frogs are having to play each other.

The Fiesta Bowl has created a matchup that seems more like a cop-out than an achievement; denying the two unbeatens a chance to validate their seasons against the big boys on the sports' biggest stage and opening up an entirely new chapter of BCS bashing/collusion allegations.

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[dfwgator]

And we saw why they were more focused on the SEC CG- they had that one circled on their calendar all year and it showed.

Did it ever.

I'm worried about our bowl game, I just don't see the Gators having their hearts in it. Just like Bama last year. And Cincy will be sky high.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I agree with that. Not that I’m certain these are the two best teams. But they are two undefeated teams who played difficult schedules, so they at least have as much claim to the title game as any other team.

I just would like to see Boise State play a highly ranked team from a major conference. If they get crushed, we’ll never have to hear about it again — nobody complains any more about Hawaii not getting recognized.

Same I guess with TCU — if they play a known good team and get crushed, then next year the strength of schedule will be more acceptable as a way to eliminate teams from consideration.

By having them play each other, whoever wins, if they have another undefeated season next year, will still be screaming about getting a chance. The only way to settle it is to force a highly ranked powerhouse to play them, since no team will sign up for that on their own.

[RinaseaofDs]

Oklahoma got pasted by BCU not long ago in one of these bowls, if memory serves.

To me, the big conferences have been living off of their reputations for too long.

Too bad 3 isn’t facing 4 in this case, and 5 isn’t facing 6. Something tells me Cincy would lose. Both BSU and TCU are impressive.

[cweese]

Oh really? They why does Texas fare better in the strength of schedule category (eg. Texas had a tougher season than the horny toads of TCU).

[dfwgator]

I just would like to see Boise State play a highly ranked team from a major conference

They did, and that's why they haven't played one since.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I don’t think they would have done that. The idea of playing the same game twice would have scared them. They probably would have put Cincinnatti against Alabama.

[dfwgator]

Limiting schools to 85 scholarships definitely has leveled the playing field somewhat.

[Moby Grape]

“Oklahoma got pasted by BCU not long ago in one of these bowls, if memory serves.”

I believe BSU won by 2 on the last play..hardly a pasting...and this was the same Oklahoma team that was beaten by about 40 points in their conference championship the year before...Oklahoma averaged 65 points a game for the last half of last season in a conference that did NOT play defense...when they met an SEC team, the points scored went from 65 to 14....The OU example does not prove anything.

[Canedawg]

It will be a tough game for them, but I think they will have a friendly and supportive crowd at the game, which will help them a lot.

I am not very optimistic about the Canes beating Wisconsin, either.

[rintense]

Add Cincinnati to that list.

[FreedomProtector]

Texas beat two teams that were ranked at that time, and so did TCU. The difference is both teams TCU beat are still ranked, but one of those ranked teams Texas beat was OU.

TCU showed itself to be more dominant.

Both teams have top-5 defenses: TCU’s is No. 2, just behind Florida, and Texas’ is No. 5. TCU’s offense is No. 5 in the country, and Texas’ is six spots lower at No. 11.

[crusty old prospector]

I remember the days when Texas and SMU were the big names in that conference, and most other schools were also-rans.

I remember Houston (Bill Yeoman) and Baylor (Grant Teaff days) also being good.

[Alberta's Child]

Then you'll love this story from my early days playing hockey in an amateur adult league (I never put on a pair of skates until I was in my late 20s) . . .

My team is playing one of the top teams in the league. We're holding our own against them, but the game is pretty rough. The other team has three brothers who are all pretty good players (one of them is excellent) but are also pretty dirty players, too.

During a stoppage of play in front of our defensemen (a small player who somehow managed to hold his own against bigger players) gets into a shoving match with one of the three brothers. The officials eventually separate them, but they keep mouthing off to each other as they are separated and start to go their own ways.

Evil Brother: "You hack me like that again and I'll kick your @ss!"

Small Defenseman (with a confused look on his face): "What did ya say, man?"

Evil Brother: "I said, you hack me like that and I'll kick your @ss!"

Small Defenseman (with a sense of resignation and a confused look on his face): "I still can't hear you, dude."

Evil Brother (his face now red as a tomato as the referee moves him away): "I said I'm gonna kick your @ss, you little motherf#%&er!!!"

Small Defenseman (totally calm, with a look of disdain on his face): "I can't understand you, dude -- GET THAT D!CK OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, WOULD YOU?!"

[dfwgator]

I hope the Gator Nation will represent in New Orleans, but I’m afraid it’s mostly going to be UC fans at the game.

[GLDNGUN]

Right you are. Which BCS schools refused to play Boise this season? Or any season, for that matter.

I don't have the names in front of me and don't know if any were mentioned, but there was an ESPN story earlier this season about Boise trying to complete their schedule for next year and were having a heck of a time filling a slot because they wanted to play a quality BCS school, but were getting turned down again and again, even though Boise was willing to play the game on the road and not insist upon a return game.

It's really fairly common knowledge that most BCS schools, especially national powers, do NOT want to play a quality non-BCS team during the season. They have little to gain by doing so. When's the last time you saw a team like Florida leave the Sunshine State for a non-conference game?

[CharlesWayneCT]

I ALSO wanted Boise and TCU to have to play REAL competition in the bowls so all those cry babies who claim that these teams that go “undefeated” in these WEAK conferences could “wipe the floor” with the big conference schools would be brought back down to REALITY rather than living in a dream state and never looking at the STATS before making silly boasts.

So in effect, you agree with those who are complaining that Boise and TCU are playing one another, just for the opposite reason.

This is why I wish they were playing other teams. Not because I KNOW how it would turn out, but because one way or another it would end the discussion. Either Boise/TCU would win and gain new respect for non-conference teams, or they'd get crushed and we could stop whining about undefeated teams with weak schedules.

[dfwgator]

When's the last time you saw a team like Florida leave the Sunshine State for a non-conference game?

1992 Syracuse. And the result of that game will tell you why we haven't left since.

[cweese]

Yawwwwwwn. Sorry, are you still pimping TCU against Alabama for the National Championship? That decision has been made already, IIRC.

[wbill]

Good point. That's why NCAA hockey is the last major sport that has real national champions untainted by this "BCS vs. playoff" nonsense.

Well put. Except that you left out the Maine Black Bears from your list.

Then again, the way they've played this year (and last)....that might be best. :-)

[GunRunner]

There’s no way that would have happened. Cincinnati would have played Alabama in Pasadena.