Boise State defeated the lowly New Mexico State Aggies today by a score of 42-7 to complete the program’s second consecutive undefeated regular season.
With Florida’s poor showing against Alabama and Cincinnati’s one point comeback win over Pitt, it will be interesting to see where the Broncos wind up the regular season, having entered this week’s play ranked #6 in the national polls. In 2007 and 2008 BSU lost by a total of four points in two bowl losses, something I think has contributed along with the mediocre reputation of the WAC to the program’s difficulty in reaching the top 5 in the polls, and in gaining BCS bowl selection.
This season the Broncos may have some better arguments available to them, defeating No. 7 Oregon 19-8 in the season opener (Oregon won the Pac-10 and will play in the Rose Bowl), and a 44-33 victory last week a Nevada team that had won eight straight games. In addition, prior to today’s 42 point effort, the Boise State offense ranked second in the nation in scoring, averaging just over 44 points per game.
But how good is this program compared to the best teams in the nation? Already the winningest program in the nation over the last ten seasons (108-20), and with an amazing 38-1 record over the past three years, still Boise State was left out of the BCS bowl picture last season. Since joining the WAC in 2001, Boise State football has amassed an amazing 67-4 record. The team won the only BCS bowl to which the school has been invited (the greatest football game I have ever seen, by the way) defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 in overtime in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. I’m not sure that Boise State can ever hope to win a national championship while in the Western Athletic Conference, as the competition just isn’t as tough as in the SEC, or even the Big Ten or Pac Ten. Even with the addition of a tough opponent or two – such as Oregon this season – BSU will find strength of schedule to be a problem in even reaching BCS Bowls, let alone the title tilt. Still, it is a great program for the fan: consistent winner, powerful offense, consistency through coaches, quarterbacks, running backs, etc. And, of course, the blue turf.
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