It's that time of year again. The annual debate about the BCS standings. Who should and who should not be ranked. Included in this debate is what in the world to do with Boise ST and TCU. I may be old school or a littlie biased but Boise and TCU shouldn't even be in the argument. Now before all you BSU/TCU believers roll your eyes and say"Fazende's lost his mind again", let me make my case.
First, the darlings of ESPN,ABC, and most media "experts", blue field Boise St. (10-0 6-0). "Sure they play in a small conference but look at their marque wins outside the conference" is the case most frequently used for BSU. OK, let's look at their "marque" non-conference wins:
First Virgina Tech. Yes the always overrated and over ranked Hokies who begin every season top 10, lose their non conference games then regroup in that tough Coastal Division of the vaunted ACC. BSU received the earliest Christmas gift in history from Frank Beamer in week one when his team had the ball and the lead with less then two minutes to play and BSU without timeouts. Intead of three runs up the middle and punting with seconds remaining, he calls for a sweep on second down when his oh so well coached RB runs out of bounds stopping the clock. On third down, displaying Milesian clock management skills, Beamer calls for a pass which falls incomplete, again stopping the clock, leaving well over a minute to play. To their credit, BSU, led by QB Kevin Moore, thanked Frankie boy for his early good tidings by marching down the field and scoring the winning touchdown. VaTech came back strong after the loss promptly losing to James Madison University. That loss alone eliminates this as a "marque" win for BSU.
Second BSU marque win: Oregon ST. Why? Because they happen to play in the Pac 10. OSU had lost to TCU in week one and has followed the BSU loss with losses to 4-6 Washington and UCLA and 2-9 Wash St on their way to 5-5 with two games remaining. Though OSU plays in the BCS conference PAC 10, even BSU believers must concede beating them can hardly be considered marque.
Next marque match up: 10-1 #19 Nevada. Please. Nevada's 10-1 record against the likes of Eastern Washington, Idaho and Utah State impresses only those trying to make an argument for BSU's high ranking.
These marque wins were sandwiched by wins against such blockbuster programs such as Wyoming, Toledo and New Mexico St.
Now 11-0 TCU. The "thinking man's" pick. "Nobody is talking about TCU and their impressive run, they get no love!"
Stop! Now!
TCU "marque" wins:
Oregon State: read above
Baylor: Gave up an average of 48 points in their 5 losses includung 55 and 53 to Oklahoma St and Oklahoma respectively. But they did beat powerhouses like Sam Houston St, Buffalo and 5-6 Texas in the midst of their worst season in the Mack Brown era.
Utah: proud owners of wins against the likes of San Jose St, Wyoming and Colorado St. After losing to TCU, Utah got spanked by Notre Dame 28-3, erasing any luster TCU mat have gained by beating them.
"But these two programs can't help who they play, plus they beat everyone on their schedule by lopsided margins". You're making my point. They play a weak schedule year after year, never take the Florida St route of real tough non conference foes then whine about lack of respect at the end of the season.
If these schools could possibly go through a schedule that opens up with the usual pancakes then play in a row, Kentucky, at Alabama, at Arkansas, La Laf, at Tennesse, at LSU then close with an in state arch rival and still remain unbeaten, or even once beaten, then I would gladly show them the love so desperately covet. That's a typical SEC, PAC 10 or Big 12 schedule. That's why a one loss SEC,PAC 10 or Big 12 school should jump the likes of unbeaten BSU/TCU.
Let me put it this way.
Next season Mississippi St announces they are joining the CUSA West division with Tulane, UTEP, Houston, Rice and Tulsa. They add Wake Forest, Cincinnati and Vanderbilt, three BCS conference schools, to their non conference schedule. They run the table. They demand to be included at the BCS feast. Would all those BSU/TCU backers be on that Bulldog bandwagon?
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