I know that Boise suffers the same malady that a number of other mid-major conferences suffer - a very weak conference combined with a weak nonconference schedule. I appreciate that it is difficult to get teams to travel to Boise (or Hawai'i or Fresno), and scheduling Oregon is a good thing regardless of how their record looks now. But were a rebuilding Southern Miss, a mediocre Bowling Green, and an always terrible Idaho State the best you could do?
There needs to be more thought here. Play more West Coast teams. This season, they may not have been playing better teams, but they certainly would have more respect if they had played UCLA instead of Southern Miss (both 2-4), Oregon State instead of Bowling Green (both 3-3), or even a real challenge, like Utah instead of Idaho State. Sure, it might be a bit more on the travel budget, but it's better than travelling all the way to Southern Mississippi.
This could all be irrelevant by the end of the season. All of the mountain West and WAC teams don't have any margin for error, as they realistically have to go undefeated in order to gain the respect that comes from a BCS bowl berth. BYU already failed that test, losing to TCU, and there's no guarantee the same won't happen when Boise plays Fresno State at the end of the season.
You're getting there, Broncos, but you aren't world-beaters just yet. Not on that field, anyway.
Article comments