Does Boise State Deserve Title Shot?

[AllN4Cy]

I'm new to the site so if this has been covered forgive me. Tuesday Matt & Miller were arguing over whether Boise State deserves a shot at the title game. Matt P's argument was that they should get a shot if they are undefeated since they beat Virginia Tech. Miller's argument was that they have too soft of a schedule to earn a shot at the title.

Boise knew coming into the year that they had to beat Virigina Tech to have any shot. They had all year to prepare for them knowing the rest of their games aren't nearly as difficult. If a I-AA team like UNI beats a BCS team and runs the table with their remaining games, no one would ever think of giving them a shot at the national title. Why would it be any different for Boise State? Strength of schedule is part of the BCS calculation for a reason. Boise is an excellent program and could play with any team in the country, but until you actually play a schedule like Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, Iowa, Texas, etc. you won't have my vote (not that I have any say.

What are your thoughts?

 

[azn4cy]

Could not agree with you more.

They have to get up for 2 games/yr. Boise can more or less play their starters 3 quarters the rest of the games.

The lack of attrition makes a huge difference in the way your season plays out.

 

[jdoggivjc]

They still have to get by Oregon State, who is a very good team themselves, and they didn't have all offseason to prepare for them.

My opinion is this - as long as they stay undefeated they should be in the discussion. If two (or more) BCS teams finish undefeated they clearly aren't going to get the title shot. The debate comes if Boise St is the only undefeated team and the rest of the BCS teams have one loss. If all BCS teams have two losses (which I can't see happening), Boise St should definitely be there.

 

[AllN4Cy]

They still have to get by Oregon State, who is a very good team themselves, and they didn't have all offseason to prepare for them.

My opinion is this - as long as they stay undefeated they should be in the discussion. If two (or more) BCS teams finish undefeated they clearly aren't going to get the title shot. The debate comes if Boise St is the only undefeated team and the rest of the BCS teams have one loss. If all BCS teams have two losses (which I can't see happening), Boise St should definitely be there.

This makes sense to me. I don't think a 1 loss team should be passed over by Boise, especially if the 1 loss team played in a conference championship game. I agree that it is highly unlikely there won't be at least a couple 0 or 1 loss BCS teams at the end of the year.

 

[CYphyllis]

I'm new to the site so if this has been covered forgive me. Tuesday Matt & Miller were arguing over whether Boise State deserves a shot at the title game. Matt P's argument was that they should get a shot if they are undefeated since they beat Virginia Tech. Miller's argument was that they have too soft of a schedule to earn a shot at the title.

Boise knew coming into the year that they had to beat Virigina Tech to have any shot. They had all year to prepare for them knowing the rest of their games aren't nearly as difficult. If a I-AA team like UNI beats a BCS team and runs the table with their remaining games, no one would ever think of giving them a shot at the national title. Why would it be any different for Boise State? Strength of schedule is part of the BCS calculation for a reason. Boise is an excellent program and could play with any team in the country, but until you actually play a schedule like Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, Iowa, Texas, etc. you won't have my vote (not that I have any say.

What are your thoughts?

No.

Reason:

Virginia Tech, Wyoming, Oregon State, New Mexico State, Toledo, San Jose State, Louisana Tech, Hawaii, Idaho, Fresno State, Nevada, Utah State.

Virginia Tech and Oregon State do not constitute an entire season.

 

[isukendall]

My opinion is this - as long as they stay undefeated they should be in the discussion. If two (or more) BCS teams finish undefeated they clearly aren't going to get the title shot. The debate comes if Boise St is the only undefeated team and the rest of the BCS teams have one loss. If all BCS teams have two losses (which I can't see happening), Boise St should definitely be there.

Short answer to the OP's question: Yes.

I agree with this (above) however.

My thought is, it's not Boise State's fault they've been left out before despite being undefeated, it's the BCS and the system. Granted, they play a lighter schedule, but they're trying to move that to a tougher conference and schedule non-con tough opponents. If there would just be a playoff in place, this wouldn't even be an issue. Win out to get into the playoff, decide it against the big boys.

 

[JBone84]

No way - their schedule is unacceptable to get into the NC game even if they are undefeated.

I do believe they should be in an 8-team playoff for the NC, if there were one...

 

[helechopper]

They do not. They only play 2 tough games this season*, the rest are terrible football teams.


* Boise State does need credit for beefing up their schedule this year. Also, I do understand that they can't help that they're currently in a crap conference.

 

[erikbj]

They can be in teh BCS, but deserves no title shot unless everyone else loses 3 games.

 

[azn4cy]

Ok, so followup question for everyone? How many teams right now would beat Boise on a neutral field?

 

[heitclone]

I think they absolutely deserve to be in the NC if they go undefeated AND either 1 or 0 other teams do. Sadly they won't because the media machine will go nuts after the head coach of a 1 loss team rants in press conference about how they're getting jipped. It's purely a bandwagon mentality that decides these things late in the season.

 

[heitclone]

Ok, so followup question for everyone? How many teams right now would beat Boise on a neutral field?

only a handful, and theres no team I'd say would be a lock to beat them.

 

[bluestarcyclone]

Its not necessarily about going undefeated, its also about who you beat. If boise state is undefeated and Oklahoma has one loss to say... OSU, they will still have beaten 9 BCS conference teams, or more than 4x what Boise State will have. Basically, on 9\25, both would have beaten 2 BCS conference teams. Then Boise State heads west for easy pickings, while at that point OU is just getting started with the difficulty in its schedule.

 

[06Panther]

Yes they do deserve a title shot. They have done literally everything possible to earn their shot over the course of several years now, and they deserve the respect. How many more teams do they have to beat?

If the 'national championship' is only decided between the Big 10, SEC, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas, then it isn't a national title.

 

[azn4cy]

Yes they do deserve a title shot. They have done literally everything possible to earn their shot over the course of several years now, and they deserve the respect. How many more teams do they have to beat?

If the 'national championship' is only decided between the Big 10, SEC, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas, then it isn't a national title.

So throw out the fact that UNI is in the FCS... Theoretically, if they played their current whole schedule, plus beat Iowa and Iowa State, they would deserve to be in the NC?

 

[bluestarcyclone]

Yes they do deserve a title shot. They have done literally everything possible to earn their shot over the course of several years now, and they deserve the respect. How many more teams do they have to beat?

If the 'national championship' is only decided between the Big 10, SEC, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas, then it isn't a national title.

They play in an easy conference. There's no easy way of getting around that. But if theyre serious about a national championship, how about scheduling all 4 of your non conference against BCS teams? And stop whining when no one will schedule you when you demand a huge paycheck to come.

 

[AllN4Cy]

Ok, so followup question for everyone? How many teams right now would beat Boise on a neutral field?

That is tough to say. Virginia Tech nearly beat them at home. I personally don't think Virginia Tech is an elite team this year though. What really sucks is no one will ever know. I think any given week they could probably beat any team, but they could also be beaten by several teams too. While the BCS schools actually play those tough games throughout the year, Boise plays one and then lets the bigger schools beat on each other. Give them a full season of BCS schools to play and then let them in on the national title game. Until then, I just don't feel they've earned that chance. It's a crappy system for sure.

 

[Cyrocks]

Yes they do deserve a title shot. They have done literally everything possible to earn their shot over the course of several years now, and they deserve the respect. How many more teams do they have to beat?

If the 'national championship' is only decided between the Big 10, SEC, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas, then it isn't a national title.

This is exactly right...except....

I found it odd that you used Big 10 and SEC, but didn't use Big 12 and Pac 10. Does that mean you only think Texas and Oklahoma are the only ones who will ever represent the Big 12, and that USC are the only ones who will ever represent the Pac 10?:wink:

 

[cyfanatic]

My thought about it is that just because Boise State plays in a weaker conference does not mean they are not the best team in the nation. They might be! We would need a playoff to figure this out though! I hope they do win it so that it will either quiet their critics or make a strong case for a playoff system!

What I really hope is that Boise State gets the BCS-nod that so many teams think they deserve because they went 9-3 in a better conference!

 

[azn4cy]

That is tough to say. Virginia Tech nearly beat them at home. I personally don't think Virginia Tech is an elite team this year though. What really sucks is no one will ever know. I think any given week they could probably beat any team, but they could also be beaten by several teams too. While the BCS schools actually play those tough games throughout the year, Boise plays one and then lets the bigger schools beat on each other. Give them a full season of BCS schools to play and then let them in on the national title game. Until then, I just don't feel they've earned that chance. It's a crappy system for sure.

It's hard to say after games like this and bowl games. And honestly, VT should have beat them if not for some atrocious play calling/coaching at the end.

It's the same reason GT is bad in bowl games.. a month of prep and their offense is less effective. Boise has to plan big for 2 games a year, each of them gives them a month of prep.

I would put the number at 10-15 though.