With a Longhorn loss to A&M, could easily see a BCS as follows. BCS is messed up by (a) 3 "top 2" teams, (b) 2 non-BCS schools, and (c) really weak representatives from Big East and ACC.

ROSE (6) Boise St. (11-0) v. Michigan (9-2)
FIESTA (5) Utah (11-0) v. Miami (9-2)
SUGAR (3) Auburn (12-0) v. Boston College (8-3)
ORANGE (1) Southern Cal (12-0) v. (2) Oklahoma (12-0)

On the Outside looking in:

HOLIDAY (4) Cal (10-1) V. Texas A&M (8-3)

Even more bizarre, but possible if all of the top 3 are upset:

ROSE (AP#2, BCS#3) Utah (11-0) v. (11) Michigan (9-2)
FIESTA (UR) Iowa St. (8-4) v. (13) Virginia (9-2)
SUGAR (14) Tennessee (10-2) v. (UR) Boston College (8-3)
ORANGE (AP#3, BCS#2) Southern Cal (11-1) v. (AP#4, BCS#1) Oklahoma (11-1)

On the Outside looking in:

HOLIDAY (AP #1, BCS #3) Cal (10-1) V. Texas A&M (8-3)
CITRUS (5) Auburn (11-1) v. Iowa (9-2)
MPC COMPUTER (6) Boise State v. No. carolina

If Utah does make the BCS, the Liberty is rumored- perhaps even expected- to take Boise State to play Louisville. I know Louisville would far rather play Boise than New Mexico.

Georgia and Miami are close behind Boise State. Next weekend, Boise State plays at Nevada, Georgia hosts Georgia Tech, and I forget who Miami is playing, except to note that they host Virginia Tech on Dec 4. I fully expect one or both schools to pass Boise State in the final calculation, even without an automatic strength of schedule component. I don't think we'll see Boise State in the BCS, whatever happens. Besides, Boise State's road record has been rather suspect of late (last-minute field goal to beat Tulsa, defeating San Jose State in double overtime), Nevada (undefeated at home) is not a gimme. Dirty little secret- teams with athletic receivers can go deep on the Broncos.

One more thing- I'm highly skeptical that the Rose Bowl would be forced to take Utah, though there are scenarios where they might have to. I KNOW they won't take Boise State in a millenia. Reason: it's bad enough that people here think BSU would be stretching things to send more than 3,000 fans to Memphis. There aren't 40,000 people in Boise who COULD pay $100 or more for the tickets in Pasadena, much less the two-grand tour packages they love to sell down there.

Yes, but what if Georgia loses to Georgia Tech and Miami loses to Virginia Tech, in addition to Cal losing to USM and Texas losing to A & M. Va Tech is #14 in the BCS rankings. Beating number 9 Miami may not propell it above Boise State.

It would be really cool to see Go Blue Michigan play Blue Astroturf Boise State in the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl is big on replicating the inzones of the fields of the teams in the game. If Boise State goes to the Rose Bowl ( and yes that is a HUGE "if"), would the Rose paint 1/2 the playing field and endzone in Bronco Blue, and the other half would be the regular green grass that Michigan plays on? That would be an absolutely cool site :o

The game's most traditional game, the "Grandaddy of the All" with the "rub-your-eyes-to-see-that-you're-not-color-blind-Bronco-blue-grass-1/2-field" in that "Granddaddy of Them All".

:o :o :o :o

Has any "neutral site" venue ever accomodated Boise State's blue turf? I-AA playoffs? Fort Worth Bowl? I don't ever recall half of a team's logo at midfield...

If only the ACC and BIG EAST didn't ascend to national prominence as shills for their respective Florida powers...there remains the possibility that a 6-5 (4-2) Syracuse team could be the legitimate 2004 BIG EAST Champion...if Syracuse beats Boston College and Pittsburgh beats West Virginia, all four of these teams would be tied atop the BIG EAST at 4-2...in head-to-head competion, Pittsburgh and Syracuse would be 2-1 while BC and West Virginia would be 1-2, and Syracuse's win over Pittsburgh would give them the conference championship...could you picture the Big Ten or Pac-10 using the BCS as the primary basis for its tie-breakers in determining a Rose Bowl representative?

A bigger nightmare???

More improbable than above, but not totally unreasonable:
USC loses to Notre Dame and then drops a game to UCLA as well (ND possible and 2nd loss likely if ND wins due to letdown).
Auburn loses to Tennessee in SEC championship (big possibility)
OU loses to Iowa St. close in Big 12 championship (some possibility)
VT beats Miami but loses to UVA (big possibility)


Rose Disappointed 9-2 USC vs. disappointed 9-2 Michigan-noone cares and there are some empty seats.
Fiesta Iowa St. 8-4 vs. Boston College 9-2-noone cares and bowl has lots of empty seats.
Sugar Tennessee 10-2 vs. UVA 10-2-noone watches because they didn't know UVA had a fb team
Orange non-champ OU 11-1 vs. non-champ Auburn 11-1
no credibility
While Utah, #1 in coaches poll and #2 in AP isn't in the BCS at all. As well as possibly 10-1 Cal and 10-1 Texas and 11-0 Boise St. and 10-1 Louisville. 5 of the top 7 teams don't make the BCS.

I don´t know if SU would be considered the champion. All four teams would be considered champs. Although it gets interesting as to who the BCS rep is. If pitt beats WVU and USF while BC loses to SU, it would depend on the final BCS rankings. Pitt would be top-25 in both polls, but i don´t know if they would be ranked top-25 in the BCS. SU would not be ranked in the BCS. The question becomes are BCS rankings below ´25´valid or will both teams tie at 25?

http://www.bigeast.org/sports/football/releases/10-29-01.asp

FOUR-WAY TIE
A. "mini-conference" is created amongst the four teams.
In the mini-conference, Team A is 3-0, Team B is 2-1, Team C is 1-2, and Team D is 0-3. Team A earns bid, regardless of ranking.
In the mini-conference, Teams A and B are 2-1, Teams C and D are 1-2. The higher ranked team of the 2-1 teams earns the bid. If two teams tie for the highest ranking, the bid goes to the team that won the head-to-head match-up.

Yeah, that's why I said "legitimate" champion...I am generally familiar with the ACC/BIG EAST's "FSU/Miami" tie-breakers...I think C-USA might employ something similar but to a lesser extent...in 2002 Cincinnati and TCU both had 6-2 conference records (Cincinnati beat TCU) and TCU went to the Liberty Bowl (and the Sun Belt justifiably touted North Texas' subsequent New Orleans Bowl victory over "C-USA Champion" Cincinnati)...

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041123/NEWS0301/411230344

Perhaps gives a reason TO root for Boise State making the Rose Bowl, though I'm certain the Rose would pull rank to get Utah in the U + Blue Turf scenario.

Last year was the first time BSU ever played in a bowl game outside Boise, and Fort Worth wasn't about to paint a whole chunk of grass blue.

That's interesting that the Rose Bowl is looking to leave the BCS.

I don't see why they wouldn't, they already have a separate TV contract.

The Big 10 & Pac 10 might feel differently. They pushed the Rose Bowl to get in a few years ago.

I'm unsure which bowl would get to choose first if the Fiesta, Sugar and Rose all had one open spot to fill but I do know the BCS has the authority to overide the selection process if they feel it's in the best interest of the game. Thus, if that scenario were to happen and the Rose did indeed get the last pick and found itself staring Boise State in the face, you can be d@mn sure there will be some reshuffling going on. Otherwise, the Rose will pull out of the BCS probably before USC got to play in the Orange Bowl.

Utah would be acceptable given the type of school it is, but Boise State is exactly the type of secondary institution the BCS schools are trying to distinguish themselves from. As sure as I am about many things, the Rose Bowl will never, ever feature Boise State.

Boise State desparately needs to upgrade its university.

They need a massive expansion in doctorate programs, a medical school, a law school, and a change of name.

University of Idaho and Idaho State are already taken.

The University of Boise?

Boise University?

Drop the "State" in their name.

Idaho Tech?

Nothing directional or hyphenated either.

"Boise State" conjurs up a junior college from potato land. No offense directed at Boise State fans mind you.

The University of Idaho and the University of Montana were once aligned with most of the Pac 10 schools in a previous alignment.

What would have the Rose Bowl done if the University of Idaho or the University of Montana had played Michigan or Ohio State in a Rose 50 years ago?

I doubt Boise State alumni would be in favor of the change.

Especially the big money supporters from Micron and Dell.

And why would Micron and Dell be so embedded with the name of "Boise State University"?

Until the Big 10's, Pac 10's, and Rose Bowl Committees, so used to top notch academic schools of Stanford, Cal, Michigan, UCLA, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Washington, and Illnois and others, who have a strong tradition of playing in the Rose Bowl, they are going to strongly object, buck, and be appalled by the possibility of a commuter school from a remote area, that has a very short history (both as a football program and a school) ever playing in the Rose Bowl. Two conferences that cling to tradition and a Bowl that merits its tradition as the "Grandaddy of Them All" will repudiate the BCS if they are ever put in the position of taking such a school, like Boise State.

That sounds cruel, but thats what these three institutions pride themselves on.

If Boise State wants to improve its chances for a Rose Bowl, and other schools like Southern Miss, UNLV, Fresno State, San Diego State, Memphis, South Florida, Central Florida, UAB, this commuter school and hyphenated and directional school image would have to change.

Unless these schools forget about the Rose Bowl, and hope for a chance for the other 3 BCS Bowls.