Boise State to Tulsa: Will the BCS Top Five the Broncos after the Game?

(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

Boise State has played Division I football for only 14 years, and it appears the majority of coaches and pollsters agree that the Broncos are worthy of their top five ranking (give or take a couple coaches).  The question is, will the BCS abide?

Since the arrival of Boise State to Division I-A, it seems that the BCS "powers that be" have not been all that supportive.

Or have they?  The BCS, after all, has specific standards by which it operates.

Those standards can be difficult to appreciate for non-BCS teams like Boise State and Tulsa, and, often times, the fans feeling picked on.  They start desiring to be in conferences where they believe the chance for championship contention, or a decent bowl offer, is there every season (like in the Big East, where the winner goes to the Orange Bowl).

For Boise State, the Broncos must compete against their own conference every year, as all other schools are required for achieving the number one spot, and then are considered by the BCS Selection Committee to reach the prized BCS bowls.

However, this 2009 season, the pollsters have placed the Boise State Broncos into the top five position midway through the college season.  The BCS makes their first poll selections Oct. 18 (this Sunday).

Regardless of the Broncos' rankings, the spotlight is on them in a very big way.  The Broncos had a poor showing in their victory over Cal Davis, a Division I-AA team, despite a Bronco victory by 18 points.

Thus, Boise State needs to play extremely well against their next opponent, C-USA’s Tulsa Golden Hurricane.  Tulsa has only lost once this season, and that was to the Oklahoma Sooners, 45-0.

The bar has been raised and it is set; Boise State must limit Tulsa’s points and, at the same time, continue to go up and down the field, into the red zone, scoring at will.

If the Broncos fail to accomplish that goal, it will most likely mean that they will be jumped in the BCS poll by three or four BCS teams, and any hopes of a championship game will be lost for this year.

Yet, many voters seem to be set on the idea that the Broncos will meet a BCS powerhouse team like Texas or Oklahoma in the Fiesta bowl, and for that to materialize, the Broncos must win the remainder of their games, and do so respectfully.

It is hard for non-BCS teams, but aside from a playoff, there is truly no better way for those lesser conferences to compete against the BCS super powers.

The Broncos are in better position this season because they are ranked number five by the Harris poll and that along with the polls packs some serious weight.

It would take a miracle of sorts for the Broncos to play for the BCS Championship Game, but the prized Fiesta Bowl is surely doable.  Go Broncos!

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