Boise State: We don't need to earn our respect

I am a Bronco fan.

I was a Bronco fan the first time we beat BYU @ their house.

I was still a Bronco fan when we crushed Utah.

I was a Bronco fan the first time we beat Oregon on the road and then again when they came to our house looking for "revenge" and left empty handed.

You know what? Like every other Bronco fan out there, I'm tired of justifying why our team deserves credibility.

We have earned it on the field...

2002 - BSU @ Iowa State 34-17

2003 - BSU @ BYU  50-12

2003 - BSU vs TCU 34-31

2004 - Oregon State @ BSU   34 -53

2004 - BYU @ BSU 27-28

2004 - SMU @ BSU 38-20

2006 - Oregon State @ BSU 14-42

2006 - BSU @ Utah 36-3

2006 - BSU vs Oklahoma 43-42

2008 - BSU @ Oregon 37-32

2009 - Oregon @ BSU 8-19

2009 - BSU vs TCU 17-10

BSU's record during this period was 94-11.

I won't mention all 80 of our other wins because we play "nobodies" like Fresno State (who beat Illinois this year) and Nevada (who was the first team in history to have three guys rush for a 1,000 yards each). It must also be pointed out that Nevada lost two of those rushers to season-ending injuries after running up against our "WAC" d-line. We also played lowly Tulsa at least four times and have yet to be beaten by the Golden Hurricanes.

I watched Florida struggle against Arkansas this year.

I also watched Alabama nearly lose to Tennessee AND Auburn.

I watched Texas struggle against Nebraska, and Colorado almost get its first away win of the season against Oklahoma State...

Wait a minute...justifying again.

BSU fans have an edge that potential opponents hand us time after time.

We have no idiotic bias against watching other conferences play so we have a realistic and grounded set of expectations when it comes to our boys in blue.

The power conferences still treat us as upstarts who can't play the game, let alone win.

It is to Bronco Nation's advantage that we are still perceived as the "little guy."

But it is so frustrating to be considered a bad team because "we suck."

"You need to move to a better conference."

Ok, Chief! We are ALL for it.

Could you please call the commissioners of the Big Eleven, the Pac-10, The Big 12, or ANY power conference even close to us and say, "Let them join us because they don't play anybody."

Just that easy, huh?

Our athletic director has an outstanding offer to any big boy team to do a one-and-done at their house.

We would even be willing to join the Mountain West.

After all, we are 16-1 against them.

If BSU kicks the crap out Utah, BYU, and TCU every single year will that even be enough?

Probably not.

Luckily, bias is slowly losing it's grip on the BCS, and is being replaced with factual evidence based on winning, hence BSU finishing at No. 4 this year. 

One final thought...believe it or not, most Bronco fans believe that we deserve a No. 2 ranking, and that Alabama is No. 1.

We would like the opportunity to play them and see if we can earn the No. 1 spot, but most Broncos are aware of SOS (that thing we get soooooo much crap about) and that "Bama earned its No. 1 under the current system.

Next year when we beat Oregon State and Virginia Tech, we will be considered by the computers to be national title contenders.

The only way that is not going to happen is if Ohio State and 'Bama both run the table, otherwise you will see one of these Bad Boys against BSU.

I like what Jim Rome said about us recently:

"Boise State does what it does best. They come to your house as the underdog, and then does something really gutsy to rip your heart out of your chest."

Bring it on, and let's GO Broncos !