To B(CS) or Not to B(CS): That Is the Question

It seems as though every August we college football fans are forced to listen to the relentless hyping and talking up of the next BCS buster.

Why is it that we are forced to go through this year in and year out?

Why do teams outside of those “superior” and “powerhouse” conferences constantly have to wonder...“to B(CS) or not to B(CS)? That is the question.”

The answer is simple: When William Shakespeare wrote the phrase uttered in his famous play Hamlet, the world was still in order.

However, since the creation of the BCS the world has fallen into a college football apostasy.

Now we have computers deciding who should play in what game. We have teams (like the BYU Cougars) who are forced—mind you—forced to schedule lesser teams in hopes of achieving perfection and perhaps getting a nod to a financially coveted BCS bowl game.

It worked for Utah in 2004. The Broncos of Boise State made it happen in 2006, and Hawaii used the theory just last season.

In the case of Utah and Boise State, they proved that they did in fact belong, but why do these teams have to prove it more than other teams?

BYU goes on the road and gets a close victory over a “down” team but still drops a few spots in the polls.

However, if Florida were to ever travel to an opponent’s field during the opponent's “down” season and narrowly escape with a victory, there would be no repercussions. We simply chalk it up to the fact that they play in one particular region of the country. That’s it.

As a close follower of Mountain West Conference football (your home of the next BCS buster), I feel that there are several reasons why the MWC deserves the credit and hype that other programs get.

Granted, BYU is in the top 10 and Utah is rolling right now. I see the props coming in. I just want to offer a reminder that these guys can play.

Against their rival conference the Pac-10, the MWC is 5-1 on the season. Even mid to bottom MWC teams (UNLV) are taking it to the supposed upper echelon of Pac-10 teams (Arizona State). BYU put a convincing 59-0 beatdown on UCLA, while TCU and New Mexico handled their Pac-10 foes.

I will concede that top to bottom the SEC and the Big 12 are superior conferences to the Mountain West. However, I will contend until I am blue in the face that this season the Mountain West Conference is the third best conference in the country.

Utah proved they could hang with the Big Ten as they went into the Big House and beat a Michigan team that took care of ninth-ranked Big Ten opponent Wisconsin on the same field.

Ohio State struggled in victories against much “lesser” opponents in Ohio and Troy, while Wisconsin suffered the loss to the Wolverines and barely escaped Fresno State with a victory.

The Big Ten does have one thing going for it...Penn State and Joe Pa.

I don’t even need to get into the ACC and Big East, as they are clearly not in the same breath as the Mountain West Conference.

Of course, as bad as they are, the ACC and Big East winners are still granted an automatic berth into a BCS showdown (where they will most likely be beaten by a “lesser” MWC opponent. See: Utah 35, Pittsburgh 7 in 2004).

Go figure.

How I wish I lived when Shakespeare did...those were the days.