David Rules: How Boise State Changed College Football

 The same scene played out across college campuses all year.  There were no more “easy” games for big schools.  Each week was a battle.  The pride of the bigger programs raised the stakes because they did not want to become the next Oklahoma or let their opponent walk out of town as the next BSU.

Now, this is the reality that we live in.  When Appalachian State opens the season against LSU, the fact that the two schools don’t even play in the same division will hardly matter. 

In previous years, BCS conferences considered the non-conference schedule to be largely a preseason affair, assuming victory over opponents was in the bag.  Not anymore.

Boise State opened the door for the little guy, but it also kicked in the door for progress.  College football needed shaking up.  The excitement and unpredictability of amateur athletics is part of the beauty of the sport, but too much of those attributes were lost amidst boosters and money and success.

The rules have changed thanks to the Broncos, and they left behind a blueprint that any school can follow to success:

1. Great Coaching

Having the right staff can make up for a lot of insufficiencies elsewhere, and the right gameplans and preparations can turn the tide in a game.  Any school can find a young, eager coach to lead a program, and there are many great minds out there who just need a chance.

 
2. Hungry Athletes

Small schools cannot recruit the biggest, fastest, strongest athletes, but they will always have a chance to grab kids who have something to prove.  Many Boise State athletes were passed over by bigger programs, and their success on the field is due in large part to their motivation to prove their worth.

 
3. Belief in a System

Teams like Boise State often have to turn to within for inspiration when outsiders are not giving them a chance.  Therefore, belief in what the team is setting out to do is important, and if everyone buys in, a unified group can go places they never thought possible.

 
4. Fan Culture

Boise State’s success has created quite the fan following, both from locals and from outsiders.  The support of the team helps immensely at home games, and a large traveling group can make quite a difference on the road.


There is no doubt that the upset trend in college football will continue for years to come.  Hopefully it will bring much-needed changes to a system that could use them, but in the meantime, enjoying the unpredictability of it all is reward enough. 

Week in and week out, analysts and fans will look forward to discovering who will pull the big upset, who will wreak havoc on the polls, who will come from nowhere to surprise the country…

 
Who will be the next Boise State.

 
Kevan Lee is a contributor to One Bronco Nation Under God, a blog devoted to college football and the Boise State Broncos. 

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?