Boise State Football: Broncos Will Rule Big East's Western Division

The Boise State Broncos are preparing for their move to the Big East in 2013, and the conference recently announced their plan to put the program in the West Division, according to Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press (h/t Idaho Press-Tribune).

Because the Big East will expand to 12 football teams from all over the country next season, they have elected to split into two divisions, with the champions playing in the newly conceived Big East title game.

Officials have placed Boise State in the West, along with Houston, Memphis, San Diego State, SMU and Temple. The East will be comprised of Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, Connecticut, South Florida and Central Florida. Navy will be joining the conference in 2014, and there are tentative plans to add a 14th school to keep the two sides balanced.

It seems like a safe bet to believe that we will be seeing plenty of Boise State in that championship game, and likely at Bronco Field—considering the highest ranked team will reportedly host the contest (via John F. Silver of the Journal Inquirer).

Boise is having a “down” year right now, and it still has an 8-2 record with two games left to play. It’s ranked in the Week 12 USA Today coaches’ poll at No. 22 and is receiving votes in the AP poll with 14, something only Rutgers and Louisville can claim right now in the Big East.

With both of those above average—at best—programs slated to join the Eastern division, the Broncos are going to be the most dominant team out west. Just look at the 2012 records for the opponents that will be in their division next year.

Houston is a mediocre 4-6, SMU just climbed to .500 at 5-5, Memphis is a piddling 2-8 and Temple is a lowly 3-6.

Only San Diego State, a squad that actually beat the Broncos on Nov. 3 (21-19), is looking like worthy competition. However, the Aztecs don’t have anywhere near the prestige that Boise has earned over the past decade, and aren’t likely to remain a threat for long.

Don’t be surprised to see Boise State competing in the Big East’s championship game almost every season for the foreseeable future.