Boise State Dilemma: Will a No. 5 Ranking Unravel the Poised Broncos?

The Associated Press, USA Today, and Harris Polls concretely agree as to who the top five college football teams in the nation are, in order, and the Boise State Broncos are locked in at the No. 5 position.

With the BCS set to deliver its first top-25 poll on October 18, it is of the utmost importance that there is a consensus regarding the Broncos among the voters who legitimize that ranking.

With that said, the Broncos are considered a top-five team for the first time in the history of Boise State football. The question is whether or not BSU can remain cool under the pressure of having to prove itself all year by winning—and winning big—over all of their remaining opponents.

The Broncos can no longer afford to be taken to the wire by a Nevada team that has struggled against all of its foes. They cannot afford to go into Hawaii and be anything but spectacular.

Certainly when Notre Dame showed up Hawaii last year, and Nevada this year, the bar was set as to what is expected from a quality team in that same situation.

With that said, Boise State is set to play Tulsa in two weeks. How can the Broncos not be held to the same standard that Oklahoma set when the Sooners blew away Tulsa with their back-up quarterback?

The Broncos' next game is against Cal Davis. That game must be won in the same fashion that Boise State handled Miami of Ohio when the Redhawks came to town: dominantly.

No longer can the Broncos afford to play anything but quality football, game in and game out, if they are to maintain their elite ranking.

Boise Broncos know how to handle pressure; they have done so for years.

The question remains: Will they do it this year?

The Broncos are usually fully prepared for their opponents. They train for teams like Cal Davis and those in the Mountain West and WAC as rigorously as they train for BCS teams.

Therefore, it seems logical that Boise State will not only show themselves to be of championship caliber over the next three games, but for the remainder of the season.

The Broncos are a special team this year, better than ever. Young but mechanically mature. Now, with only two starting seniors, they have been respectfully rewarded.

Boise State has achieved the ultimate dream of any college football team; they will respond in kind.

But that’s another story.

Go Broncos.