Are TCU and Boise State Playing for 2010 National Title Invitation?

Boise State and TCU will battle in this year's Fiesta Bowl for a serious shot at next year's national title game invitation.

You say that just might be a far-fetched dream? Well, let’s examine the facts.

In 2010, Boise State will return 21 of this year’s 22 Fiesta Bowl starters. TCU will return 16 of 22 next year.

This year BSU is ranked No. 1 in fewest seniors on their entire roster with only four. TCU is ranked ninth with only 13 seniors. Boise State's 44-man two-deep roster lists only two seniors going into this year's Fiesta Bowl, while TCU has a few more two-deep roster seniors with 12 listed.

The Broncos will return every offensive starter from the Fiesta Bowl starting lineup, including All-American QB Kellen Moore, along with WAC First Team All-Conference players Titus Young (WR), Austin Pettis (WR), and offensive lineman Nate Potter.

Nine offensive starters return for the Horned Frogs next year, including the MWC offensive player of the year QB Andy Dalton and First Team MWC players Marcus Cannon (OL), Ross Evans (K), and MWC special teams player of the year Jeremy Kerley, kick returner.

On the defensive side of the ball, BSU returns 10 of 11 starters, including First Team All-WAC player Ryan Winterswyk (DE), while TCU will have seven starters back.

Both Texas Christian's Gary Patterson and Boise State's Chris Petersen were named 2009 Coach of the Year in their respective conferences.

Not too bad considering both the Frogs and Broncos went undefeated during the 2009 regular season.

This year's Fiesta Bowl winner could easily be ranked in the top five entering next season with the loser not far behind and probably ranked in the top 10. It's no secret that for a non-BCS team to ever have a shot at a national title game invitation, they would need to be ranked very high at the beginning of the year and go undefeated.

As we all know, crazy things happen in college football, and if the Broncos or Frogs are ranked in the top five at the beginning of next year and don't lose a regular season game, they could very well receive that elusive national title game invitation.

Boise State's 2010 schedule features non-conference games against Virginia Tech at FedEx Field in Washington D.C., home against Toledo, at Wyoming, and home against the Pac-10's Oregon State. This represents a significant improvement over this year’s schedule.

TCU will play Baylor at home and SMU and Texas Tech on the road next year before entering their MWC schedule and the always tough games against BYU and Utah.

During the 2010 season both teams will feature games against opponents who will offer serious tests, but if the last two years are any indication, the Broncos and Frogs could again enjoy undefeated records during the regular season.

In the past two years (2008 and 2009) BSU has a record of 25-1, only losing to TCU in last year's Poinsettia Bowl by a score of 17-16. TCU is 23-2 over the last two years with losses to only Utah and Oklahoma during the '08 season.

The Horned Frogs' 49-year-old head coach Gary Patterson is 85-27 in his nine years at TCU, including a 5-3 bowl record. This will be the first time a Patterson-coached TCU team has played in a BCS bowl game.

Chris Petersen, 45 years old, has a record of 48-4 in four years as head coach of the Broncos. He is 2-2 in bowl games, including a BCS bowl win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

After digesting the facts about both of these teams, it's easy to see how the winner of this year’s Fiesta Bowl could be in the driver’s seat for a national title game invitation next year. Both BSU and TCU return an abundance of great players, and both teams are lead by outstanding coaching staffs.

Interestingly, Patterson and Petersen developed their friendship during the festivities leading up to last year's Poinsettia Bowl and decided to get their two coaching staffs together last spring to study each other's programs and share offensive and defensive strategies. I'll bet neither coach knew then that down the road so much could be on the line—like a possible shot at the 2010 national title.

Could TCU and Boise State both get national title game invitations next year? The winner of the Fiesta Bowl will be a notch ahead in next year's preseason rankings, but it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to think these two teams could play each other again next year with that big crystal football trophy going to the winner.

Is it possible that two teams from non-BCS-qualifying conferences could both bust the BCS again next year...and play for the national title? I'd love to be a mouse in the corner at the BCS offices when this possibility is discussed!