Boise State Broncos Win Big, Lose Bigger but the NCAA Loses Even More

Boise State did what they were supposed to do. They scheduled the Georgia Bulldogs on the road to open the season. They went to Atlanta and dominated them 35-21. That's all they can do, which is take care of business. 

Kellen Moore subdued any doubts that he wouldn't be the same without his star wide receivers. In a Tom Brady like performance he spread the ball around to anyone and everyone, hitting nine different receivers on 28 of 34 attempts and three touchdowns..

It wasn't the game they played that hurts Boise State, it's what they have no control over. After Week 1 it looks like they will have no signature win. 

Georgia, already a losing team last year, won't be any better this year. They just didn't look like a premiere team against Boise State. They replaced most of their defense and three starters on the offensive line. They wont' finish the season ranked. 

That's no fault of Boise State.

What happened in a different game might be even worse for Boise State though. TCU got beaten by Baylor. Granted, Baylor might move into the rankings, but TCU will move down. There's no way a two loss TCU team finishes in the top 10.  

Therein lies the problem that Boise State faces. The only  two "signature" games on their schedule have decidedly less "signature" to them. Georgia looks to be a middle of the pack SEC team again this year, and TCU will have two losses if Boise State beats them. 

This could leave Boise State without a top 10 win. There isn't another ranked opponent on their schedule at present. Sure there are a couple of teams that could move up into the top 25 but it's hard to see where a top 10 team is going to come from. 

Boise State is in the same sad but realistic predicament they are in every year. They could be sitting on top of the standings and an undefeated record with no hope of playing in the National Championship game.

It's almost a foregone conclusion at this point that whomever wins the SEC championship game will get one spot. The Big 10 (erp 12) features the No. 1 team in Oklahoma. Texas A&M is ranked seventh and would probably leapfrog Boise State by the end of the month if they can beat Oklahoma State and Arkansas in back to back weeks. 

The Big 12 (erp 10) are probably the second best conference with the addition of Nebraska. Ohio State didn't skip a beat. Wisconsin looked lethal. Northwestern beat Boston College without their Heisman candidate quarterback. They will also now have a conference championship game, which could serve to be another play in game to the National Championship.

In short, Boise State did what they were supposed to do, but based on things they have no control over they could very well already have any hopes for a shot at the National Championship dashed for no other reason than Baylor beat TCU.

There is a subtle, almost ironic hypocrisy to the NCAA. On the one hand they spend the summer talking about cleaning up the system. All the while it defends and maintains the system which fails to even allow for the possibility of rewarding those who abide by it. 

Boise State lost a season in a game they didn't even play in.

Once again the best argument for a playoff can be summed up in three words, "Boise State Broncos." If the NCAA truly wants to clean up football, they need to allow clean teams to play for the National Championship, otherwise they send the subtle message that only cheaters prosper.