Boise State-TCU: No Matter Who Wins, Both Teams Lose

Heading into the bowl selection, I was excited for all of the possibilities that existed.

TCU vs. Texas Tech and Boise State possibly getting into the BCS, albeit by a longshot.

No matter who these teams played, it would help bring a little bit of respect to the mid-majors as they finished with five teams ranked in the top 25 this year. Utah, Boise State, TCU, BYU, and Ball State. Not only that, but BYU and TCU's only losses came to ranked teams. BYU lost to Utah and TCU. TCU lost to Oklahoma and Utah.

As a MWC conference fan and University of Utah student it was like a dream come true.

Now what I have is a travesty. TCU and BSU are going to play Dec. 23 in the Poinsettia Bowl, while Ohio State will go on to the Fiesta Bowl to play Texas, and Texas Tech goes to the Cotton Bowl to play No. 25 Ole Miss.

No matter what the outcome on the 23rd, both teams are going to lose.

If BSU wins, then TCU and the MWC conference are diminished, and BSU's win will just be chalked up as a win over another mid-major that wasn't as good as everyone thought. If TCU wins, then it will be all about BSU's lack of strength of schedule and that they didn't really belong in the BCS and this game proves it.

But, BYU can gain some attention from beating Pac-10 powerhouse Arizona right? Yes, beating a team sitting at fifth with 7-5 in the Pac-10 will really garner some national respect and attention for BYU. Just like Utah's win over Pitt in 2004 brought them all sorts of media attention and respect.

Even though BSU has a horrible tie-in with the Humanitarian Bowl, I'd rather see them decimate a horrible Maryland team than watch them play TCU, because I want to see Boise State have success in the long run along with TCU.

Now put TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl against another BCS team and I'd watch both those games in eager anticipation. Now before this article gets spammed, I know that this wasn't going to happen as BSU didn't want to play another marshmallow team that would gain them zero respect.

TCU wanted to matchup against someone they thought would be a worthy opponent. It's just sad to watch the second and third best mid-major teams (I'll let you decide who'll be the second and third behind my Utes) beat up on each other.

However, it's an imperfect world and in it you have to take what comes.

That being said, I think TCU is going to win the game. They've already seen the high powered passing offense of Oklahoma, so anything Boise State brings to the table isn't going to scare them, and their defense is simply smothering.

I take TCU 28-17.