While I had hoped for my last column to spark some discussion of Boise State University’s place in the Bowl Championship Series, I did not expect the 800-plus word rant sent into the Voice last week by my fellow first-year Trevor Patch. Patch had several problems with my column on all sorts of levels, so this week I’ll be using this space to defend myself.
Patch’s first argument was that I ignored the fact that non-conference scheduling happens years in advance. He is correct on this point; I did conveniently skip that aspect of college scheduling. However, Patch also claims that I said that Boise wasn’t doing anything about their weak schedule. This is blatantly false. I made it a point to mention that the Broncos are moving to the Mountain West Conference next year and that they are playing a three-game series with Michigan State University starting in 2012.
Patch then attempted to dissect my argument that the Mountain West is better than the Western Athletic Conference. In my last column, I said that San Diego State University and the Air Force Academy were good teams that made up the top of the conference. The only argument that Patch made about San Diego State was that the Aztecs are two years removed from a 2-10 season. I hate to be rude, but so what? The University of Texas is one season removed from being number two in the nation. Does that mean that this year’s bumbling 4-6 Longhorns squad is still the best of the Big 12? My point is this: The 2010 San Diego State team is nothing like the 2008 San Diego State team. This edition is coached by Brady Hoke, who in my opinion is one of the most underrated coaches in football. Hoke took Ball State University to a 12-1 season two years ago, and as soon as he left the entire program fell apart. The Aztecs are on pace for a nine-win season and have been ranked in the BCS top 25.
Patch also said that Air Force is “basically Georgia Tech University but not as good.” This logic is nonsensical. The only similarity between Air Force and Georgia Tech is that they both run the triple option. Saying the teams are alike because of this is like saying that every team that runs the spread is the same. Air Force nearly beat Oklahoma University and have also been ranked this year. They are in no way a bad football team and I think they could beat Georgia Tech (who lost to 3-7 Kansas University) by 10. I was also accused of calling Brigham Young University a good team. I never said that. I called BYU a traditional power, because that’s exactly what they are. The Cougars are way down this year after losing their best offensive players in Max Hall and Harvey Unga. But as always, BYU will reload, even if their schedule as an independent is vastly different from their Mountain West schedule.
Patch then said that Texas Christian University’s victory over the University of Utah only looked good because “Urban Meyer brought [Utah] to prominence.” To be fair, the response was written a day before TCU beat Utah 47-7, but my point remains the same. Urban Meyer hasn’t been the coach at Utah in six years. Just two seasons ago, they beat the University of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and finished number two in the nation under Kyle Whittingham. The Utes did not rise to number five this year because Urban Meyer won the Fiesta Bowl in 2004. I realize that TCU’s victory was downgraded on Saturday when Utah lost 28-3 to Notre Dame University, but when a team goes on the road to play the fifth-ranked team in the nation, who has won more than 20 games in a row in their stadium, and they win by 40, that team is for real. Boise State doesn’t have a win like that on their schedule.
Finally, Patch closed by saying that he disagreed that “the BCS system should make it so that it is legitimately impossible for Boise to make the national title game.” Again, this is putting words in my mouth. I completely agree that Boise should not get screwed over by the system every year. In fact, I hate the BCS system and how many non-automatic qualifiers it denies. My point was not that Boise State deserves to be left out, it’s that they don’t have an argument to be in the championship game if the University of Oregon, Auburn University and TCU remain undefeated.
So readers, while we have no problem with reader responses (in fact, we encourage you to write to us, especially if you want to write for us), please make sure you look over what you are responding to a few times so you don’t misinterpret our points.
