Amazing game! I scared the hell out of my new roommate. I warned him I was into sports...

WOW, seriously, one of the best college games I've watched in a long damn time, including last year's title match. I'm not a fan of the playoff idea, but damn, Boise State made a powerful argument tonight for more parity/more options for more teams in the future.

Well coached, well played game.
WOW.

I am soooooo proud of the Broncos. What an amazing game! So the WAC champs take down the Big XII champs on a neutral field.... hmm. I hate to say I predicted that one, but I did.

Ian Johnson was great and that lateral was the play of the year in college football. The Fox announcers were right... this wasn't just the best bowl game of the year or one of the best bowl games ever, it was one of the best and most exciting college football games ever played. Unbelievable!

That one had it all... the star player returns from injury to start the game, each team gets a dramatic comeback, unbelievable plays that will be rememebered for years, a marriage proposal from a star player on national TV, overtime, gutsy play-calling.

If only Boise State could play Ohio State.

Great game. Never rough seeing the sooners take it on the chin.

Ian Johnson's proposal to his cheerleader girlfriend during his postgame interview. Wow!

how many freaking times did I think to myself "game over" during the second half and ot......

Boise Int return for TD making it 28 -10....game over

OU ties game at 28 on conversion....game over

OU Int return for TD with 1 minute left making it 35-28....game over

Boise sacked at midfield....game over

4th and 18...caught short of 1st down....game o....WTF!!!! TD! WOW!

OU scores TD on first play of OT...game over

Boise 4th and short(after nearly fumbling)....game.....maybe not

great call for game winning 2pt conversion. I thought they should have done it after the hook and lateral td.

screw the system.....send the Gators back home, with all due respect the Broncos are 13-0. Please put these guys back in Glendale next Monday. They've earned the opportunity.

I turned the game off after Oklahoma had scored in overtime. I checked on line to see who'd won about ten minutes later and sportsline.com had the final Oklahoma 42 - Boise State 35. ( I'd picked Boise State in the Pick'em game)

I checked again ten minutes later and the final was Boise State 43 - Oklahoma 42???!!!

Simply one of the most amazing ends I've ever seen in a game. A hook and lateral on 4th down. TD. A receiver throws a pass on 4th down. TD. A statue of liberty for the game-winning 2-pointer. Boise State was incredible.

Congrats to Boise State and the WAC. Boise State's win is the reason why the BCS needs to be dumped for a playoff system that would have 8 or 16 teams.

The WAC has played some impressive football this post season.

Other FSU,

I stand corrected in a previous thread where I questioned whether Boise belonged with the Big Boys. Its obvious they can beat any team in America and more than belong. Its time to nix assessing teams as non bcs and bcs teams. College football is more fun when its - Division 1 football without the labels.

A playoff would the correct move.

D'oh! I turned this game off at halftime because my friends didn't want to watch football anymore. I will be watching SportsCenter when it comes up at 1 a.m. for sure just to catch the highlights.

Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel wrote a nice piece on the game. In it, he calls Boise State's win a landmark moment that could forever change college football. I have to agree. Here's an excerpt:



You can read the full article here.

I agree, Jim! I told my dad before the game started to tune into that game (he wasn't aware of the whole Boise State/BCS controversy, etc.). Well, we both flicked on the game, watched it in HD--boy, those colors shined in HD!--and enjoyed one helluva game!

I've seen some great bowl games over the years, but IMHO, this was one of the best bowl games I have ever watched! More so because I was pulling for Boise State. The rest of the bowl games can't come close to this one, I'm afraid.

As an OU fan I'm obviously pretty disappointed, but that was still one of the wildest and greatest college football games you could ever hope for, and I'm glad to see the little guy win a big game. And hey, if this finally gets some serious consideration going toward starting a playoff system, I'm all for it!

ESPN's Pat Forde has a terrific article on the game, including this excerpt: "The big picture: The Valley of the Stun was the stage as an indomitable bunch of dreamers in orange pants landed the mightiest populist blow of college football's modern era. They were Hickory High in helmets, George Mason in cleats. They knocked off a gridiron giant one decade to the day after the burial of Pokey Allen, the beloved Boise coach who brought the program up to Division I-A status just 11 years ago."

Also, I know this has been reported everywhere, but maybe some haven't heard... Boise State's entire football program budget is less than Bob Stoops' salary alone.

Even with Fox having some kinks in their broadcast, I enjoyed their delivery of the game cmopared to the ABC, CBS, and ESPN talking heads who's agendas are obvious when they broadcast games. You have to give kudos to the Fox announcer who emphatically proclaimed " If there was ever a game that demonstrated college football needs a playoff this was the game". Considering Fox's contract with the BCS for him to have ade such a bold comment at a momement when all of America was jumping up and down and tuned into his commment over BSU's victory is pretty significant. Hopefully, this initiates more dialogue on a college football playoff. If it does happen, lets hope its ran by the NCAA and not the BCS.

You can catch all the key plays in the final minutes courtesy of this YouTube video.

Good for the Broncos...Now get rid of that f--king ugly blue carpet from your stadium!

Great ending to an incredible game last night. Boise State claws back from a 4th quarter collapse and Oklahoma killed themselves with the early turnovers. Is Boise state worthy of a share of the national championship? No. They beat a 2 loss Oklahoma team and while it was one of the greatest ends to a college football game I don't think they deserve a share of that title. A playoff system is definitely needed though so that questions such as that one are not an issue anymore. Congrats to BSU however. It was an unbelievable game that I'm glad I stayed up to watch.

With all the BCS criticism, it has to be said that without it Boise would have played in the MPC Computers Bowl. With the BCS Boise finishes the season with a win, an undefeated season and a nice sum of cash for playing in a BCS bowl. In a playoff system, they'd be likely to finish with a loss, the way George Mason did.

Every system has its flaws.

Another interesting stat...

Boise State's opponents this season went 4-1 in bowls.

Ohio State's opponents this season went 2-4 in bowls.

Those who think Boise State can't play were the same ones who didn't watch this Boise State team play all season.

It was a great win for BSU, but lets not get carried away. Boise showed it can beat the big boys, but to think its a national championship caliber team is nothing more than emotion carring over from the game last night. Its obvious Boise has the capability to beat any team in America just like 20-25 other teams in college football. Make no mistake about it, Oklahoma is a very good team, but most likely was the product of a weak Big 12. A win over the Sooners hardly qualifies Boise to be entered into national championship discussions. Boise's simply doesn't have the regular season resume for a national championship game.

Regarding a comparison to OSU's schedule to Boise's, You have to take into account who Boise's opponents played in bowl games compared to who Ohio State's opponents played in Bowl games. There is a huge difference in talent and programs.

Until the BCS system is nixed in favor of a playoff, teams like Boise have no chance of a national championship. The BCS did make the right decision to become more inclusive this past off season. THis allowed Boise to prove it can win an occasional matchup with the big boys on a neutral field. Why not just celebrate Boise's bowl victory instead of stating its national championship caliber. Afterall, last night's W was Boise's first victory all time against a top 20 team.

There you go again, Mountaineer. Geez... you just don't get it.

And that wasn't Boise State's first win over a Top 20 team as you claim (incidentally, I notice you always like to talk about the number of Top "20" teams when you mention Boise State, since they've beaten several teams ranked 21 to 25 over the years... I'm guessing that's why you don't say "Top 25"). Boise State beat 8th-ranked Fresno State in 2001. Incidentally, that Fresno State team also beat the Big 12 champion that year (winning against Big 12 champ Colorado in Boulder).

I think this game really struck a nerve in all of those people who've wanted to deny the so-called little guys. This was the one game and finish that got the nation to wake up and realize the gap is very tiny between the BCS powers and the non-BCS powers. It took a win to do it... no more coming close. Even guys like Urban Meyer today talked about how there is really no difference between the upper echelon teams in non-BCS leagues and BCS leagues. The only difference is the amount of $$$ spent on the programs... and if the little guys ever get a share of that money (and they will soon), watch out. All bets are off. I, for one, think it's great for the game.

I very excited and happy for Boise. I'm all about the underdog having equal access. However, teams from the WAC have yet to prove they can beat teams from BCS conferences on constant basis. Its one thing to celebrate Boise's win for what it was - ONE victory over a top 10 team instead of using this win as a rallying cry to state Boise is national championship worthy


If Boise continues to prove it can play with the Big Boys it will get its opportunity. But for you or anyone to be chest thumping it deserves a shot at the national championship the day after Boise wins its first game EVER over a top 20 team is just not realisitic.

He's just making a karfuffle because no one is reading the Big East Football thread anymore.

I'm really baffled by the reaction to this game. If sportswriters were so sure Boise State didn't have a chance against Oklahoma, why the hell were they voting them #9 in the country? Oklahoma hadn't shown anything like the firepower to be a huge favorite over a top 10 team. To me it was fairly unsurprising because the Big 12 just wasn't that good this year. This was Gonzaga making the final 4, not (as one sportswriter claimed) George Mason.

Boise State was a legitimate top 10 team this year. That won't change, even if they go 0-11 next year.

You're right about that one, Maddog!

And JC, I agree about the Gonzaga-George Mason thing. I think that George Mason got brought up in all of this because GMU itself took out a full-page ad in some Idaho newspapers this week saying, "From one Cinderella to another... good luck in the Fiesta Bowl."

And as some have pointed out, George Mason and even Gonzaga basketball are far different than Boise State football. Those teams have a shot at winning the national title while Boise is being told they do not. Imagine if the BCS or something similar was involved with other college sports like basketball. The world would have never seen Gonzaga or George Mason or Valparaiso or Nevada or Butler or others.

I think that the win by BSU could make the Broncos the cfb version of Gonzaga, a non power conference club that consistently finds itself in the national spotlight with a high ranking in the polls. Time will tell if Boise State will be able to parlay this win into this type of year in/year out success with a higher profile.

Not to say that a George Mason in hoops cannot become what Gonzaga is. They just haven't reached that point yet....

Mid Major basketball to football comparisons are like night and day. One great player in basketball along with good steady role players can advance a mid major far into the NCAA tourney. In football, an outstanding team needs expceptional players on both sides of the ball for it to compete with top 20 teams.

Its not even Boise lacks the financial resources to compete with the top teams from Big conferences on a YEARLY basis, its more Boise lacks a recruiting base ( Idaho only has 1.2 million people). Recruiting kids to play in the WAC is a tough sell. Boise's done a remarkable job of recruiting JUCO kids ( like Fresno).


Boise proved it could beat a top 10 team ( albeit one that was probably overrated and the product of a soft Big 12) by playing highly entertaining football with very good players on both sides of the football. I'm not attempting to discredit Boise, but one win over a top 10 team doesn't equate to a national championship caliber type team. Most of the top 10 teams have played and beaten top 20 teams all season long.

I loved what Boise did last night. They are a legitimate top 10 team and should finish close to #5. Hopefully, Boise will take advantage of games with the Big Boys in the regualr season. Last year at Georgia, Boise was beaten 48-13. Boise needs to win these type of regualr season games if it ever has national championship ambitions.

Possibly Boise should champion its cause to seek admission into the MWC. Maybe the additions of Nevada, Fresno, and Boise would earn the MWC an auto bid which would garner a lot more respect which would help in recruiting, rankings, and bowl tie ins.

Well as always, it's easier to make a comment like this from the inside looking out. Big Boys is a self-proclaimed title. Boise is one of the big boys now.

Yes Boise is in the WAC and the WAC isn't as tough as the other conferences. And yes there isn't a huge recruiting base in Idaho. And yes it's hard to recruit to the WAC. Why is it hard to recruit to the WAC? Because the WAC champion has no shot of playing for the national championship. Why? Because the lower tier WAC teams are not as strong as other conferences' teams. Why? Because they don't have the financial and recruiting advantages built into the monopolstic cartel that is the BCS. The six "power" conferences have built in advantages to keep the other five conferences down.

If every conference was a "BCS" conference for example, the money would be divided a lot more fairly. The programs would have a better chance to recruit kids on an even level. Fan interest would grow, boosters would grow, programs would improve, etc. Even what Boise has done without these advantages is impressive. It's not like Nebraska and West Virginia are very populous states, yet both teams have done very well for themselves. And look at what South Florida and Louisville are doing now that they are "magical" BCS schools. Louisville was in Conference USA two years ago yet isn't a much different team - but are now in the magical BCS conference and are seen as a NC contender all of a sudden. South Florida was 1-AA just a few years ago but just happen to be in Florida instead of Idaho so they get to enjoy the BCS title and money when they didn't do a damn thing to earn it. At least Boise is trying to prove themselves the best way they can in spite of the "Big Boys" trying to keep programs like theirs down. Time for a playoff.

Okay off my soap box now.

You're missing the point. I'm not saying the WAC, MWC, CUSA, and other non-bcs conferences should be given less money from payouts. Im actually a fan of evening the playing field for each conference having access to BCS games as long as their isn't a playoff.

My point is to inject reality into the fantasy world that a team that has one single victory over a top 20 team in their program history is now considered a national championship caliber team.

Boise's proven its a top 10 team. Hopefully it wil secure its coach and build off the momentum.

Oh, so your previous statements are proven wrong, so now it's because Oklahoma was overrated. And since when did playing "highly entertaining" football have anything to do with being able to win the game?



Drinking the Kool Aid yet? Oh, and apparently WVU doesn't have BCS talent on the defensive side of the ball. How many points did they give up? If you can't stop them... But hey, the name of the game is to score more points, so you might be on to something.



Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... well, it looks to me like Boise will finish ahead of WVU this year. And they did win a big game against Oklahoma. But I'll be sure to keep them in separate breaths anyway. Their slow defense gave up a lot of points... but in the end, they did manage to score more points. Kind of like WVU, come to think of it.

Now, don't take it personally. But sometimes you make it so EASY with all of your talk. I couldn't resist.

For all the 8-team playoff fetishists, news flash -- Boise would have been left out.

The topic at hand doesn't pertain to WVU football. So, lets keep the eye on the ball, ok? There is no need to emulate Morelli's old habits of inaccuracy and stray from topic. Morrelli's new found accuracy obviously has you giddy to discuss football again after PSU's hiatus from college football's top 20 faternity most of this season.

Boise's defense is A LOT better than WVU's. I pointed this out last night to friends. They play damn good physical fundemental football.

I'm not going to take the bait and turn this into a WVU- Boise thread. Boise's a legitimate top 10 team and should be commended for beating its first top 20 team in program history.

Boise State finished ranked 8th in the final BCS standings. The Broncos would have been in an 8-team playoff. Ironically, the first-round matchup in such a playoff would have been #1 Ohio State vs. #8 Boise State.

You are learning...

A 12-team playoff would be the better alternative with #1 through #4 seeds having byes. The assumption being the best team in the country is very likely one of the top four teams. This would give them an advantage but still force them to win it on the field.

With the 12-team playoff, Boise State would play Auburn in the 8-9 game. And strictly by the rankings, they'd be favored.

Here's maybe the best article yet on Boise State's win over Oklahoma and the reactions:

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Boise State is Just What BCS Feared

Just to play Devils advocate, I have a queston for Other FSU.

Do you believe the WAC is deserving of sending its conference champion every year to a BCS game? Do you believe the MWC, CUSA, MAC, and Sun Belt champs deserve a BCS bid each year as well?


I'm failing to see controversy with BSU's win. The Broncos proved they belong in the BCS system this year. That's undeniable. The BCS rewarded Boise like it would any other oustanding team from an non-bcs conference with an automatic invite.

The BCS system has proven successful in being more inclusive to lesser programs and conferences. Teams like Boise should be kissing the ground the BCS exsists and its not 20 years ago when there was no BCS. Remember undefeated BYU playing 6-5 Michigan in the Holiday Bowl in the mid-80's for a National Championship? BYU was an oustanding team that didn't get an opportunity to play in the Feista, Orange, or Sugar Bowl. That BYU team was #1 in the nation and a hell of a lot better than the Boise team that played this week. Yet, the #1 team in America couldn't land in the bigger bowl because a system that rewarded the little guys wasn't in place.


While the BCS has bigtime flaws which most noteably the processing of determining the national championship game, its proven to be succesful for being more inclusive to the little guys and allowing firsts in college footbal. A Boise State versus Oklahoma would have never happended unless the BCS system was in place to make it mandatory to pick and reward teams like Boise who have outstanding years.

Maybe thanking the system is in order before initiating an all out bash on it would be the correct line of thought.

If Boise and other teams illustrate they can play with the big boys on a yearly basis, then they can enter National Championship discussions. Also, Boise will have to take advantage of opporuntities like the Georgia game that it lost last year 48-13 in Athens. Like Miami, FSU, WVU, and other upstart programs from the late 70's and 80's who scheduled away 1 game with established teams and beat some of them to get 1-1's, Boise will have to follow suit to put itself with the upper echelon of college football.

Programs have to earn their seat at the table. Winning one game against a top 20 team gets you respect, but it should be a far cry from "we deserve to play in the national championship game".

I think the BCS does an okay job of a generalized ranking of the top tier of teams...

But why can't a selection committee with a representative from all the member conferences set up a bracket system or a match-up system for the bowl games where the BCS is used as a loose guideline instead of the automaticity it seems to have generated?

I can agree with this point of view for sure. My point is that if you are going to keep the BCS system, then you need to eliminate conference affiliation. The top 8 or ten teams play regardless of conference affiliation. Some pretty poor ACC and Big East teams have played in the BCS as of late. This year, the Big XII may not have had a rep. And don't get me started on Notre Dame. The point is that the conferences like the WAC, MWC, CUSA, MAC and Sun Belt are at a decided recruiting disadvantage since they can't say - hey just win the conference and end up at a major bowl on national TV. If the SEC has three teams make it in a year, so be it. The 5 have not conferences don't have a chance to build their programs the same way the Dukes, Vandys, Iowa States and Northwesterns do for example. Utah and Boise still would have made the Fiesta Bowl in this system. BYU would have been invited over Penn State back in the BAC days, etc.

Although Notre Dame has been an egregious BCS choice in some previous years, I think they're getting a bit of a bad rap this year. The alternatives aren't that much more thrilling. Notre Dame didn't have great wins, but Penn State and UCLA were credible teams, and both their losses were to elite teams. Wisconsin (who weren't eligible) would probably have been the most logical choice, but their profile was quite similar to Notre Dame's--wins over a bunch of big 10 teams including a decent Penn State and a loss to Michigan. They just had one loss because they didn't play USC. Auburn had good wins but a really ugly loss to Georgia, and they weren't eligible either. Of the eligible teams, West Virginia was the best alternative, but they had a loss to an unranked team and their only win over a ranked team was at home in triple overtime, so I don't see them as that obviously superior. Michigan and USC would have feasted on their defense, too.


Do I think they'll beat LSU in New Orleans? No, but I also don't think they're a particularly awful choice for the BCS.

Well if there wasn't conference affiliation, these would be the ten teams playing.

1. Ohio State
2. Florida
3. Michigan
4. LSU
5. USC
6. Louisville
7. Wisconsin
8. Boise State
9. Auburn
10. Oklahoma

No Wake and no Notre Dame.

You would have to have 16 teams.

9 auto invites from the BCS conferences plus CUSA, WAC, MWC & 7 at large berths. A conference can have no more than 2 at large teams. MAC and Sunbelt could qualify if they have a team finish in the top 20 of the BCS. THis year neither conference would qualify.

1st round games are held at the highest seed. Quaterfinals would be held at a pre determined neutral site. The BCS could have be in charge of the Semifinals ( 2 games) and finals ( Championship game).

Conference Champs

Louisville
Wake Forest
Houston
Florida
Oklahoma
Ohio State
USC
Boise
BYU


At Large:

LSU
Notre Dame
Michigan
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Virginia Tech
Rutgers


East
1) Ohio State

4) Rutgers

Quaterfinal Game played in Washington, DC
2) Louisville

3) Notre Dame

South

1) Florida

4) Wake Forest

Quarterfinal Game played in Atlanta

2)LSU

3) Virginia Tech


Midwest

1) Michigan

4) BYU

Quaterfinal played in Indianapolis RCA DOME

2) Wisconsin

3) West Virginia


West

1) USC

4) Houston

Quaterfinal Played in LA

2) Oklahoma

3) Boise

What a wonderful dream it would be Mountaineer! ... now about that Notre Dame post earlier ... 41-14 OUCH!!

I was at the game and had the time of my life. Still can't believe Boise State beat my Sooners!!