During the BCS era of college football the Boise State Broncos were one of the top BCS-Busters. Now, with a new system in place for college football’s postseason, the Broncos are once again in prime position to play in a big-time bowl game.
Back in late October was when the idea that Boise State could creep back into the New Years bowl picture popped into my mind. After a rough start with a neutral-site los in Atlanta to Ole Miss and a road loss against Air Force, Boise State had two losses before the end of September. In most years that would have pretty much ruled Boise State out of the conversation to play in one of college football’s biggest bowl games. But this new College Football Playoff bowl system appears to be a tad more forgiving.
The highest-ranked conference champion from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West Conference or Sun Belt Conference will be given a reserved spot in one of the access bowls by the College Football Playoff selection committee next week. After a weekend that saw Marshall fall off the radar with an explosive overtime loss at home against Western Kentucky, and no team from the AAC sniffing the playoff committee’s rankings just yet, it looks like Boise State has that reservation locked up if the Broncos can avoid an upset at home against Fresno State in this week’s Mountain West Conference championship game. Boise State won the regular season meeting at home, 37-27 in mid-October. Boise State is 7-0 against Fresno State in games played on the blue turf.
Nothing can be taken as a guarantee at this point, but the Broncos are in a very good position to represent the Mountain West Conference in one of the New Years bowl games. If Boise State should stumble, Memphis could be ready to slide right in.
