Boise State is no small potatoes

Matt Hayes

It's that damn turf. If it weren't so blue, so unusual and so, so cheesy, maybe--just maybe--anyone who knows anything about college football wouldn't smirk at the thought of Boise State. You know, the team that plays on the field where a bird once died because it flew directly at the artificial turf, thinking it was a pond?

Keep laughing, pal. Now open your eyes while we bring things into focus.

Boise State has the nation's longest winning streak at 16 straight and counting.

Boise State has won 29 of its past 30 games.

Boise State has won 20 straight WAC games.

Boise State has led the nation in scoring the past two seasons and is No. 3 four games into this season.

So while we take a deep breath in anticipation of this weekend's smorgasbord of games, let's finally recognize one of the nation's best programs while it sits home on this High-Stakes Saturday and prepares for next week's game against--gulp!--Tulsa.

"I'm not apologizing for who we play" says Boise State quarterback Jared Zabransky.

When you really think about it, why should he? Why should Boise have to defend itself, the winning streak or anything else associated with this hidden gem tucked beneath the shadow of the Rocky Mountains?

So there are Texas high school stadiums more impressive than the 30,000-seat facility on this picturesque campus, and yeah, the Broncos play in a God-awful conference where at least two programs probably should be shut down or moved to Division I-AA.

But exactly what does that have to do with the fact that Boise hung 53 points on Oregon State six days after the Beavers blew a game at defending co-national champion LSU? I'll tell you what it means: The Broncos would've gone into Death Valley in Baton Rouge and dusted off the Tigers that day. I'm not using A plus B equals C; I'm using two things the good Lord gave us all: eyes.

Watch this team. Watch Zabransky, who looks like Alexi Lalas and plays with passion and the urgency to prove himself on every play. Watch fiery defensive tackle Alex Guerrero, who would be a national star if he played at LSU. Watch nose guard Andrew Browning--who is listed at 6-0, 270, but I swear is no more than 5-10, 255--blowing up plays because he just works harder than the 300-pounder across from him.

Yet the Broncos are scoffed at because they're a non-BCS team that plays in the WAC, and their schedule isn't as tough as BCS teams', and if they played a BCS schedule they'd be 5-6, and their players just aren't as good as Oklahoma's, Georgia's or any other BCS team's. While we can't wait to break down this week's huge Big Ten matchup of two teams destined to score a combined 13 points, Boise is getting ready to play San Jose State, Tulsa, SMU or Nevada.

See, that's why they suck/

One moment, please, for an unbiased opinion from UNLV coach John Robinson, who led some of the best Southern California teams in history: "I don't know much about the WAC, but I know I don't want to play Boise."

That's just it. If everyone knew more about Boise, its perfectionist coach Dan Hawkins and his castoff players Pac-10 teams didn't want--then can't believe they passed on a few years later--it would be easier to say this team is a lock for the Fiesta Bowl. Every week, the Broncos are peppered with noise about their undeserving status and the reality of their place in the pecking order of college football. And it just doesn't affect them.

This football machine continues to churn out victories and filter out BCS distractions while adhering to Hawkins' credo: Bigger isn't better; better is better. Here's a guy who actually is embarrassed he makes more money (upward of $500,000 per year) than any state employee in Idaho. A guy who says he would be just as personally satisfied staying and coaching at Boise all of his life--he pulled out of the running for the Oregon State job two years ago--or picking up tomorrow with his wife and joining the Peace Corps.

"We'd be just as happy to run an orphanage in South Africa," Hawkins says.

And we joke about the blue field.

Mark Twain once said, "Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you wish."

The fact is, Boise State is one of college football's best programs at any level. We don't need High-Stakes Saturday to see that.

We just need to open our eyes.

Crashing the party

The Fiesta Bowl likely will take a non-BCS team if one qualifies
because of the national attention and television ratings it would
bring. The top BCS-busters and their odds of cashing in:

Team            Odds    Pack your bags for Tempe If ...

Utah             5:1    Have you seen the balanced Utes play--and
                        their remaining schedule? If I had any guts,
                        the odds would be 2:1.
Boise State     15:1    A secondary exposed by BYU can right itself in
                        time for an October 23 game against Fresno
                        State and quarterback Paul Pinegar.
Louisville     250:1    If the Cards upset Miami-that's a big if--they
                        must win at Memphis (which beat Louisville by
                        30 last year) three weeks later.--M.H.

SPEED READS

* It's time to end the Brook Berlin era in Miami. The Canes got through their first ACC road test with a decent game from him, but the big tests still are looming. The coaches have raved about freshman Kyle Wright's ability, and he needs to play more. Wright will make mistakes, but they can't be worse than Berlin's weekly poor throws, missed reads and turnovers.

* San Jose State and Rice combined for the most points (133) in a non-overtime game in NCAA history. And the WAC schools are trumpeting this event. Uh, fellas? How about a little defense and humility. Any team can use the matador defense-Die!--but it's a real trick when both teams use it to showcase an insignificant game.

* Now that Purdue has exposed Notre Dame as an average team, can we end the Irish love lest? N.D. has at least two more losses in the bank (Tennessee, USC) and might lose to Navy. If N.D. wore purple and an "N" on its helmet, it would be just another team on the Big Ten regional telecast.

Hayes' 6 picks

Wake Forest 23, Virginia Tech 17. Hey Tech, when you're invited to the ACC, you're going to have to play ACC teams--not Big East teams.

Florida State 35, Syracuse 14. A nice tuneup game for new quarter-back Wyatt Sexton before an ACC showdown with Virginia.

UCLA 20, Nebraska 13. The Bruins can't slip up at home against the Wildcats with big road games against Cal and Arizona State looming.

Texas Tech 33, Nebraska 31. The Huskers' "D" is enough to stop Tech, but short fields from NU's turnovers will be the difference.

Missuouri 36, Baylor 16. Note to Gary Pinkel: Remember Troy, remember Troy ... and give the flippin' ball to Damien Nash.

Maryland 24, Georgia Tech 20. When does coach Ralph Friedgen give up on quarterback Joel Statham and turn to freshman Jordan Steffy?

Stay up-to-date with the latest opinions and news from campus. Go to msn.foxsports.com, keywords: college football.

INSIDE DISH

By MATT HAYES

The annual Texas-Oklahoma affair takes the spotlight in the Big 12 South this week, but look closely and understand that Oklahoma State has the best chance this season to beat the Sooners. OSU, with its huge offensive line and powerful RB Vernand Morency, can run consistently on OU--the key to beating the Sooners (see: Kansas State, LSU). Morency, a Miami high school star jilted by the big three Florida schools, has rushed for 704 yards in four games and fuels a conservative offense. The Cowboys still must prove they can win on the road in the Big 12 when freshman QB Donovan Woods--who has thrown just 41 passes this season--is forced to make plays in the passing game. OSU has games at Colorado this week and at Missouri on October 23 before its October 30 home game against the Sooners.... UCLA has tweaked its philosophy on defense in an effort to play smarter against the run. A solid performance against San Diego State last week was a start for the Pac-10's worst rush defense, but looming road games against California and Arizona State will determine if the changes make a difference and if the Bruins can get back into the Pac-10's upper division in Year 2 under coach Karl Dorrell. UCLA was using too many complex read-and-react schemes under successful coordinator Larry Kerr, the architect of some stout run defenses in previous years at Colorado State. Kerr simplified the schemes last week, and the Bruins played well despite the absence of starting T C.J. Niusulu, who was serving a one-game suspension and should return for this week's game against Arizona.... Miami's offense will take a serious hit with the loss of LT Eric Winston. Not only does Winston protect QB Brock Berlin's blind side, he is Miami's best lineman and the motivational juice on an ever-changing line. Rashad Butler likely will get the first opportunity to replace Winston, but Miami also could move RT Chris Myers--a natural guard playing out of position because of the team's lack of experience at tackle--to the spot.... Virginia Tech came into this season with huge hopes for two key young players: QB Marcus Vick and LB Xavier Adibi. Vick is gone for the season for disciplinary reasons, but Adibi could play again as soon as October 16 against Florida A&M after sustaining what was believed to be a season-ending biceps injury in the season opener against Southern California. Tech's defense, which uncharacteristically struggled in 2002 and '03, has held together this year's team as a counterpoint to QB Bryan Randall's spotty play. Getting Adibi back would give the Hokies their best rush linebacker--and the guy who was the best defensive player on the field in two quarters against USC. Considering the Trojans' loaded defense, that's saying plenty.... A quick thought: Did Louisiana Tech get Fresno State coach Pat Hill's No. 6 vote in this week's coaches poll after RB Ryan Moats did his best Barry Sanders impression on the Fresno defense? Two weeks ago, Hill said he voted the Bulldogs No. 6 in the coaches poll. More proof that no matter the poll--media or coaches--it's all subjective. And Fresno State's loss is more proof that non-BCS teams are likelier to fall in conference against teams they play every year than against middling BCS teams in nonconference games.

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