Pairing up Boise State and TCU in tonight’s Fiesta Bowl was the BCS thumbing its nose at the upstarts who had the audacity to crash their party. Infidels! We’ll banish you to a bowl game sponsored by a tortilla chip!
When a non-BCS conference school goes undefeated, it should always get a chance to play (and expose) a traditional power. It’s the fair thing to do and provides the best storyline. Remember Boise State stunning Oklahoma in the unforgettable 2007 Fiesta Bowl? And Utah putting it to disinterested Alabama in the 2009 Sugar?
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The same plotline was set up in Friday’s Sugar Bowl, where undefeated and suspect Cincinnati faced Florida. In the Gators’ 51-24 win, however, it was the porous defense of the Bearcats that was exposed. Although some might argue that coaching drama at both schools had more to do with the outcome.
Either way, Cincinnati’s loss further de-legitimizes tonight’s game between WAC champion Boise (13-0) and Mountain West winner TCU (12-0). Through no fault of its own, the victor will be questioned because it didn’t have a signature win. Too bad it didn’t get the chance.
Instead of a Georgia Tech-Iowa Orange Bowl that won’t draw flies, the BCS could have paired up TCU and Tech in the Orange and Boise and Iowa in the Fiesta. It would have been a better opportunity for the have-nots to prove themselves.
Now, however, if TCU wins tonight, we are left with the prospect of Texas claiming a national championship without even proving it’s the best team in its own state.
If we ever needed a plus-one, this was the season. But don’t we say that every year?
