WAC FOOTBALL
WAC's Benson says Boise has right idea
By Keith Ridler
Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho » Boise State and Fresno State have tried different routes in recent years to land a lucrative Bowl Championship Series berth.
Neither plan worked for the two Western Athletic Conference powers.
But No. 15 Boise State is 8-0 and making another run this year, and WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the 2006 Broncos might have the right game plan for future WAC teams to consider.
"If Boise State, or any WAC school is to play in a BCS game -- knowing that playing in a national championship game is probably not realistic -- maybe the Boise State philosophy is the right plan," Benson said during his weekly conference call yesterday.
That philosophy is: Schedule nonconference games against opponents that are tough, but still beatable, and then count on an undefeated season opening the door to the BCS.
Benson believes there's no point in playing top-ranked teams on the road since winning wouldn't get a WAC team to the national title game, and losing would end any BCS hopes.
"If a team from the WAC or Mountain West (Conference) wins all their nonconference games and (conference) games, that should get them in there," he said.
Fresno State's approach has been to pursue a very difficult nonleague schedule, then hope those victories, combined with an undefeated season, would garner respect for a BCS berth.
The Bulldogs nearly pulled off their plan in 2001, starting the season with wins at Colorado and Wisconsin. But that plan came apart in conference play when Boise State beat the Bulldogs in Fresno to end their shot at becoming the first "BCS buster."
And that strategy has sent the Bulldogs reeling this year with close losses to Oregon and Washington, and a 38-6 loss at No. 14 LSU on Saturday.
"Those are great chances for exposure, and every time you play one of those you have a chance to be exposed," said Fresno State coach Pat Hill, whose team has slipped to an uncharacteristic 1-6.
Boise State this year is two-thirds of the way through a relatively favorable schedule and has not played a ranked opponent. The two games expected to be the Broncos' toughest -- home against Oregon State and at Utah -- both turned into Boise State routs.
The Broncos tried a similar strategy in 2004, going 11-0 in the regular season and ascending to No. 9 in the final BCS standings. But Utah, also in a non-BCS conference, also went undefeated, finished No. 6 and became the first non-BCS conference team to get a berth in the big-money bowls.
In 2005, Boise State started the season ranked No. 18 and tried Fresno State's strategy, traveling to Georgia to open the season. The Broncos were routed 48-13 and never recovered.
The problem with the favorable-schedule strategy is that it might not be considered strong enough to lift an undefeated WAC team into the top 12 of the BCS. Boise State has been No. 15 in the first two BCS rankings.
Meanwhile, the Broncos continue to pile up the wins while avoiding any BCS talk.
"We've talked about it in the fact that it means nothing to us," said Boise State coach Chris Petersen. "We know that teams can beat us if we don't play our best."