Two-Point Conversion Magic

TCU's Josh Boyce pulls away from a Bronco defender to score a two point conversion.

As much as I malign Boise State's Smurf Turf, because it's deserving, there's a mystical power over the field when it comes to two-point conversions.

The latest evidence happened Saturday, when the TCU Horned Frogs walked out of Bronco Stadium with a rare, dramatic come-from-behind win.

TCU converted a successful two-point play late in the third quarter to draw even with Boise 28-28.

Then with Boise State seemingly in firm control 35-28 late in the fourth quarter, Broncos backup running back Drew Wright fumbled.

Horned Frogs quarterback Casey Pachall torched the Broncos secondary, marching his team down the field, before firing a 25-yard touchdown pass with 1:05 left in the game.

Again TCU coach Gary Patterson made a gusty call and it worked. Pachall tossed a short pass to Josh Boyce, who fought his way into the end zone for two-points putting TCU up 36-35.
Any victory by a road team on the blue turf is basically unprecedented. And there's a reason: the refs.

Boise State got bailed out by the officials on a phantom pass interference call after a fourth down incompletion on its final drive. But, redshirt freshman kicker Dan Goodale badly missed a 39-yard field goal attempt a few plays later.

The Horned Frogs win ended Boise State's 65-game regular season home winning streak and 47-game home conference streak.

The Vandals celebrate after Joel Thomas scored
on a two-point conversion to win in overtime (1998).

The last conference loss Boise suffered in Bronco Stadium was to the arch-rival Idaho Vandals in 1998. Then members of the Big West conference, the Vandals choose to go for two-points in overtime and won 36-35. Just a little poetic.

The Vandals also won the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl on the blue field, by making a successful two-point conversion with just four seconds left in the game.

And while it wasn't in Boise, who can forget the Broncos signature Fiesta Bowl win using the Statue of Liberty to beat an average Oklahoma squad in 2006?

The magic of two-point conversions has been woven into that ugly blue field.

NCAA Hides Behind Statistics

As the saying goes, there's lies, damn lies and statistics.

In the name of higher academic standards the NCAA board of directors decided to talk big, but in reality do nothing.

On Thursday, the NCAA decided that in order to play in the postseason, schools must have a four-year average Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 930 or better. That equates to graduating about half of the players on a given roster.

For that, the headlines will praise them. Already the Knight Commission, a college sports watchdog, commended the change.

But APR does not equate to student athletes actually graduating from college.

Of course, like all good formulas it can be manipulated.

APR is calculated by allocating points for eligibility and retention, two factors that research identifies as two indicators of graduation. Each player earns a maximum of two points per term, one for being academically eligible and one for staying with the college.

It's not hard to keep athletes academically eligible.

BYU could struggle with
the new APR rules.

Football factories, Boise State now included, have it down to a science with most freshman and sophomores studying general studies (or football). Just because a player is eligible does not mean they walk away with a degree.

APR is also weighted to help the Alabamas of collegiate sports, while it hurts some of the smaller Division I institutions.

Places like Idaho and Washington State have their APR's killed due to retention struggles. Winter's brutal on the Palouse.

Also under the new rules, BYU might have seen a postseason bowl ban turning in an APR score below 930, despite the fact that most of the athletes really do earn a diploma.

But this should standout as a red flag. Among the "Big Six" BCS conferences, the SEC, known for its academic prowess, had exactly zero schools below the new APR benchmark.

APR scores have been trending upward in recent years as universities figure out how the beat the system.

NCAA President Mark Emmert says the higher APR benchmark sends "a clear signal to the world about what we care about and what we stand for."

Unfortunately, Emmert and the NCAA are going to hide behind their statistics. They may talk tough, but the system can be beat, and this reform is just a smoke screen.

Sometimes Football Is Unwatchable

Wisconsin has bullied its way past powder-puffs for a perfect record so far.

The college football season is at its tipping point.

Teams are about to get into the heart of its conference seasons, and I hope the games get more interesting.

Up until this point, college football has been battered by a barrage of scandals, conferences cannibalizing one another for money and an uninteresting slate of non-conference games.

Aside from Oregon-LSU, which wasn't going to end well for the Ducks, and Oklahoma-Florida State, before the Seminoles free fall, it's impossible to name another marquee non-conference matchup that truly stands out.

Right now there are 13 undefeated teams, most of which have been unchallenged all season. And that's because of the Texas-ifcation of scheduling.

Why blame Texas for this mess?

In it's most recent trips to the national title, Texas has played a heavy dose of powder-puffs like Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Rice and Wyoming during its undefeated run to the title game.

Having an undefeated season no matter what has become the end goal, and it's being replicated with some success.

In 2007, Kansas climbed to No. 2 in the polls playing FIU and Southeastern Louisiana; a year later, Texas Tech played two I-AA schools, UMass and Eastern Washington, rising to No. 2 in the polls before it stumbled.

BCS conference schools have taken notice, it's not who you play, but that something-and-0 record that's all important. And it's making for and more early season snoozers.

Wisconsin clearly has grabbed the Horns mantle this year, blowing out UNLV (1-4), Oregon State (1-4), Northern Illinois (3-3) and I-AA South Dakota in route to No. 4 in the polls.

Right behind the Badgers, No. 5 Boise State is in the same boat.

The Broncos are becoming a perennial Top 10 team despite following the Texas recipe for success. So far this year Boise's big win came over a No. 19 Georgia team, which had no business being ranked to begin with.

To the average viewer, there's really no reason to sit down and watch college football until now.

It's been a season to forget so far, here's hoping that changes this weekend with a few upsets and more importantly some late-game theatrics.

Bye Bye Boise State Blues

Boise State got its big wish this past off-season, they graduated from playing the "Little Sisters of the Poorer" (the WAC) to just the "Little Sisters of the Poor" (the Mountain West).

But its acceptance into the Mountain West brethren will cost Boise its camouflaged fashion.

The Broncos blue uniforms on the ugly Smurf Turf, where they have won 63 straight regular-season games, must go.

The prohibition only applies to Boise State, one of a handful of teams to color coordinate its uniforms with its turf, and was part of the school's agreement to join the MWC.

MWC commissioner Craig Thompson called the blue-on-blue motif a 'competitive advantage.'

While San Diego State's coach Rocky Long pointed out the blue field forces players to "track the ball differently."

"I think they ought to get rid of that blue turf. I think it's unfair," Long said back in April.

It's a breathe of fresh air that the conference is calling Boise's bluff, and it will at some point cost the Broncos a couple home wins.

But this news it not all good news.

By doing away with blue uni's for conference home games, the Broncos will have to use a combination of colors, which could include its orange-on-orange assault on the eyeballs.

The Broncos fashion blitz is only going to get worse.

The Spud Bowl Is Happening

College football is right around the corner. The next crop of players are starting to report back to campus for training camp.

The extremely arbitrary, and way too meaningful, preseason polls are being unveiled.

And when the season kicks off, there will undoubtedly be an excessive amount of criticism over the BCS and college football's bowl system.

But one bit of news this week makes bowl games all the more awesome: there's going to be a spud bowl.

That's right. The Humanitarian Bowl, played on Boise State's ugly Smurf Turf, has been renamed after Idaho's claim to fame -- the potato.

On Dec. 17, the Famous Idaho Potato will kick off in Boise.

The spud bowl logo's was clearly designed to look good on top of a heinous blue field, and its' complete with sour cream and chives on the potato - um football.

Idaho's not just potatoes, but mostly.

And as a former Idahoan, I'm glad the state's biggest football game is now named for the claim to fame. After all Idaho has been the nation's largest producer of potatoes every year since 1957.

Now, where can I get a spud to eat.

NCAA fearless predictions: Version 2k10

I'm ready for the new season of college football. So ready in fact, I'm a week ahead of myself for when games actually kick-off.

Regardless, we can't turn the page on a new season without some fearless and bold predictions. There's a good chance come January, I won't want to look back at these...

Boiler Up! Purdue is going bowling this year especially since its playing a schedule that was a BCS-worst 67-81 in 2009.

UConn will contend for the Big East title, but will come up just short. Also, don't expect Cincinnati, who lost head coach Brian Kelly to Notre Dame, to fall off the wagon.

Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins (16-33 at CU) might just be coaching intramurals by season's end.

Hawkins failures, compounded with Dirk Koetter's snafu at Arizona State (40-34, 2-19 vs. ranked teams) means current Boise State head coach Chris Peterson will be a Bronco for life, despite a disappointing 10-3 season this year for the Smurf turfers.

The Big 12 won't be staying at 10 teams for long. Great seasons by TCU and Houston will fast track them for membership in the new Texas-centric conference.

Nevada's Colin Kaepernick is probably the quarterback you haven't heard of. You'll know about him by the end of the year.

Florida State QB Christian Ponder will pass himself into the Heisman lead by the beginning of October and won't look back.

What about last year's Heisman winner Mark Ingram? Ingram will have fewer total yards from scrimmage then Alabama backfield partner Trent Richardson.

The Crimson Tide will still win the SEC, but will be considered this year's biggest disappointment. It's all relative, because anything less than a second straight trip to the BCS title game will be considered a failure. I don't see that happening because...

A non-AQ will play for the national championship. Which brings to the rest of my predictions.

Conference Champions:

ACC: Florida State (Atlantic), Virginia Tech (Coastal)

Big 10: Ohio State

Big 12: Oklahoma (South), Nebraska (North)

Big East: Pittsburgh

Pac-10: Oregon

SEC: Alabama (West), Georgia (East)

C-USA: Houston

MAC: No. Illinois

Mt. West: TCU

Sun Belt: Middle Tennessee

WAC: Boise State, Nevada (tie)

BCS Bowl Predictions

ROSE BOWL: Oregon vs. Texas

FIESTA BOWL: Oklahoma vs. Arizona

ORANGE BOWL: Florida State vs. Pitt

SUGAR BOWL: Alabama vs. Miami

TITLE GAME: Ohio State vs. TCU

Conference alignment: WAC-ky out West

College football conference swamping is quickly becoming a sport all its own.

To quickly recap the off-season, the Pac-10 (home to most of the largest and academically prestigious schools in the West) wanted to form a 16-team super conference and failed.

Still desiring NCAA football's golden goose (a conference title game) they raided the Big-12 (Colorado) and the Mountain West, plucking up by far the most successful mid-major program in the BCS era, Utah. Reaching its magic number of 12, the Pac-10 created a trickle down effect.

The MWC needing a new "power" football member turned to Boise State, who gladly ran from the WAC.

I thought the dust had settled until this past week.

That's when BYU started another round of the blood-sport known as conference alignment, with the rumors the school was going independent in football and joining the WAC in all other sports.

In the midst of trying to obtain an automatic BCS bid for its champion the Mountain West, down two possible members, made a preemptive strike adding Frenso State and Nevada from the WAC.

Also as you could expect, WAC commissioner Karl Benson had some harsh words for the latest schools to bolt.

However, it's not likely those additions could make up for the loss of Utah and BYU when it comes the BCS. It does my heart good to see Boise State fans, who were so excited to join the MWC, now realizing they're joining the WAC-plus.

So the question now is what becomes of the WAC?

In 2012, the conference could be facing extinction, down to only six members: Hawai'i, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and Utah State. It needs two more members.

The maligned WAC will find away to survive.

One possible route is luring a couple old members back into the pack, and three schools jump out: San Diego State, Wyoming and UTEP. All have struggled in football the past several years and could make its alumni very happy by playing a lower conference competition and winning. After all Boise has proven its not all about who you beat, but how often you win.

The other more likely route is adding I-AA (or FCS) schools. The WAC has nurtured several programs to Division I status before. Currently, Texas State is the only I-AA school that would be ready to make a jump in 2011. Others who could decide to move up: Cal Poly, Texas-San Antonio, Sacramento State and UC-Davis.

The good news for the WAC, as Idaho athletic director Rob Spear wrote, pending NCAA legislation may require a school moving from I-AA (FCS) to I-A (FBS) to have conference affiliation.

Who knows what the future holds, and if the major conferences will again try to form super-conferences.

The absolute best case for the WAC in 2012 (and plausibly realistic) would look something like this: Hawai'i, Idaho, New Mexico St., Sacramento St., San Diego St., San Jose St., Utah St., UTEP (with BYU in all other sports). But I know they'll settle for staying alive.

Putting the 'F' in Smurf Turf

Smurf Turf No. 5 was recently installed in Boise, and it's as ugly as ever.

Ask the question "Who we do hate?" on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow and you'll get an exuberant response, "Boise State!"

But what's seen as passion by some, is viewed as rancor and ill will by others. And that has a 40-year-old gridiron rivalry between the Idaho Vandals and Boise State Broncos in serious doubt after this season.

In fact it looks like it's dead already, when the Broncos make a proverbial step up and join the Mountain West Conference in 2011.

"I frankly don't care whether we ever play 'em again as long as it goes," BSU president Bob Kustra said this week to the Idaho Statesman editorial board. "It's a culture that is nasty, inebriated and civilly doesn't give our fans the respect that any fan should expect when visiting an away team."

Kustra wasn't done, "for me, this is not about football. For me, this is a cultural issue. ... What bothers me more than anything else, is that the fans are not about denigrating our athletic program. ... What bothers me personally is the denigration of our academic programming."

Boise State's president got one thing right in all of that. It is a cultural issue, just not of the inebriated type.

A lot of this "hate" has do to with geography.

Moscow sits in Idaho's panhandle, which was mistakenly made part of the state. A general culture of contempt has been brewing between the panhandle and the south since 1864, when bandits stole the capital from Lewiston (30 miles from Moscow) and moved it to Boise.

So what's really driving this college rivalry apart? Napoleon's complex.

Boise didn't open its doors until 1932, and started as a junior college. Since then it has battled against the establishment, to move up.

It's widely rumored (because these things are not published) that BSU has repeatedly struggled to earn accreditation for several of its academic programs. That's why Vandals "denigrate" Boise's academics, making them the butt of some pretty funny jokes.

But now on the Smurf Turf, the Broncos have its one area that it can beat Idaho. Football is Boise State's way to compensate for its "F's" in the classroom.

Before the Broncos bolt for the MWC, they want to stick it to their "big brother" one last time and then permanently shut the door, cutting off any risk of enduring another 12-game rivalry losing streak.

If this is indeed the end of the Idaho-BSU rivalry, it doesn't change a thing for me. I'll still hate Boise State.

Update - Friday, July 30, 2010

It now appears this column, “Can't hide Vandal pride,” is what started this rivalry brouhaha.

Part of this professional response was included in the Idaho Statesman article, but here's the full statement from U of I president Duane Nellis on the rivalry situation.

Some people are starting to take notice of what I've known all along, there's an arrogance growing in Boise. SI.com writer Andy Staples says Boise State is becoming a big-time program in all the wrong ways.

And some people are just having fun with the whole thing. “Nasty Inebriated” T-shirts are starting to sell in Moscow.

Always a ruse for The Blue

Curiosity took over last week when I spotted this University of Idaho Athletics tweet.

I wanted to know which Idaho athletes earned all-WAC academic honors? And why more Vandals didn't make it?

As I scrolled through the list of student-athletes who had at least 3.0 GPA and took part in half of their team's contests, I was shocked to find more Boise State Broncos show up than any other WAC school. That was especially true for football.

It was a surprise because Boise State University has a academic reputation on par with Greendale Community College in many of its programs.

So how did the Broncos get 14 more all-WAC academic players than Idaho (a school with a solid classroom reputation)? Something wasn't right.

After a few minutes of digging it was clear this was just another Boise State gimmick, like the trick plays they use to score against BCS opponents.

Of their 22 academic performers only four Broncos had declared majors, two of which could qualify as tough (accounting and psychology). It's not hard to make the dean's list when you're taking 'rock's for jocks,' weightlifting and basket-weaving.

On the flip side, only one of Idaho's six academic players was an undeclared major, one was pre-med and yet another was earning a master's in accounting.

At first glance, things may appear in order on the Smurf Turf, but there's always another dimension when you look.

Rather than challenging its athletes to go for a Heisman in the classroom, Boise State is content having its athletes pose like Lady Liberty.

Boise State All-WAC Academic Honors

Accounting: Richard Brockel; Communication: Jeron Johnson, Kyle Wilson; Psychology: Michael Choate

Undeclared: Michael Adams, Michael Atkinson, Kyle Efaw, Zach Gholson, Byron Hout, Joseph Kellogg, Chandler Koch, Darren Koontz, Kellen Moore, Hazen Moss, Daniel Paul, James Percy, Christopher Potter, Nathaniel Potter, Tyler Shoemaker, Matthew Slater, Tommy Smith, Aaron Tevis

Idaho All-WAC Academic Honors

Accounting: Aaron Lavarias, Adam Juratovac (Masters); Business: Robert Cowan; Chemistry/Pre-Med: Nathan Enderle; Finance: Peter Bjorvik; Undeclared: Preston Davis

Boise fracas could have been reduced

In the heat of the moment a stupid sucker punch ended running back LeGarrette Blount's promising college football career.

The incident has been replayed or mentioned on ESPN nearly every 10 minutes today. Following the No. 16 Oregon Ducks lethargic 19-8 loss to Boise State Thursday, Blount socked Bronco defensive end Byron Hout in the jaw.

In every case it takes two to tango. Hout yelled in Blount's face and slapped his shoulder pad. You can't tell what Hout said but Boise State coach Chris Petersen obviously took offense to it and quickly tried to step in. Unfortunately, LeGarrette's fist got there first.

I've read and listened to a lot of analysts talk about the fracas, and the reoccurring word of the day describing the incident is "reprehensible." Blount was wrong, but his actions were not unforgivable. 

You don't punch a guy -- who probably deserved it -- and it was despicable for him to try and go after Boise fans. But that situation with the fans should never have happened.

Bronco fans were given a second chance to view the confrontation when it was replayed on the stadium's JumboTron. This gave fans the chance to break out into a frenzy and to taunt Blount for reason aside from his big mouth. There's no telling what would have happened if the incident was not replayed, but I think there is a good chance many in the crowd would have missed it.

To me replaying the punch was more reprehensible than the punch itself. The repetition ensured that every Boise State fan saw what happened and incited some to heckle Blount.

In Major League Baseball, controversial plays are rarely replayed on the big screens in stadiums so fans don't become belligerent. The NCAA needs to review its big screen replay rules and look into why the punch seen around the world was replayed inside Boise's stadium.

NCAA Kickoff: Can you quack U-G-L-Y?

If you want to watch an aesthetically pleasing college football game this year, be wary of the SEC, but whatever you do don't tune in on Sept. 3.

That Thursday, the Boise State Broncos debut their hideous new uniforms on their ugly blue carpet (aka Smurf Turf) as they host the Oregon Ducks.

Oregon, with help from Nike, always push the boundaries of athletic style and sometimes miss. But if you miss this Thursday night showdown, you may be overlooking the start of a special season in Eugene.

After 14 years, there's a new head coach on the Oregon sideline, but don't expect them to miss a beat. Mike Bellotti gave way in a near seamless transition to Chip Kelly. 

As offensive coordinator, Kelly installed a run-base spread that turned erratic QB Dennis Dixon into a Hesiman candidate before he blew out his ACL. Barring a key injury on offense, there's no doubt the 2009 Ducks spread is bound to be better-than-ever.

Expected to be a feature in that offense is running back LeGarrette Blount. Last year, he was overshadow by fellow 1,000-yard rusher Jeremiah Johnson, but lived up to his junior college hype when he got his chances. Blount averaged a ridiculous 7.3 yards per carry and managed eight runs over 30 yards. I think we'll be seeing a lot of highlight reel runs like this from No. 9...

The '09 version of the Ducks has question marks on both the offensive and defensive lines, but they should be able to overcome them.

Like the 2007 Ducks, who rose to No. 2 in the nation, this year's Pac-10 schedule sets up perfectly. Cal, USC and Oregon State, the toughest conference opponents, all must make the trip to Autzen (the loudest stadium in the country).

Oregon was the last team to win an outright Pac-10 title not named USC (2001). This Ducks team has all the makings to do it again.

Still lacking respect

Quickly we are reaching the doldrums of summer, which means it's time for a Penguins-style blog comeback.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs ended in glorious fashion and the NBA Playoffs are sure to end soon (maybe tonight). That means it will soon be time for sports media everywhere to start focusing on our national pastime, football.

I'm going to jump the gun here.

After ten years, 108 wins and a shocking result in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, one would think Boise State football could design some decent uniforms.

That's not the case, again.

If you have the misfortunes of staring at the "Smurf Turf" this year, you'll also have to endure these hideous uni's (right). The piping is plain nasty.

It seems that Boise State thrives off ugliness. The Broncos boast the nation's best home-field record over the last ten years (64-2).

Maybe like the arctic fox who cunningly matches it's surroundings, these Broncos blend ugly uniforms into screaming blue turf, giving them a camouflaged advantage.

Though it could be they play soft non-conference schedule and then fest off WAC schools. Whatever the case, you'll soon be hearing about their BCS-busting possibilities again.

As for the Broncos quest for national respect, maybe they should start with a uniform overhaul.

BCS sharpens focus

Barring complete disaster and utter chaos, ESPN college football researcher Brad Edwards says the national championship chase is down to two. Two conferences that is, not two teams.

Three teams from the Big 12 South and two teams from the SEC form the glut atop the BCS standings. So rather than playing what-ifs with four weeks to go in the season (I'll leave that up to ESPN's talking heads), I want to focus on the non automatic-qualifying conferences for a fleeting moment.

An interesting storyline is developing between two previous BCS-crashers, Utah and Boise State. The Utes from the Mountain West Conference stayed perfect with a dramatic last-minute win over TCU. But more importantly, they grabbed command of the one automatic at-large BCS bid for the non-power conferences.

Translated, if Utah wins out they should clinch their second major bowl berth, even if the Broncos also finish with a unblemished record. In that senario the WAC's gem Boise State would have to hope to be selected for another at-large spot. And there's fat chance of that happening with Ohio State eyeing at-large consideration as well.

Boise fans should start feeling as blue as their turf.

So what would an undefeated Boise State BCS snub prove? Only what I've been saying for a long time. That the Broncos are a bunch of frauds and really need to beef up their non-conference schedule.

This year, the Broncos "best" win was a 37-32 upset of then-No. 17 Oregon at Autzen Stadium. The win would be much more impressive had Boise not given up 19 fourth-quarter points with the Ducks playing their 13th string quarterback. Actually, Oregon rotated two sub-third string freshman at QB. Also, it was Boise State's first win ever on the road versus a BCS-conference team, hardly something to cheer wildly about.

Then there's the fact only three of the eight Division I-A (or FBS) teams the Broncos have beaten currently have a winning record.

Unlike ESPN's Bruce Feldman, who projects the Broncos to get a berth in the Sugar Bowl, people in southern Idaho should start sweating. Time to look for something red and black!