This, according to SB Nation writer Bill Connelly:

Behold the power of six returning starters. The only team to return even as few as seven starters in 2011 was Auburn, and they dropped off the map, from national title contender to the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The effect of extreme numbers of returning starters, either good (20) or bad (six), is typically rather exponential, which does not say good things about the Broncos' 2012 season, even if 61st is almost certainly too low.

Connelly had the Broncos at No. 15 in his way-too-early Top 25, based on factors like Boise State's' legacy of success and Coach Pete's inexorable charm. His formula-driven Top 25, based on statistics and lies, had the Broncos at No. 61.

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Follow Boise State's new Twitter accounts

New AD Mark Coyle is already making his mark. We knew he was big on Twitter and now he's showing it. Boise State has unveiled an official twitter account for every sport. Check them all out but follow @BroncoSportsFB for sure. Now when is the official Coach Pete twitter account coming?

BCS spent a record $350k lobbying in D.C. last year

This was more than four times what they spent just three years ago. I would like to think this is in part due to the relentlessness of our friends at the Playoff PAC who exposed corruption at the Fiesta Bowl and John Junker and has continued to pursue the Sugar and Orange Bowls.

Could the Big Ten actually be in favor of a playoff?

Sources told the Chicago Tribune that a Big Ten plan would involve taking the top 4 of the BCS standings and staging semifinal games at the higher ranking school. This is almost too good to be true so I'm not getting my hopes up yet, but playoff games with schools hosting would be a huge step forward.

Happy Birthdays

A special happy birthday to reader The Hammer and Bronco Nation Podcast proprietor and reader JT Ray. Wish for something good, you guys!

If you have a birthday you'd like to add to the OBNUG birthday list, drop us an email at tips@obnug.com

The Super Bowl officially marks the end of live football for the next 6 months. It also reminds us that football playoffs can sometimes work—who knew? If you're a glass half-full sort of guy like myself, you could view this as the kickoff to an exciting offseason fraught with position competitions galore, combines and pro days. If you're a glass half-empty sort, you're reading this from the fetal position while watching replays of Ahmad Bradshaw's squat-pirouette-TD from last night.

After the jump, I'll give you some tips on how to stay sane in the football-barren wasteland known as the offseason

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The Boise State men's basketball team is on a bit of a slide - like, an all-of-2012 slide. They have yet to win in the new year and have yet to win a Mountain West Conference game. Their current eight-game losing streak has to end some time. I think. Right? ... Right?

The Broncos have seven games left against MWC teams that have all beat the Broncos already this season. There has to be a win in there somewhere, if only for the fact that it is extremely hard to lose 15 in a row especially since Greg Graham never did that. Here is what's on tap for the Broncos the rest of the way. See if you can spot the win.

• Saturday, @ Air Force
• Feb. 15, vs. Colorado State
• Feb. 18 vs. TCU
  
• Feb. 22 @ UNLV
• Feb. 25 @ Wyoming
• Feb. 29 vs. San Diego State
• March 3, @ New Mexico
  

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Basketball suffers 8th straight loss with loss to New Mexico

The guys fell to New Mexico 65-49 on Saturday. They are now 0-7 in MWC play. Time to regroup and save your legs for the conference tournament! I mean it can only go up from here, right?

Bob Kustra shoots down Boise State moving to the Big East in 2012 rumors

He says it's too late for a move that soon. That's probably true. Well, hopefully those rumors about the Big East still wanting Air Force pan out then.

Big 10 coaches irked at Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics

Apparently in the Big 10, there has been an unspoken agreement to not go after another school's committed recruit. Well, Urban Meyer doesn't subscribe to this theory and some coaches aren't happy that he flipped some recruits. I kind of side with Meyer but the scary thing about all this is that Ohio State is going to be good again and real soon. I an almost hear ESPN beating the Buckeye drum already. Ugh.

West Virginia still banking on being in the Big 12 in 2012

The tricky thing for them if it goes their way, is that they will have to drop a non conference game since they will be going from an 8 game schedule to a 9 game schedule. Looks like their previously scheduled game with Florida State will be the casualty. Maybe the Noles wouldn't mind a little cross country trip to play on The Blue next year?

Happy Birthday

Happy belated birthday to reader BleedBlue75 whose birthday was on Saturday. Hopefully your day fared better than the basketball team's day!

If you have a birthday you'd like to add to the OBNUG birthday list, drop us an email at tips@obnug.com

The Boise State men's basketball team lost a nailbiter to San Diego State on Wednesday night, and in addition to loads of self-worth and money I had riding on the game, there was also the small matter of a blog bet with SDSU blog Aztecs Killing Him. Here now is the payment for that failed wager. It is glorious in its snark.

The case for a new addition to the Big East

Whenever I go on vacation, I always try to make an effort to not stand out as a tourist. After all, nobody likes tourists.

You know who I mean - the dork in San Francisco hanging off of a cable car while sporting a white Alcatraz t-shirt. Or the yokel in New York snapping photos of a giant Justin Bieber billboard in Times Square. Or the guy in Albuquerque not loading up on Sudo at the CVS.

Instead, I like to try to blend in as much as possible. I like to eat where the locals eat. Drink what the locals drink (only more so).

Well, as a guest poster at One Bronco Nation Under God, I can't help but follow that same philosophy. If I'm going to post on a Boise State blog, dangit, I'm going to be a Boise State blogger. To get into character, please excuse me while I pound this Dairy Queen Blizzard (cookie dough, if you must know). Be right back.

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Freebie Friday is back this week with an old school giveaway: A super fly Liberty Bowl t-shirt (people said "super fly" back in 2004, right?). This t-shirt relic screams, "I have been a Bronco fan for a very long time and know more about BSU than you!" and has that certain ironic hipster charm to it. And it can be yours for the low, low price of free.

How to win it: Super Bowl prop bets. Leave a comment with your prediction for either of the following prop bets:

• Who gets more rushing yards: Tom Brady or Eli Manning?
• How long will Kelly Clarkson's national anthem be: over/under 1 minute, 34 seconds?

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