The Boise State Broncos are ranked No. 5 in the country in every single major poll. Those straight-to-DVD Disney movies are right! Dreams do come true. I'm sorry I doubted you, anthropomorphic tree creature.
What went right for the Broncos over the weekend? How long will can Boise State stay at No. 5? Will Kirk Herbstreit's head explode if this continues much longer? It's all open for debate. Join me after the jump.
Boise State is the No. 5 team in the country. Wha' happened?
The AP poll, the gold standard of football polls, has the Broncos at No. 5. The USA Today Poll, the Marmaduke of football polls, has the Broncos at No. 5. The Harris Poll, Mike Prater's passive-aggressive vendetta medium, has the Broncos at No. 5.
Have I died and gone to heaven?
The impossible became possible on Sunday, thanks to choke jobs by three of the country's top six teams. When Cal, Penn State, and Ole Miss Schruted it against unranked conference opponents, the dominoes fell in Boise State's favor, just like they do on David Augusto's game nights.
But seriously. The Boise State Broncos?
I wouldn't believe it were it not printed in the Idaho Statesman, which makes it 75 to 80 percent accurate. The Broncos are No. 5. Only Florida, Texas, Alabama, and LSU stand in front of them. It feels like I'm playing NCAA Football on my Gamecube, since that is the only frame of reference I have in which my favorite team has any shot of national recognition such as this. What's going to happen next? Kellen Moore's going to win the Heisman? The NCAA is going to allow me to choose between ending the season with a bowl schedule or a playoff? A mascot game between Bevo and the Cal Bear is going to break out? I never thought of my Gamecube as a magic eight ball, but at this point, I believe anything is possible.
Just for posterity sake, let me run down some of the historic facts from Boise State's new ranking.
- Boise State is ranked No. 5 in every major poll.
- The ranking matches the highest ranking in school history, the 2006 season-ending poll following a Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma, an undefeated season, and the only undefeated season out of all teams in Division I-A. Boise State has climbed that high in four weeks of the 2009 season.
- The Broncos have risen 11 spots since the start of the season.
- Boise State has been in Division I-A for
913 years and the WAC for nine. - Boise State plays in the WAC.
- Boise State plays in Idaho.
- Boise State plays in a 32,000-seat stadium.
- Boise State plays across from a Chili's.
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that this was a possibility. I figured that major change would have to come to college football before non-BCS teams would be considered so highly, so early. I guess the change has happened right under my nose - first with the Broncos' Fiesta Bowl win, followed by Utah's Sugar Bowl triumph. The seas of change have been moving for the past five years. And this is what they have brought us: parity and Jesse Palmer's short ties.
Are we all in agreement that the Broncos deserve this?
You will not find me asking for a recount of the poll because the Broncos are too high. You will, however, find me asking questions to make Bronco fans think critically. Case in point: Have the Broncos played like a Top 5 team so far this year?
Against Oregon, I would say yes, yes, absolutely yes.
Against Miami (OH), I would say maybe.
Against Fresno State, I would say no.
Against Bowling Green, I would say yes, starting in the second quarter.
But is my take tinted with the fact that I expect perfection from the Broncos week in and week out? Am I biased because I know what this team is capable of doing?
In context, Boise State is a Top 5 team because the Broncos have the consistency to avoid the upset from week to week. The win over Oregon was as good as any other win I have seen in college football this season. The game against Fresno would have been an upset for a handful of other Top 25 teams. (An upset from an unranked conference opponent? Hmm, that sounds familiar.)
Boise State deserves the Top 5 because they know how to win. Not many other college football teams can say that right now.
When might the Broncos lose again?
How about "never"?
Boise State's schedule has been well-documented for its easiness, but that doesn't mean that there won't be roadblocks along the way. The next big hurdle for BSU comes in 17 days when the Broncos travel to Tulsa. Then there are visits to Hawaii, LaTech, and Utah State to worry about and home dates against Nevada, SJSU, and Idaho. It's not going to be as easy as everyone outside of Boise might think it is. I, for one, am planning on developing an ulcer starting on October 4.
On October 3, this Saturday, Boise State hosts UC Davis in what is sure to be a laugher. How will playing a pushover in October affect the Broncos in the polls?
From Dr. Jrig:
Since we’re playing lowly UC Davis next week we might drop a little even if no one in front of us loses
From howiestheman:
nobody close behind us is playing a really good game. polls will probably hold if no one loses
So basically, no one knows.
Did I hear someone say national championship?
I've heard a lot of people say national championship, actually. Thankfully, a lot of the talk has sounded like this Loque sound byte:
I still think our NC game chances are next to none.
I get very nervous talking about a national championship at this point because I do not like setting myself up for disappointment. Yet for some reason I am a fan of a small conference college football team.
I think it is premature to have Bronco fans thinking about a national championship, a) because it is September and b) because college football has never shown a willingness to put a non-BCS team in a title game. The BCS rankings will tell us a lot, but the computers will like Boise State less and less as the season progresses, and the pollsters might, too.
Then again, Boise State is the No. 5 team in the country after four weeks of football, so I guess anything is possible.
Which teams do you think are better than the Broncos at this point?
Here's the rundown. I'd love to know what you all think.
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Florida: A near unanimous No. 1, but the Gators haven't looked like it so far this season. Could Boise State take them?
- Texas
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Alabama: Probably the most deserving Top 3 team at this point. I think they are better than the team that Utah beat last season.
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LSU: Barely beat Mississippi State.
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Virginia Tech: Exciting to know that the Broncos get a shot at them next season, but what do we all think would happen this year?
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USC: Hasn't looked good yet.
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Oklahoma: A different team with Sam Bradford.
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Ohio State: Don't get me started.
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Cincinnati: Nearly lost to Fresno State at home.
- TCU
- Houston
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Iowa: Undefeated, but barely got past Northern Iowa.
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Kansas: Undefeated, but barely got past Southern Miss.
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Michigan: Undefeated, but with large amounts of Rich Rodriguez.
Where might more movement come from?
From reader bsudayas:
i do think there will be more teams ahead of BSU that will have some losses. 3 of the top 4 ranked teams are SEC and will play each other either regular season or SEC championship. And the teams right behind us will most likely add to their losses especially the teams out of the ACC. And who knows what will happen to Oregon, USC, and CAL in the PAC 10. We can only hope Oregon does very well and a win against USC would be huge. Go Broncos!
LSU visits Georgia this weekend, so the Tigers could fall out by Saturday. If not this week, LSU hosts Florida the following Saturday, so someone from the Top 5 will be losing.
Alabama faces former Top 5 Ole Miss in two weeks and has Ole Miss killer South Carolina the week after. Virginia Tech, always primed for a conference loss that no one sees coming, has Boston College and dangerous Georgia Tech on the schedule within the next three weeks.
Having seen so many teams fall out of the Top 5 in recent weeks, anything is possible. In fact, just last week, we discussed how high the Broncos might get in the polls, and OBNUG's Nick, the smartest college football person I know, thought No. 6 would be as high as BSU might get.
In other words, anything is possible. I'm not sure if anything would surprise me any more.
Conclusion
Regardless of what happens from here on out this season, let's remember: This is not supposed to be the Broncos' best team. Boise State is stacked for the next two years and should field better, deeper squads from here on out.
Bronco fans are playing with house money at this point.
In fact, I would even go so far as to say that no matter what else happens this season with the Broncos, the significance of reaching No. 5 in the polls this early in the season makes 2009 a success. Boise State could lose every single one of its remaining games, and I would be happy. My football team is No. 5 in the country, and I never thought I'd see the day.
But I doubt that the good times will stop here.
Feedback
What are your thoughts on the Broncos being ranked so high? Are you like me and already worrying about what will happen from here on out? How high can BSU go? What teams around Boise State could the Broncos beat? Share your thoughts in the comments. Blogpoll coming later today, too.