The Bronco Fans' Week 8 Rooting Guide

There should be an introduction here, but I have a very full day. I may edit this later. Go Broncos! Go other teams that help the Broncos!

Week 7 TV schedule

Rules

• Boise State's scheduled opponents need to win to boost national perception and strength of schedule. This doesn't happen very often but this article is about hopes and dreams.
• Teams ranked in the BCS from #16 to Boise State's rank need to lose, as well as the highest ranked "Big 6" team (currently, the Big Ten, Big East, and ACC). Boise State is the favorite team in the polls to jump, so teams slightly ranked lower also need to lose.
• The opponents of the teams Boise State plays need to win (when they are not playing Boise State's opponents). Computers understand this. Humans freak out when Washington beats Stanford who beats USC and they rank completely opposite that.
• Because out of conference football games are scheduled years in advance, it is important to track how well our future opponents and remaining Big East members do.
• Anyone who plays Idaho.

Note: I will now use the top 25 BCS rankings as they have been release as well as the full rankings as projected by the BCS Guru.

Games of the Week

35 Michigan State @ 28 Michigan - 1:30pm on the Big Ten Network

Who to cheer for: Michigan State

If any fan is still complaining about the Boise State offense, it could be worse. You could have 3 losses. With Michigan State's frustrating loss to Iowa last week, they have to save face and beat Michigan in order to win the conference. Computers don't like the Wolverines much, but if they beat Michigan State, Michigan may just jump Boise State.

Brigham Young @ 5 Notre Dame - 1:30pm on NBC

Who to cheer for: Brigham Young

If any fan is still complaining about the Boise State offense, it could be worse. You could have 3 losses... The Cougar defense will have to work harder than against Oregon State to give their offense a win in South Bend.

17 Texas Tech @ 23 TCU - 1:30pm on ABC or ESPN2

Who to cheer for: Texas Tech .. for now.

Boise State has a slightly better computer average than TCU, which is the only thing keeping TCU behind Boise State. If they defeat Texas Tech, they are gauranteed to jump Boise State. Whereas a Texas Tech loss may not drop the Red Raiders far enough to get behind our Broncos.

45 Virginia Tech @ 19 Clemson - 10:00am on ABC or ESPN2

Who to cheer for: Virginia Tech

Nobody's talking about it, but there's almost a sure chance a Big Ten team will miraculously leap into the teen rankings by playing each other. This means that Bronco fans need to also hope the ACC or Big East falls behind Boise in the polls.

20 Stanford @ California - 1:00pm on FOX

Who to cheer for: California

California is a big question mark. Amongst all that disappointment they have flashes of brilliance which never amounts to much winning. However, they always seem to be in the battle for pulling of top ten upsets.

21 Cincinnati @ 42 Toledo - 5:00pm on ESPN3

Who to cheer for: Toledo

Toledo is ranked in the BCS (with a whole 2 points in the Coaches poll .. #smh coaches), but far from ever threatening Boise State's BCS hopes.

Our opponents' schedules at a glance

Cheer for teams in bold. All times are in MT.

• New Mexico @ Air Force - Saturday 5:00pm on Root Sports Regional
• Southern Miss vs Marshall - Saturday 5:00pm on CBSSN
• Fresno State vs Wyoming - Saturday 8:30pm on Root Sports Regional
• San Diego State @ Nevada - Saturday 8.35pm on CBSSN
  Our best hopes at a ranked team lie with Nevada on December 1st. Hopefully we'll be locked into a BCS bid by then with only the Wolfpack in the way. I can guarantee Boise State would leave nothing on the field.
• Teams on a Bye: Miami (OH), Hawaii, Colorado State (which they'll somehow lose).

Other important games to follow

Thursday night games

• 3 Oregon @ 26 Arizona State - 7:00pm on ESPN
  I wish we could cheer against the Ducks, but with only 1 loss and a win against Oregon, the Sun Devils are threatening to leap Boise State in the rankings.

• 6 LSU @ 18 Texas A&M - 10:00am on ESPN
• 15 Rutgers @ Temple - 10:00am Big East Network/ESPN3
• 24 Iowa State @ 34 Oklahoma State - 10:00am on FX
• Minnesota @ 32 Wisconsin - 10:00am on ESPNU
  Wisconsin wouldn't normally be a threat to leaping Boise State, but I'm guessing there will be voter sympathy to Big Ten teams being unranked. However, don't get your hopes up unless this game is close at the start of the 4th quarter.

Saturday afternoon games

• 7 South Carolina @ 2 Florida - 1:30pm on CBS
• South Florida @ 16 Louisville - 1:30pm on ABC
• 33 Nebraska @ 29 Northwestern - 1:30pm on ESPN2 or ABC
  This is a close race, but Nebraska only has 0.0050 BCS points and no computer love.
• 38 North Carolina State @ Maryland - 1:30pm on ESPNU
• 40 Louisiana-Monroe @ 30 Western Kentucky - 2:00pm on ESPN3
  Some voters, even SB Nation ones, had the gall to vote Western Kentucky and not Boise State. Preposterous.
• Colorado @ 10 USC - 4:00pm on Pac Twelve Network
  Hey ... it could happen (even though it won't).

Saturday evening games

• 1 Alabama @ Tennessee - 5:00pm on ESPN
• 4 Kansas State @ 13 West Virginia - 5:00pm on FOX
• Kansas @ 9 Oklahoma - 5:00pm on FSN
• 11 Georgia @ Kentucky - 5:00pm on FSN(South) and ESPN3
• Middle Tennessee @ 12 Mississippi State - 5:00pm on ESPN2
• Idaho @ 31 Louisiana Tech - 5:00pm on ESPN3 and Altitude
  La Tech is still threatening a Boise State BCS bid, but they're playing Idaho.
• 14 Florida State @ Miami - 6:00pm on ABC
• Baylor @ 25 Texes - 6:00pm on ABC and ESPN3
• Utah @ 8 Oregon State - 8:30pm on ESPN2