Final pregame thoughts on Boise State vs. Washington

1. Where has all the excitement gone?

The biggest topic of discussion between Boise State's regular season finale against Nevada and its bowl game tomorrow against Washington has been ... Boise State basketball?

Sure enough, the deja vu deja vu Vegas Bowl has taken a back seat to the Bronco b-ballers, which is a credit to Leon Rice's crew and also an acknowledgment of how a lot of fans kind of checked out of the BSU football season after that San Diego State game. I get the sense that most people just want next year to get here already. And, if Joe Southwick is still starting at quarterback, some people just want two years from now to get here already.

We Bronco fans do not take two-loss seasons with much grace.

2. How many points must Boise State score to win?

This question popped up during the Idaho Statesman's football chat yesterday:

The strength of both Washington and Boise State is defense, so it could be the first to X number of points wins. How high is X? Consider: Boise State has given up more than 21 points only once all season (New Mexico scored 29, I'm told). In their two losses, the Broncos allowed 17 and 21. So I'll put the Vegas Bowl bar at an even three touchdowns.

(Now might be a good time to get the swinging gate two-point try to work.)

3. If Boise State could only beat Washington one time, which game would you rather it be?

Choose wisely.

Next year, the Broncos need only to win the Big East to make a BCS bowl.

On the other hand, it sure would be nice to be ranked all season long and not be the standard Big East joke butt.

Then again, who wants an eight-month offseason with Vegas Bowl hangover?

OK, I've chosen. Give me a win now and a loss later. The future is someone else's problem!

5. Bowl game MVP prediction: the Boise State defensive line

By all accounts, the Washington O-line has been one of the team's main sources of kryptonite this year. On the flip side, the Boise State D-line has been a team strength. Recipe: backfield mayhem. Games are won and lost in the trenches (cliche alert!), and I feel that the Boise State defensive line will win its trench battle to a greater degree than the Boise State offensive line will lose its. Make sense? If not, I'm sure Kirk Herbstreit will explain it in a much more understandable way.

5. Enjoy the last bowl game west of the Mississippi

The Big East, by virtue of its not-yet-ironic geographic name, plays most of its postseason on the East Coast, which is a far try from the Southwest Airlines-friendly destination of Las Vegas. Depending on the Big East's future bowl alliances and the future of the conference in general, this Vegas Bowl could be the last one that doesn't cost Bronco fans an arm and a leg to attend. How has Bronco Nation responded? By saving up its money for a Seattle trip next August and an Orange Bowl trip next January, I would assume.