So, about that Florida State series...

Sure, when the games actually happen many currently unborn children will be starting 1st grade and Boise State's starting QB for the 2020 home game is probably in 7th grade right now. I get that it's hard to get too excited for something so far off, but the journey that's led the Broncos to this higher profile in the scheduling world is worth noting. Has Boise State finally turned the scheduling corner?

The short answer

Yes.

The longer answer

Boise State, long lambasted for their sub-par schedules, was really only a victim of circumstance. Our conference affiliations have been average, but power conferences weren't calling, so Boise State had to do the best they could with the options afforded them. Were our options slightly better than we let on? Sure, but Gene Bleymeier made it clear that he wasn't interested in "one and done" type scenarios—at least to begin with. Then, a couple of years ago, after Oregon had the stones to schedule a home and home with the Broncos, things started to subtly change...but that was also fueled by Boise State's newfound national prominence. The Oregon home and home wouldn't have happened without the '06 Fiesta Bowl, and the "neutral site" Virginia Tech and Georgia games wouldn't have taken place without consistent top 10 finishes. Now that Boise State played in, and won, those one-off contests—contests that were a mutual boon to the participants' resumés—the doors are now flung wide for improved OOC scheduling across the board. Of course, you still have to convince teams to roam WAY outside of their comfort zone and promise a return trip to The Blue. That's what hadn't been happening...until now (ish).

Boise State's home slate doesn't get a big shot in the arm until 2015, but we'll start to see marquee games each year starting next season, when we open UW's shiny new stadium in Seattle. In 2014, we get to participate in another Chik-Fil-A Kickoff Classic (like we did with UGA) against Ole Miss. In 2015, UW makes their long-awaited trip to Boise, then the following year the Broncos get the Cougars of WSU on The Blue. In 2017, Virginia will make the second leg of that newly scheduled home-and-home and play in Boise (BSU is at UVA in 2015). Then, of course, the series with Florida State begins in earnest in 2019 and Michigan State will come to town in 2022. Yes, NINE years from now, but you can see the improvement in OOC scheduling beginning almost immediately and if all goes according to plan, Boise will be in a more favorable conference by the time some of these contests take place anyway—which will provide a bigger shot in the arm to BSU's title hopes in the BCS 2.0 scenario.

Brian Murphy gave his "theories" on Boise State's sudden scheduling prowess, but it's really much more simple. Boise State is a proven winner now and a marquee matchup for virtually any opponent in the land. The changing football landscape requires that teams outside the SEC, Big 12, or possible Big Ten think out of the box with their scheduling instead of avoiding competition and squeaking through to a conference title and an autobid. Mark Coyle deserves a lot of credit for getting these series scheduled (and there may be more to come), but Bleymeier's philosophy paid out these dividends in the long run—so we'll applaud the San José State AD as well for our current position. Heck, with a little luck, Florida State/Boise State will be a conference game when it finally comes to fruition.