The Boise State Myth is Busted

Boise State choked. They had their big moment on a semi-big stage, and got outplayed in the second half. After all the whinnying and stall-kicking over being overlooked and disrespected, the Broncos couldn't handle the rigors of the WAC schedule.

It isn't equal. They aren't the third best team in the country. They never were. They looked impressive week after week stampeding Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, Idaho and Wyoming. Anyone would. They can try to hang their harness over a 2009 victory over an Oregon team with an unjelled offensive line, or their 2008 victory of an Oregon team without a quarterback, but they couldn't hang with these Ducks.

And now they won't have a chance. Their only opportunity was to be perfect in their own little pond, and they slipped up on a night they finally had the attention of the whole country. #19 Nevada was too big of a challenge.

So now they can just shut up.

The real shame is, an 11-1 Stanford team won't meet Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. That would have been a great matchup, a classic confrontation of strength versus strength. The Cardinal deserve a Rose Bowl, but it really looks now like that will go to TCU.

Auburn keeps escaping, to a much more serious degree than the Ducks. Teams keep letting them off the hook. Alabama could not run the football at all, even though they jumped out to a big lead early and did a good job containing Newton.

How do you suppose Nick Alliotti's defense would do against the Tigers? It looks like we'll probably find out, unless the Ol' Ball Coach pulls out a December surprise.