"The sixth-best conference that will have to earn its way on merit, fighting it out with the Mountain West, Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt for one lucrative spot in the new playoff system that arrives in 2014."

USA Today, Feb 22, 2012 by Dan Wolken

But, the reality for all NonAQ teams is that the road to a BCS bowl runs thru Boise. Absolutely nothing has changed.

(02-22-2013 01:33 PM)Tallgrass Wrote:  "The sixth-best conference that will have to earn its way on merit, fighting it out with the Mountain West, Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt for one lucrative spot in the new playoff system that arrives in 2014."

USA Today, Feb 22, 2012 by Dan Wolken

But, the reality for all NonAQ teams is that the road to a BCS bowl runs thru Boise. Absolutely nothing has changed.

I actually agree with that sentiment. Boise State is clearly the top non-AQ program in the country and has established itself as such for the better part of this past decade.

That said, the Aresco League is just as clearly the best collection of teams competing in any non-AQ league and it will get slightly stronger when Tulsa is rumored to join it sometime in March.

Also, I agree with the writer that having a contract with ESPN automatically catapults the Big East to the front of the have-nots' line.

(02-22-2013 01:33 PM)Tallgrass Wrote:  "The sixth-best conference that will have to earn its way on merit, fighting it out with the Mountain West, Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt for one lucrative spot in the new playoff system that arrives in 2014."

USA Today, Feb 22, 2012 by Dan Wolken

But, the reality for all NonAQ teams is that the road to a BCS bowl runs thru Boise. Absolutely nothing has changed.

For everyone other than for Cincinnati, UCONN and USF.

(02-22-2013 01:33 PM)Tallgrass Wrote:  "The sixth-best conference that will have to earn its way on merit, fighting it out with the Mountain West, Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt for one lucrative spot in the new playoff system that arrives in 2014."

USA Today, Feb 22, 2012 by Dan Wolken

But, the reality for all NonAQ teams is that the road to a BCS bowl runs thru Boise. Absolutely nothing has changed.

Life has a way of changing...stay tuned.

(02-22-2013 01:33 PM)Tallgrass Wrote:  "The sixth-best conference that will have to earn its way on merit, fighting it out with the Mountain West, Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt for one lucrative spot in the new playoff system that arrives in 2014."

USA Today, Feb 22, 2012 by Dan Wolken

But, the reality for all NonAQ teams is that the road to a BCS bowl runs thru Boise. Absolutely nothing has changed.

I agree winning and only winning is the ticket to the future for teams but I think someone will come out of the pack and challenge Boise.

My guess is it will be a team from CUSA or the SBC, someone like La Tech, Southern Mississippi, Tulsa, Arkansas State, Troy or Louisiana. Has to be a team that has shown the potential to string together some success.

(02-23-2013 09:20 AM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(02-22-2013 01:33 PM)Tallgrass Wrote:  "The sixth-best conference that will have to earn its way on merit, fighting it out with the Mountain West, Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt for one lucrative spot in the new playoff system that arrives in 2014."

USA Today, Feb 22, 2012 by Dan Wolken

But, the reality for all NonAQ teams is that the road to a BCS bowl runs thru Boise. Absolutely nothing has changed.

I agree winning and only winning is the ticket to the future for teams but I think someone will come out of the pack and challenge Boise.

My guess is it will be a team from CUSA or the SBC, someone like La Tech, Southern Mississippi, Tulsa, Arkansas State, Troy or Louisiana. Has to be a team that has shown the potential to string together some success.

Old Dominion.

The road may run through Boise but what is the story of Boise's history in the final polls?
1999 10-3 UNRANKED
2000 10-2 UNRANKED
2001 8-4 UNRANKED
2002 12-1 #12 USA Today #15 AP
2003 13-1 #15 USA Today #16 AP
2004 11-1 #13 USA Today #12 AP
2005 9-4 UNRANKED
2006 13-0 #6 USA Today #5 AP

73-16 in 7 seasons leading up to finally being recognized as the "best of the rest". Seven years of winning 82% of their games.

There will be teams that put together contender years but without that consistency in a close call, tie is going to go to Boise.

(02-23-2013 10:09 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  The road may run through Boise but what is the story of Boise's history in the final polls?
1999 10-3 UNRANKED
2000 10-2 UNRANKED
2001 8-4 UNRANKED
2002 12-1 #12 USA Today #15 AP
2003 13-1 #15 USA Today #16 AP
2004 11-1 #13 USA Today #12 AP
2005 9-4 UNRANKED
2006 13-0 #6 USA Today #5 AP

73-16 in 7 seasons leading up to finally being recognized as the "best of the rest". Seven years of winning 82% of their games.

There will be teams that put together contender years but without that consistency in a close call, tie is going to go to Boise.

The next Boise like the original Boise will have to be in a conferences where they can pretty much count every conference game as a 'w'. That will not happen the MAC, or nBE, the MWC has Boise, so the next Boise will probably come from the CUSA, or much more likely the SBC.

I think the next Boise has already put a couple of what should be many 10 win seasons together, and has hired a staff that the current Boise HC said was more Boise than Boise.

I also think a large number of the current Non-AQ's schools with potential to do it, pretty much ended any hopes of their football programs amounting to much during the latest rounds of realignment.

(02-23-2013 04:33 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(02-23-2013 10:09 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  The road may run through Boise but what is the story of Boise's history in the final polls?
1999 10-3 UNRANKED
2000 10-2 UNRANKED
2001 8-4 UNRANKED
2002 12-1 #12 USA Today #15 AP
2003 13-1 #15 USA Today #16 AP
2004 11-1 #13 USA Today #12 AP
2005 9-4 UNRANKED
2006 13-0 #6 USA Today #5 AP

73-16 in 7 seasons leading up to finally being recognized as the "best of the rest". Seven years of winning 82% of their games.

There will be teams that put together contender years but without that consistency in a close call, tie is going to go to Boise.

The next Boise like the original Boise will have to be in a conferences where they can pretty much count every conference game as a 'w'. That will not happen the MAC, or nBE, the MWC has Boise, so the next Boise will probably come from the CUSA, or much more likely the SBC.

I think the next Boise has already put a couple of what should be many 10 win seasons together, and has hired a staff that the current Boise HC said was more Boise than Boise.

I also think a large number of the current Non-AQ's schools with potential to do it, pretty much ended any hopes of their football programs amounting to much during the latest rounds of realignment.

Someone who actually "gets it". All GoF teams are on a level footing. At this moment Boise will get the tie and even the benefit of any close "doubt". HOWEVER, if any team is to challenge them for the charity bowl it will be a team that can go 10+ regular season every year. The more balanced the conference the less likely a team from that conference is going to be the "chosen". MWC has the current advantage with Boise. C-USA and SBC have the best track to dethrone the Bronco's with SOUTHERN MISS, Tulsa, LaTech and ArkState. MTSU and ULALA have the ability as well. ecu, houston, ucf - they cut their own wrists.

As for realignment - big markets are good to get for the cartel type but not necessary. Big markets as a consideration are a joke for the GoF guys.

The nbe contract is almost entirely thanks to uconn/temple basketball - cinci and memphis basketball were also a positive but not to the extent of UConn and Temple (may be "better teams" in most years but aren't as valuable for television). Everyone else was absolutely and entirely interchangeable with anyone else.

(02-23-2013 06:24 PM)WinOrLoseEAGLE Wrote:  

(02-23-2013 04:33 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(02-23-2013 10:09 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  The road may run through Boise but what is the story of Boise's history in the final polls?
1999 10-3 UNRANKED
2000 10-2 UNRANKED
2001 8-4 UNRANKED
2002 12-1 #12 USA Today #15 AP
2003 13-1 #15 USA Today #16 AP
2004 11-1 #13 USA Today #12 AP
2005 9-4 UNRANKED
2006 13-0 #6 USA Today #5 AP

73-16 in 7 seasons leading up to finally being recognized as the "best of the rest". Seven years of winning 82% of their games.

There will be teams that put together contender years but without that consistency in a close call, tie is going to go to Boise.

The next Boise like the original Boise will have to be in a conferences where they can pretty much count every conference game as a 'w'. That will not happen the MAC, or nBE, the MWC has Boise, so the next Boise will probably come from the CUSA, or much more likely the SBC.

I think the next Boise has already put a couple of what should be many 10 win seasons together, and has hired a staff that the current Boise HC said was more Boise than Boise.

I also think a large number of the current Non-AQ's schools with potential to do it, pretty much ended any hopes of their football programs amounting to much during the latest rounds of realignment.

Someone who actually "gets it". All GoF teams are on a level footing. At this moment Boise will get the tie and even the benefit of any close "doubt". HOWEVER, if any team is to challenge them for the charity bowl it will be a team that can go 10+ regular season every year. The more balanced the conference the less likely a team from that conference is going to be the "chosen". MWC has the current advantage with Boise. C-USA and SBC have the best track to dethrone the Bronco's with SOUTHERN MISS, Tulsa, LaTech and ArkState. MTSU and ULALA have the ability as well. ecu, houston, ucf - they cut their own wrists.

As for realignment - big markets are good to get for the cartel type but not necessary. Big markets as a consideration are a joke for the GoF guys.

The nbe contract is almost entirely thanks to uconn/temple basketball - cinci and memphis basketball were also a positive but not to the extent of UConn and Temple (may be "better teams" in most years but aren't as valuable for television). Everyone else was absolutely and entirely interchangeable with anyone else.

There are about three maybe four teams all in CUSA or the SBC that are prime candidates to be the next Boise.

Of course the teams the MWC teams not named Boise fill the role of auto 'w', and there is no program in the nBE or MAC capable of dominating their conference mates for an extended period of time.

As non AQ's, Boise and TCU have had thier successful runs for one reason. They have both not only been able to find good coaches--they have both been able to hang onto them. This is why non-AQ's have such a hard time performing at a very high level for a long period of time. As soon as a non-AQ coach builds a program, he is snatched away by a struggling AQ school with tons of money. The fact that those two schools each has a coach that has chosen to say "no" to opportunities to "move up" the coaching hierchy has a ton to do with thier ability to sustain thier success. Thats what you have to duplicate if you want to be Boise or TCU.

(02-23-2013 09:14 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  As non AQ's, Boise and TCU have had thier successful runs for one reason. They have both not only been able to find good coaches--they have both been able to hang onto them. This is why non-AQ's have such a hard time performing at a very high level for a long period of time. As soon as a non-AQ coach builds a program, he is snatched away by a struggling AQ school with tons of money. The fact that those two schools each has a coach that has chosen to say "no" to opportunities to "move up" the coaching hierchy has a ton to do with thier ability to sustain thier success. Thats what you have to duplicate if you want to be Boise or TCU.

This is all true. The nBE is a set of schools with the financial resources and will to pay quality football coaches the required 2 million dollars per school to retain them.

In all honesty, I would not be surprised that the nBE exceeds expectations (again) and performs in most years as well as the ACC. This new ESPN TV deal is going to be a boon for recruiting. Programs like East Carolina have been held back by a low exposure deal on CBS College Sports.

The nBE is going to be strong enough to put a team in the 4 team playoff if undefeated. Cincinnati would have been eligible for the playoff had it been in place. The ability of one school to lift an otherwise weak conference was proved by TCU and Boise State. The nBE should be stronger than old MWC top to bottom.

The key to the nBE (in terms of football) will be if the new investment from Tulane, Houston, and Temple pays off. If it does, then you're in business. You need UH to be 8-10 wins good, and for Tulane/Temple to win 6-7 each year. That will shore up whatever "bottom" you have going forward.

(02-24-2013 02:13 AM)oliveandblue Wrote:  The key to the nBE (in terms of football) will be if the new investment from Tulane, Houston, and Temple pays off. If it does, then you're in business. You need UH to be 8-10 wins good, and for Tulane/Temple to win 6-7 each year. That will shore up whatever "bottom" you have going forward.

Gotta say, any and all 8-10 win teams from the GoF won't be in any playoff discussion and will only POSSIBLY be in contention for the charity bowl game if at 10 (never at 8).

The best "bottom" of a conference is going to be fine as far as bragging rights between/among the GoF. Unfortunately it will be the top and only the very top team that will actually matter ... whichever conferences #1 team is the #1 team not in a cartel conference will get the nod. nbe can have 2 10-2 and zero teams with overall losing records but if Boise is 13-0, even if the rest of the MWC has only 1 other team with an overall winning record....Boise is gonna get that charity bowl invite.

(02-24-2013 02:03 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(02-23-2013 09:14 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  As non AQ's, Boise and TCU have had thier successful runs for one reason. They have both not only been able to find good coaches--they have both been able to hang onto them. This is why non-AQ's have such a hard time performing at a very high level for a long period of time. As soon as a non-AQ coach builds a program, he is snatched away by a struggling AQ school with tons of money. The fact that those two schools each has a coach that has chosen to say "no" to opportunities to "move up" the coaching hierchy has a ton to do with thier ability to sustain thier success. Thats what you have to duplicate if you want to be Boise or TCU.

This is all true. The nBE is a set of schools with the financial resources and will to pay quality football coaches the required 2 million dollars per school to retain them.

In all honesty, I would not be surprised that the nBE exceeds expectations (again) and performs in most years as well as the ACC. This new ESPN TV deal is going to be a boon for recruiting. Programs like East Carolina have been held back by a low exposure deal on CBS College Sports.

The nBE is going to be strong enough to put a team in the 4 team playoff if undefeated. Cincinnati would have been eligible for the playoff had it been in place. The ability of one school to lift an otherwise weak conference was proved by TCU and Boise State. The nBE should be stronger than old MWC top to bottom.

IMO being in a strong conference is not necessarily a good thing for a team in the Group of 5, that might aspire to be the next Boise, a team that wins 10+ games a year, year after year, and ends up being ranked high by default.

That is why I feel the next Boise, will probably will not come from the nBE, MWC (where they would have to get by Boise) or MAC.

Because the rules of the game changed in the middle of this last round of realignment, I'm sure there are a number of ADs that really wish they had not made a move, because they just made winning harder not easier for their team and did not reap the benefits they expected, for doing so.