Mountain West Football Catches up to Boise State
Did the chicken come before the egg? Would the Mountain West ever grow it's football product without Boise State?
Both are great questions, the first of which I have no clue but on the second questions the answer is no.
There is no question the brand of Mountain West has improved vastly and has because Boise State threw down the gauntlet when they first joined the league and other teams and coaches put on their big boy pants to not only compete with but beat the Broncos.
Boise State breezed through the WAC but as they did so the national media played down the 50-3 record of the Kellen Moore years as a case of playing inferior opponents.
Not so all of a sudden, Fresno state and Utah State are ranked in the top 20 not Bose State. That doesn't mean the Broncos don't deserve a top 25 spot and that's what they'll be out to prove tonight against #16 Fresno State.
It maybe the first time since 2001 the Broncos have been an underdog on their home field but during the regular season but it's not the first time they've been an underdog against Fresno State. Coach Pat Hill and QB David Carr remember and so should current Boise State fans who have placed their expectations so high they have't released the standards of other programs have been drive by Boise States success.
Almost every prediction I see for tonight's game has the same end result, Fresno State with a win. Honestly with BSU's defensive injury woes and the struggles with a running game I'd be hard pressed to pick the Broncos in an upset.
But if I were a Bronco player that fan doubt is exactly what would fuel my passion tonight on the Blue.
Because of Boise States success more and more top players have chosen the likes of Fresno State, Utah State, Nevada etc and the conference is better because of it.
That makes tonight's Bulldog-Bronco game all the more interesting!
The irony is that with three more wins, Boise State will once again rule as the alpha dog in MW Football.