10 Best WAC teams? Really!?
OK, the idea of coming up with the 10 best WAC teams of all-time was a great one. I was intrigued. So I popped up the Idaho Statesman story and what do I find?
TWO Boise State teams in the top 10, yet only one Fresno State team (2001).
Now, don't get me wrong, last year's Boise State team belongs. Even if the Broncos didn't have a very tough schedule and used lots of gimmick plays, they won the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma (by far their biggest non-conference win ever). But they won, and you can't argue that.
My problem is the 2003 Boise State team was ranked 7th all-time, ahead of the No. 10 2001 Fresno State team that was led by David Carr.
Now, let's see, what was so special about this 2003 Boise State team? It lost to Oregon State in its only game against a BCS-conference opponent. The other two non-league games were Idaho State and Wyoming. The marquee win was 31-17 over Fresno State. And a bowl win against TCU.
Now let's compare the 2005 team, which is arguably Fresno State's best ever. It's at least AS GOOD as the '01 team that shocked the nation and put the WAC back on the map. But in '05, Fresno State froze every college football fan in the country to his/her seat as it went toe-to-toe and nearly beat No. 1 USC in the LA Coliseum (you know, the USC team that was heralded as the most talented college team ever). Oh, and Fresno State had 30,000 fans travel to the game and outyell USC's 60,000.
That same '05 'Dogs team also pummeled Boise State 27-7 the week before, spanked Hawaii 70-14, and lost by three to No. 10 Oregon on the road after blowing a 17-point lead. The only knock on the '05 team was the late-season collapse. But that shouldn't keep it out of the top 10.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/boisestatefootball/story/114130.html
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Good teams don't collapse, they win...this is not a list of the 10 most talented teams ever, otherwise the '93 FS team should make the list over the 2001 team. Moreover, the 04 team beat Hawaii 70-14, the 05 team won 27-13 on the Island.
ReplyDeleteOf course the list is going to BSU heavy, its the freakin Idaho Statesman...they are such a homer!
The 1975 ASU team is the best WAC team of all-time by far...sure the '84 BYU team won the national title but it could not have beaten the '75 Sun Devils...and in the paper's defense, the '03 BSU team is still the best Donk team, IMO...it would beat the 2006 team.
Dinwiddie was amazing that year, the OSU game ended on a disputed call and the Donks were still learning to play big games. Don't get me wrong, that team didn't beat anyone great...the 06 team is only ranked -- too high -- because of the dramitic win over OU, otherwise it is not one of the top 10 WAC teams of all-time!
The 2001 FS team is not a top 10 either, if they had beaten Michigan State in the SVFC, I'd say yes but a 3 loss team is nowhere near top 10 of all-time...
a few teams that probably deserved to be on the list:
the 94 Utah team went 10-2 and finished in the top 10, and beat Pac-10 champ Oregon in Eugene and top 20 Arizona in the Freedom Bowl. The 94 Colorado State was also in the top 10 before losing to Michigan in the Holiday Bowl, their only other loss was to the Utes. And also beat Arizona -- ranked No. 6 at the time -- on the road...
I stand corrected on the Hawaii error, thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt might not be a list of the most talented teams, but I think you're discounting the fact that Boise State has ALWAYS played a soft schedule. Always. I still wouldn't say they've learned how to play the big games.
It took a lot of luck to pull out that Oklahoma win (they reached and grasped to every tricky hope they had). Has Boise State even beaten a BCS-conference opponent on the road yet? Ever?
I agree that the paper seems to be a fan of the home team over there. There is a whole lot more to the equation than win-loss record here, especially when you take scheduling into consideration.
And I'm not saying Boise State's not good. It has been. But it's hard to say how good...