The Recipe To Play On New Year’s Day  

Bob Behler-Voice of the Broncos

With the Mountain West season starting tomorrow for Boise State, the Broncos top goal is to win the conference.  But after last year’s run to the Fiesta Bowl, I think I can speak for Bronco fans that we’d like to see them win the conference and be the best group of five team to go to a New Year’s Six bowl.  I thought I would give you a check list of teams to root for and against this season as you watch the games the rest of the year.

This year the American Athletic Conference looks like it is the best from top to bottom.  The MW was last year and that helped Boise State as the year went along.  The American and Mid-American Conferences can’t have an undefeated team.  Navy, Temple, and Memphis all have tough out of conference games with Power Five teams.  Houston and Toledo do not.  Having all of them lose at least one conference game will help.  Root against any of the good teams in those conferences.

Then let’s start with assumption that Boise State wins the Mountain Division.  Now let’s go over to the West Division within the conference.  In order to gain the most in strength of schedule, San Jose State, Hawaii, and UNLV need to win as many games as possible.  Those three teams need to be better than the three in the West that don’t play Boise State.  The teams in the Mountain Division need to beat  Fresno State, San Diego State, and Nevada, too.  Air Force has the best resume now out of conference.  The Falcons need to beat Navy tomorrow.

Outside of the conference, BYU needs to prove that last week was a hiccup and needs to finish the season strong.  Both Washington and Virginia have to win some conference games and crawl out of the bottom of the Pac 12 and ACC.

Lastly, Boise State needs to win all of its game looking good.  I am not saying run up the score, but look like the best team in the Mountain West and a Top 25 team.  Everything I have laid out is possible.  If it all falls in to place, Boise State can grab the Group of Five spot once again.