Smurf Turf

Regular readers of this blog know I love all versions of football -- college, NFL, CFL, Arena, Australian, and probably some I haven't watched yet -- so the last two or three weeks have been an exciting time given the 32 college bowl games being played this year.

I especially love underdogs and football teams that utilize "trickeration" to win games so this past season provided the perfect team for me to root for in Boise State University, http://www.boisestate.edu/, home of the famous "smurf turf" blue football field which apparently really bothers visiting teams. Boise State used plays like the "hook and ladder" and the "statue of liberty" to win the Fiesta Bowl over #8 ranked (at the time) Oklahoma University -- excellent use of trickeration Broncos!!!

Now that another underdog team -- University of Florida with a season record of 13 wins and 1 loss -- has officially been declared the national champion after destroying Ohio State University by a score of 41 to 14 in the BCS championship game the final AP and Coaches' Top 25 polling results have been issued. These final rankings list Boise State at #5 in the AP and #6 in the Coaches' poll. Congratulations on a fine season Boise State with your 13 wins and 0 losses -- you are the ONLY undefeated team in the Top 25 rankings.

As has been noted by most sports show personalities the BCS system is broken when the nation's only undefeated team in the Top 25 is not given any chance of playing for the national championship. Had Boise State been allowed to play one more game against Florida after Florida defeated Ohio State then college football would have had it best chance in its history essentially of having a true national champion with Boise State's final record at 14 wins and 0 losses assuming they defeated Florida of course.

Whether you hate football or love the current BCS system ("cartel") you have to admit that a Boise-Florida game played for all the marbles would have been damn exciting. No that game did not happen but some excitement is happening on the Boise State campus since the Idaho Board of Education has approved a $36 million project to improve Bronco Stadium that will give them a capacity of 32,000 seats.

Go Broncos,

Todd