Boise State Seals It With A Kiss

Life can't get much better for Boise State Running Back Ian Johnson. While 2006 may have been his coming out party, 2007 got off to a pretty good start for the nation's second leading rusher. In last night's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl he converted the game winning two point conversion and proposed to his girlfriend during the post-game show. However, Johnson is not the only one who had a memorable night. Senior Quarterback Jared Zabransky went from goat to hero in the span of a minute and a half. Coach Chris Peterson and his staff put on a show-calling display never before seen in crunch time. A hook and ladder sent the game to overtime, a former walk-on threw an overtime touchdown, and the Statue of Liberty play sealed the deal. The imagination, innovation, and intestinal fortitude displayed by the brain trust of Boise State inspired anyone who watched.

This may have been the finest of the four overtime bowl games in BCS history. With the game ending well after midnight on the East Coast, unfortunately many people missed the thrilling conclusion. To quickly recap, Oklahoma scored 15 points in less than a minute to take a seven point lead with around a minute to play in regulation. On 4th and 18, the Broncos converted a hook and ladder for the game-tying score with seven seconds to play. After the Sooners scored on their first play in overtime, the Broncos again stunned their opponents with trickery. Reserve wide receiver Vinny Paretta tossed a touchdown to tight end Derek Schouman on fourth down to set up the ultimate "I don't believe what I just saw" moment. Down one, the Broncos opted to go for two. With three receivers bunched right, Zobransky pump faked right before handing the ball around his back to Johnson who scampered in to the left side of the end zone untouched for the winning conversion. Guys don't have the guts to call this play in a Turkey Bowl; how about making that decision to win the biggest game in Boise State history. Again, not enough can be said about the coaching done by Peterson and his staff.

Aside from being an instant classic, this game had several deeper implications. First, it reminded everyone how flawed the BCS system is. There must be a playoff system put in place. College sports is predicated on unpredictability; every George Mason and Boise State needs its chance to shine. However, the need for a tournament extends beyond that. Heading in to yesterday's games many felt that Michigan deserved to playing for the national championship. They were thoroughly dominated by a USC team who couldn't beat an inferior UCLA to secure their own spot in the BCS title game. Again, anything can happen in college sports. Now, we all know with the revenue created by bowl games there is very little hope of ever getting the playoff system so many fans desire. Schools and conferences will be unwilling to risk the enormous paychecks they receive for participating in these games. But why not have your cake and eat it too? The bowl games could serve as hosts to playoff games and still culminate in a BCS title game. It could still be an enormous cash cow for participating schools and give more programs the opportunity to chase a national championship.

Second, the belief that "mid-majors" who run the table are not prepared to take on the big boys of the BCS conferences must be dispelled. The running theme of last night's game, as nauseating as it was, continued to be "David vs. Goliath". I say nauseating because they compared the two programs as if what happened in past years truly affected the outcome of this game. The only link to the past that these teams have is the ability to recruit, and that is a very indirect connection. Yes, Oklahoma is a name brand in College Football and can bring in top level high school talent. But no, it does not matter how many more Heisman trophy winners or National Championships they've won when it comes down to winning a single ball game. The fact of the matter is that Boise State won all 13 games on its schedule, while Oklahoma dropped three. Obviously there was disparity in who they played, but until the big programs are willing to be challenged, the Boise State's of the college world will be denied their fair shot. Just like Utah did in 2005, an undefeated small conference school controlled a "powerhouse" program. When the media hypes "David vs. Goliath" every time a matchup like this occurs, it only strengthens the misconception that the smaller conferences can not compete with the bigger conferences. Boise State had a phenomenal season and should receive a world of credit. Although they won't get a crack at Ohio State this year, hopefully their win will accelerate some change.