Even after Monday night's win over Virginia Tech, an undefeated Boise State could be left out of the national championship game in favor of a one-loss team from a automatic qualifier conference like, say, the Big 12.

That doesn't mean it's right.

Let me be clear: An undefeated team from the Big 12--or any AQ conference--deserves entrance into the national championship over the Broncos. They both won all their games. The team from the AQ conference played a tougher schedule. Thus, the major conference team goes.

That's simple.

But start comparing historical one-loss teams to an undefeated Boise, specifically the 2010 version with two BCS bowl wins in five years in its wake, and the debate emerges.

A team like Texas, Oklahoma or Nebraska might be holding a Big 12 championship trophy in December. They might also be holding a loss, and who delivered that loss will matter to voters. If it came to an unranked team, a la the Men of Troy, the debate should be over. Send Boise to Glendale a third time--this time for the shot at the 'ship.

But if a team in that group of three finishes the season with one loss, but it came either on the road or on a neutral site to one of the others--and it was close?

That's a debate with no clear answer, and it's a very real possibility with a trip to Lincoln on the schedule for the Longhorns and a date in Dallas for the annual Red River Rivalry.

Critics contend the Broncos would emerge from any Big 12 teams schedule with at least a couple losses. But in the current system, teams should be rewarded for winning all their games and punished for dropping one, regardless of who delivered the loss.

We don't know if Boise State would beat any of the Big 12's top three teams. But if all three had a loss, we'd know for sure they didn't succeed in doing everything required to qualify for the national title.

That couldn't be said for an undefeated Boise State.