College Football Nation: Mountain West
1. UCF’s George O’Leary is the coach who taught me that the farther a freshman lines up from the ball, the faster he can get on the field. Teenaged linemen, especially on offense, need to physically mature into their role. Washington guard Colin Porter seemed to defy the rule. He started 10 games as a freshman in 2010 and all 13 games last season. But Porter’s career is over. His shoulders, shot through with degenerative arthritis, no longer could take the pounding. Perhaps this proved O’Leary’s rule is right after all.
2. Alabama goes to the White House on Thursday for winning the BCS Championship. Air Force goes Monday to receive the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy. One big difference -- the Crimson Tide is taking its entire team. The Falcons take only the seniors. Air Force SID Troy Garnhart said it is part tradition, part expense. It is cool that the 28 seniors make up coach Troy Calhoun’s first signing class. One other big difference -- half of Air Force’s delegation will come from the Pentagon, just across the Potomac River.
3. In his ESPN The Magazine story on marijuana use among college football players, Mark Schlabach cites the most recent NCAA survey (taken in 2009) in which nearly a quarter of players said they had used the drug in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, medical marijuana is available in 15 states and the District of Columbia, and 13 states have decriminalized the drug for non-medical, personal use. It would appear that college football players who use marijuana are closer to the mainstream than we might think.
2. Alabama goes to the White House on Thursday for winning the BCS Championship. Air Force goes Monday to receive the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy. One big difference -- the Crimson Tide is taking its entire team. The Falcons take only the seniors. Air Force SID Troy Garnhart said it is part tradition, part expense. It is cool that the 28 seniors make up coach Troy Calhoun’s first signing class. One other big difference -- half of Air Force’s delegation will come from the Pentagon, just across the Potomac River.
3. In his ESPN The Magazine story on marijuana use among college football players, Mark Schlabach cites the most recent NCAA survey (taken in 2009) in which nearly a quarter of players said they had used the drug in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, medical marijuana is available in 15 states and the District of Columbia, and 13 states have decriminalized the drug for non-medical, personal use. It would appear that college football players who use marijuana are closer to the mainstream than we might think.
The Mountain West and Conference USA have announced plans to form a new athletic association for the 2013-14 season, as a way to ensure their future survival due to heavy losses each league has suffered in realignment.
Presidents and chancellors of the 16 schools that will be a part of the group met in Dallas on Sunday to discuss the details. Those schools: Air Force, UAB, Colorado State, East Carolina, Fresno State, Hawaii, Marshall, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV, Rice, Southern Miss, UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa and Wyoming. With the exception of Hawaii as a football-only member, the participation would involve all sports.
The Mountain West is losing Boise State and San Diego State to the Big East, while Conference USA is losing Houston, Memphis, SMU and UCF to the Big East as well. Most interesting in the announcement made Monday were these two points that will likely be included in the future structure of the new association:
- Membership of 18 to 24 universities
- Championship football game format that includes semifinal matchups
Growing from two to eight teams means the new association might have designs on absorbing the WAC, which is struggling to hang on after recent defections to the Mountain West, or possibly going after teams in the Sun Belt. Utah State and San Jose State, currently in the WAC, have been tied to the Mountain West in the past. In fact, Utah State was offered a spot in the Mountain West in 2010 but turned it down.
The championship game format, complete with semifinals, is obviously intriguing simply because that is something most folks have yearned for in college football as a whole. If the league grows to 24 teams, having four teams making it into a "championship round" would seem to increase interest. Especially if the semifinal round is on a home campus.
Now keep in mind regular-season scheduling will be contained to divisions, and those divisions are going to be set based on geography. There is a reason the news release cited this as essential to the new association: "bringing fiscal discipline into athletics and ensuring competitive fairness."
Right now, Conference USA has teams stretching from East Carolina to El Paso. So one would think that it would make more sense to have UTEP in a different division than the Pirates, just like they are now, with road games East contained to one or fewer a year, or perhaps eliminated entirely. If the league gets to 18 teams at a minimum with two nine-team divisions -- think eight regular-season football games contained to that division.
That should help alleviate some of the money that is spent on traveling alone, especially in the nonrevenue sports.
The Conference USA board of directors is set to meet later this week to discuss the possibility of forming a merger with the Mountain West, a source told ESPN's Andy Katz.
The two leagues have lost a collective six members to the Big East in recent months. They had already announced a joint partnership to form a football alliance, in which schools in the leagues would play games against each other. But given the heavy losses the leagues have taken, merger discussions are now on the table.
The two leagues have lost a collective six members to the Big East in recent months. They had already announced a joint partnership to form a football alliance, in which schools in the leagues would play games against each other. But given the heavy losses the leagues have taken, merger discussions are now on the table.
The Mountain West has reached an agreement with the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the league announced Wednesday.
The move was made as Hawaii leaves the WAC to join the Mountain West in football only beginning in 2012. The Mountain West takes the WAC tie-in. The game will still feature an opponent from Conference USA.
Hawaii is automatically guaranteed a spot in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl if it is bowl eligible and not picked for a BCS game.
The move was made as Hawaii leaves the WAC to join the Mountain West in football only beginning in 2012. The Mountain West takes the WAC tie-in. The game will still feature an opponent from Conference USA.
Hawaii is automatically guaranteed a spot in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl if it is bowl eligible and not picked for a BCS game.
The quest to become an automatic qualifying conference did not die when the Mountain West lost the last of its marquee teams.
Indeed, the Mountain West is holding out hope that its appeal to the Presidential Oversight Committee will be granted, giving it AQ status for 2012 and 2013. The big question is whether the league deserves it, considering its membership will look radically different for those two seasons.
Utah is gone. BYU: gone. TCU: gone. Boise State is headed for the exits in 2013. Remember, it is those four schools that allowed the Mountain West to meet the standards laid out in two of the three categories needed for automatic qualification. Yet those four schools will be gone by 2013.
Three of those schools had BCS appearances during 2008-11, the years included for the qualification cycle. Each had at least one top-25 finish in the BCS standings. Though Boise State achieved most of its success in the WAC, its credentials count toward the Mountain West because it joined this season. Though Utah and BYU left this year, what they accomplished in the Mountain West count, too.
If those four schools had remained, there would be a powerful argument to give the Mountain West an AQ spot. Boise State has finished in the top 10 of the final BCS standings four straight years. TCU narrowly missed its third straight BCS appearance. One of the biggest travesties of recent BCS selection has been the constant exclusion of Boise State as an at-large selection, and that would be repaired with an AQ spot.
But what is the Mountain West without Utah, TCU, Boise State and BYU? By the time 2013 rolls around, the league will be left with Nevada, Fresno State, Hawaii, Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico and UNLV.
Three of those eight teams are bowl eligible this season. Only Hawaii has made a BCS game in its history. Colorado State has not been to a bowl game since 2008; New Mexico since 2007; UNLV since 2000. Four of those schools will have new head coaches in 2012, and none appear ready to become the next "BCS buster" because they have not maintained the same level of consistency as the schools that have departed.
The Mountain West argues in its appeal to the committee that it deserves a spot for a variety of reasons. The league believes its performance during the qualifying cycle is deserving of inclusion. And as for the question about whether it should become an AQ conference despite its membership changes, the league points to none other than the Big East -- the BCS whipping league.
The league points to two other instances in which the Big East was allowed to retain its AQ status in its appeal letter.
Those comparisons are understandable, but the situations are different. The Big East was grandfathered in as a member of the "original six" automatic qualifying conferences. Whether the Big East deserves its spot should not come into play here because the Mountain West should be judged based on its own merits.
This is a league that has had many big wins over AQ teams, and performed well in BCS games and bowl games in general. The league has won the Bowl Challenge Cup four times since 2002-03. But there is a bottom line here: The Mountain West is simply not the conference that got all these national accolades.
Now it is up to the Presidential Oversight Committee to determine whether that matters.
Indeed, the Mountain West is holding out hope that its appeal to the Presidential Oversight Committee will be granted, giving it AQ status for 2012 and 2013. The big question is whether the league deserves it, considering its membership will look radically different for those two seasons.
Utah is gone. BYU: gone. TCU: gone. Boise State is headed for the exits in 2013. Remember, it is those four schools that allowed the Mountain West to meet the standards laid out in two of the three categories needed for automatic qualification. Yet those four schools will be gone by 2013.
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Brian Losness/US PresswireChris Petersen and Boise State will be leaving the Mountain West after next season.
Brian Losness/US PresswireChris Petersen and Boise State will be leaving the Mountain West after next season.If those four schools had remained, there would be a powerful argument to give the Mountain West an AQ spot. Boise State has finished in the top 10 of the final BCS standings four straight years. TCU narrowly missed its third straight BCS appearance. One of the biggest travesties of recent BCS selection has been the constant exclusion of Boise State as an at-large selection, and that would be repaired with an AQ spot.
But what is the Mountain West without Utah, TCU, Boise State and BYU? By the time 2013 rolls around, the league will be left with Nevada, Fresno State, Hawaii, Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico and UNLV.
Three of those eight teams are bowl eligible this season. Only Hawaii has made a BCS game in its history. Colorado State has not been to a bowl game since 2008; New Mexico since 2007; UNLV since 2000. Four of those schools will have new head coaches in 2012, and none appear ready to become the next "BCS buster" because they have not maintained the same level of consistency as the schools that have departed.
The Mountain West argues in its appeal to the committee that it deserves a spot for a variety of reasons. The league believes its performance during the qualifying cycle is deserving of inclusion. And as for the question about whether it should become an AQ conference despite its membership changes, the league points to none other than the Big East -- the BCS whipping league.
In February 2004, prior to the implementation of the BCS contract established for the 2004-2007 cycle, the Big East Conference (Big East) experienced membership change which significantly affected the competitive strength of its football enterprise. However, without any formal action, the Big East was permitted to retain its automatic-qualifying status for the next cycle -- apparently based upon reputation and relationships, rather than demonstrated performance.
The league points to two other instances in which the Big East was allowed to retain its AQ status in its appeal letter.
Those comparisons are understandable, but the situations are different. The Big East was grandfathered in as a member of the "original six" automatic qualifying conferences. Whether the Big East deserves its spot should not come into play here because the Mountain West should be judged based on its own merits.
This is a league that has had many big wins over AQ teams, and performed well in BCS games and bowl games in general. The league has won the Bowl Challenge Cup four times since 2002-03. But there is a bottom line here: The Mountain West is simply not the conference that got all these national accolades.
Now it is up to the Presidential Oversight Committee to determine whether that matters.
Temple Owls (8-4) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (8-4)
Dec. 17, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Temple take: The Owls are back in a bowl under first-year coach Steve Addazio. They were bowl eligible last year but were not picked as an at-large selection. Running back Bernard Pierce has been incredible yet again. He earned All-MAC first-team honors, rushing for 1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns -- including a stellar 5.6 yards per carry.
They also have an outstanding backup, Matt Brown, who was a third-team conference selection for contributing 867 yards and five scores. Together they have teamed up to lead the nation's No. 7 rushing offense with 256.6 yards on the ground per game. Temple has had some quarterback issues, however, rotating through Chris Coyer, Mike Gerardi and Chester Stewart. Coyer is more of a fit for what Addazio likes to run with the spread, but he got hurt in the finale against Kent State, so Stewart and Gerardi are once again in the mix for the bowl game. Gerardi actually came into the year as the starter, but until the Kent State finale, hadn't played since Week 3.
Linebacker Stephen Johnson paces a stingy Owls' defense with 62 stops on the year. They allow just 13.8 points per game -- third nationally in scoring defense -- while allowing 122.5 rushing yards per game.
Wyoming take: Quite the surprise season from the Cowboys from Laramie. When last year's quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels -- the 2009 conference freshman of the year -- announced he was transferring, many thought Wyoming would sink. But freshman quarterback Brett Smith has been fantastic in his first season, rallying Wyoming to a eight wins -- including signature road wins at San Diego State and at Air Force. Ironically, Smith likely wins the Mountain West's freshman of the year award once held by his predecessor.
Wyoming lost top wide receiver Chris McNeill, who suffered a season-ending arm injury last month against Air Force, but Mazi Ogbonna has filled the void as best he can, catching 39 balls and three touchdowns on the year.
Despite good defensive numbers from Luke Ruff, Brian Hendricks and Gabe Knapton, the Cowboys give up a lot of yards -- 432.25 per game. They rank 115th nationally in rush defense, yielding 230.8 yards per game on the ground.
Turnovers are the name of the game for the Cowboys, who rank fourth nationally in turnover margin with 31 takeaways on the season -- recovering 18 fumbles and 13 interceptions.
Dec. 17, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Temple take: The Owls are back in a bowl under first-year coach Steve Addazio. They were bowl eligible last year but were not picked as an at-large selection. Running back Bernard Pierce has been incredible yet again. He earned All-MAC first-team honors, rushing for 1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns -- including a stellar 5.6 yards per carry.
They also have an outstanding backup, Matt Brown, who was a third-team conference selection for contributing 867 yards and five scores. Together they have teamed up to lead the nation's No. 7 rushing offense with 256.6 yards on the ground per game. Temple has had some quarterback issues, however, rotating through Chris Coyer, Mike Gerardi and Chester Stewart. Coyer is more of a fit for what Addazio likes to run with the spread, but he got hurt in the finale against Kent State, so Stewart and Gerardi are once again in the mix for the bowl game. Gerardi actually came into the year as the starter, but until the Kent State finale, hadn't played since Week 3.
Linebacker Stephen Johnson paces a stingy Owls' defense with 62 stops on the year. They allow just 13.8 points per game -- third nationally in scoring defense -- while allowing 122.5 rushing yards per game.
Wyoming take: Quite the surprise season from the Cowboys from Laramie. When last year's quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels -- the 2009 conference freshman of the year -- announced he was transferring, many thought Wyoming would sink. But freshman quarterback Brett Smith has been fantastic in his first season, rallying Wyoming to a eight wins -- including signature road wins at San Diego State and at Air Force. Ironically, Smith likely wins the Mountain West's freshman of the year award once held by his predecessor.
Wyoming lost top wide receiver Chris McNeill, who suffered a season-ending arm injury last month against Air Force, but Mazi Ogbonna has filled the void as best he can, catching 39 balls and three touchdowns on the year.
Despite good defensive numbers from Luke Ruff, Brian Hendricks and Gabe Knapton, the Cowboys give up a lot of yards -- 432.25 per game. They rank 115th nationally in rush defense, yielding 230.8 yards per game on the ground.
Turnovers are the name of the game for the Cowboys, who rank fourth nationally in turnover margin with 31 takeaways on the season -- recovering 18 fumbles and 13 interceptions.
Here are the non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference:
C-USA
Offense: G.J. Kinne, QB, Tulsa. Kinne went 21-of-27 for 300 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another in a 57-28 win over UTEP.
Defense: Sammy Brown, LB, Houston. Brown had 10 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and three sacks in a 37-7 win over SMU.
Special teams: Chris Boswell, K, Rice. Boswell made a pair of field goals that went over 50 yards in a 19-7 win over Tulane. His first field goal was a career-best 54-yarder, and he added a 51-yarder in the third quarter.
Independent
Offense: Jake Heaps, QB, BYU. Heaps returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Sept. 30 and led BYU to a 42-7 home win over New Mexico State, going 21-of-36 for 238 yards and a career high-tying four touchdowns.
Defense: Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame. Te'o had a team-high 12 tackles in a 16-14 win over Boston College. He added three quarterback hurries.
Special teams: David Ruffer, K, Notre Dame. Ruffer kicked field goals of 40, 41 and 27 yards against Boston College. He has made eight consecutive field goals dating back to a win over Purdue on Oct. 1, and has made 47 straight extra points.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Branden Oliver, RB, Buffalo. Oliver set the school FBS record with a career-high 235 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns in a 51-10 win over Akron. His performance broke the record set by James Starks (231 against Toledo in 2007).
Defense: Stephen Johnson, LB, Temple. Johnson had a career-high 16 tackles, including a career-best eight solo stops, in a 42-14 win over Army.
Special Teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Weller kicked he game-winning field goal from 23 yards, giving Ohio a 29-28 victory over Bowling Green and the MAC East title. The game-winning field goal was his school record fifth in the game.
West Division
Offense: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois. Harnish broke the school record for total offense in a game with 519 total yards in a 31-28 win over Ball State. His 519 yards of total offense is tied for third most by any player in FBS this season.
Defense: Drew Nowak, DL, Western Michigan. Nowak had a career-high 2.5 sacks and as many tackles for loss in a 24-21 win at Miami. Nowak leads the team with 15 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on the season.
Special Teams: Demarius Reed, KR, Eastern Michigan. Reed returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown at Kent State for the first time in his career. It was the longest return by an Eastern Michigan player since 2002. Additionally, Reed’s return surpassed the entire season punt return yards total for any player during the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 season.
Mountain West
Offense: Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming. Smith accounted for 352 of his team’s 462 yards of total offense in a 31-10 victory over New Mexico. He had a career-high 140 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and threw for 212 yards and a touchdown.
Defense: Tank Carder, LB, TCU. Carder returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown and tied a season-high with nine tackles (one for loss) in a 34-10 win over Colorado State.
Special teams: Ross Evans, K, TCU. Evans accounted for 10 points (four extra points, two field goals) in a 34-10 victory against Colorado State. His two field goals of 21 and 46 yards gave him 55 for his career, moving him past BYU’s Matt Payne (54, 2001-04) into second place on the conference career chart.
Sun Belt
Offense: Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey rushed for a season-high 214 yards and a touchdown against North Texas, helping the Hilltoppers become bowl eligible. He also caught four passes for 48 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown reception to finish with 262 all-purpose yards.
Defense: Jonathan Cyprien, S, FIU. Cyprien had nine tackles, five of them unassisted, and one interception return for a touchdown in a 28-17 win over ULM.
Special teams: Luther Ambrose, KR, ULM. Ambrose had a 98-yard kickoff return for touchdown against FIU, moving into second place in Sun Belt history with his third career kickoff return for a touchdown.
WAC
Offense: Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State. Turbin ran for a career-high 208 yards and three touchdowns in Utah State’s 49-42 double overtime win at Idaho. Two of his touchdown runs came in the overtime periods and the other was on an 80-yard run in the second quarter.
Defense: Adrien Cole, LB, Louisiana Tech. Recorded a career-high 17 tackles (15 solo) in a 24-20 win at Nevada, ending the Wolf Pack’s 16-game home winning streak.
Special teams: Jens Alvernik, K, San Jose State. Alvernik hit two field goals from 44 and 23 yards to help San Jose State beat Navy, 27-24. He now has 16 field goals on the season, tying the school record.
C-USA
Offense: G.J. Kinne, QB, Tulsa. Kinne went 21-of-27 for 300 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another in a 57-28 win over UTEP.
Defense: Sammy Brown, LB, Houston. Brown had 10 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and three sacks in a 37-7 win over SMU.
Special teams: Chris Boswell, K, Rice. Boswell made a pair of field goals that went over 50 yards in a 19-7 win over Tulane. His first field goal was a career-best 54-yarder, and he added a 51-yarder in the third quarter.
Independent
Offense: Jake Heaps, QB, BYU. Heaps returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Sept. 30 and led BYU to a 42-7 home win over New Mexico State, going 21-of-36 for 238 yards and a career high-tying four touchdowns.
Defense: Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame. Te'o had a team-high 12 tackles in a 16-14 win over Boston College. He added three quarterback hurries.
Special teams: David Ruffer, K, Notre Dame. Ruffer kicked field goals of 40, 41 and 27 yards against Boston College. He has made eight consecutive field goals dating back to a win over Purdue on Oct. 1, and has made 47 straight extra points.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Branden Oliver, RB, Buffalo. Oliver set the school FBS record with a career-high 235 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns in a 51-10 win over Akron. His performance broke the record set by James Starks (231 against Toledo in 2007).
Defense: Stephen Johnson, LB, Temple. Johnson had a career-high 16 tackles, including a career-best eight solo stops, in a 42-14 win over Army.
Special Teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Weller kicked he game-winning field goal from 23 yards, giving Ohio a 29-28 victory over Bowling Green and the MAC East title. The game-winning field goal was his school record fifth in the game.
West Division
Offense: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois. Harnish broke the school record for total offense in a game with 519 total yards in a 31-28 win over Ball State. His 519 yards of total offense is tied for third most by any player in FBS this season.
Defense: Drew Nowak, DL, Western Michigan. Nowak had a career-high 2.5 sacks and as many tackles for loss in a 24-21 win at Miami. Nowak leads the team with 15 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on the season.
Special Teams: Demarius Reed, KR, Eastern Michigan. Reed returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown at Kent State for the first time in his career. It was the longest return by an Eastern Michigan player since 2002. Additionally, Reed’s return surpassed the entire season punt return yards total for any player during the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 season.
Mountain West
Offense: Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming. Smith accounted for 352 of his team’s 462 yards of total offense in a 31-10 victory over New Mexico. He had a career-high 140 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and threw for 212 yards and a touchdown.
Defense: Tank Carder, LB, TCU. Carder returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown and tied a season-high with nine tackles (one for loss) in a 34-10 win over Colorado State.
Special teams: Ross Evans, K, TCU. Evans accounted for 10 points (four extra points, two field goals) in a 34-10 victory against Colorado State. His two field goals of 21 and 46 yards gave him 55 for his career, moving him past BYU’s Matt Payne (54, 2001-04) into second place on the conference career chart.
Sun Belt
Offense: Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey rushed for a season-high 214 yards and a touchdown against North Texas, helping the Hilltoppers become bowl eligible. He also caught four passes for 48 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown reception to finish with 262 all-purpose yards.
Defense: Jonathan Cyprien, S, FIU. Cyprien had nine tackles, five of them unassisted, and one interception return for a touchdown in a 28-17 win over ULM.
Special teams: Luther Ambrose, KR, ULM. Ambrose had a 98-yard kickoff return for touchdown against FIU, moving into second place in Sun Belt history with his third career kickoff return for a touchdown.
WAC
Offense: Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State. Turbin ran for a career-high 208 yards and three touchdowns in Utah State’s 49-42 double overtime win at Idaho. Two of his touchdown runs came in the overtime periods and the other was on an 80-yard run in the second quarter.
Defense: Adrien Cole, LB, Louisiana Tech. Recorded a career-high 17 tackles (15 solo) in a 24-20 win at Nevada, ending the Wolf Pack’s 16-game home winning streak.
Special teams: Jens Alvernik, K, San Jose State. Alvernik hit two field goals from 44 and 23 yards to help San Jose State beat Navy, 27-24. He now has 16 field goals on the season, tying the school record.
TCU rallies for rare win on the blue turf
November, 12, 2011
11/12/11
9:11
PM ET
By ESPN Stats & Information | ESPN.com
With Mountain West supremacy and Boise State's perfect season on the line Saturday afternoon, the TCU Horned Frogs stunned the Broncos, 36-35, in a dramatic come-from-behind win at Bronco Stadium.
The win put TCU in the driver’s seat for a Mountain West Conference title and ended the Broncos' hopes for a berth in the BCS National Championship game.
The victory by the Horned Frogs was also a nearly unprecedented event to happen on the blue turf in Idaho.
Boise State had won 65 straight regular season home games and 47 straight home conference games, both of which were the longest such streaks in the FBS era (since 1978).
The last time the Broncos walked off their home field on the losing end of a conference game was the 1998 season finale against Idaho, when both teams were members of the Big West Conference. And the last time they were losers at home in any regular season game was September 8, 2001 against Washington State.
Down by seven points late in the fourth quarter, TCU forced a Boise State fumble and then drove 73 yards in less than two minutes, culminating in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Casey Pachall to Brandon Carter with 1:05 remaining.
The Horned Frogs went for the lead and the win on the very next play, as Pachall connected with Josh Boyce for the go-ahead two-point conversion. Boise State had a chance to win the game, but Dan Goodale’s 39-yard field goal attempt went wide right as time expired.
This was the second straight year the Boise State’s perfect season was ruined by a missed field goal at the end of the game. Nearly a year ago, Kyle Brotzman missed a 29-yard kick in overtime as Nevada handed the Broncos their first loss of the 2010 season.
The heartbreaking losses for Boise State continue. The Broncos have lost just four games dating back to the 2007 Sheraton Bowl and all four losses have come by three points or fewer, including one in overtime.
Around the CFB Nation
• Montee Ball scored three touchdowns and Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes to lead the Wisconsin Badgers to a 42-13 win over Minnesota. Ball now has 27 total touchdowns this season, a new Big Ten record, and Wilson now has 25 passing touchdowns, a new Wisconsin record.
• The Kansas State Wildcats beat Texas A&M 53-50 in the first-ever four-overtime game in Big 12 history. Collin Klein led the Wildcats with nearly 400 yards of offense and six total touchdowns.
• In the Deep South's oldest rivalry, the Georgia Bulldogs beat Auburn 45-7 to win its eighth straight game after a 0-2 start. Georgia stays atop the SEC East and needs only a win next week vs Kentucky to clinch the division title.
• The Baylor Bears erase a 24-3 deficit against Kansas, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game, before winning it in overtime, 31-30. This comeback matched the largest deficit Baylor has ever overcome to win a game in school history. In 1980, they had a 21-point comeback against SMU.
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