BOISE, Idaho -- Boise State coach Chris Petersen has stayed away from campaigning for a BCS berth this season.

He's said many times this year that he has faith that the system will take care of his Broncos.

But after Friday's 44-33 win over Nevada, the toughest opponent remaining on the Broncos' schedule, Petersen felt compelled to make his first pitch.

"We've got one more game, and if we take care of business, we've done everything we can possibly do if we can win one more game," Petersen said during his postgame news conference. "We've done it for two years in a row."

Boise State is ranked sixth in the BCS standings behind fellow nonautomatic qualifying school TCU, which is ranked fourth. If TCU beats New Mexico on Saturday, it will earn the lone automatic bid given to the non-AQ schools. Boise State will be relegated to the at-large pool for the second consecutive year.

The popular theory is that Boise State is battling Iowa and Oklahoma State for an at-large bid. Both the Hawkeyes and Cowboys have two losses apiece, and the Cowboys play rival Oklahoma in the final game of their regular season.

Last year, the 12-0 Broncos lost a BCS bowl spot to 10-2 Ohio State.

"With all due respect, we shouldn't even be talking about Boise State vs. Oklahoma State or Boise State vs. Iowa," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said. "Boise State should be automatic. It should be a lock. They deserve to be in the BCS."

Boise State will know it BCS fate for sure on Dec. 6 when the matchups for BCS bowls are announced. Representatives from the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl all were in attendance at Bronco Stadium Friday night.

If Boise State isn't selected for a BCS bowl, it likely will be an at-large team placed in the best bowl with the best possible matchup, though none of those potential matchups even come close to the competition the Broncos could face in one of the nation's three prominent available BCS bowls.

The Broncos have done everything the BCS has asked of a nonautomatic qualifying team. If they defeat New Mexico State next week, they will have gone undefeated for the second consecutive season. They have a win over Oregon, which is the favorite to win the Pac-10 and play in the Rose Bowl, and they've been dominant against teams they should be thrashing.

Friday's win over Nevada, a team that came in with the nation's hottest running game and riding an eight-game winning streak, was further proof of Boise State's strength this season. The Broncos jumped out to a 20-0 lead and stifled the Nevada running game. The Wolf Pack's 242 rushing yards was their lowest since Sept. 25, and the 383 yards of total offense was their third-lowest output of the season. During their eight-game winning streak, the Wolf Pack have averaged 598 yards of total offense and 446 yards on the ground.

While many will point to Notre Dame's shutout of Nevada, the team that came into Boise Friday night was a more confident and cohesive group than the one that played in South Bend.

And it's not like Boise State has won games in obscurity. The Broncos have been on national television almost every game this season, and have proven time and time again that they deserve to be a part of the national conversation.

Said Petersen: "We have confidence in the system and we have faith in system, and it's going to take care of the teams that should be in there."