What does it take?

[75Fan]

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20100729/SPORTS70/7290318

[cowboyracer43]

The Leaf Chronical answers thw question quite eloquently. On another level the question is answered by the Big Sky Conference, Houston Nutt and Boise State. There were no BCS schools a few years ago in Montana, Idaho, North and South Dakota -- and just one in Nebraska and Woming. Boise State was something of a doormat in the Big Sky. It used to move "up" to come to Laramie to play Wyoming -- just like Montana and Montana State did for years. The annual drubbings continued despite UW's mediocrity. However, UW, Utah and BYU were gathering up the quality players. Meanwhile, the Big Sky schools drastically upgraded facilities and the fans started filling those facilities. Unfortunately, even with blue astroturf, Boise State was still not competing. Among the Idaho schools, Boise State was a distant third to Idaho and Idaho State in recruiting the local players. Idaho is a Mormon state, so BYU was the Mecca for players and fans alike. Rather than continuing in Big Sky futility, Boise chose the BCS route and went after California speed. Then, Boise was no longer competing with Idaho and Idaho State. If Idaho residents wanted to watch Big Time football, there was only one game in town. While I certainly have no intention of carrying a brief for Boise State, it is easy to see that Big Time BCS football is readily available to OVC (almost) fans. Nashville, the Mississippi schools, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana are as close as Cookeville, Murray and Cape.