To help us prepare for Monday's game and learn more about the Broncos and their fans' psyche, I exchanged Q&As with Kevan from One Bronco Nation Under God. His answers to my questions are below. I'll give you the link when my answers to his questions go up over at his site. And here they are right here.
Blog Bet: I never, ever, bet on the Hokies, but Kevan and I are doing a friendly blog bet for Monday's game. The winner gets to do a free post the loser's blog.
I also appeared on OBNUG's podcast, which you can download here or listen to below.
1. Every friend of mine who's a fan of another AQ school has told me, "Please beat Boise State." Why do you think this is? Basically, why is everybody so interested in seeing you guys fall instead of becoming the first non-AQ school to play for the national championship? Everyone, including me, embraced Butler during it's run to the title game this spring.
Your friends are cold, unfeeling human beings. That is the only explanation I can think of.
Oh, and this one: Boise State has become too successful. Win a Fiesta Bowl once on crazy cool plays and America loves you. Win two Fiesta Bowls on crazy cool plays, put together back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, play on blue turf, have a slightly self-absorbed fan base, and play in the WAC, and America hates you.
I think a lot of the hate comes from Boise State being in the national championship discussion at the beginning of the season. That rubs a lot of people the wrong way, partly because they have heard so much about Boise State it makes them sick and partly because they don't think the Broncos deserve a NC game with a WAC schedule. The Butler comparison is nice to think about (and write about if you are an ESPN columnist), but it really doesn't work. The Bulldogs had a postseason playoff to win support, their schedule wasn't questioned, they weren't busting the Final Four for the second time in four years, and that Gordon Hayward kid was just so adorable.
2. Some people are making a big deal about the heat and humidity that awaits both teams in DC, saying it will affect the Broncos because of how they played in the past against Georgia. Do you really think this will be an issue for you guys? If so, how much?
The biggest factor affecting the Broncos against Georgia was BSU quarterback Jared Zabransky and his historic bed pooping. Whether that was heat and humidity related, I don't know. But I do know that Zabransky will not be taking any snaps in the opener for the Broncos, thank goodness.
The heat in D.C. is definitely a different kind of heat than Idaho's. We have dry heat that makes you feel like a Pop-Tart in a toaster oven. D.C. has sticky heat that makes you feel like a homeless person just wrapped you in a damp towel. Will it make a difference on Monday night? I don't think so. The Broncos simulated humidity at some practices this summer, and the roster has plenty of kids who know what humidity is like (they're not all from dinky Idaho towns as some people might think). I wouldn't expect it to be a factor.
3. What best describes your feelings toward the now nearly dead WAC: MJ's "Remember the Time" or Pac's "Hit 'Em Up?"
I am very sad for Karl Benson. He seems like a good guy. Did Tu-Pac ever wrap about "calling on your bros when you need a friend cuz we all need somebody to lean on up in this piece"? If so, I'd go with that one.
The WAC was very, very good to Boise State, and I was secretly okay with the Broncos going back to the conference had the BYU Napoleon Complex fiasco gone the WAC's way. I don't want to see the WAC die, except for one reason: Idaho would have nowhere to go. Nothing would bring me greater joy than to see the University of Idaho football team orphaned by Division I-A. Or in the MAC. Same thing.
4. Complete the sentence time: "Boise State is screwed if Virginia Tech ________." "Virginia Tech is screwed if Boise State _______."
Boise State is screwed if Virginia Tech rushes for 250 yards. Or jumps out to a big early lead. Or injures Kellen Moore. Or wins the turnover battle by a large margin.
Virginia Tech is screwed if Boise State scores touchdowns in the red zone. Or converts a majority of third downs. Or keeps Tyrod Taylor under 150 total yards. Or wins the turnover battle by a large margin.
We're all screwed if Bob Molinaro writes a column about any of it.
5. Seriously with the blue turf?
It could be worse. It could be orange turf.