On the eve of the College Football Playoff Selection Sunday, every coach and conference is lobbying for the best position possible. And on Saturday night, the Mountain West Conference entered the conversation, with a statement from commissioner Gloria Nevarez, who specifically called out the Big 12 Conference.
Nevarez’s statement made the case that Boise State should receive a bye over Arizona State, who won the Big 12 Conference on Saturday over Iowa State. On Friday night, the Broncos beat UNLV, to take the Mountain West Conference.
Related: Arizona State vs. Boise State for a College Football Playoff Bye: Who Should Get It?
Nevarez said in the statement, “Participation in the College Football Playoff isn’t about entitlement. It should not be contingent upon a conference patch or the logo on the helmet. It’s based on the performance and the Mountain West Champion Boise State’s Body of work this season, including an 11-game win streak, has earned it one of the top four seeds ahead of the Big 12 Champion.”
Well, good thing the committee doesn’t have “win streaks” as part of its criteria. Notice how that’s the only data point that the Mountain West commissioner uses to justify the Mountain West champion over the Big 12 champion.
Arizona State vs. Boise State
For the criteria the committee cares about, like Strength of Schedule, head-to-head and common opponents, the resume heavily favors Arizona State.
Arizona State’s strength of schedule is 72. Boise State’s is 82.
There was no head-to-head competition, obviously.
There was a common opponent: Wyoming. And Arizona State beat Wyoming 48-7. Boise State struggled with Wyoming 17-13.
Even if you use the excuse that Arizona State’s game against Wyoming was home and Boise’s was on the road, the problem there is that the Cowboys weren’t any good this season. They went 3-9 on the season and were 2-5 in Mountain West Conference play. There’s no doubt Laramie is a tough place to play, but does it account for a 37-point difference? It shouldn’t.
Let’s see how the committee feels come Sunday.
