One of the things you do when you are a Washington Husky football fan these days is watch other teams play in bowl games. I mean who would have guessed that Boise State would have evolved into the top football program in the Pacific Northwest. I mean the chances of that were about as good as Washington not winning a football game in 2008.
One of the most anticipated games of the bowl season is tonight's game between No. 9 Boise State (12-0) and No. 11 TCU (10-2) in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego.
This is a game that should have been on the BCS slate of games but the big boys pushed these two Cinderella's onto the stage of the little brother of San Diego's Holiday Bowl. Like the older Holiday the Poinsettia is taking advantage of the BCS greed to gain an instant and bigger place on the national stage.
It's arguably the most anticipated non-BCS matchup of the bowl season, and a coup for a bowl game in just its fourth year of existence. The Broncos are trying to complete their second unbeaten season in the last three years, while a TCU win would help the Horned Frogs' resume as one of the elite non-BCS teams in the country.
Both teams started the season unranked but sport two of the best defenses and offenses in the country. TCU boasts the second-best total and scoring defenses in the country and it's the best in the nation against the run. Boise State is one of the most talented young offenses in the country. It is ranked No. 12 in scoring offense and No. 13 in total offense.
The Horned Frogs played the tougher schedule this season. They lost to two BCS bound Bowl teams Oklahoma and Utah. You can't accuse Boise State of ducking anyone since they upset the Oregon Ducks on the road earlier this season.
This contest shines the spotlight on two of the better coaches in the country. Chris Petersen and Gary Patterson's names were mentioned for about every major job opening this off season and neither were interested. Obviously both of them feel that the big time is where you are currently at.
Both seem content to craft their teams in so called mid major conferences rather than make the jump to the win or else BCS conferences. they both feel they can join the nations elite on an annual basis from there they are at rather than reinventing the wheel and moving on. So far it has been a sound theory for both men.
As far as tonights game goes I am taking TCU in this one. I just feel that the Horned Frogs defense is very capable of shutting down the Bronco offense despite the fact I think Kellen Moore can light it up against almost everyone. TCU isn't everyone and their SEC style defense will prove too much for the Bronco's.
Whatever the outcome expect it to be close and end up being one of the more enjoyable games of the bowl season.