The Blue Turf is FRESHHHH

RealGM - Sports Media Watch -Boise State's 33-30 win over Virginia Tech on Monday drew a 6.8 overnight rating.

No other college football game on ESPN/ESPN2 or ABC drew even a 3.0 overnight, with LSU/North Carolina coming the closest (2.8).

ESPN's record for a regular season game was for USC versus Ohio State in 2009, which drew a 7.2 overnight rating.

Boise State's win was one of ESPN's most highly watched broadcasts of the year, trailing the January 31 Pro Bowl (7.9), The Decision on July 8 (7.3) and Cavaliers/Celtics Game 6 on May 13 (7.1).

Boise State, the perennial BCS snub, has got to like what they hear. People may say their lack of knocking the snot out of Virginia Tech this past weekend already cost them their BCS title chances, but I beg to differ. The spotlight is centered on non-other than Boise State now. They bitch and they whine, with obvious good reason, and now it looks like all their complaining has done them good. Sure, they play in the WAC, a conference explained by its acronym abbreviation, but they draw the viewers and consistently handle their competition, sporting a combined record of 50 - 4 since 2006.

It behooves the BCS for all this attention to be on Boise State. Not only is it good for the sport but it puts extra pressure on Boise to put up or shut up. They have finally gotten the platform, starting the season number 3 in the AP poll, and now the public recognition, so its hard to see them as not controlling their own destiny. Obviously anything short of an undefeated season won't do but the pressure is off the BCS.

I'm not saying the BCS is pulling for the Broncos, in fact they are their worst enemy as Boise State represents the nations case for a college football playoff, but the Broncos will have to make good on their opportunity. If not, then they will only fortify the flawed system that is the BCS, continuing to handicap small market schools like themselves for years to come.

-R.C. Suessmandzadeh