The thought crosses my mind during every BCS Bowl: "When will BYU play in one of these showcases?" Whether it be the Fiesta, Rose, Sugar, or Orange, the BCS has given non-AQ's a platform they haven't had before. A national stage in which the nation can see you perform against the highest level of competition. Boise State, Texas Christian, and Utah have used this podium to speak to the college football world in ways that those who haven't qualified for a BCS game have not. And now these three former non-AQ's have been invited to the Big Boy's table.
What about the Cougars?
No one can doubt that BYU has a terrific football program. Bronco Mendenhall has won 10 games in five of his seven seasons. Yet, in the world of BCS football, BYU has failed to be selected for a must-see TV event such as a BCS Bowl Game. BYU qualified for BCS entrance in 2006, 2007, and 2009, but were not chosen (for obvious reasons) to play in a BCS Bowl. The talent level in Provo continues to rise. It's only a matter of time before BYU takes the next step as a program. And that next step should be one game at a time, focusing on the present.
In AQ land, each team begins the season in hopes of hoisting the Crystal Ball as National Champions. In non-AQ country, the idea of a national championship is as fantastical as the thought of an a playoff being implemented in college football. The ceiling, you see, is the admittance to a BCS game. This is the medium by which you compare your program with its potential. A different day we will discuss how it transpires but that day will come for BYU.
One day in my lifetime BYU will grace the presence of a BCS Game. 40,000 of my fellow Cougar Nation'ers will be in attendance, and no matter the outcome of the game at hand, it will be glorious. I can't wait to attend.