Did the Fiesta Bowl Show Us Anything?

Leading up to the college football bowl season one of the most anticipated announcements was who would be matched up against TCU and Boise State. The bowls pulled a dirty trick on all of us and matched them together. This led many to cry foul. What could be learned of these two teams, carrying the weight of the non-BCS conferences on their shoulders, if neither were to play Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa or Georgia Tech?

This was the ultimate chance for the non-BCS conferences to stand up and yell with one or two wins against the big boys. With this chance gone, many felt as if the Fiesta Bowl held very little meaning this year. Of course, it was frustrating not to be able to see TCU or Boise State play a BCS school, but that doesn’t mean the Fiesta Bowl had to disappoint. It doesn't mean there was nothing to learn from this match up of unbeatens.

You may have noticed from the outset the team speed of both squads lacked nothing when compared to other elite programs. Both Boise State and TCU have the speed to match up with any team in the nation, and on both sides of the ball. TCU's front line was explosive and the skill players of both teams had the potential to break a big play at any moment. This type of anticipation is what makes for an interesting game.

Both TCU and Boise State want to be recognized as big time programs. One true sign of a big time college football program is a strong fan base. If you witnessed this game, you saw a packed house and plenty of noise coming from the fans of both schools. The atmosphere for this game could not have been better. The fans, players, and coaches showed the intensity of a national championship game that could be felt on the couch in your living room.

Defense wins championships. The top teams in the nation like Alabama, Florida, and Texas can score points, but they win because of defense. The most impressive part of this game was the defense played by each team. Each offense averaged over 40 points per game during the season, but they combined for only 27 points in the Fiesta Bowl. Indeed, championship defense was on display against two of the best offenses in the nation.

On the flip side, the biggest difference between the non-BCS powers and the BCS powers is roster depth and size along the defensive and offensive front lines. Alabama's second and third string guys could be starters for many other quality programs. This allows the Alabamas and Floridas to punish teams with fresh, capable bodies to the point that they simply wear down opponents by the fourth quarter. This is still missing from teams such as TCU and Boise State.

The biggest disappointment of the Fiesta Bowl was that the ultimate issue that many thought would be resolved this year was not resolved. That being, does either the Mountain West or WAC deserve an automatic spot in the BCS. If Boise State and TCU had both won BCS bowl games against BCS conference opponents, then the case for both conferences would have gained more credibility and their cause would have gained possibly unstoppable momentum. This did not happen.

The WAC and Mountain West combined for a 6-3 bowl record and the top teams in each conference put on a good show for the nation in a major bowl game on national television. After some jitters to begin the game, the teams settled down and looked like they belonged in the spotlight. If anything can be learned from the Fiesta Bowl, it is that while it may still be a little too early to grant either or both conferences an automatic bid into the BCS, the time is fast approaching.