After another thrilling bigtime win on an even bigger stage it’s getting harder and harder to doubt the mighty Broncos of Boise State

SCOTT JACOBS

The stage keeps getting bigger.  The lights keep getting brighter.  And Boise States keeps getting better.

“Game one, that’s what it is,” said Boise coach Chris Peterson, whose legend continues to grow in the land of a thousand potatoes. That tells you all you need to know about the 2010 Broncos.  A confident team with a chip on their shoulder and a record high ranking to protect.

National TV game on the road against a top 10 foe?  Just another movable object on a championship road that continues to get closer and closer.  After a gritty, gutsy, epically impressive comeback win after blowing a huge first half 17-0 lead, Boise State isn’t just sitting pretty.  It’s the hottest chick at the bar.  The perfect 10.  Because sans a good, but not great Oregon State team, the 2010 road for Boise State may be headed straight towards an unprecedented BCS National Title Game appearance.

Boise State 33 Virginia Tech 30.

It was a beautiful game to watch after a weird first quarter, where Virginia Tech looked like the non-BCS conference team.  But after a big early deficit Tech regrouped in their high tech futuristic Nike Pro combat duds and responded big time.  Clawing back to cut the lead down to 20-14 at half, Va Tech made sure that Boise took their first punch and their best punch.  And after the dust settled, it was once again the men of Blue who emerged victorious.

Games of this magnitude don’t usually feature a non BCS school, but Boise has made center stage common-place for themselves lately, emerging from a crowded field of wannabees to studs.  They came into the game ranked 5th in the Coaches Poll and 3rd in the AP Poll, their best preseason record ever.  And they didn’t take that lofty ranking for granted. Not even for a second.

So when Boise State found themselves trailing 30-26 after the Hokies failed to seal the game off on a third down gone awry, Boise State had exactly two minutes to march down the field to the winning score.  And somehow it would have surprised me had they not.

This is no longer a cute team with a blue field.  These are the silver-slickers from Boise bristling with confidence, an orange eye of the Bronco illuminating their Nike Pro Combat jerseys and their wicked cool one sided helmets.

These are the force to be reckoned with, get out of our way Broncos, a battle-tested, veteran laden team led by the inconquerable QB Kellen Moore.  This is WR Tommy Gallarda making an unbelieable one handed touchdown grab as he dove into the corner of the endzone.  This is a swarming, relentless defensive attack that had Tyrod Taylor on his toes all night.  This is RB D.J. Harper breaking free from a few Hokie tacklers, racing down the sideline on 3rd and 1 for a big-time 71 yard score.

So here’s to you Boise State, I surrender.  I picked against you earlier today and I shouldn’t have.  On the big stage you bring your A game.  And you come flying out of the gates with no mercy.  A few years ago a team like Boise State would never have been picked by Nike to wear a special, customized uniform.  But this isn’t your daddy’s Boise State.

Soft schedule or not, Boise State bows down to no one.  Which is why I’m convinced that Boise State can play with any team in the country.  Alabama.  Ohio State.  Whoever.

Tonight proved as much.  The Oklahoma game proved as much.  The TCU game proved as much.

How much more is there?

A lot.  A hell of a lot.  And for Boise State fans the fun is just starting.  It’s only one game, but Boise State looks ready.  They’re on a mission to finish what they started.  WAC or MWC if they keep playing like this, no one will care what conference they’re playing in.

Photo: Getty

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