The message from the nation's college football coach couldn't be any clearer.
You can't just beat Oregon by five points on their home field. If you lead an eventual Top-10 team 37-10 you'd better make damn sure you keep the hammer down. 37-32 isn't impressive enough.
In fact, according to the nation's coaches, Boise State better pulverize Oregon and everyone else on their schedule or they're not very good.
Towards that end, the coaches had their say today in the Preseason USA Today Top 25 Poll and did they ever diss the Broncos. Boise State, which finished last year two points away from a perfect season with one of the youngest teams in America is ranked four spots LOWER than they finished last year.
This speaks volumes.
1) Beating Oregon on their home field is no big deal,
2) Beating Oregon by five points is easy,
3) Oregon is still a better team even though they lost,
4) The coaches are predicting an Oregon win over Boise State,
5) Since a one-loss Boise State team finished last season #12, the coaches are predicting the Broncos will lose at least two games to put them at #16.
6) The coaches put Boise State in the obligatory Top 16 necessary to have a "chance" at a national championship, but they are the last team the coaches think of when they talk about a national championship.
The challenge has been issued Broncos--win every game 100-0 or you're just not that good.