Boise State Football: 3 lessons from big win over Air Force

3. Boise State is back to being a legitimate New Year’s Six contender

When casual fans think of mid-major powerhouses, Boise State is almost always at the top of the list. The Broncos built a reputation as a BCS Buster during the previous era of college football history, reaching three Fiesta Bowls between 2006 and 2014 under Chris Petersen and Bryan Harsin.

The first was the legendary takedown of Oklahoma on New Year’s Day 2007, where the Broncos used trick plays galore to upset the Sooners. Three years later, they squared off against TCU in an all-BCS Buster showdown. Boise State won that showdown, back when the Broncos were still in the WAC and the Horned Frogs were Mountain West champions. There were several other opportunities that fell short as well during the BCS era.

They wrapped up the streak by earning the first guaranteed access for a Group of Five school in 2014, and took down Pac-12 runner-up Arizona. Now, in an era of guaranteed access, it is hard to believe that Boise State has only ever been in the mix in the inaugural College Football Playoff season in 2014. Now they have a chance to win the Mountain West title and get back to Glendale — or possibly earn a trip to Arlington for the Cotton Bowl or Atlanta for the Peach Bowl.

Next: Projected Week 13 CFB Playoff Rankings

Of course, the American Athletic Conference champion will be the prohibitive favorite. Memphis, UCF, or South Florida have been just as good this season. But after being left for dead in the race after falling to Virginia two months ago, Boise State is right back in the race as a legitimate contender for the Group of Five invitation.