Brooks: Hawkins savors Boise State's success

Published December 8, 2006 at midnight

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For five years, Dan Hawkins worked, worked and worked some more to see the season Boise State finally would break into a Bowl Championship Series game.

So when it finally happens, Hawkins finds himself about 820 miles southeast of Boise and coming off (s-l-o-w-l-y getting over) a 2-10 finish in his first term as coach of the University of Colorado.

Usually, a coach finds no great satisfaction in looking back. But in this case, a backward glance means, well, a little more.

Hawkins remembers well early mentions of BSU and the BCS in the same sentence. He also remembers "people (in Boise) looking at me as the goofiest thing that ever came their way. Now they're fired up about it and ready to play. . . . I'm just happy that the vision carried through.

"It's the same thing I'm talking about (at CU). You know what it looks like, what the plan looks like, what it takes. I'm just happy for the town, the school, everybody."

Indeed, sweet times reign in Boise. His former school is undefeated (12-0) and eyeing Oklahoma (11-2) as its Fiesta Bowl opponent on New Year's Day.

Hawkins has been told by Boise State coach Chris Petersen that a sideline pass will be available if Hawkins wants it.

He does not. Hawkins will attend the BCS national-title game Jan. 8 at the same stadium in Glendale, Ariz., but he will watch the Fiesta Bowl on television.

The Broncos, he said, "don't need the ghost of Christmas past there. I'm going to stay out of their hair. It's their deal and I'd be too much of a distraction. But I told 'Pete' I'd be there in spirit."

There is another reason, albeit secondary, Hawkins will skip the Fiesta Bowl.

A Broncos coach for eight seasons (three as an assistant, five as coach) before coming to Boulder, he pledges allegiance to the Big 12 Conference.

Boise State's highest-profile postseason appearance under Hawkins was in the 2004 Liberty Bowl against No. 7 Louisville, which won a 44-40 shootout. Hawkins believes that game and last year's 27-21 loss to No. 19 Boston College in the hometown MPC Computers Bowl have been formative for the Broncos and will prevent them from being awed in their BCS debut.

"I think it's kind of the right time, right place," he said. "Things are lining up pretty good."

Like most college watchers, Hawkins is interested to see how his former team matches up physically with Oklahoma, which beat CU 24-3 this season.

Although the Sooners are "a little bigger across the board" and strong against the run, he believes the Broncos' ground game will be effective.

"It's strength on strength there," Hawkins said. "But I think (Boise State) will be fine throwing and probably will have to lean on that. . . . I'd just say, don't count out the Broncos. They will bring it. It'll be a heck of a game."

Just the kind, in just the setting, he envisioned.

Must-see (bowl) TV

College football is filthy with bowls, which can be a good/bad thing. Who, other than no-life sportswriters, can watch 32 bowl games? Even the most fervent college fan must be selective - and we're here to help.

Five must-see postseason games:

• Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 21, Brigham Young vs. Oregon. No quarterback is hotter than BYU's John Beck. Oregon's offensive coordinator is ex-BYU coach Gary Crowton.

• Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, Michigan vs. Southern California. For this pair of BCS title-game also-rans, here's the big question: How much does playing in Pasadena matter?

• Cotton Bowl, Jan. 1, Auburn vs. Nebraska. Big test for the Cornhuskers, who lost the Big 12 title game and would hate to end a nice season on a two-game slide.

• Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1, Oklahoma vs. Boise State. The Broncos finally bust into the BCS. But how will they hold up against the underrated, re-energized Sooners?

• BCS title game, Jan. 8, Ohio State vs. Florida. Gators coach Urban Meyer talked up his team - and lots of voters listened. Can Florida walk the walk in the desert?

Poll watching

Perusing the Harris Interactive Poll, the USA Today coaches' poll and some of the more bizarre ballots cast as Florida hopped Michigan and into the national title game . . .

Among 113 voters, there had to be a maverick. Or two. Meet former Iowa State coach Jim Walden, who bucked the system in a big way. His top three: Florida, Ohio State, Michigan. His was the only ballot without the Buckeyes on top.

Then there was Colorado radio personality Tim Neverett, the lead play-by-play announcer for Mountain West Conference basketball games on Versus. Neverett's top trio: Ohio State, Florida and USC. (Ah, wasn't that UCLA stunning USC on Saturday, dealing the Trojans their second loss?)

Neverett ranked Michigan No. 4, as did three more of his Harris peers not likely to be invited to sip eggnog and nibble on sugar cookies at Lloyd Carr's holiday parties.

Carr's take on that "malicious" quartet: "When you look at the voting on the Harris poll, there's four votes on there where people (rank) us fourth. So I think clearly there was an effort to manipulate the system, and that is really, really disappointing.

"I can understand if somebody wants to vote Florida (No.) 2 and us (No.) 3. But I think the Harris poll clearly (has) some credibility issues."

For the record, this season's Harris poll was comprised of 114 voters, but one - former Oregon defensive back Alex Molden, a Colorado Springs native - didn't cast a final vote because of what poll organizers called a "personal situation."

Poll watching II

Former area coaches with Harris votes who ranked Ohio State, Florida and Michigan 1-2-3 included Eddie Crowder, CU; Paul Roach, Wyoming; Mike Lude, Colorado State; and Earle Bruce, CSU.

Here's a nonsurprise: Former CU coach Bill McCartney, a Michigan man, obviously favored a Buckeyes- Wolverines rematch. Michigan was his No. 2.

Current voters in the USA Today coaches' poll who voted Florida No. 2 included Hawkins and CSU's Sonny Lubick. The USA Today poll, like the Harris poll, is factored into the BCS formula, while The Associated Press (media) was scratched from the system at AP's request.

Play it off

Realizing this might not happen in any of our lifetimes, here are two ways to settle this mess minus the BCS - and, of course, there will be arguments/counterarguments as to why it will/won't work, how the student-athletes will suffer, how the bowl system will be destroyed, how it's not feasible for fans . . . yada, yada and yada:

• Four-team playoff. Add two games involving the Nos. 1-4 ranked teams. Use a pair of high-profile bowls from the current postseason mix, rotate the two games annually among the bigger bowls.

Is there adequate time to conduct a four-team playoff? Look at it like this: When it lines up for the BCS title game, seven weeks-plus will have passed since Ohio State's most recent contest.

• Plus-one format. It's not a new concept, but the postseason pieces are in place for it to happen. A fifth BCS bowl was added this season, culminating with the national championship game.

Problem 1: The four BCS bowls preceding the national title contest have nothing to do with that game or crowning a champion. It's the most elemental playoff possibility, but at least it puts two teams on the field with one purpose.

Problem 2: Division I-A presidents are yet to buy in and might never.

First time out

Division I-A coaches who debuted at new schools this season and their records: School Coach Record Bowl 2005 record

Boise State Chris Petersen 12-0 Fiesta 9-4

Buffalo Turner Gill 2-10 None 1-10

Colorado Dan Hawkins 2-10 None 7-6

Idaho Dennis Erickson 4-8 None 2-9

Kansas State Ron Prince 7-5 Texas 5-6

Middle Tennessee Rick Stockstill 7-5 Motor City 4-7

Northwestern Pat Fitzgerald 4-8 None 7-5

Rice Todd Graham 7-5 New Orleans 1-10

San Diego State Chuck Long 3-9 None 5-7