Boise State’s 36-35 loss to TCU cleared a path for UH to grab an at-large bid for a BCS bowl.
What this means is that the Cougars still need to win out and win Conference USA. Even if Boise is higher in the BCS standings than UH, they cannot win the Mountain West unless TCU loses its last two games — which is unlikely. In addition to being ranked in the top 12 of the BCS, to qualify a team must win its conference. If the Cougars lose to SMU, but beat Tulsa, they would still go to the Conference USA championship game. A loss to Tulsa kills all BCS hopes and dreams.
Below are the BCS’s provisions for qualifying as a non-AQ school:
- The champion of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, or the Western Athletic Conference will earn an automatic berth in a BCS bowl game if either:
- Such team is ranked in the top 12 of the final BCS Standings, or,
- Such team is ranked in the top 16 of the final BCS Standings and its ranking in the final BCS Standings is higher than that of a champion of a conference that has an annual automatic berth in one of the BCS bowls.