When a Bronco Rows a Boat in the Forest
- Dec 2, 2016
- 2 min read
Right as ESPN tried to end the interview, Western Michigan coach PJ Fleck, pictured left, interrupted to repeat two things he had said about 100 times already in that interview alone:"We belong in the Cotton Bowl! Row the Boat!"
The "Row the Boat" mantra, while amusing, is legitimately inspiring- as is Fleck. Don't believe me? Watch this.
Allow me to help Fleck in shilling for his team to get the Group of 5's guaranteed spot in the New Year's Day Six bowl games, which this year means a trip to Arlington for the Cotton Bowl.
The CFP committee placed the Broncos at #17 on Tuesday, only two spots above Navy, so there has been considerable speculation about what would happen if Navy were to be ranked higher than Western Michigan on Sunday if they beat Temple in the AAC Championship game. I urge the committee not to, and here is why.
The Broncos beat every single team that was put in front of them, something that only Alabama was able to do this season outside of Kalamazoo. That is so difficult to do. For comparison, last year's Houston team that beat Florida State in the Orange Bowl and is generally considered the best Group of 5 team since the 2006 Boise State Broncos, lost on the road to Connecticut. It cannot be overstated how hard it is to win 13 consecutive games against full-scholarship teams.
Yes, Navy has beaten more good teams than the Broncos this year. But, they lost twice- including a convincing loss to Air Force in October. That Group of 5 slot is meant to go to the most deserving team. It is intended to reward a team that isn't talented enough to compete in the playoff, but had the kind of season that deserves real, national recognition. You know, a season like the one that the Broncos just had.
Western Michigan did everything they possibly could this season- they scheduled and defeated two Big Ten teams on the road, and absolutely dominated the MAC competition that they faced, with an average margin of victory of 23.6 points, including two shutouts. Corey Davis, WMU's standout receiver, finished with 83 catches for nearly 1300 yards and 17 touchdowns.
To send a team with that sort of resume to the Heart of Dallas Bowl to face North Texas essentially would be akin to telling a group of 18-22 year olds thanks, but no thanks. It would be saying that your conference has predetermined your destiny. It would be saying that even if you fundamentally change the way that your school and football program is seen, and you vanquish every single one of your foes, that you can't sit with us at the New Year's Day table.
Don't be Regina George, playoff committee. Let these Broncos row the boat all the way to JerryWorld and play in the Cotton Bowl.
Come on, THIS guy doesn't deserve more attention?
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