2011 Las Vegas Bowl: Boise State Takes It Out On Arizona State, 56-24

But will it last for 100 years, as Moore’s final downed counterpart speculates?

If we assume the sport sticks to 12- to 14-game seasons, then it does seem all but impossible. Only four-year starters can make runs at the record, and most programs with starting freshman quarterbacks aren’t in any position to win double-digit games -- take a look at the teams that started freshmen this year.

10: Receivers who caught a pass from Kellen Moore. Boise State’s passing game was the direct opposite of ASU’s. Only one player caught more than four passes, and ten caught at least one.

20.8: Value, in equivalent points (as defined here), of Arizona State’s two turnovers. This game was a perfect example of why turnover points tell more of a story than simply turnovers. In the box score, ASU was plus-one in the turnover margin, three to two. But both of ASU’s turnovers were returned for touchdowns (included the dreaded Notre Dame Special™, the “drive to the 1-yard line, then give up a 100-yard touchdown” maneuver. Meanwhile, Boise’s three turnovers were far less costly -- they were worth only 14.0 equivalent points.

Said it before, saying it again: the Las Vegas Bowl is beneath these Broncos. For the second year in a row, they’ve come to Sin City to obliterate an inferior opponent instead of a legitimate challenger. We get to complain about it frequently.

In other news, the career of Dennis Erickson, which includes two national titles and lasting contributions to offensive strategy, likely comes to a close.

Moore fumbled away a ball on Boise’s next effort, setting up an ASU march to the goal line. On that fourth down, Osweiler attempted a fade that was picked off by Jamar Taylor and run back 100 yards -- with Erickson clearly calling for a time out well before the play began. Dennis Erickson may be some sort of ghost only visible to television cameras.

The game’s ACC officials took a look and evidently saw nothing to overturn.

Boise State has 269 yards worth of offense, plus a 100-yard kick return. The Sun Devils have 106, plus 54 yards worth of penalties. This game is beneath Boise State.

ASU’s first real chance at points ended with a 32-yard field goal. While down by 21 in a bowl game during Dennis Erickson’s last day on the job. To put it in Vegas blackjack terms, the Sun Devils are standing at 12.

With ASU, drowsiness doesn’t quite come off so well. They have a scant 24 yards after 10 minutes, which is barely more than three Brock Osweilers worth of yardage (we’re up to two mentions of his height so far). Their response drive has opened with consecutive penalties. Oh me.

It was officially a 100-yard return, removing just 15 seconds from the game clock. At this rate, BSU will score upwards of 50 points easily. Arizona State special teams! But then Boise State special teams, as the Broncos kicked off out of bounds.

We’ve had one mention so far of Osweiler being six-foot-eight. Kirk Herbstreit was the culprit. We’ll be keeping track.

ROOTABILITY FACTORS. For perspective, remember what an achievement it is to become a bullish favorite in ten years, Boise.

A decade ago this would have been teed up as “upstart Boise likely to suffer at the hands of major conference power,” but just ten years later this seems like a foregone conclusion of a Broncos victory. If Arizona State is an underdog here in the year 2011, it is quite the testament to the mysterious, football-enhancing forces at work in Boise.

NOTE: Confused? See the quick glossary at the bottom.

Picking regular college football games is hard enough. Things don’t tend to work out very well any time you attempt to guess how a large group of 19-22 year olds is going to react to life and/or football on a Saturday afternoon. But bowl games double down on the motivation factor, and the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl is full of question marks in this regard. Boise State could have played in a BCS bowl but instead faces a 6-6 squad. Arizona State just hired a new coach but will still be led onto the field by their last one, and they are one of the most unpredictable teams in the country anyway.

Already 1-0 in this particular bowl, the Broncos had hoped for a better placement in the postseason seeing as how they finished with a record of 11-1, are ranked eighth in the AP poll and seventh in the BCS standings, but once again Boise State had to bow to the powers that be and accept an invitation to a game that doesn’t truly reflect their accomplishments on the field in 2011.

Over on the other side, a team like the Sun Devils has to be happy just to be asked to participate in the postseason, given what has gone on in Tempe during the course of this season.

The Sun Devils will be playing under head coach Dennis Erickson for the last time after he was fired last month, due in large part to his team not being much good despite a weak Pac-12 South and high preseason expectations. If they can pull off the upset (they’re 14-point underdogs), it would be hard to top as the biggest in any bowl.

For news and information regarding all things Arizona State, please visit House of Sparky. To inform yourself about the ins and outs of Boise State, please visit One Bronco Nation Under God. The full bowl pairings can be located right here.

Three down, 32 to go.

The Arizona State Sun Devils will enter the 2011 Las Vegas Bowl without a starter on the defensive side of the football. As first reported by Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic, a Sun Devils defensive player has been suspended for the game due to a verbal altercation with ASU head coach Dennis Erickson.

For news and information regarding all things Arizona State, please visit House of Sparky. To inform yourself about the ins and outs of Boise State, please visit One Bronco Nation Under God. The full bowl pairings can be located right here.

The Boise State Broncos will return to the Las Vegas Bowl for the second time in two years and will face the Arizona State Sun Devils, according to Collin Fleming of Channel 3 in Phoenix.

This game will actually feature one of the better broadcast crews ESPN can put together. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Tom Rinaldi will provide the call.