Could Boise State be bowling in Memphis?

ByABC News
July 5, 2014, 11:53 AM

— -- BOISE, Idaho -- Now that Utah has all but busted the Bowl Championship Series, No. 10 Boise State could spend its holiday season hanging with Elvis. With the Utes most likely headed to the Fiesta Bowl, officials with the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. have started discussions with the Western Athletic Conference and Boise State to have the Broncos (10-0, 7-0 WAC) take Utah's place. The matchup Liberty Bowl officials are drooling over is an undefeated Boise State taking on No. 7 Louisville, whose only loss came at Miami. Both could be ranked in the top 10 of the BCS headed into the contest, and it might be the only matchup of top 10 BCS teams outside the national championship game in the Orange Bowl. Not bad for a non-BCS bowl. "If it happens, we think that we would have the most compelling, exciting bowl game outside of the national championship game. There is no doubt about that," Liberty Bowl associate executive director Harold Graeter said before Boise State's 55-14 win over Louisiana Tech Saturday. "Both of these teams play an entertaining style of football and that's what we're looking for." By beating Louisiana Tech, the Broncos extended the nation's longest win streak to 21 and tied BYU for the most consecutive conference wins at 25. They also clinched at least a share of their third straight WAC title. Before flights are booked for the New Year's Eve game, the Broncos still need to finish out their regular season Saturday at Nevada. Louisville has two games remaining, versus Cincinnati Saturday and at Tulane on Dec. 4. A win next week will wrap up the Conference USA title for Louisville and a spot in the Liberty Bowl. Even if they make it, there's still the matter of Boise State sneaking into the BCS. With losses Saturday by Michigan and Florida State, the Broncos -- No. 9 in the BCS -- could move as high as No. 7. The top 6 in the final BCS standings are guaranteed a spot in one of the four BCS games. That's one reason the Fiesta Bowl's Steve Horrell was spending Saturday in Boise. Four of the top six in the BCS still have games remaining. "That football can bounce some funny ways sometimes," Horrell said. "These fans, this staff and these players deserve that place that they have now. Now will that be in the Fiesta Bowl or the BCS, we don't know." After surviving a 56-49 double-overtime game against lowly San Jose State last week, the Broncos put on a dominant second half show to beat Louisiana Tech. Down 14-10 in the second quarter, the Broncos scored 45 unanswered points and rolled up 629 yards of total offense. Louisiana Tech coach Jack Bicknell has faced plenty of Top 25 teams this season -- including Miami, Tennessee and Auburn -- and said the Broncos deserve their spot near the top. "They're right there," Bicknell said. "They have a similar feel to the other teams we have played. They just do a great job."