Who Will Host Mountain West Title Game?
Will the rematch be in Fresno or Boise?
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Could Boise State host even if they lose to Fresno State?
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The Mountain West title game is already set with Boise State taking on Fresno State and the only item left about that game is which school will host.
Oh, did we mention these two teams play each other this weekend as well?
The way the title game is determined in the Mountain West is a bit odd, yet also very understandable. The team that is ranked the highest in the College Football Playoff poll will host, and currently that is the Broncos who are 23rd.
The reasoning makes sense because the league wants to give that higher rated team the best chance to make it into a New Year’s Six Bowl game. However, if Boise State loses and falls out of the CFP rankings then the old BCS computer ratings are used to host, and not head-to-head which is used next to determine which team hosts.
Those computer formulas are comprised from Anderson & Hester, Richard Billingsley, Colley Matrix, Kenneth Massey, Jeff Sagarin, and Peter Wolfe
Getting beyond the composite computer ratings is highly unlikely.
Right now the composite heavily favors Boise State which is 25th while Fresno State is 50th. It is possible that even if the Bulldogs upset the Broncos the title game would still be played on the blue turf in Boise.
One way that Fresno State could host and still be behind Boise State in those composite rankings is if the College Football Playoff committee ranks the Bulldogs in its top 25. That seems unlikely as Fresno State is barely getting any consideration for either the coaches or AP poll, and they would need help with a lot of teams at the bottom of the rankings to lose.
Unless craziness happens expect the Mountain West title game to be played at Alberstons Stadium on Dec. 2.
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