It's Boise week, and despite a series that has only spanned three games (so far) the Broncos hold such a unique place in the hearts and minds of we froggy folk it seems only fair to give them a deeper look than the other rivalries we've looked at so far (Air Force, SMU, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, New Mexico and BYU). In part one I'll compare the programs as a whole, pick stats where TCU is obviously better and gloat and gloss over the ones that we're less happy with (Boise's all time winning percentage is .721? That's better than Texas and 0U. Hell, it's not too far off from frickin' Michigan) as well as rant about our common enemies in Utah, and in part 2 I'll look at the past matchups and just what makes them so hateable (spoiler: they're a whole lot like us, but are clearly evil since they aren't us). So let's get to the comparisons, shall we?
All time wins: TCU 581, BSU 373 (154 as FBS team)
Not all too unexpected as Boise's short time in College Football (and even shorter time in the top tier) makes TCU's robust win total look quite impressive. Edge: Frogs
National Titles: TCU 2 (1 Consensus), BSU 2 (0 FBS)
Both universities claim two national titles, and though the 1935 title was awarded to a few teams, both TCU's titles were won against the highest level of competition. The plus side to Boise's titles is that there are people who will read this that were alive when they won theirs. Edge: Call it a push.
Heisman Winners/Finalists: TCU 1 (4 additional Finalists), BSU 0 (1 Finalist)
We not only have had more finalists for the top award in college football, we've also actually won the thing! (Though Boise's finalist is still playing for them currently, gulp.) Edge: TCU
College Football Hall of Famers: TCU 10 (With LT a virtual lock for addition), BSU 1 (Though Kellen Moore will almost certainly double the BSU total in a few years)
Hurrah for the 50s- TCU had two players and two coaches inducted in that decade.
AP First Team All-Americans: TCU 38, BSU 17
Boise has a lot more in the past 30 years though. Still. Edge: TCU
Losses to North Texas: TCU 1, BSU 3
"Way to cherry pick categories!" I hear from the State-ers even as I write this, but believe it or not North Texas is the opponent Boise has played the most that TCU also has had numerous games with. All time TCU is 16-1 against UNT, while Boise is at 2-3. Edge: TCU
Probable BCS bids ruined by Utah: TCU 1 (2), BSU 2 (3?)
If there's one thing both fanbases can agree on (other than the BCS sucking and head coaches whose names start with "P" and end in "N" are great) it's that Utah is a giant pain in the butt. Utah going undefeated (and being ranked higher) in 2004 led to the first snub of an undefeated Boise State team by the BCS, thanks in no small part to the big ratings jump the Utes gained from a nationally televised butt whuppin' of Texas A&M, so while Utah got the opportunity to pummel possibly the worst BCS team of all time (the 8-4 Pitt Panthers) in the Fiesta Bowl, Boise was shuffled off to the Liberty Bowl to take on a truly excellent Louisville team who beat the Broncos in a thriller. Meanwhile in 2008 Utah cost both BSU and TCU a Sugar Bowl bid, as the computers and rankings would have likely come around to TCU if the Frogs had managed to make any of the field goals we missed in our 13-10 loss to the Utes and put the Frogs over the Broncos. Meanwhile those same Broncos went undefeated, beat a ten win Oregon duck team on the road but were left behind by the BCS once more, off to the Poinsettia Bowl where they were beaten by a vastly superior team in the most lopsided 1 point victory of all time. In 2010 TCU overcame a lower initial ranking to surpass the Broncos in the rankings thanks to a mighty victory over a highly ranked Utah team, only for Boise to be selected as their at large opponent, raising the ire of both fanbases There was honestly no end to the rage from either fanbase, as despite TCU's breakthrough to the BCS, neither team would get to prove it belonged there with a matchup against highly regarded Florida (coached by noted former UTAH coach Urban Meyer. Utah is everywhere!) or undefeated Cincinnati. Then even last season, their last season before moving off to the Pac-12 (and screwing over the probably MWC AQ bid that would have been) Utah managed to play with the hearts of both fanbases once again, as TCU traveled to Utah and annihilated an undefeated and highly ranked Ute team, sending the Frogs over the Broncos in the rankings with little chance that Boise could catch them... then fate smiled on the Broncos as Utah started doing what Utah does best- screwing people over. Utah went on the road to play a below average Notre Dame team and got walloped again, taking the wind out of the sails of TCU's best victory and setting Boise up to pass the frogs with a win over Nevada the last week of the season. Fortunately the debate over who was most deserving of a Rose Bowl bid was settled in dramatic fashion, while Boise State got to take out their frustrations on who else but Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Edge: There are no winners when it comes to getting screwed over by Utah