Hawaii's non-conference schedule was WAC

I’m sorry, Western Athletic Conference fans, but you just don’t deserve a bid into the BCS National Championship game. After Hawaii’s dismal showing against the Georgia Bulldogs, it’s just hard to take the WAC seriously.

After completing a perfect 12-0 regular season, the truly untested Hawaii Warriors marched into the Sugar Bowl and promptly got a rude awakening to what playing in a major conference might look like, as the Bulldogs stomped the Warriors 41-10. With their reserves playing for most of the fourth quarter. Ouch.

But what about Boise State’s 43-42 overtime win over Oklahoma last year?

Well, that’s the exception, not the rule. Every once in a while an Appalachian State beats a Michigan, or a Boise State beats an Oklahoma. But it doesn’t happen on a regular basis that proves the smaller conferences belong with the big ones.

Truth be told, if this previously undefeated Hawaii team represents the best of the WAC—and they claim they do—then a WAC team might never get a chance to play in a BCS game, especially with the parody in major college football. Just look at the national champion: a two-loss team from the SEC.

The only way they can win respect of the voters back it to play a decent non-conference schedule. This year, Hawaii’s consisted of: Northern Colorado, UNLV, Charleston Southern, and University of Washington. Not exactly a hard-hitting non-conference schedule. The only decent game was the Washington one, and the Huskies almost knocked off the Warriors, but Hawaii was bailed out with a terrible call and a Jake Locker interception in the last two minutes.

So until the WAC starts scheduling better non-conference teams, proving their undefeated records mean something, let’s let them enjoy the Independence Bowl.