Get ready for conspiracy theories as ESPN adds BCS

More hours of debating mean more hours to discuss a wider variety of teams. Cunningham doesn't have any scientific evidence to back up his sense that the network's commentators have chatted about non-BCS conference schools more often the last couple of years.

"But it certainly feels like we talk about them a whole lot more," he said.

"Just so everybody doesn't forget," said Temple coach Al Golden, "ESPN is the one who put college football on the map and made it the second most popular sport to watch behind the NFL."

Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe recalled that an old athletic director of his used to say: "There's no bad beer and no bad TV."

"And I don't know about the first part," he said, laughing.

His Demon Deacons are also the sort of team that may fall behind in the perception game: a BCS conference member that's not a traditional power. But he has no concerns about the coverage they received when they stunned the ACC to win the league in 2006 — and seemed to play in prime time every week as the season went on.

"I don't think they're going to pick a team and say, 'That's our favorite team,' and put them on every week," Grobe said. "I think they're going to put on teams that people want to see, and people want to see winning football teams. So if you're a coach, your focus shouldn't be, 'How big is ESPN getting? And are they picking favorites?' Just start winning and you'll be on."