The top MWC teams such as Utah, BYU, TCU and Air Force, which have a combined record of 32-4, need to stay on top. They need to keep playing at their current levels and defeating non-conference opponents (can you imagine if Air Force had beaten Navy and stood 8-1 right now?).

• The lower-division MWC schools need to improve, but not too much.

The BCS weighs three benchmarks — the number of teams in the top 25, the average rank of the conference's highest-ranked team over a four-year period and the average rank of all the league's teams. If the UNLVs and San Diego States start knocking off the top teams of the league, the MWC may have several teams with good records, but no great records. Parity would not be good for the MWC.

• Some BCS conferences need to consistently perform poorly.

The Big East, which was the worst of the six major conferences over the last four-year period, is having a poor year with just one team in the BCS Top 25 — West Virginia at No. 25. The Pac-10 is having a down year with USC at 7 and Cal at 21. Although the ACC has four teams in the top 25, the highest-ranked team is Georgia Tech at No. 19. If the MWC can outperform another BCS league — or two — on an annual basis, it can make a case for joining the six big conferences for an automatic berth.

So all the crying and complaining by the MWC about the stupid BCS won't do anything to change leagues that want to keep all the money for themselves. It really comes down to one thing for the Mountain West Conference — win games.

As Thompson says, "The only statement the league can make is to keep having years like we're having this year."

BCS bowl games this season

Jan. 1, 2009 — Orange Bowl
Jan. 1, 2009 — Rose Bowl
Jan. 2, 2009 — Sugar Bowl
Jan. 5, 2009 — Fiesta Bowl
Jan. 8, 2009 — BCS National Championship Game (Miami)

BCS standings Nov. 2

Conf. ... Top 15 teams ... Top 25 teams
Big 12 ... 5 ... 5
SEC ... 3 ... 4
MWC ... 3 ... 3
Big 10 ... 2 ... 4
Pac 10 ... 1 ... 2
WAC ... 1 ... 1
ACC ... 0 ... 4
Big East ... 0 ... 1
MAC ... 0 ... 1

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