Boise State’s sub-par season hits Mountain West in wallet

Boise State has a one-sided TV deal that financially has benefited the Broncos, but they've also brought extra cash to the Mountain West.

Just not as much this season.

Their 52-26 loss at Utah State on Friday was costly figuratively and literally. The Broncos likely weren't making a New Year's Six game for the second season in a row anyway, but the defeat ended any doubt.

For appearing in the Fiesta Bowl last season, Boise State earned $4 million, and another $2 million went to the league to be distributed among the Mountain West schools.

Now that $6 million will go elsewhere, with Memphis, Toledo, Houston and Temple the probable candidates. Each school is undefeated. Memphis, Houston and Temple represent the American Athletic Conference, Toledo is in the Mid-American Conference.

The American also looks to be in good position to receive the extra bonus money that goes to the top-rated Group of Five conference. The College Football Playoff distributes $60 million to the Group of Five leagues and another $15 million to each conference based on strength, from 30 percent for first place to 10 percent to No. 5. Computer rankings determine the order.

It's money the Mountain West is used to raking in, having finished first eight of the past 11 years, including last season. The conference isn't out of the running this season because the final rankings are determined after the bowls.

And more teams the Mountain West can get into the postseason will only help because the CFP doles out $300,000 for each school that makes a bowl as a reward for also hitting the correct Academic Progress Rate number.

So it all adds up to about $17-$18 million to the Mountain West schools after this season's bowls are played. However, that's about be $6 million less than the $23-$24 million that conference earned after last season.

AROUND THE NATION — Michigan punter Blake O'Neill's mishandling of the snap that led to Michigan State's stunning 27-23 victory on Saturday made international news, with The Sydney Morning Herald calling him out by name in a headline. O'Neill is an Aussie, so there was a local connection. His experience in Australian rules football may have led directly to compounding the dropped snap when O'Neill tried to kick the ball rather than fall on it, according to his former trainer, Nathan Chapman. "In a sense, it was quite an innate reaction to still kind of kick it," Chapman told CBSSports.com. "Yeah, he probably should have jumped on it, but jumping on the ball is not what we do here. We pick it up and we move it forward by hand or foot." … Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was at the White House on Monday appearing with First Lady Michelle Obama to promote higher education. Then Harbaugh and his wife, Sara, met with President Barack Obama, who expressed his sympathy for how the game against the Spartans ended. The President told Harbaugh it "was a tough way to lose a football game," the coach relayed to the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. … Even former New York Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik weighed in on O'Neill's situation. Pisarcik is the primary reason teams routinely go into the "victory formation" when ahead in the closing seconds, his fumble giving the Philadelphia Eagles a victory in 1978 in what became known as the "Miracle at the Meadowlands." "Sometimes things get worse before they get better, which might be the case with Blake," Pisarcik told ESPN.com. "And then they turn around and you start to do some positive things in your life. You understand that it's not the end of the world. Things go on. Life goes on." Pisarcik knows. He was traded to Philadelphia, of all places, but that's where he went on to make a Super Bowl, meet his wife and have three kids.

AROUND THE MOUNTAIN WEST — UNLV's game against Boise State on Oct. 31 at Sam Boyd Stadium will be at 12:30 p.m. and televised on ESPNU. … Coach Chris Petersen is at Washington, but his legacy remains at Boise State in many ways. Second-year coach Bryan Harsin has adopted Petersen's rigid rules with the media, making only two players available available from the offense following the loss to Utah State. Most fans don't care, but don't forget the media often is their voice and their insight into what's happening in their favorite program. It's also not good for the players. Talking to the media following a defeat helps prepare them for other adversities they will face in life. College, after all, is supposed to be a training ground. … Following his team's 28-21 loss to previously winless Wyoming, UNR coach Brian Polian blamed the lack of senior leadership. "They were not vocal enough," Polian told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "There were not enough people emotionally invested in the game player-wise. It's the first time all year I felt that way. We had a couple of guys going up and down the sidelines as we mounted the comeback, but it was disappointing."

MY FINAL FOUR — I vote in the Sweet 16 Poll organized by the Football Writers Association of America and the National Football Foundation.

Here is my top four:

1. Baylor. The Bears have scored more than 50 points in every game and more than 60 in their past five.

2, Ohio State. Just like last year, the Buckeyes are building strength as the season goes along.

3. Texas Christian. TCU's 45-21 victory over Iowa State ended a five-game stretch of scoring at least 50 points.

4. Utah. The Utes visit a Southern California team trying to find itself, but it's still a dangerous opponent.

HEISMAN ODDS — Handicapper Bruce Marshall (goldsheet.com) provides Heisman Trophy odds each week:

Leonard Fournette, Louisiana State Even

Trevone Boykin, TCU 2-1

Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State 6-1

Seth Russell, Baylor 10-1

Dalvin Cook, Florida State 12-1

Deshaun Watson, Clemson 12-1

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma 15-1

Christian McCaffrey, Stanford 15-1

Derrick Henry, Alabama 18-1

Dak Prescott, Mississippi State 20-1

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65. He is first vice president of the Football Writers Association of America.