Team like Boise State deserves shot at title

Mitchell Levin of Cedar Rapids submitted a letter to the Idaho Statesman (published Sunday) saying Boise State's ranking is because of its schedule. He criticized Boise State for playing Louisiana Tech while Auburn was playing Louisiana State.

Could Levin explain how Boise State can fail to play a team in its conference? How Boise State can get into a better conference? It just moved to the Mountain West only to have Utah and BYU drop out.

The University of Northern Iowa can make the NCAA basketball championship because there's a playoff system.If good teams from conferences like the Western Athletic Conference are penalized for playing their conference schedule, how can these football teams get the opportunity UNI enjoys in basketball?

Boise State has 21 of 22 starters back from last year's team that beat the team ranked No. 1 one by the AP, and (it beat) TCU, which jumped Boise State in the BCS rankings. If Boise State wins out, doesn't a team like this deserve the opportunity to play for a national championship?

Eldon Hattervig

Garden City, Idaho