Ball State keeps on winning

They should play in one of the three main bowl games. I know people whine they played cupcake teams but 12 and 0 is well, 12 and 0.

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/sports/index.ssf/2008/11/at_120_ball_state_unlikely_to.html

Ball State just finished a 12-game regular season without a loss, which might earn it a Motor City Bowl berth against Minnesota, if it wins the Mid-American Conference title game. That would be almost vulgar, and the Cardinals aren't getting much support to avoid it, even from those for whom inclusion has worked best.

President-elect Barack Obama? He supposedly represents the party of inclusion and broad thought but certainly dumbed down college football with his recent call for an eight-game playoff. First, he will stabilize the economy and establish world peace before a playoff. Second, since there are 11 conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision, you might think someone interested in diversity would include all the champions.

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly? He shares a Grand Valley State background with Brady Hoke, Ball State's coach, though they were assistants there at different times. Kelly also was a head coach in the MAC.

His Bearcats are one victory from a major bowl in a conference, the Big East, which is under scrutiny for its automatic bid. So you might think Kelly would favor any argument for inclusion, including the legitimacy of Ball State's Bowl Championship Series candidacy.

"If you were asking that question and both Utah and Boise State weren't also in the mix, I would say, 'Absolutely,' " Kelly said. "But it's getting a little crowded, so I think it gets to be a question of who are the best two out of the three."

Essentially, it was pointed out, that means non-champions from the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences warrant a major bowl before an undefeated Ball State.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying," Kelly said.

Oh, the lack of love Ball State must feel after completing its regular season with a 45-22 victory Tuesday against Western Michigan.

I'm completely left-wing on the subject of college football inclusion. I favor a 16-team playoff, because I think the Sun Belt champion should find out what a first-round game at Norman, Okla., is like. I once advocated Steve McNair for the Heisman Trophy.

I also realize no one from Alcorn State wins the Heisman, I will not live to see a major-college playoff and, unfortunately, Ball State's best chance to qualify for the broken BCS model is if Boise State loses its last game, Friday against Fresno State.

It isn't as if the 10 BCS spots can't accommodate three unbeatens from the MAC, Western Athletic Conference, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Conference USA -- unless you cling to the idea of power teams in power bowls, in which case there isn't room, not with Texas and Oklahoma death-watching each other in the Big 12 South, and the Alabama-Florida SEC winner almost certain to play for the national title.

Who can tell one of those teams it not only won't play for the national title, but won't play in a major bowl?

Ball State is the one staking that holdout argument, although it has become clear that inclusion -- the purpose of the fifth-game addition to the BCS -- means inclusion up to a floating glass ceiling, which never has been whacked harder than Ball State seems likely to do now.

The ceiling level might change from one year to the next, but this year, it seems to be two -- the number of non-power conference teams likely to be admitted to the $17 million bowl club, whether Ball State finishes 13-0 or not.

The only guaranteed breakthrough is if Ball State cracks the BCS top 12. At 15th, and with the Big East and ACC champions behind them yet to be determined, the Cardinals' numbers are iffy, even factoring in a MAC title win against Buffalo.

As with all things pertaining the major bowls, a conference championship always carries added heft -- as long as it's the right conference.

That's why the logjammed ACC, which is packed with average and below-average teams, is guaranteed a major January bowl.

It's also why if Ball State plays in January, it's just as likely to be the International Bowl in Toronto.

E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com