Ball St. 27 N. Illinois 48 Final

[SMU404]

Not within the next 10 years...maybe after that

Once Saban is dead and buried...

[GRGB]

ESPN2-this is actually a pretty important game right. If No. 15 N. Illinois finished ranked higher than one of the BCS champions and in Top 12 they get alternative BCS bid I think. Ball St. is like 8-1

Northern Illinois won't get a bid unless Fresno loses, or they both rise above Top12. The latter not likely. Even then, I don't think the BCS is required to take 2 non-AQ.

The Broncos got by-passed one year ranked #8, and the BCS took a #14 Ohio State instead. This was before the AQ admit rules.

Later, the Broncos were ranked something like #12-14 with 1 loss (to Nevada, or TCU?) and were ahead of both the ACC and the BigEast highest ranked...but wouldn't get a bid even if they won out because they weren't going to win their conference ---

--- it goes to the non-AQ Conference champion ranked above an AQ conference champion, if in the Top16 - or auto-admission if in the Top12.

In other words, NIU could lose their conf. champ game, be ranked above UCF, still be ranked in the Top16 (not likely, but possible), and they won't get a bid.