GameDay Strikes Again

ESPN College GameDay, which graced BYU’s campus with its presence several weeks ago, will make its third MWC’stop in four weeks when TCU hosts Utah on Saturday. Last week the popular national program was at the Army-Air Force game in Colorado.

GameDay, which has been around since 1987, had only visited three MWC schools before this season. Here’s the list:

Army at Air Force – November 3, 2001
Notre Dame at Air Force – October 18, 2002
BYU at Utah – November 20, 2004′

Is this sudden spike in attention a sign that the national opinion of the MWC is on the rise? Maybe, but it’s more likely the conference has simply had a run of appealing games on its schedule. This Saturday, No.10 Iowa at No. 11 Ohio State is the only other game featuring two ranked opponents.

Whatever the reason, Bronco Mendenhall said that any national coverage is good for the conference.’

“We have some quality football programs in our league, and now the nation at large is having a chance to see or at least recognize that,” he said in his press conference Monday morning. “And now with TCU being ranked as high as number four, it’s an awesome thing for our conference. I think it will be a great football game.”

One reporter asked Mendenhall if he would be cheering for a specific team come Saturday’s TCU-Utah game, but he was characteristically ambivalent and declined to offer any type of prediction.

I would guess BYU fans would be hoping for a TCU victory. Not only would Utah lose (which is always a delight to Cougar faithful), but the Horned Frogs, who are ranked No. 4 in the current BCS standings, would add another quality victory to their resume.’

As of today, TCU seems like the clear favorite over Boise State to get a BCS invitation (assuming there’s only one spot available to non-BCS schools, which may or may not be the case), and the MWC would certainly benefit — both financially and in national exposure — if the Horned Frogs win out and secure a BCS bowl bid.