Boise State UniversityThe AcademicsLocation: Boise, IDType of School: PublicTotal Student Population: 19,667Undergrads: 17,574Demographics: 3% Asian; 1% Black; 6% Hispanic; 86% White; 1% Native American; 1% InternationalSex Ratio: 46.5% male; 53.5% female%age of Natives: 89% are from IdahoRanking: 57th among Masters Universities-Western USAVG SAT of admitted kids: 1030Endowment: $76,610,009CURRENT CONFERENCES: West Coast (all sports)Football stadium capacity: 33,500Men's Basketball capacity: 12,380Women's Basketball capacity: 12,380Most notable money sport: FootballBoise State University is a public university in Idaho. It is the largest undergraduate institution in the state, and one of the few large universities in the northern Rocky Mountain region in the US. It is one of the few schools in the US that was founded in the 20th century (founded in 1932) as a private and religiously affiliated institution (founded as an Episcopal school), but later became a public university (the state bought the school in 1969). There are other schools which were founded as religious schools and became public later on, most notably Rutgers and William & Mary, but they were founded before the United States existed.
Athletically, the Broncos are known for their football team which has won two BCS Bowls, the most notable one being the 2007 game against Oklahoma. Their basketball teams aren't as well known, but they are respectable in the WAC, and play in the Taco Bell Arena, a real large facility which holds well over 10,000 people.
Why Boise State should be in the Pacific 12
The Broncos have for the most part, Pac 10 size facilities, with the Taco Bell Center. For football, their 33,500 seat Bronco Stadium is just not large enough, but their football team is the pride of the university, and getting Pac 10 membership will get this place. The school is becoming more popular athletically, since they made the jump from the Big West to the WAC 10 years ago, and a move to the Pac 12 will be a dream come true for these guys. Nationally, this can change the scope of college football in particular, and you may start seeing perenially ranked men's and women's basketball teams in Potato Land with Pac 12 membership as well since they already have the facilities to be in the Pac 12.
Why Boise State should not be in the Pacific 12
The Broncos have one very serious flaw, and two minor flaws.
First, the serious flaw. It's academics. They would likely be the least reputable university in the Pac 12, and academically, I think USC, Berkeley, UCLA, USC, and Washington would be very pissed if Boise State were given a serious shake just from this alone. I don't want to put down schools academically. Boise State has its share of great alums, some who I will list later, but I will sound like the stuck up guys from Stanford and Berkeley here. This ties into the first minor flaw, which is that Boise is not a full research university either, it is a masters-institution, and a lack of terminal degrees means less research money and the less they can benefit the Pac 12 academically. To add to this flaw, Boise State isn't even the most prestigious public university in Idaho!
I know Air Force doesn't even offer master degrees much less doctorates, and it is to a degree hypocritical that I would call them a good academic fit when they have no graduate degrees, while Boise does despite their lower academic pedigree, but the booksmartness of the cadets at Air Force and the reputation of the Academy will be much more beneficial to the Pac 12 and vice versa than seeing Boise State's students' reputation being added to the same.
The second minor flaw is that adding Boise State to the Pac 12 will force the hands of the Pac 12 to also accept Idaho which is their rival, and the more prestigious institution in the state, and yes, they are a full research university. They are a candidate here as well, and I will get to them later. To add to this flaw about adding an Idaho school, the Pac 12's TV market will not really expand much. Air Force gives the Denver market, but Boise? Seriously? The city has 200,000 people or so, the metro area is about 600,000 or so. Washington DC is bigger than 600,000 people.
My Final Verdict
Boise State is the school in the little state that could. But the academic flaws are not enough to make up for what they bring to the table on the gridiron, and perhaps soon on the court, both hardwood and tennis. So I don't think they make a good fit, though Lee Corso probably does.
And now, my favorite section, some notable Boise State Alumni!Michael Hoffman (Class of 1979)
Played on the basketball team, was Boise State's first Rhodes
Scholar. He is best known as a film director. Most famous films I can
think of are the Michelle Pfieffer/George Clooney movie titled "One
Fine Day" back in 1996, and an adaptation of A Midsummer Nights' Dream
in 1999.
Jay Luo (Class of 1982)
Youngest college graduate in American history. He was 12 when he left. Majored in Math.
I can't find a pic of him anywhere.Steve Appleton (Class of 1983)
CEO of Micron Technology, was a nationally ranked Tennis Player in his Bronco days 
Jared Zabransky (Class of 2006)
Quarterback for the football team and led them to the 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory, now plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL. 
My next school, is Brigham Young University 
Home 
NBA.com 
. but they will next season 