Virginia Tech’s loss makes Boise State look like small potatoes

Of all the bumps, lumps and bruises administered during Saturday’s action-packed hours of chills, thrills and spills, the school that got stopped, dropped and rolled was the team that didn’t play.

Boise State, as couch potatoes, got mashed.

There were several games worth noting, namely Ohio State holding off Miami in Columbus, Alabama brushing off Penn State, Michigan holding off a coaching dismissal with a win at Notre Dame and Oklahoma holding off a laugh at home against Florida State.

Hawaii defeated Army, 31-28, amassing 353 yards of offense against the Cadets, 235 fewer than it had last week against USC.

You expect that kind of defense out of Army.

It was all Delaware Blue Hens-scratch compared with Boise State’s sin of inactivity.

The Broncos committed the crime of defeating a top-10 team on Monday, Virginia Tech, which then lost an emotional rebound game to I-AA James Madison.

This is believed to be the first time in history a No. 3 team, coming off a win over No. 10, has been eliminated from the national-title chase in mid-September.

In the minds of the already-biased, Virginia Tech’s loss proves Boise State is not worthy and it doesn’t matter what happens from here on out.

“That loss has got to be devastating to Boise State!” ESPN announcer Mike Patrick pronounced during the Oregon-Tennessee broadcast.

Sources close to Boise State confirmed the Broncos will go ahead and play the rest of their games.

The campaign against the Potato State was in full swing before the supreme gift of Madison vs. Blacksburg. It was dripped into the morning coffee of ESPN analysts who attended BCS schools — former Ohio State Buckeye Chris Spielman being one.

With his alma mater sitting at No. 2, it seemed obvious to him Boise State should be turned back into a junior college.

Reading off cue cards, it was fine for Alabama to start its national-title drive last year with a win over Virginia Tech, but not Boise State this year.

Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban read talking points during his Thursday night radio show, saying his team played Virginia Tech last year and six other teams as good or better.

After Virginia Tech’s effort Saturday, Saban may want to retract.

You half expect the USA Today coaches on Sunday to move Alabama to platinum level No. 1 and drop Boise State to “others receiving a free ride.”

Nothing can apparently save Boise State now, even if Virginia Tech rallies to double-digit victories.

After Virginia Tech/Boise State’s combined defeat to James Madison, the champion of the SEC, Big 12 or Big Ten can now afford three or four losses and stay ahead of the Broncos.

Or, maybe we can actually let the season play out.

Boise State might go to Laramie next week and lose to Wyoming — that would end it.

Virginia Tech might actually rally from its 0-2 start and win the ACC. After Miami, Florida State and Georgia Tech all lost, how good is the ACC?

College football is emotion-driven, and the James Madison game was a classic hangover effort, five days after Virginia Tech’s BCS title hopes were likely crushed.

A Hokies win would have drastically altered Saturday’s motivational mind-set.

Boise State still can’t win for winning — or even not playing.

Ignore history.

In 2007, Michigan lost at home to Appalachian State — one of the most shocking results in college football history.

Michigan was finished, except for the minor addendum that it ended the season by defeating Florida, the defending national champion, in a bowl game.

No one knows yet how much Virginia Tech’s loss Saturday may cost Boise State. The paint isn’t even dry on our “Welcome to the 2010 Season” banner.

What if Alabama, Bear Bryant forbid, loses Oct. 16 to Mississippi, which lost last week at home to I-AA Jacksonville State?

What if Boise State beats Oregon State on Sept. 25, and the Beavers end up winning the Pac-10 title?

What if Boise State stomps Utah State, which last week almost beat Oklahoma, which crushed Florida State on Saturday?

Say Boise State rips San Jose State, which lost at Wisconsin on Saturday by less than two touchdowns.

If you’re looking for a school that used a bogus first win to mount a title drive, well, it wasn’t out of the WAC.

Alabama, in 2008, came within a yard-marker of the national title game.

The Crimson Tide jumped from No. 24 to No. 13 in the Associated Press poll after a season-opening victory over No. 9 Clemson. Four weeks later, after wins against Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas and Georgia, Alabama was No. 2.

Clemson finished the season 7-6 and unranked.

Alabama, after a harrowing loss to Florida for a spot in the BCS title game, got blindsided by Utah in the Sugar Bowl.

Don’t criticize Boise State now if you didn’t question Alabama then.

But these two title campaigns aren’t even in the same league, right?

Nick Saban said so on a radio show.

chris.dufresne@latimes.com