The No. 1 question now: Boise State?

Unbuckling the mailbag:

Question: No. 1? Boise State? Who do they play? They open with Northern University of South Dakota at Humple A&W, and they have Denny’s on their schedule for homecoming.

Bill Mendell

Palm Springs

Answer: I agree playing Humple A&W is no way to lose weight or strengthen your schedule, but Denny’s actually dropped Boise State to play “Moons over My Hammy.”

Q: So winning one game puts [Boise State] in the title hunt? Now they get to play their skirt schedule and go undefeated. Have you seen who they play?

Steve Orton

A: No, winning one game makes Boise State 1-0. You’ve mistaken the team with the skirt schedule. Those are the Caber toss boys out of Scotland. I’ve only seen Boise State play once this year, and like what I saw.

Q: In the SEC, do you rate Boise State ahead of Alabama, Florida, Arkansas and Georgia?

In the Big Ten, do you rate them ahead of Ohio State, Iowa, and Wisconsin?

In the Big 12, do you rate Boise ahead of Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas?

And in the Pac 10, are they ahead of USC and Oregon?

Eric Moore

Gilbert, Ariz.

A: Unless there’s a number better than No.1, which is where I have Boise State ranked, it would be difficult for any of the schools you mention to be rated higher than my No. 1 team.

Does that make sense?

Q: Do you think it is possible to argue that if Boise State was in a BCS Conference, playing better teams, that they would have more losses, and very possibly never have made it to any BCS games?

I will never understand how a team with a strength of schedule ranking in the bottom half of Division I football gets so much respect from sports writers....You are comparing apples with oranges, and until Boise State plays a schedule similar to an Alabama or USC, they cannot be rated a top 10 school.

Eric Moore

Gilbert, Ariz.

A: You again? Didn’t you just ask a question? OK, this is the best argument out there. I’m very interested in seeing how Utah, which has had two undefeated seasons in the last decade, fares when it joins the Pacific 10 Conference next year.

My guess is Utah won’t go undefeated any time soon.

The argument is actually apples and potatoes, but here’s the larger point: Boise would love to be in the Pac-10, but didn’t get an invitation. Boise can only do what it can do: win the Western Athletic Conference and schedule strong opponents in nonconference.

Playing in the weak WAC has hurt Boise State for years. That’s why Boise has to do more than BCS schools to reach the title game. Unlike BCS schools, it can’t afford a defeat.

Sustained excellence over time warrants a cumulative appreciation. Boise State earned this opportunity because it returned nearly all its players off a 14-0 team that finished ranked No. 4 last year.

How does that not put the Broncos in the title conversation?

Q: Really? Boise State? Looking forward to a good laugh tomorrow. Is the L.A. Times really that desperate to sell papers?

Rich Tait

A: I was out of town and am just now catching up with Monday e-mail. Ran across yours, sent before Boise State- Virginia Tech game.

Sorry you didn’t get your good laugh.

And we are desperate for new customers. If you’re looking for a paper route, call the 1-800 number.

Q: Come on, print “the rest of the story.”

If you’re going to note Virginia Tech’s 1-25 record versus top 25 opponents, why not note Boise State’s 1-13 away record versus BCS clubs?

Don Troy

A: Numbers update after Monday: Virginia Tech is now 1-26 all-time against the AP top five and, if your figures are correct, Boise is 2-13 away vs. BCS clubs.

The Virginia Tech stat was actually included in the Hokies’ own game notes, which violates the rule of a school never including negative information about its own team.

Q: And of TCU? While I appreciated you inoculating future Mountain West Conference rep Boise State with your article, I think TCU needs the needle almost as much. Pretty easy: Just use the “Find and Replace” function on Word for the article, finding Boise State and replacing with TCU.

Mike

San Diego

A: “Find and Replace.” Isn’t that the function Michigan’s athletic director might be punching if his football coach doesn’t win eight games this season?

Q: Does Oregon have enough firepower for a new starting quarterback to lead them to a national championship? (Like ‘SC in 03-04.)

Spencer Hardy

Portland, Ore.

A: The BSC has no record of USC winning the national title in either 2003 or 2004. Louisiana State won the championship in ‘03, and the ’04 title was captured by Vacated.

To your firepower point, I considered Oregon’s 72-0 opening win over New Mexico the jaw-dropping score of weekend. Had it so desired, Oregon could have topped the school-record 115 points it scored against Puget Sound in 1910.

I thought people made too much of losing Jeremiah Masoli. He was a great, great, quarterback, but the button-pusher in that offense is Chip Kelly, who has made better every quarterback he’s coached.

Based on the returning talent, I still had Oregon at preseason No. 9 this season, and moved the Ducks up to No. 6 in my current poll.

To score 72 points with a new quarterback and your “best” running back, LaMichael James, suspended is almost sick.

Darron Thomas didn’t miss a waddle at quarterback, but we’ll find out how good Oregon is, or how bad New Mexico was, when the Ducks visit Tennessee on Saturday.

Q: Is Florida’s John Brantley a square peg trying to be stuck in Tim Tebow’s gaping hole?

Scott Schmidt

West Hollywood

A: The gaping hole on opening weekend against Miami of Ohio was between the center’s legs. It was hard to get a read on Brantley when he looked more like a goalkeeper trying to make saves for Manchester Gainesville.

Mike Pouncey had a brutal day at center, taking over this season for his brother, Maurkice, with four snaps that led to fumbles. That’s one of the risks of always being in shotgun formation. If you can’t snap the football in college football, you’ve got problems.

We’re reserving judgment on Brantley, although at this point he has a great chance to lead the SEC in saves.

Q: I just don’t get it, what’s your problem with SC?

Jacob Genzuk

West Covina

A: I don’t have a problem with USC. The Trojans have a decent shot to win the AP Championship Bowl this year at Wire Service Stadium.

I love Pat Haden, the team’s new Postmaster General, who has mailed so many trophies back because of NCAA sanctions that the sign on his desk reads, “What can Brown and Pat do for you?”

USC’s big problem was with the NCAA, not me. And a couple of minor tweaks on defense might be in order after allowing 588 yards to Hawaii. But Honolulu is a tough opening venue. The only guys who consistently played well there were Don Ho and Elvis.

Q: Zero and four start to UCLA season? Suppose a genie gave me a choice -- play out the season or settle for a final 6-6 record. Should I take the 6-6? How about 5-7?

Robin Joshi

A: Take 6-6 and run!

Q: Hey, the Times Sunday sports section tags the Terps with a loss before they have even played a game. No respect.

Jerry Li

A: We do that as a market test sometimes to see if there actually any Maryland football fans out there.

You win this week’s prize -- a pair of Ralph Friedgen’s old trousers.

Maryland, of course, is 1-0 after defeating Navy in Baltimore.

Terp-ific win -- good luck this week against Morgan State.

Q: One game into the season and I’ve already had more than enough of Bob Davie. Does he really have to end half of his sentences with “now,” with that macho bravado tinge?

Isn’t there one college team out there, anywhere, who can hire him? He’s killing me. Make him go away.

Tim M.

A: Let me think now. I’m saying Davie is a better analyst than he was the Notre Dame coach now. Man really does his homework now. Hey now. End of this week’s mailbag now.

chris.dufresne@latimes.com