Boise State is the winningest program in the nation this decade: The Broncos are 81 games over .500 since 2000. In this economy, though, they're hardly immune to the crunch: The BSU athletic department has already trimmed its budget and made a handful of staff cuts to come in under the bar for the coming fiscal year.

The financial issue is looming so large, in fact, that it may be about to affect that sparkling record:

Boise State likely will be more aggressive in pursuing “guarantee” football games — one-time road games against powerhouse programs for which the Broncos are paid handsomely. Athletic director Gene Bleymaier has sprinkled those into his schedule sparingly in the past but recognizes them as an easy way to increase revenue in tight times. The Broncos have openings in 2010 and 2011 that could be filled by that type of game.
[...]
"Right now, I’d go where I can make the most money," he said. "If I can play at home and make that much money, then I’m going to play at home. But it’s difficult to make that much money in our stadium size. … I’ve tried to avoid those (guarantee games). Now they’re much more of a reality going forward."

Regular readers may recognize Bleymaier as one of the anti-BCS members of the panel that went before Congress last month, when he lamented the fact that Boise had been snubbed by the BCS after undefeated seasons in 2004 and 2008 and shut out of the national championship proceedings when the unbeaten Broncos snuck into the Fiesta Bowl in 2006. The '04 and '06 teams both beat Oregon State on the blue turf; the Broncos won at Oregon to set up last year's perfect regular season.

I've always just assumed the heavy hitters were trying to duck Boise, because it's all risk and no reward -- win, and you're supposed to win; lose, and you lost to Boise. But why would Boise, ambitious as it obviously is, try to avoid the heavy hitters on the road?

Boise State Road Games vs. "Big Six" Conferences Since 2000
• 2000: at Arkansas ............. L, 31-38
• 2000: at Wash. State ......... L, 35-42
• 2001: at South Carolina ..... L, 13-32
• 2002: at Arkansas ............. L, 14-41
• 2003: at Oregon State ....... L, 24-26
• 2005: at Georgia ............... L, 13-48
• 2005: at Oregon State ....... L, 27-30
• 2007: at Washington .......... L, 10-24
• 2008: at Oregon ................ W, 37-32

I see. To deepen the hole a little further, Boise has also played two road games in that span against ranked opponents from the WAC, at Fresno State in 2005 and at BCS-bound Hawaii in 2007, and lost both by double digits. (I will leave it to Oregon fans in the comments to lament the Ducks' dismal quarterback situation during last year's loss in Eugene, but they'll also have to explain the 386 yards passing allowed by the Oregon secondary.)

But lest this be construed as some kind of broadside, let me dispel that: On the contrary, any effort to upgrade schedule strength -- even if it's entirely financially motivated -- is commendable, especially for a team with a resumé like Boise State's, which stands at this point in its development to cultivate an image as a roving mercenary taking on all comers to offset the burden of playing a string of WAC patsies. If the mid-major conferences really want to knock down the doors of the BCS, loading up on the most murderous possible non-conference schedule is the most plausible road to nirvana. Take Utah last year, with wins over Oregon State and Michigan: If the Wolverines had held up their end of the bargain for the rest of the season, the Utes probably would have played for the championship in Miami. That's bad luck, but good strategy: If you're going to go to Congress about your opportunity to play with the big boys, you have to make a conscious effort to play the big boys.

Of course, then you have to beat the big boys, which is where Fresno State's "Anyone Anytime Anywhere" schtick has consistently run aground, and where the Broncos have fallen short in the kind of payday games Bleymaier is looking for. Boise's future non-conference schedules are no joke, but on top of the WAC rabble, the scalps of Mountain West heavies and Pac-10 also-rans aren't going to do much where the BCS is concerned. As long as bigger games are going to become a priority, they might as well think really big.

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Hat tip: Blutarsky.