Matadors Above Big West Standards

BOISE, Idaho —  A few observations gleaned while trying not to stare at the bright blue carpet in Bronco Stadium:

Hate to admit, but maybe the Big West Conference is right about not letting in Cal State Northridge.

The Matadors clearly don’t belong.

To be considered for conference membership, Northridge has been told, it would have to award 85 football scholarships and build a 30,000-seat stadium.

We can only imagine the carnage with those circumstances.

As it is, Northridge has 45 scholarships, a semi-converted 1940s horse track as its stadium, and is still walloping Big West schools in football.

The Matadors’ 63-23 decision over Boise State on Saturday is their second in a row over a conference that has consistently spurned their advances.

Last season, Northridge pounded New Mexico State, 33-0.

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Big West mandates for competitiveness just don’t figure any way you look at it.

Let’s look at what the conference did in other games Saturday:

Utah State defeated Utah, 21-14, but other than that, it was a dismal opening week for Big West teams. Nevada got hammered by Colorado State, 45-13; Idaho was downed by Air Force, 14-10; North Texas fell to Vanderbilt, 29-12; and New Mexico State was pasted by Arizona State, 41-10.

That’s one for six in case you’re keeping score at home.

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Northridge Coach Jim Fenwick was worried sick over his coaching debut.

Truth be told, he was concerned that the Matadors, facing Division I-A opponents on the road in their first three games, might be winless going into their home opener.

Well, no more worrying about that.

And if one magazine’s national rankings can be trusted, Northridge might instead be 3-0.

Sports Illustrated, in its college football preview edition, ranked Northridge’s next opponent, Hawaii, No. 97, Boise State No. 109 and New Mexico State--which the Matadors play third--No. 110 out of 112 Division I-A teams.

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Fenwick obviously enjoyed his first game a lot more than his counterpart across the way, Houston Nutt, who was making his debut as Boise’s coach after coming over from Murray State.

Nutt had the Broncos looking sharp early, but, up 16-0, he then made a move that seemed to contribute to the game’s huge momentum switch.

Nutt temporarily benched starting quarterback Nate Sparks in favor of backup Bart Hendricks, a freshman.

With Hendricks at the helm, the Broncos stalled.

Sparks re-entered on Boise’s next possession, but the Broncos didn’t score again until there were three minutes left in the third quarter.

While he was out, Sparks stood, hands on hips, near midfield on the sideline.

Indeed, he seemed to have good reason to wonder exactly what kind of Nutt was calling the shots.

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If the Matadors are going to continue to score points in bunches--oh, and we think they might--they’re going to have to learn how to celebrate.

Northridge players drew 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties after each of their first two touchdowns. And to think, these came while the Matadors were still trailing.

But to its credit, Northridge didn’t get tagged again for the rest of the game.

Maybe practice does make perfect.