Being a BYU football fan since I was young, I could never help noticing that BYU fans felt picked on by the sportswriters. Couldn't ever get a good ranking despite great seasons and few losses.

I always wondered if this 'woe is us' attitude was an extension of the Mormon inferiority complex. As Mormons we were brought up to believe that the world was against us. So naturally when it came to football, they were against our team as well. In fact, probably BECAUSE they were Mormon.

I have since learned the truth. The reason BYU got no respect is because they did not earn it due to patsy schedules. But try telling that to a true believer!

I would disagree. I'm not sure how many Boise State football fans are LDS but the same complex exists here in Boise. Some BYU seasons might have been patsy but certainly not all. Utah jumped into the top twenty on the strength of beating Pittsburg who were ranked above them...where are the panthers now and who else of any stature has Utah beaten to be ranked 10? BYU's stature problems are no different from any other school playing in non BCS conferences. Perhaps that will change for Utah in the PAC 12.

I don't see a mormon inferiority complex. Rather, it's a persecution complex ('they're picking on us because of our religion').

True-blue Mormons in general have a SUPERIORITY complex ('we're better than them because we have the true church - we'll go to the highest level of the celestial kingdom, and they won't).

I was at BYU during the late 90's early '00s, and I gotta say it IS an inferiority complex among the more vocal of the fans. And the fans who were MOST vocal were the ones who really didn't understand football rankings/BCS/polls/etc.

They literally wrote letters to the Daily Universe complaining about how the denial of BYU to the upper echelons of the rankings was a direct consequence of being an LDS school and that as mo-mos, "we are to expect opposition in all things." But no one could ever explain whether it was satan who controlled the hearts of hundreds of writers/coaches/BCS computers to keep BYU down, or whether it was god TESTING the faithful through the BCS.

Now let me stress this part since BCS debated always get heated...the inferiority complex was expressed most by the MOST VOCAL of the crowd. That doesn't mean they represented the majority of BYU fans' opinions. But damn! They were freely given the spotlight to express their opinions.

I think it was under Crowley's extremely boring option offense that BYU really was doing well. But the problem was that the moment they faced a team who could stop or slow down the option, the team fell apart completely. So of course the polls ranked other teams with better overall numbers.

BYU should not outright be overlooked because of being in the MWC. But they probably won't get any future consideration by the pollsters until they get another coach like LaVell Edwards who would say all the right things to church leaders, but then completely lie/cheat/bend rules/etc. with the players--you know...like all the other coaches in the NCAA :) LOL!

I haven't really heard complaining from Boise this season but that's probably because they are finally ranked very high. I do think they have been unfairly overlooked in years past and had to over-prove their value. And the only reason why everyone in the polls is finally coming around to Boise is because the money and public demand is finally there! The past few years, they had to claw their way up. This year, even with the lax schedule, they are placed on the top? BCS/TV execs/polls smell money and want Boise this year.

Strangely, Utah is the perennial Boise (if that makes sense.) They prove themselves year after year and have won each of their bowl games and yet they have to claw their way to the top every season. I mean they got bumped by South Carolina! South Carolina should be forced to climb them way up a little slower just like all the other schools who are NOT in the SEC.

My expectations for the next few weeks:

Nebraska, Oklahoma, Auburn, and South Carolina will fall out of the top 10 due to losses, or at least miss the natchamp. Ohio will definitely NOT be in the top spot at the end of the season...they have at least one upset/loss coming their way, but likely two. Oregon will stay high. LSU will climb with help from the polls, but will not have done anything great to climb so high. Alabama will start leap frogging everyone in their way even on bad weeks. Utah will be in the top 10 and might get a bowl. But my thoughts are that Boise will finally be given their shot but not against TCU...the powers that be will do everything in their power to ensure Boise plays a big division. It will eventually be either Oregon, 'Bama, or LSU.

But I'm a USC fan, so I don't give a shit this year! :P LOL!!!

which of course is just twisted around as one more proof the church is true--as the righteous are persecuted.

Whoops...I will agree with AnotherGuy...it is a persecution complex.

Interesting. I just a read a complaint from some non religious friends on Facebook about the Uof U not getting the respect they deserve. I don't really follow football but apparently they won and dropped in the ratings anyway. Everyone is partial to their team and defensive about it from what I see.Of BYU has a tendency to see themselves as the Lord's team so who knows.

schools in CA.

The whole system is run by East Coast elitist who don't know we exist.

Boise State is a great joke we are playing on them.