We did go back in the archives for a photo of the crystal football, but just look at what we found. Can you behold Bob Stoops’ 2004 hair without your breath catching in wonder? Just marvelous. (AP)

A Friday announcement out of the lair of the evolving BCS system brings news straight out of a sports-business Cinderella tale: All non-BCS bowls have been invited to “to consider whether they are interested in submitting a proposal to host the national semifinals and other bowl games”!

First, a reminder on how the postseason will work from the 2014-15 season on:

The Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl have already been chosen to host the first national semifinals of the playoff on January 1, 2015. The Orange Bowl and a yet-to-be named bowl will host the semifinals in the second year of the playoff. The two bowls that will host semifinals in the third year have yet to be named. Bids are being sought for the three to-be-named bowls.

If that sounds like a lot of very vague language, well, let’s consult our designated oracle on the matter:

BCS says 31 bowls may bid for right to host semifinals in playoff. Doesn't matter: 3 open spots will go to Fiesta, Cotton & Chick-fil-A—
Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) March 15, 2013

Righto. Will this stop us from creating Power Rankings of the bowl games we most wish to contend for host slots? It will not, because it is both March and Friday:

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The story of a bowl, as told through social media.

Unveiling a football field sized flag during “America The Beautiful” #MBLV twitter.com/LasVegasBowl/s…

— Las Vegas Bowl (@LasVegasBowl) December 22, 2012

We may be lucky to have a 28-21 game as a final here at the #MLVB with @uw_football and Boise State both sporting top 30 defenses.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) December 22, 2012

@brianmfloyd what happens in Vegas, gets you sent home because this is not a commercial

— jmnpb (@jmnpb) December 22, 2012

“Use the holiday fudge-covered helmets today, Johnny.” –Chris Petersen, this morning to his equipment manager.

— edsbs (@edsbs) December 22, 2012

“It’s a BEAUTIFUL Saturday in Las Vegas!” We know you mean that, Brent.

— Jason Kirk (@JasonKirkSBN) December 22, 2012

“Two players have eaten their fudge helmets, Coach Petersen.” (sighs) “Send them home.”

— edsbs (@edsbs) December 22, 2012

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Here are the Washington and Boise State mascots, suspended from the canopy at Fremont Street. This is not a metaphor for anything. (R. Marsh Starks/MAACO Bowl Las Vegas)

The 2012 Las Vegas Bowl is just hours away. We’re sure you have so many questions. We’re here to help. (For an X’s and O’s breakdown, click through to Matt Dollinger’s game preview.)

• What’s all this, then? The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas affords teams and fans a wintertime trip to Las Vegas and used to be sponsored by Sega, so it is all right with us, in case you were wondering.

• Where will this game be played? Sam Boyd Stadium, home to the UNLV Rebels and the UFL’s Las Vegas Locomotives.

• When is it on television? Coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, with Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Tom Rinaldi providing commentary. Is there a pregame show that just consists of a camera crew following Herbie and Musby around casinos and seeing where the night takes them? Regrettably, there is not.

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After a prolific career as a Bronco, Kellen Moore left the Boise State program in all smiles on Thursday. (Cal Sport Media)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Kellen Moore, 50 wins in and through with the college game, is as practiced at the craft of the postgame presser as he is in the pocket. With his NCAA career wrapped, and no threat of forced running of stadium steps lurking over his shoulder, Moore had not one unkind word to say about the situation Boise State’s football team found itself in Thursday night after a 56-24 rout of Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. [RECAP | BOX] The No. 8 Broncos put a flourishing touch on the winningest four-year streak in FBS history in a December game. An early  December game. Again. You know this — but you’d never know it looking at or listening to Kellen Moore.

When asked about his impact on the Boise State football program, Moore speaks only of being fortunate — that’s his keyword. “Fortunate” to have been put in the situation he was in, to be “surrounded by great people.”

“It’s a neat experience,” said the all-time winningest quarterback in FBS college football history. Since Moore toes the straight and narrow, let’s let the two coaches of the 2011 Las Vegas Bowl throw some well-deserved handfuls of glitter his way.

Dennis Erickson: “His anticipation, he made a couple throws where he threw that football, and the receiver hadn’t even come close to coming out of his break. So he breaks, and boom! The ball is there. You can’t defend that.”

Chris Petersen, settling himself in, before the first question is even voiced: “I have no idea what we’re gonna do without Kellen Moore, so don’t ask it.”

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Boise State's Chris Petersen and Kellen Moore are no strangers to hoisting the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas trophy. (Cal Sport Media)

The 2011 Las Vegas Bowl is just hours away. We’re sure you have so many questions. We’re here to help. (For an Xs and Os breakdown, check out Stewart Mandel’s preview.) 

• Where will this game be played? Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada, home of the UNLV Rebels and the occasional rugby sevens tournament.

• When is it on television? Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 22. The game will be televised on ESPN.

• Whom does it feature? Currently Vegas gets the first Mountain West team off the lot and a mid-range Pac-12 team.

• What about this year? In a battle of tall versus un-tall quarterbacks, States Boise and Arizona will clash in the desert.

• Who sponsors it? The proper name of this shindig is actually the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, like some above-itself gated community, which we guess is appropriate given the character of so many residential neighborhoods in the area. MAACO bills itself as “The premier collision center that also paints cars.”

• I liked it better when it was the California Raisin Bowl. That may be, but would you rather spend a week in Fresno or Las Vegas? Myself, I preferred the video-game sponsorships of the late 20th and early 21st century; do you think they’d even play the game if EA Sports still headlined it?

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