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Over the last few years, it's safe to say that the Boise State football team and the BCS computer rankings haven't seen eye-to-eye. For the time being, however, the computers are the Broncos best friends.

Boise State debuted at 22nd in the first BCS rankings Sunday, despite standing pat in the AP and Coaches polls and slipping a spot in the Harris poll. BSU was slotted highest in the computer rankings, coming in at 20th in the nation.

The machines probably won't be as kind to the Broncos in the coming weeks though.

Boise State's next five opponents are a combined 8-25... and half of those wins belong to San Diego State. The Broncos inability to blowout inferior competition (see Miami, New Mexico, and Fresno State) won't help them climb in the computer polls. If history is any indication, strength of schedule will inevitably be the reason Boise State doesn't make it into a BCS bowl game (if that turns out to be the case).

Chris Petersen's squad hasn't been winning in lopsided fashion like they used to. Instead, the Broncos are finding a new identity behind a young, tough defense that is allowing the 12th fewest points per game in the nation.

"I think it just comes down to the whole 'bend, don't break'," noted defensive back Lee Hightower. "It's just a mentality- you don't want to let people score... and we haven't done a lot of that this year."

Petersen thinks the progression of his defense is just a natural byproduct of playing so many underclassmen. "So much of that is momentum and confidence... you start to get a little confidence under your belt and you can play faster, and that's what they're doing."