Kudos to TCU, Boise and Utah in the 2000's. They stepped up their game and competed with the best but....
Boise also played an easier schedule to get to the 10 win plateau.:
Too many people think Boise State has done stuff we haven't, which is untrue. Since 2000 we have played way more P5/BCS programs (with a higher win/loss record, National titles, etc...). We have played 56. They have played 37. We have beat more P5 programs. Just look at the list and judge for yourself. Yes, they have a better record but they are rarely playing cream-of-the-crop type of programs in true road games and we played a lot more true road games without a return home game....a ridiculous amount more. They played 16 true road games. We played 31 true road games. They have played 13 neutral site games. We have played 8 (***bowl games and kickoff classics are at neutral sites***). Where games are played matters. Other than 7-10 programs out there each year, this is the biggest factor in winning/losing.
They are 2-0 in BCS/P5 bowls (Oklahoma, TCU). We are 2-1 (Baylor, Auburn, and LSU). They have 11.3 conference titles. We have 5.3. The WAC/Mountain West did not have a title game until 2013 so for 8.3 of their 11.3 conference titles they never had to play an extra title game against another quality team. They are 3-1 in conference title games. For 1.3 of our 5.3 titles we did not have to play an extra title game against another quality team. We are 4-2 in conference title games.
Here is who Boise State has played: @Wazzou, @Arkansas, @South Carolina, Wazzou, @Arkansas, Iowa State (bowl game), @Oregon State, Oregon State, Loserville (bowl game), @Georgia, @Oregon State, BC (bowl game), Oregon State, Oklahoma (bowl game), @Washington, @Oregon, Oregon, VA Tech (kickoff classic), Oregon State, Georgia (kickoff classic), AZ State (bowl game), @Michigan State, Washington (bowl game), @Washington, Oregon State (bowl game), Ole Miss (kickoff classic), Arizona (bowl game), Washington, @Virginia, Wazzou, @Oregon State, Baylor (bowl game), @Wazzou, Virginia, Oregon (bowl game), @OK State, @FSU, Washington (bowl game).
Here is who UCF has played: @GA Tech, @Bama, VaTech, @Clemson, @Syracuse, @VaTech, @Arkansas, @Penn State, @AZ State, Syracuse, @VaTech, @Syracuse, @West Virginia, @Wisconsin, West Virginia, @Penn State, @South Carolina, @Florida, Pitt, @NC State, Texas, @USF, Miss State (bowl game), USF, @BC, @USF, @Miami, USF, Miami, @Texas, Rutgers (bowl game), NC State, @KState, Georgia (bowl game), BC, @Ohio State, Mizzou, @Penn State, South Carolina, @Loserville, Rutgers, USF, Baylor (bowl game), Penn State (in Ireland), @Mizzou, NC State (bowl game), @stanford, @South Carolina, @Michigan, Maryland, @Maryland, Auburn (bowl game), Pitt, LSU (bowl game), Stanford, @Pitt
Btw, Utah and TCU were not BCS/P5 teams when Boise State used to play them. If they were in a BCS/P5 conference when they played I would have listed them. Boise State and TCU did play in the Fiesta Bowl even though neither was in a BCS/P5 conference.