AP Top 25 Reality Check: Boise State returns to rankings 3 years after 19-season streak was snapped

For two decades, Boise State has been the most reliably sucessful program outside major college football’s power conferences.The Broncos made at least one appearance in The Associated Press Top 25 in 19 straight seasons, from the program’s first appearance in 2001 through 2020. That’s tied for the 26th longest such streak in the 88-year history of the AP poll.Three seasons had gone by with Boise State of the Mountain West going unranked until Sunday when some volatility at the bottom of the rankings landed the Broncos at No. 25.The timing was odd for Boise State’s return. The Broncos were coming off an easy victory Saturday against Portland State. Not exactly the type of win that usually pushes teams into the rankings, but voters were searching for options at Nos. 24 and 25.Boise State, two weeks removed from a last-second loss at No. 8 Oregon, grabbed the final spot with just 69 points, two more than the Washington State team the Broncos play next Saturday. That sets up a game for a spot in the poll next week.By the way, Ohio State’s active streak of 57 years appearing in at least one poll is the all-time record. Alabama is next at...