Fresno State football fans finally have something to cheer about.

And no, it's not the city of Fresno, Ca.

The Bulldogs have quickly become college football's Cinderella story as they have beaten Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin in the first three weeks of the college football season.

Fresno State is at an all-time program high at No. 11 in The Associated Press poll after not being ranked at the beginning of the season and has gotten through the toughest part of its schedule unscathed.

Actually, the remainder of the Bulldogs' games shouldn't cause them much trouble if they continue to play at the high level they have been playing the past few weeks.

Fresno State looks in the clear for the rest of its schedule, because its Western Athletic Conference competition is so weak, the Bulldogs' talent alone will probably beat every opponent trying to ruin Fresno State's undefeated season hopes.

But that's where Fresno State's problem lies.

Because of the Bowl Championship Series that takes strength of schedule into consideration when it determines the teams that play New Year's Day bowl games, Fresno State might be left out of the mix.

The fact is that teams like Florida State, Oklahoma and Miami — teams deserving of BCS bowl bids — don't schedule teams like Utah State, Boise State and Nevada on its schedule. All top-ranked programs usually have non-conference opponents that come in for a beating and leave, but Fresno State's schedule is just too easy to consider them as a national championship contender.

The BCS is going to take into account that the Bulldogs have big upsets, but the wins were early in the season, and its biggest win, against Oregon State, was in Fresno.

The most Fresno State can hope for now is that Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin have great seasons which will boost the Bulldogs' strength of schedule rating, possibly convincing the BCS they are worthy of making a BCS bowl game. But if those three teams have mediocre seasons or stay near the bottom of the Top 25 polls, don't expect Fresno State to play in the Fiesta, Orange, Sugar or Rose Bowls this winter.

Even if the Bulldogs go undefeated, win the WAC and politic for a New Year's Day bowl bid, granting Fresno State one would be unfair. The Bulldogs don't deserve to play a Florida, Nebraska or Texas-caliber team.

It is unfair to ask Big 12, Big Ten and ACC teams to battle tough opponents each week while Fresno State plays cupcakes and in the end plays the big names in a bowl.

The Bulldogs have to pay the price for not playing quality competition each week. Now that they have the target on their backs, teams like Louisiana Tech and San Jose State are gunning for them. No one can compare that weekly competition to playing in the major football conferences.

Deserving to be a contender for a national championship goes way beyond your record, it matters how a team gets to that record. And beating quality teams each week is the only way to be No. 1 at the end of the season.

Fresno State has beaten some quality competition this season already, but without a major stumble, the Bulldogs can cruise for the remainder of their schedule and probably wind up undefeated. Florida State, Miami, Nebraska and others who should be contending for a national championship have weekly wars to wage against conference opponents and teams that want to make a season out of beating them.

The BCS weeds out teams like Fresno State and it gives a fair shot for a national championship to teams that deserve it because they consistently win against stiff competition. Because of its utterly weak schedule, the Bulldogs don't deserve to be a member in a BCS bowl.

Everyone seems to be jumping on the Bulldogs bandwagon because a virtual unknown is proving they can win a few games against Top 20 teams.

But sorry, I can't hop on this one.