At least everybody didn’t miss the boat. Seven people who sat down Sunday and filled out their I-AA poll got it right.

One-hundred and seven media members and sports information directors voted in this week’s college football poll and this leads me to believe that one in 16 actually watched the opening weekend.

Montana State, who was ranked No. 22 in the preseason, jumped 11 sports by winning its season opener on the road.

No biggie, right? Wrong.

They deserve the top spot.

The Bobcats took a six-figure paycheck from Colorado and proceeded to pull off the biggest college football upset in the modern era, beating the defending Big 12 North champions, 19-10.

This is not an overstatement of the upset. If you compare the difference in games played and relevance of the moment, this is Ralph Sampson’s Virginia team losing to Division II Chaminade in college basketball’s Maui Invitational all over again. How did this not propel Montana State into at least the Top 10?

To go over the timeline of events in Boulder, Colo., is almost comical.

Picture it, you’re new Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins and this is what the major local headlines have been before you set up shop.

First, a recruiting party involving 17-year-old high school prospects reportedly involved large amounts of alcohol, strippers and was paid for by an assistant coach with a university credit card.

Imagine being a fly on the wall during that monthly budget meeting.

Months later, a former female kicker reports that she was allegedly raped by her teammates during the 1999 season. Hours later head coach Gary Barnett indirectly defended the actions of the players accused because the alleged victim “couldn’t kick.”

Barnett later patented what’s currently taught to law students across the country as the “if you can’t kick, you must acquit” defense.

This was the sixth rape allegation during the 7-year Barnett era. It took Barnett seven years, six rape accusations along with a drunken stripper party for him to lose his job and he still got a $3 million settlement. God bless America.

Finally, the last game Barnett roamed the sidelines in 2005 was almost as laughable as his constant foot-in-mouth disease.

The eventual national champion, Texas, beat the Buffaloes 70-3 and Longhorns head coach Mac Brown made an effort not to score in the fourth quarter.

Hawkins’ job was to erase all of these memories as soon as possible and I’ll be darned if he didn’t.

“It’s only devastating if you let it be devastating,” Hawkins said after the loss.

Trust me, man, it’s devastating.

In less than a year, Montana State has become a bigger concern on the Colorado campus than previous felonies, misdemeanors and a 67-point loss.

For this point alone, they deserve to be No. 1 in its division.

Two other I-AA teams defeated I-A programs (Richmond over Duke and Portland State beat New Mexico).

Those three got a combined 10 first place votes and Appalachian State, who was defeated 23-10 by North Carolina State, received 43.

Not only have all three schools guaranteed at least consideration for an at-large berth in the I-AA playoffs but deserve more credit now that they’ve proven they can win outside the perceived JV level.