Does the MWC deserve an automatic bid?

The Mountain West Conference has been taking its case for an automatic bid to Congress because it seems that the power brokers in College Football want to keep them in the closet. In other words, they are acting like Republicans in refusing to spread the weatlth. Did I say that out loud? Currently the BCS only allows for automatic bids for the winners of the Big 6 conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, and PAC-10). The argument against the MWC is that they don't have the strength of schedules or the depth of other conferences to warrant inclusion on a yearly basis. This became a hot topic last year as undefeated Utah was left out of the National Championship Game over teams that had lost. Utah then went out and dismantled highly ranked Alabama. The haters stated that while a team like Utah can win against a power team occasionally, it wouldn't be able to withstand the schedule of the power teams. I don't believe this nonsense. Let's make a case for the MWC.

• The MWC is 2-0 in BCS games (Utah won the 2005 Fiesta Bowl vs Pitt and the 2009 Sugar Bowl vs Alabama). The ACC is 2-9 all time in BCS games and the Big Ten has lost 6 in a row. Oklahoma has lost 5 straight BCS games. Hmm...
• The MWC had 2 teams finish in the Top 10 in 2008. Utah #2 and TCU #7. Neither the Big East or ACC had a team finish in the Top 10. Hmm...
• The MWC has 3 teams ranked in the preseason Top 25. TCU is 17th, Utah is 18th, and BYU is 24th. In comparison, the Big East has 0 ranked teams. Hmm...
• BYU has four Top 25 teams and Utah has three Top 25 teams on its schedule. That is as many or more than Top 10 teams Florida (3), Texas (2), Alabama (3), Ohio State (3), Penn State (2), and Ole Miss (2). Hmm...
• The MWC went 9-5 during the regular season vs BCS power conference teams. They then went 3-2 in Bowl Games. Hmm...

It would seem that MWC conference teams don't have a problem competing with the other 6 BCS conferences. While they may not have a team that is a traditional powerhouse, they do possess the quality of teams and the schedules to warrant an automatic bid into the BCS. Let's hope the powers that be come to their senses and include them soon.