Western Athletic Conference Preview

By Tommy Dutch
Don Best Associate Editor

The WAC has landed a team in the BCS each of the past two seasons and it's a possibility again this year. Boise State was the darling of college football two seasons ago when they went undefeated and beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, then Hawaii went through the regular season unbeaten before being dismantled in the Sugar Bowl last season.

Boise State returns a strong team and should once again be the class of the conference. Hawaii has slipped a bit, while Fresno State and Nevada are capable of beating anyone. It's going to be a long season for Idaho and Utah State in an overall competitive WAC.

Boise St.
Projected Record: (11-1)
The Broncos' streak of five consecutive WAC championships was snapped last season but Boise State should be back on top this season. The school has been the class of the league winning 46 of the last 48 conference games. Fresno St. and Hawaii are played at home, making the November 22 showdown at Nevada the most challenging conference game. The Broncos face difficult non-conference road tests at Southern Mississippi and Oregon. An undefeated regular season is possible and would result in the third straight BCS bowl game for a member of the WAC.

Fresno St.
Projected Record: (8-4)
The Bulldogs return 17 starters from a team that beat Kansas State, took Texas A&M to three overtimes and knocked off Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl. Despite all the success Pat Hill has had in his first 11 seasons as the Fresno head coach, he has not claimed a conference championship. This year's team may provide the best opportunity, but the season finale at Boise State will be a difficult spot. Fresno has pulled off many upsets and near upsets in recent years and will have the opportunity again. Wisconsin visits Fresno September 12 and the Bulldogs travel to Los Angeles to face UCLA, September 27.

Nevada
Projected Record: (8-4)
The Wolf Pack will likely qualify for their third consecutive bowl game. This well-coached team has veteran leadership and an explosive offense but plays a demanding schedule. The Pack faces Texas Tech and Missouri in the non-conference portion, and then plays on the road against Fresno State and Hawaii in WAC play. Starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick was named the freshman Player of the Year, throwing 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He leads an offensive which produced over 6,000 yards last season.

New Mexico St.
Projected Record: (7-5)
Hal Mumme's wide-open offense started to blossom last season. Despite a 4-9 record, the Aggies were often competitive against quality opponents. Senior quarterback Chase Holbrook threw for 3,866 yards and 26 touchdowns while battling injuries. The high-octane offense also features the most talented receiving corps in the conference. The Aggies will be a huge challenge for opposing defensive coordinators but it's the improvement of the New Mexico State defense which will determine if the team ends up in the top half of the conference. Forty points or more were allowed six times last season and the team was 0-6 on the road.

San Jose St.
Projected Record: (6-6)
Dick Tomey is now in his fourth season in San Jose. He is a proven winner and the program has shown improvement throughout his first three seasons. The Spartans return seven offensive and six defensive starters from a team with a 5-7 record. Last season started with three brutal road games against Arizona State, Kansas State and Stanford. San Jose State was competitive after the difficult start but was fighting an uphill battle all season. The Spartans should have a better start this season with home games against UC Davis and San Diego State in two of the first three weeks. The road schedule is still challenging but the Spartans will be right around the .500 mark.

Hawaii
Projected Record: (6-6)
June Jones and Colt Brennan are no longer in Honolulu and the Warriors will suffer immensely. Last year Hawaii won five games by a touchdown or less in route to an undefeated regular season and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. The team losses seven starters on both sides of the ball and plays a treacherous road schedule. Expect the Warriors to be underdogs in games at Florida, Oregon State, Fresno State and Boise State. First year head coach Greg McMacklin is unlikely to match the school's recent success but he inherits a healthy program with plenty of young talent. Hawaii is in a position to return to the top of the league in the near future but can't matchup with this season's elite. The Warriors will struggle to be bowl eligible.

Louisiana Tech
Projected Record: (4-8)
The Bulldogs are limited in their offensive abilities but have a strong enough defense to keep them competitive in most games. They averaged less than eight points per game in five losses on the road but managed to go 4-4 in the WAC and nearly qualified for the New Mexico Bowl. Derek Dooley enters his second year as head coach with eight starters coming back on the offensive side which should result in improved cohesiveness. Running backs Patrick Jackson and Daniel Porter will lead the attack. The duo combined for 1,627 yards last season. The passing game has to improve for the Bulldogs to vault into the upper half of the conference.

Utah St.
Projected Record: (1-11)
Coach Brent Guy enters his fourth season in Logan and the team isn't exactly improving. The Aggies are 6-29 under Guy and may be in for the most difficult season yet. If the Aggies don't beat Idaho at home, it could easily turn into a winless season. The 2007 season closed on a high note with road wins against New Mexico State and Idaho but the 0-10 start was more telling. The defense returns nine starters and should keep most games respectable. The offense lacks quality skill players and will have a tough time keeping up with a schedule full of explosive offensive teams. Utah State was out-gained by 173 yards per game last season and will have a tough time improving that number.

Idaho
Projected Record: (1-11)
The Vandals return 10 starters from a decent offense but they still aren't likely to get many victories. Idaho has a significant home-field advantage but Idaho State is likely the only visitor that will come into Moscow as an underdog. The game at Utah St. on September 20 will determine the last place team in the WAC. Four starters return to one of the worst defenses in the country. The 2007 Vandals allowed over 3,000 yards in the air and nearly 2,000 more on the ground. Thirty-seven or more points were given up in eight games and the Vandals only came within seven points in two of their losses. Quarterback Nathan Enderle threw for 423 yards against Northern Illinois but was injured the next week. The sophomore may be the latest of several excellent quarterbacks who have attended Idaho.

Go to our college football preview page or check out our college football odds.

For in-depth matchup reports, check out FOXSHEETS.