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It dawned on me as I was prepping for this post that Air Force, BYU, Oklahoma, and Florida State seemingly unwittingly turned week 2 and 3 into a mini-tournament, with the finals today in Norman. Air Force beat BYU, Oklahoma beat Florida State, and now Air Force takes on Oklahoma while BYU faces Florida State in the consolation round. I’ve seen this unintentional playoff happen in conference play, but never so perfectly in interleague matchups (of course, if BYU or FSU had won, this whole thing is silly. Or sillier).
3:30 PM, Fox Sports Net- Air Force at #9 Oklahoma: The Falcons have a tall task in front of them, taking on a Sooner team that blasted Florida State last week after Utah State gave them more of a game in week 1. The question becomes whether or not the Sooners come back to earth and give Air Force the chance to pull the upset. Oklahoma is 38th in run defense after facing two decent FBS teams so far, allowing just over 100 yards per game. FSU and USU are both better through the air, but Air Force is going to have to wreck Oklahoma’s average to win today. Line: Oklahoma by 17. This is probably my non-BCS bias coming out, but I think the Falcons can keep it closer. I’d love to see them win it, but it’s probably OU at 38-24.
3:30 PM, ESPNU- BYU at Florida State: Read Post
This was supposed to run yesterday, but for reasons that are still unclear, the internet disappeared for a while. Luckily, it was saved about halfway through, because no way was I rewriting this whole thing. Anyhow, the Mountain West kept to themselves more than other leagues this week, with a pair of league games, some FCS competition, and some relatively quiet losses to big teams.
Utah 38, UNLV 10- Utah never trailed, despite sending in a backup QB to give Jordan Wynn’s sprained thumb a week off. UNLV is off to a rough start, but not an unexpected one. Next Week: Utah at New Mexico (0-2), UNLV at Idaho (1-1)
Air Force 35, BYU 14- Read Post
The Mountain West might have had the best weekend of the five Fringe conferences (although the WAC has a claim too), picking up two wins against ranked BCS conference teams. On the flip side, they have New Mexico.
Colorado 24, Colorado State 3- Not the way CSU wanted to begin a season that needs a turnaround. The Rams got behind early and never made a game of it (Prediction: CSU to keep it closer. 0-1). Next Week: Colorado State at Nevada
Air Force 65, Northwestern State 21- I don’t like to see FCS teams scoring 21 in the first half- that’s bad, even if your team is ahead. Air Force put the clamps on in the second half, but they’re going to need a complete game to compete this week. Next Week: BYU at Air Force
Oregon 72, New Mexico 0- Oregon could have easily gone over 100 but put the brakes on after halftime. Can Locksley survive the season? Will he punch someone after another losing streak to start a season? (Prediction: Oregon State by plenty. 1-1) Next Week: Texas Tech at New Mexico
BYU 23, Washington 17- Here the news gets better for the MWC. Washington led into the fourth quarter, but 10 unanswered points from the Cougars put them ahead. BYU’s dual-quarterback system seems to be working (Prediction: Washington to win outright. 1-2). Next Week: BYU at Air Force
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The Mountain West Conference has been rocked by realignment in the last six months, both coming and going. Boise State joined up and, for a brief moment, it seemed like a BCS autobid might be in the cards. Then Utah bowed out, heading to join the Pac-Whatever with Colorado. Now, being formally announced as I write this, BYU has made it official that they will be independent next year. We know that Fresno State & Nevada are coming along shortly as well, but they certainly aren’t BYU & Utah. The MWC is now at a somewhat clunky 10 teams, so the question is whether or not they’ll move to find two more or adopt a nine game schedule.
For 2010, however, everybody’s still hunting for the last MWC championship in the BYU/Utah Era. TCU has the target on its back, after sweeping the league last year and earning an invite to the Fiesta Bowl. They’re stacked again this year and the consensus league favorite. Highly rated Utah will be challenger #1, and all eyes will be on their stadium when TCU visits on November 6. BYU can never be counted out, but a rebuilding process looks to have them a step below the top two this year. Air Force has lost a lot of players, but the skill guys are back and they’re looking to supplant BYU in the top echelon.
Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
At last we complete the top 10 on the pre-pre-season rankings with Texas Christian University. As a person reading this site, you already know that TCU ran through the 2009 regular season undefeated, only to get turned back in the Fiesta Bowl by Boise State.
Like Boise State, TCU is back with their coach, quarterback, and a bunch of the starters from last year’s team. Gone is star DE Jerry Hughes from the defense, but seven of his starting teammates are back on the defense, and eight other starters join QB Andy Dalton on his side. TCU’s schedule is far from easy, but if they can continue the high level of play from last year, they should have their place in the national title picture.
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Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
2009 was not a good year for the New Mexico Lobos. The season began with three blowout losses, then coach Mike Locksley punched an assistant. Amazingly, that doesn’t get you fired in football coaching, so after a 10 day suspension the he was able to continue coaching Lobos to defeat. They did give BYU a massive scare, holding the Cougars to 24 points in a five point loss, then got their only win of the year over Colorado State, 29-27.
2010 will probably be another building year for the Lobos, with only five starters returning on offense and six on the defensive side. They have a three-headed quarterback battle going on in camp now, but do have two experienced RBs ready to go. The schedule, however, is not going to help matters this year.
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We’re keeping our ear to the ground on realignment business, but for now we’re back to our regularly scheduled season previews.
Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
The Wyoming Cowboys were one of 2009′s surprises, coming off of a 4 win season in 2008. They rebounded with a 6-6 regular season, moving from 8th to 5th in the league and then knocking off WAC opponent (and soon to be conference-mate) Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl, doing so in double overtime.
The Cowboys have a lot to be excited about going into 2010 and beyond. Quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels was named Offensive MVP in the NM Bowl- as a freshman (he was also named MWC Freshman of the Year). He returns with six more starters on the offense to match the seven that return on the defensive side of the ball. Their schedule isn’t any easier this year, but they have every reason to plan on being in the middle of the fight for the MWC’s bowl berths.
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Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
The Colorado State Rams performed the most spectacular swan dive of the season in 2009, opening with wins over Colorado and Nevada, before completely falling apart and losing their last nine games, the last two by a combined three points.
2010 opens with big question marks for the Rams- their QB position is up in the air and only four starters are back on offense in total. They are almost ridiculously stacked at RB, but only one starting lineman to get the running game started. The defense is in much better shape, with 10 players returning from the MWC’s #6 defense in 2009 (ok, sixth isn’t spectacular, but it’s better than their 0-8 conference record suggests). If 2009 had given any reason for confidence in the Rams, then one might argue that the schedule looks favorable, but there would have to be a big turnaround to capitalize on it.
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Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
San Diego State rumbled through 2009 at 4-8, a big improvement over the 2-10 campaign from a season before. 7 points over two games meant the difference in being 6-6 and looking for a bowl game, and the Aztecs are looking to make that leap forward this year.
Junior QB Ryan Lindley is back after a 3000 yard season in 2009, and he is joined by starters returning at RB, two WRs, and six more offensive spots. Eight starters return on defense, making SDSU the most experienced team in the Mountain West.
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Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
The Air Force Falcons were clearly just outside the MWC’s big 3 last season, taking Utah to overtime and putting a scare into TCU in a 3 point game in brutal conditions. The Falcons wrapped the season 8-5 after a mild upset of Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl, having finished 4th in the Mountain West.
2010 may be in interesting year at the Academy- only 10 starters return, but that both of last year’s QBs are back and healthy, as well as running back Asher Clark, the Armed Forces Bowl MVP. If the Falcons find quality replacements on the lines, they may have a chance to improve their standing in the Mountain West.
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