Each of the last two seasons, the WAC champion has gone on to a BCS bowl.
In 2006, Boise State went a perfect 13-0 and upset Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in a 43-42 overtime thriller.
Last season, Hawaii make an unbeaten run in the regular season, but they couldn’t repeat the Broncos feat, as they were routed by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Can it be three straight seasons with a BCS bowl for the WAC?
It could shape to be another Boise St.-Fresno St. battle, not only for the WAC championship, but also for a BCS berth.
Both teams return a lot of talent and look like the favorites in the WAC this season, and with a few important non-conference matchups on each team’s slate, have an opportunity to land in a lucrative BCS bowl. Fresno State has spotlight games at Rutgers, at home against Wisconsin, and at UCLA in September, while Boise State will take on Oregon and two solid non-BCS teams in Bowling Green and Southern Miss that could improve their BCS chances.
Can any of the rest of the WAC pack challenge the Bulldogs and Broncos for the title?
Conference Favorites
Fresno State is stacked with talent on both sides of the ball, and Pat Hill’s Bulldogs are my favorite to claim the WAC title.
After their first losing season since 1998, FSU bounced back to go 9-4 and 6-2 in the WAC, capping their season with a Humanitarian Bowl win over Georgia Tech.
Expectations are high for the Bulldogs this year, as they return many of the key pieces of an offense that averaged 32.8 points and 419.5 yards per game last season.
QB Tom Brandstater (2,654 yards, 15 TD, 5 INT, 3 rush TD) is back, and he’s got his two leading receivers back, in WR Marlon Moore (48 catches, 694 yards, 5 TD) and TE Bear Pascoe (45-553-4). The passing game will be very good, but much of the attention will be on the Bulldogs’ three-headed monster at running back, with Ryan Matthews (866 yards, 14 TD), Lonyae Miller (609 yards, 7 TD), and Anthony Harding (449 yards, 4 TD).
Defensively, the Bulldogs lose fist team all-WAC selections Marcus Riley and Tyler Clutts, but there are many key pieces back, including the defensive line duo of Jon Monga (30 tackles, 11 for a loss, 6.5 sacks) and Wilson Ramos (27 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks).
As for Boise St., the Broncos will be looking for their eighth double-digit win season in the last ten seasons. They have their own three-headed monster in the backfield, led by Ian Johnson, who battled multiple injuries last season but still ran for 1,030 yards and 16 scores. If he’s healthy, he could return to his 2006 Heisman candidate form, and even if he is 100 percent, it’s nice to have other options behind him in Jeremy Avery (672 yards, 8 TD) and D.J. Harper (372 yards, 6 TD), who filled in admirably when Johnson was dealing with his injuries last season.
Just how good the passing game is will depend not only on how well Taylor Tharp’s replacement does, but also if star receiver Jeremy Childs plays in 2008. Childs was suspended for the Hawaii Bowl loss to East Carolina and then for the spring semester, but his presence on the field in the fall will give the Broncos a formidable receiving corps along with Austin Pettis and Titus Young.
Defensively, there are some names to replace, but they should have one of the conference’s top defenses again, led by linebacker Kyle Gingg (94 tackles, 8.5 for loss).
Darkhorses
Hawaii went through a lot this off-season, but can new head man Greg McMacklin have the Warriors contending for the WAC title? It’s possible, with a talented defense returning. There are some big pieces to replace on offense, most notably QB Colt Brennan and WRs Jason Rivers, Davone Bess, and Ryan Grice-Mullen, but if those holes can get filled, the Warriors could make a run at a repeat.
After going 5-7 and 4-4 in the WAC last season in Derek Dooley’s first year as head coach, Louisiana Tech could be primed for a run in 2008. Derek Dooley’s Bulldogs have a talented duo in the backfield in RB Patrick Jackson and Daniel Porter, who combined for 1,542 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2007. They should be much improved on defense, led by safeties Antonio Baker (118 tackles, 3 INT) and Deon Young (72 tackles, 3 INT), linebacker Quin Harris (101 tackles, 9 for loss, 3.5 sacks, INT, 11 pass breakups), and defensive lineman D’Anthony Smith (43 tackles, 7 for loss, 3 sacks).
Nevada’s offense put up 36 points and 489 yards per game last season, and they should put up similar numbers this year, with QB Colin Kaepernick (2,038 yards, 19 TD, 3 INT, 567 yards, 6 TD rushing), RB Luke Lippincott (1380 yards, 15 TD), and receivers Marko Mitchell (47 catches, 1,033 yards, 8 TD) and Mike McCoy (30-598-4) returning. However, the key to a WAC title run will be defense, where they allowed 33 points and 404 yards per game last season.
Conference Predictions
1. Fresno State: One of the top offenses in the league. Can the defense step up? Having the nation’s top kick returner in A.J. Jefferson is almost like having another offensive weapon.
2. Boise St.: Some question marks on both sides of the ball. but we know they’ll be there in the end. With early non-conference games against Bowling Green, Oregon, and Southern Miss, we’ll get to see just how good this team is.
3. Hawaii: The Warriors have to replace their big guns on offense, but the defense should be excellent. They’re going to miss Colt Brennan, but Tyler Graunke did lead the team well while Brennan was injured multiple times last season.
4. Louisiana Tech.: They took big steps last season and should take even bigger steps in 2008, with a bowl game – and a WAC championship – a realistic possibility. Baker could be a first-day draft pick in 2009 if he skips his senior season.
5. Nevada: With Kaepernick and Lippincott leading the offense they’ll contend for a bowl again. However, will Chris Ault’s Wolf Pack be a serious contender for the WAC title? It’s all on the D.
6. New Mexico State: The Aggies posted another four-win season in 2007, losing seven of eight to end the season. Could they finally turn that corner in Hal Mumme’s fourth year? Not only does the defense need to improve, but the Aggies need to stay away from key injuries.
7. San Jose State: There’s a lot to replace on both sides of the ball, but there’s talent, in CB Chris Owens (75 tackles, 6 INT in 2007) and WR Kevin Jurovich (85 catches, 1,183 yards, 9 TD in 2007).
8. Utah State: Most of their defensive starters are back, but QB Leon Jackson and all-purpose threat Kevin Robinson have to be replaced. If they can show some improvement and push towards the middle of the pack, that could be enough to keep Brent Guy on the sidelines for another year.
9. Idaho: RB Deonte Jackson, who ran for 1,175 yards and 7 touchdowns as a freshman, should have another great year, but he’ll be one of the few bright spots.
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