The Mountain West Conference has experienced some highs and lows this summer and it appears the roller coaster ride isn’t over yet. Back in June the MWC celebrated the announcement of Boise State joining the conference, but then days later Utah accepted an offer to join the Pac-10 which was a major blow. Now there are reports that BYU has decided to go independent in football and will rejoin the WAC for all other sports. The move would leave the Mountain West with only two football powers in TCU and a pissed off Boise State. The main reason I see BYU going independent in football is so they can be the sexy chick at the party when a major conference like the Pac-10 wants to grow again. I think this is only the beginning of many more changes in the coming years to the college athletics landscape. The mega conferences ultimately will come to fruition because the money is just too enticing.
Aint No Mountain West High Enough
Let me get this straight. At the end of the last college bowl season we had a Mountain West team playing in the Sugar Bowl against an SEC legend in Alabama. Could I have been dreaming? Oh, and by the way Utah won 31-17 to end the season undefeated.
Like My Cousin Vinnie once said, the 2 Utes look very good and could become the first team ever to go undefeated in back to back years, but of course they still would not play for a National Championship. There will be early bumps on their road to possible destiny since they travel to Oregon this year on the 19th of September and then Louisville comes to town the very next week.
BYU senior quarterback Max Hall was named Preseason MWC Offensive Player of the Year, while TCU senior defensive end Jerry Hughes was selected Defensive Player of the Year.
Horned Frogs junior kick returner Jeremy Kerley was chosen Special Teams Player of the Year and TCU running back Ed Wesley was tabbed as Freshman of the Year for the preseason.
Hall, a first-team all Mountain West Conference honoree in 2008, after passing for league-highs of 3,957 yards and 35 touchdowns last fall. Hall led the Mountain West in these two categories for an impressive second year. Hall’s passing and overall total yardage slightly above 4,000 yards broke conference records and ranked him in the top 10 nationally. Jerry Hughes was a consensus All-American last year plus the MWC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-MWC selection. Hughes tied for the lead nationally with six forced fumbles and led the nation with 15 sacks which set a MWC record.
Below is a short list of players to keep your eyes on this year in the Mountain West Conference.
DE Jerry Hughes, Sr. TCU
QB Max Hall, Sr. BYU
WR Dion Morton, Sr. Colorado State
RB Harvey Unga, Jr. BYU
TE Dennis Pitta, Sr. BYU
RB Matt Asiata, Sr. Utah
LB Daryl Washington, Sr. TCU
WR Ryan Wolfe, Sr. UNLV
DT John Fletcher, Sr. Wyoming
DB Chris Thomas, Sr. Air Force
DL Koa Misi, Sr. Utah
DB Rafael Priest, Sr. TCU
Surprise Team
TCU – My Sleeper is TCU to win the very tough Mountain West Conference. If the Horned Frogs can get wins at Virginia in the season opener and then two weeks later at Clemson things will get off in nice fashion. They have a real tough game at BYU in October, but after a win the Frogs will not only win the Mountain West Conference they will go unbeaten because they beat Utah at home in November.
Disappointing Team
Utah – The Utes will still be playing a high level, but they have road games at BYU, TCU, Colorado State, Oregon and San Jose State and even Utah can’t survive such a brutal schedule.
Game of the Year
TCU at BYU in late October will be the game that decides who wins the Mountain West Conference title.
Next week. WAC and Big East