College Football '09: A look at the Western Athletic Conference

Does the Western Athletic Conference make any BCS noise in '09? Who would the candidate be for '09? How does the conference breakdown in '09 for WAC?

• The WAC is ranked #10 by Jeff Sagarin among the FBS conferences

• No non-BCS conference team has ever played in the BCS Title Game and not likely anytime soon

• Two WAC teams have made BCS bowls in the past three years

• Will there be another BCS bid in '09 for the WAC?

Ranked teams in the AP and Coaches' preseason polls:

• Boise State at #14 and #16, respectively

Preseason magazines like other WAC teams in the Top 25 preseason:

• Nevada

Teams rebuilding in the WAC in '09

• Hawaii

Teams rated below the FBS mark of #120 in 2009?

• Utah State
• New Mexico State
• Idaho

Will the WAC finish this way in 2009??

1. Boise State * (8-0 in '08) (5-4 in bowls)
2. Nevada (5-3) (3-6)
3. Fresno State (4-4) (10-8)
4. Louisiana Tech (5-3) (2-2-1)
5. Hawaii (5-3) (5-4)
6. San Jose State (4-4) (5-3)
7. Utah State (3-5) (1-4)
8. New Mexico State (1-7) (2-0-1)
9. Idaho (1-7) (1-0)
   * denotes 2008 WAC champs (source for above list)

Last BCS bowl participant

• Hawaii went 12-0 during the 2007 regular season (L, Sugar to Georgia 10-41)

Kickoff Game of the Season

Thursday, September 3rd

Oregon at Boise State

Boise, Idaho at 9:15 PM CT

TV: ESPN

Final Look at the WAC teams, using the preseason Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings:

1. Boise State (# 19 in Sagarin ratings) - Coach Chris Peterson enters his 4Th season after leading the Broncos to a 12-1 season last year. The Broncos return 39 letterwinners, including 6 OFF and 5 DEF plus both kickers from a team that lost 16-17 to TCU in the Poinsettia. Huge opener vs. Oregon to open '09, followed by vs. Miami-OH, the WAC opener @ Fresno State, then @ Bowling Green and vs. UC-Davis to close out OOC.
   
2. Hawaii (# 67) - Coach Greg McMackin enters his 2Nd year at the helm for the Rainbow Warriors and likely a rebuilding year, after finishing 7-7 last year, with a loss to Notre Dame 21-49 in the Hawaii. The Warriors will return 50 letterwinners, with 7 OFF and 2 DEF. Hawaii opens the '09 season at home vs. Central Arkansas, @ Washington State, @ UNLV, a bye week, then they open WAC play. They close out the OCC at the end of the season vs. Navy and vs. Wisconsin.
3. Fresno State (# 71) - Coach Pat Hill enters his 13Th year at the helm of the Bulldogs program, who finished last year at 7-6. The Bulldogs return 44 letterwinners, with 7 OFF and 8 DEF plus both kickers from a team that lost 35-40 to Colorado State in the New Mexico. The Bulldogs open the '09 season vs. UC-Davis, @Wisconsin, then the WAC opener vs. Boise State, followed by @ Cincinnati. They close the OOC at the end of the season on 12/5 at Illinois.
4. Nevada (# 77) - Coach Chris Ault is in his third stint in Nevada and his 25Th year as head coach. The Wolf Pack finished last year at 7-6, with a 35-42 loss to Maryland in the Humanitarian. The Wolf Pack return 45 letterwinners, with 7 OFF and 7 DEF plus punter from last year's squad. The Wolf Pack open the '09 season @ Notre Dame, bey week, @ Colorado State, vs. Missouri and vs. UNLV before opening WAC play vs. LA Tech.
5. Louisiana Tech (# 107) - Coach Derek Dooley enters his 3Rd season at the helm for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs finished last year 8-5 with a 17-10 win over Northern Illinois in the Independence. The Bulldogs return 37 letterwinners, with 9 OFF and 7 DEF. They open the '09 season @ Auburn, @ Navy, vs. Nicholls State, a bye week, then open WAC play vs. Hawaii. A game @ LSU on 11/14 closes OOC play for the Bulldogs.
6. San Jose State (# 109) - Coach Dick Tomey enters his 5Th year as head coach of the Spartans. The Spartans return 53 letterwinners, including 8 OFF and 7 DEF plus punter from a squad that finished 6-6. The Spartans open the '09 season @ USC, vs. Utah, @ Stanford, vs. Cal Poly, before a bye week and the WAC opener vs. Idaho.
7. Utah State (# 131) - The Aggies welcome new coach Gary Anderson, the former Utah DC, who was 4-7 in one season coaching for a FCS school. The Aggies return 48 letterwinners, with 9 OFF and 7 DEF plus PK/PT from a squad that finished 3-9 last season. The Aggies open @ Utah, bye week, @ Texas A&M, vs. Southern Utah, @ BYU before opening WAC play @ New Mexico State.
8. New Mexico State (# 144) - The other Aggies of the WAC welcome a new coach as well as DeWayne Walker moves over after serving three years as UCLA's DC. He is 0-1 as a head coach, after leading UCLA as interim coach for the 2007 bowl game. The Aggies return 44 letterwinners, with 5 OFF and 5 DEF plus PK/PF from a squad that finished 3-9 last season. The Aggies open the '09 season in the WAC vs. Idaho. Next, the OOC opponents are vs. Prairie View A&M, vs. UTEP, @ New Mexico and @ San Diego State.
9. Idaho (# 164) - Coach Robb Akey enters his 3Rd season at the helm for the Vandals. The Vandals return 44 letterwinners, with 7 OFF and 6 DEF from a squad that finished 2-10 last year. The Vandals open the '09 season in the WAC @ New Mexico State, then in the OOC @ Washington, vs. San Diego State, @ Northern Illinois and vs. Colorado State before returning to WAC play.
   

A look back at last year's statistics in the WAC.

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