Will the WAC continue to carry the banner for the Non-BCS world?

The Western Athletic Conference has carried the non-BCS banner the past two seasons. Will 2008 continue to be the case for the non-BCS conferences? Will the baton be passed to another non-BCS conference in '08, like the MWC, or dropped all together, like in 2005?

Who steps up in the WAC in 2008, within the conference and nationally, if at all?

Last year, Hawaii carried the torch for the WAC. Two years ago, it was Boise State carrying the banner. Who will carry the banner in '08. Will the Western Athletic Conference continue to be the top non-BCS conference in '08?

Two teams from the WAC were listed among three Top 25 ratings among this year's preseason previews. Boise State and Fresno State will try to carry the torch in '08 for the WAC.

The Top 15 OOC games for WAC in '08:

1. Wisconsin at Fresno State
2. Boise State at Oregon
3. Fresno State at Rutgers in the season's opener
4. Texas Tech at Nevada
5. Washington State at Hawaii
6. Fresno State at UCLA
7. Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech in the season's opener
8. Hawaii at Oregon State
9. San Jose State at Stanford
10. Idaho at Arizona in the season's opener
11. Nevada at Missouri
12. New Mexico State at Nebraska
13. Hawaii at Florida in the season's opener
14. San Jose State at Nebraska
15. Louisiana Tech at Kansas

The popular match ups with Pac Ten or Big Twelve opponents for the WAC in '08

So, who will lead the race for the WAC title in '08?

1. Fresno State Bulldogs (6-2 in '07) open their 12th season under one of the more interesting WAC coaches, Pat Hill... with two big opening games for the WAC nationally.
2. Boise State Broncos (7-1 in '07) will open their 3rd season under coach Chris Petersen and will look to make it three in a row vs. Pat Hill's Bulldogs in '08.
3. Nevada Wolf Pack (4-4 in '07) are lead by the dean of the WAC coaches, with coach Chris Ault, who will look to get back on top of the WAC, after two years out of the top spot.
4. Hawaii Rainbows (8-0 in '07) went undefeated in the regular season last year in route to a BCS bowl... losing to Georgia, 10-41 in the Sugar, and losing head coach June Jones to SMU , who is being replaced by former DC Greg McMackin.
5. San Jose State Spartans (4-4 in '07) will enter their fourth year under coach Dick Tomey and will work to get back to another bowl, after falling off in '07, after a strong '06 and bowl bid.
6. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (4-4 in '07) enter their 2nd year under coach Derek Dooley... a program that hasn't bowled, since '01... and clearly represents the eastern front of the WAC.
7. New Mexico State Aggies (1-7 in '07) will begin year four under Hal Mumme and will likely continue the longest bowl draught among WAC teams that goes back to 1960.
8. Idaho Vandals (0-8 in '07) enter their 2nd year under Robb Akey and the 10 year mark since their last and only bowl bid.
9. Utah State Aggies (2-6 in '07) will enter their fourth year under Brent Guy... the Aggies haven't bowled since 1997.

• Biggest Game and Rivalry in the WAC: Nov. 28 - Fresno State at Boise State (Friday game)
• Next Biggest Game: Oct. 4 - Hawaii at Fresno State
• Coach of the Year: Dick Tomey, San Jose State

It should be another Wacky year in the WAC in '08. Fresno State hasn't won a share of the WAC title, since 1999. Time is running out in this decade.

peace