Justice Department reviewing Hatch's BCS Request

"The Obama administration is considering several steps that would review the legality of the controversial Bowl Championship Series, the Justice Department said in a letter Friday to a senator who had asked for an antitrust review.


In the letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch, obtained by The Associated Press, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich wrote that the Justice Department is reviewing Hatch's request and other materials to determine whether to open an investigation into whether the BCS violates antitrust laws."

Click the title link for the full story.

Wyoming laying solid foundation

ESPN.com's Graham Watson with a nice piece on the 2009 success of Wyoming football:
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/18616/wyomings-2009-success-lays-a-foundation

BCS Director Sheds a Little Light on AQ Criteria

Our good fellow blogging friends, Mountain West Connection, were able to conduct an interview through exchanging emails with BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock.  Hancock may have revealed a little more information on how conferences will be evaluated to receive AQ status.  Click the title link for the full interview.

Highlights:

• Conferences that expand by July 1, 2010 will be able to use the new team's performance and rankings from previous years as part of their conference's overall evaluation.
• All 3 rules previously given for AQ evaluation are given equal weight
• There can be 7 AQ conferences (a non-AQ would not necessarily have to "beat out" an AQ conference and take their place).

Louisiana Tech hires Sonny Dykes

Louisiana Tech will be holding a press conference tonight at 4:00 p.m. MT to announce the hiring of Sonny Dykes as their head football coach.  Dykes most recently served as offensive coordinator for the last 3 seasons at Arizona.  He will be replacing Derek Dooley who left to coach Tennessee after posting a 17-20 mark in 3 seasons with the Bulldogs.  Dykes was also previously a WR coach at Texas Tech and at Kentucky.

MWC Reaps Benefits of Coaching Loyalty

It seems like everyday during the off season, the coaching carousel in college football continues to add and remove new members.  Whether it be a coach from a Non-AQ conference trading in his mediocre qualifications for an SEC job or a less-than-honest head man turning his back on the school that gave him a fresh start, coaches always seem to have their next gig in their purview.  Thankfully for fans of the Mountain West the coaches in the top tier of the Conference look poised to coach at their respective Universities as long as they continue to win.

The Tennessee head coaching job has been a mainstream headline for the past week and half following Lane Kiffin's sudden departure and betrayal to the West Coast.  The Volunteer athletic department scurried to find a replacement to keep the heralded 09' Recruiting class from following their former Head Coach to different campuses.  The eye of Big "T" turned to two MWC coaches, among others.  The Volunteer brass reportedly offered both Air Force Head Coach Troy Calhoun and Utah head man Kyle Whittingham a substantial upgrade, both monetarily and in prestige, if either took the job.  Both declined.  Why?  It seems like the idea of loyalty has place in the Mountain West.

Tennessee hires La Tech's Derek Dooley

In a press conference scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MT tonight, the University of Tennessee is set to announce (former) Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley as their new head football coach.

Dooley was 17-20 in 3 seasons at Louisiana Tech.  Tech's best season under Dooley was an 8-5 campaign in 2008 which included a Independence Bowl victory over Northern Illinois.

Unga to return to BYU for senior season

BYU running back Harvey Unga officially announced today that he will return to the school for his senior season.  Unga became BYU's all-time leading rusher this season and has rushed for 1,000+ yards in all 3 years at BYU.  This includes last season in which he carried only 13 times total in the first 3 games due to injury, yet still rushed for 1,087 yards.  The news should sit well to Cougar fans, as their other key offensive players Max Hall, Dennis Pitta, and Andrew George are all graduating.

Patterson not contacted by Vols, Calhoun turns them down, Whittingham been offered?

ESPN Dallas is reporting that TCU head coach Gary Patterson has not been contacted by Tennessee in regards to their now vacant head coaching position.  The once mighty program has been in turmoil recently with less than stellar play on the field and the recent betrayal of Coach Lane Kiffin.  Kiffin left Knoxville after just one season to take the head job at USC.

More fascinating is the fact that Air Force coach Troy Calhoun was reported to have been offered the job, but he announced today that he is remaining at Air Force.  First, it is surprising to most that Calhoun would be in the mix.  He is a great coach, no doubt, but hasn't been in the national spotlight like other MWC coaches.  Second, it says a lot that Calhoun would spurn an SEC team to remain in the MWC.

And now, Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun recently tweeted that "I know for a fact that [Tennessee] talked to Kyle Whittingham at Utah."  Will Tennessee be able to pry away a top non-AQ coach?  Or will they continue to turn down the circus in Knoxville?

Top Non-AQ Moments of the Year

ESPN.com's Graham Watson takes a look at the top moments of the season for the have-nots, click the title link for the list.

2010 Recruiting Class Rankings

Here's a quick look at team recruiting rankings in for MWC and WAC teams, according to Scout.com:

The WAC: Boise State's Feast and Famine

Much has been made of the dominant decade of football put together by the Boys from the Blue Turf.  And rightly so.  Boise State has compiled an incredible 112 victories this decade and made the leap from Division 1-AA's Big Sky to Division I's Big West & WAC as effortless as anything anyone could hope for.  Boise State has run rough shod through the WAC during the first decade of this millennium.  Boise has compiled an astounding 68-4 record in the WAC over the nine years.  The New Mexico State's and Nevada's of the Conference had little or no chance to stop the Bronco train from yet another conference title.  With the departure of BYU, Utah, and Colorado State to the MWC, ESPN looked to Broncos to save them from the idea of broadcasting meddling WAC games (as part of their Contract with the WAC) with no interest outside of the stadiums in which those games were played.  And the Broncos responded.  In summary, The WAC has been very very good to Boise State.  

The Upset's FINAL TOP 25

1. Alabama
2. Boise State
3. Florida
4. Texas 
5. TCU
6. Ohio State
7. Iowa
8. Cincinnati
9. Penn State
10. Oregon
11. Virginia Tech
12. BYU
13. Nebraska
14. Utah
15. LSU
16. Georgia Tech
17. Wisconsin
18. Pittsburgh
19. USC
20. Miami
21. Texas Tech
22. Central Michigan
23. Oklahoma
24. Oregon State
25. Navy

Broncos Bust: Boise State 17, TCU 10

On the strength of an early interception returned for a touchdown, and a fake punt deep in their own territory late in the game, Boise State prevailed over TCU 17-10 in the Fiesta Bowl.

The win gives the Broncos their second in as many trips to BCS bowls, while TCU lost in their first BCS bowl appearance.

If Only BSU-TCU was a Nat'l Semifinal

Click the title link to read ESPN.com's Pat Forde explain why although the TCU and Boise State matchup should a be a semifinal in a playoff, how pairing them up against each other is a good thing.