The Resurrection of Montezuma Mesa?

The head coaching job at San Diego State has not been a conducive place for success on the gridiron. Despite dwelling in the recruiting bastion of Southern California, the Aztec football program has never been able to find a niche in the area. An apathetic fan base and a lack of success on the field has created a black hole of disappointment in Montezuma Mesa. Even in the days of Marshall Faulk the Aztecs failed to win an outright WAC title. The Mountain West hasn't been kind to the Aztecs either.

Enter Brady Hoke. The tough-nosed and successful former Ball State head coach was hired in the midst of the darkest time in SDSU history. Rumors were swirling that school administrators were contemplating dropping football altogether. And who could blame them? When hired Hoke genuinely believed he could turn the program around. Hiring former New Mexico head coach Rocky Long to coordinate the defense raised many eyebrows around the conference. And if his inaugural campaign proved that the Aztecs could play competitively in the MWC, his sophomore effort has begun to quiet all the doubters.

Beginning the 2010 campaign at 3-1, with the lone setback a heartbreaking loss to Missouri on a busted coverage late in the fourth quarter, the Aztecs are halfway to their first bowl-eligible season in 12 years. With a more experienced Ryan Lindley at the helm, the Aztecs look like a different squad. If the chance for a defining victory over Missouri escaped the Aztecs two weeks ago, time has given San Diego State a chance at redemption. With two weeks to prepare for a road match-up in Provo against BYU, expect the Aztecs to be ready for a chance to make believers out of all who still doubt.

Has San Diego State finally found continued success? Or are we simply reading too much into early 2010 Aztec football success?

QUICK SLANT: Fresno's over-zealous OOC schedule

Readers of The Upset know of our "scheduling man crush" on Pat Hill and his Fresno State Bulldogs. Since the Fu-Manchu has walked the central valley campus of California State University at Fresno, his motto has always been: "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime." Victories over Colorado, Wisconsin, Oregon State, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, UCLA, Kansas State, Washington, and Virginia in the past have put the Bulldogs on the map nationally and even on the cover of Sports Illustrated when they string together enough big-time wins.

2010 is no different. Fresno State scheduled Cincinnati, Mississippi, and Illinois as its out-of-conference slate and went to work. After a victory over Cincinnati in Week 1, and a dispatching of Utah State the following week, the Bulldogs took their giant-killing streak on the road to Oxford, Mississippi. Disappointingly, and as predicted here on the The Upset, the Bulldogs fell to Mississippi on Saturday, thus ending their potential BCS dream.

The above begs the question: What kind of program is Pat Hill striving to create? And what kind of program would best fit the current BCS system? Wouldn't a softer non-conference schedule (see Boise State) be beneficial for the Bulldogs' BCS hopes?

Senior QB leads Nevada into Top 25

After leading his team to a 4-0 record following a victory on the road against BYU, the explosive Colin Kaepernick and the Nevada Wolfpack find themselves ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in over 60 years.

Kaepernick was 16-25 for 196 yards and 1 TD through the air and added 82 yards on 17 carries and another TD as Nevada beat BYU 27-13.  Vai Taua added to his impressive career totals with 133 yards on 29 carries.

Nevada is ranked 25th in both the AP and Coaches polls.

Week 4: Upset Watch and Predictions

Time for our weekly picks and forecasts. About all we have time for sometimes these days. (College doesn't last forever, right?)

Week 3: Upset Watch and Predictions

Week 2 was a little rougher for our picks, here's what we have going in week 3:

Week 2: Upset Watch and Predictions

After an opening week which saw TCU, Utah, BYU, and Fresno State claim wins over BCS schools, there are a few more opportunities this week for upsets against some Big 12 teams, as well as some conference openers.

Here's the slate for this weekend:

A Shot at BYU's 2011 schedule

Thanks to help from a dying WAC (sorry guys, the Big Sky just added Cal Poly and UC Davis for football), BYU will be able to fill their 2011 schedule with relative ease.  What will their 2011 schedule look like?

Zach's WEEK 1 TOP 25

Here we go...

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

GOING FOR 2: USC v Hawaii

• This is what late-night Hawaii football is all about. Fans from the old WAC and BYU in particular know how crazy these midnight showings at Aloha Stadium can be. It's like the game is played on a haunted Scooby-Doo island or something. USC was introduced to this freak show last night, fought, and eventually survived 49-36.
  

GOING FOR 2: Pitt v. Utah

• First and foremost let us congratulate TheUpsetBrett for correctly picking the score of the Utah/Pitt match-up from last night. But, let's not throw the man a party just yet, Vegas got it exactly right as well (at least the spread).
• Utah's offense showed flashes of brilliance during last night's performance. Jordan Wynn played a magnificent second quarter and nearly delivered a knock-out punch shortly before the end of the first half. An interception in the back of the endzone cut Utah's chances at an early TKO down before they started. And it nearly came back to bite them.

Opening Night 2010 - Quick Recap

Here's a quick run-down of last night's action:

Upset Watch 2010: Week 1

It's that time! By now, you've purchased your tickets or upgraded your TV package, ordered your t-shirts and hats, made travel plans, and planned the pre-game grub. College football -- we welcome you. And to kickoff the season, we bring you a comprehensive list of when and where MWC and WAC teams will face off against schools from BCS conferences. Will your team spring an upset?