Twas the Night Before Kickoff

Twas the night before kickoff, when all through the land
All football fans were stirring (except for Bruce Feldman).
The flat-screen was blocking the fireplace with care,
In hopes that Saint Musburger soon would be there.....

MWC Power Rankings: Preseason

by Bradford Christensen

As a weekly feature, I'll be posting the "Mountain West Round-Up" Conference Power Rankings by evaluating each team based on their performance, resume and other factors. With a few days until the season starts, now is a good time to post my pre-season rankings.

In-Depth Preview: Boise State vs. Georgia

MWC contributor Bradford Christensen joins us for a position-by-position breakdown of Boise State versus Georgia.


#5 BOISE STATE vs #19 GEORGIA
Chik-fil-a Kickoff Game
Georgia Dome - Atlanta, Georgia
Saturday, September 3rd
8:00 PM ET - ESPN

Six years ago to the day, #18 Boise State played #13 Georgia in Athens and got crushed 48-13, thanks in part to six turnovers by Boise quarterback Jared Zabransky. Georgia (and SEC) fans have reminded everybody of this when talking about the game on Saturday, but this is a much different Bronco team.

Source: BYU contacted by Big 12

Those who are familiar with our work here at The Upset Blog will remember our coverage of BYU's descent into the world of football Independence. A well-placed source provided us with information privy to the decision-making body. In fact, The Upset reported on BYU's decision to leave the MWC and blaze of trail of Independence before the local Utah media.

I say this, as it seems everyone on the interweb, and Twitter especially, has a 'source close to the situation.' The Texas A&M/SEC/BigXII expansion conundrum has made most very suspicious of these sources.  Some may have them. Most don't. We do.

Here is what he said:

• BYU was contacted by the BigXII in regards to conference membership yesterday. 
• BYU's intention is to align itself with both Texas and Notre Dame. 
• Notre Dame, however, is the pre-eminent focus of BYU's future. If BYU feels it can be better aligned with Notre Dame outside of the Big12, the Cougars may balk at the invitation. (It goes without saying, that an ND acceptance of a Big12 invite would make the Cougars decision a no-brainer) 
• BYU's wants to know Notre Dame's future plans. If these plans involve conference membership (whether Big Ten, Big East, or Big XII) the Cougars will be more willing to look more favorably toward accepting a Big 12 invitation. If they do not, and independence remains a long-term goal of the institution, BYU may find it better suited to remain an independent as well. BYU does not want to be the only non-Service Academy Independent. 
• BYU wants a contractually stipulated agreement in place, guaranteeing Texas' commitment to the Big 12. 
• BYU's decision to join the Big12 is not as cut-and-dry as most have reported. BYU has not tacitly accepted nor explicitly rejected an offer from the Big 12. 
• BYU is very concerned about the repercussions of leaving the WCC high and dry. So much so, that unless proper care and consideration is taken by the Big12 regarding this issue, BYU may very well turn down an invitation to join the league.  The WCC issue should not viewed in a vacuum. As an official representative of the LDS Church, BYU's role must be handled carefully. Church officials are worried about how a sudden move would affect Church credibility.

The situation is very, very fluid, of course. And by saying this, I am not implying that this information isn't credible, or merely another speculative piece. Our source has been dutifully accurate over the past two years on many an issue. 

A CFB Manifesto: Superconferences, a Premiere League, and Playoffs

by James Ferguson
Guest Contributor

The future of college football has been on my mind a lot lately. This is a sport that I’ve loved since I was in first grade. It started with the University of Tennessee football, then moved to MTSU football when I went to school in Murfreesboro, then finally BYU football as I went to school and graduated from Brigham Young in Provo. There are plenty of things I absolutely love about college football, but there are also things I wish NCAA football had as well.

What I love: student-athletes, games on Saturdays (and later Thursdays and even Fridays), passion of college students and alumni (you know it’s different than the pros). I love the bowl games. I love the polls. I love upset specials and how every game is uber-important.

What I wish we had: a playoff, but not a big one (more on that later), a cleaner game (by trying to remove as many opportunities to cheat as possible), sponsorship opportunities for the students, tougher academic standards, opportunities for all schools to make it to the top level, yet a league of the best of the best.

With all the threats of expansion for the major conferences, it appears that the top division (currently the Football Bowl Subdivision, or FB$) will gravitate towards four Super Conferences of 16-ish teams each. Further, it appears that these conferences could break off and form their own division. While there’s a lot of potential here, I think some checks need to be in place for this to ultimately succeed and create a ground of opportunity for EVERY school in this country to have the chance to move to this top division and become an elite football school.

Boise State's uniforms for Georgia opener

Boise State finally broke out the long-rumored white helmet:

Oregon's new uniforms for opener vs LSU

As LSU is destined to wear yellow pants and white tops, Oregon has released its uniform for the opener in Cowboys Stadium:

Notes from Boise State's fall scrimmage

The Upset Blog contributor Bradford Christensen was at Boise State's fall scrimmage last week with eyes ready for observation. Here are his notes on the scrimmage, including a picture of Boise's field with new MWC logo included.

MWC 2011 Preview: Predicted Standings and Awards

In the new-look Mountain West, the media tabbed Boise State as the pre-season favorite to win the conference even though reigning MWC champion TCU returns with a #14 pre-season ranking and an always formidable team with Gary Patterson at the helm. It seems the Broncos will probably not roll through MWC as easily as many expect, but it will be intriguing to see them play new conference opponents in different locations after beating up on the WAC for the past 10 years (8 conference championships). As we close in on the beginning of the season, here are our predictions and thoughts.

Friday Flashback: Air Force bowl-blitzes Houston

December 31, 2009
Armed Forces Bowl

It was a battle of familiar foes in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl. Houston and Air Force played twice in 2008, including once in the Armed Forces Bowl, splitting the two games. This was the rubber match for the two teams, and the result was a touch surprising. If you were told one team put up 562 yards of offense, you would think Houston on the arm of Case Keenum, right? But it was Air Force, which ran for 400 yards and forced Keenum into 6 interceptions as the Academy rolled to a 47-20 victory.

2011 Preview: Utah Utes

In times past, those around the Utah program had often wondered, “what if we got invited to the Pac-10?” It was often for entertainment and speculation purposes, but in the current climate of conference expansion crises, that pipedream became a reality. Utah positioned itself just perfectly with the timely rise of its football program, getting in prime position to be acquired by the Pac-10 when the visionary Larry Scott took control. The first year of the new challenge comes with many questions. Can Utah make a splash? Or will they struggle?

2011 Preview: BYU Cougars

BYU’s move to independence is certainly now well-known and well-discussed. After five years of discontent with the Mountain West’s TV situation, the 2011 season will be highlighted with a shiny ESPN contract which has garnered the Cougars 10 games on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU this season, which is the grand total of BYU’s ESPN appearances in the last five seasons combined. Not only does BYU have a new TV home, but it will travel a brand new road schedule. The Cougars now stand alone, and all they have left to do is win. But will they?

2011 Preview: Fresno State Bulldogs

Every Fresno State season is like a melody in Pat Hill’s head. The problem is, his iPod is stuck on replay. Like in years past, the anybody-anywhere-anytime scheduling philosophy presented the Bulldogs with ample opportunities to score wins over BCS opponents, which they did, book-ending the regular season with wins over Cincinnati and Illinois (and sandwiching a competitive loss to Ole Miss in the middle). But like seasons past, what could have been a special year for Hill’s troops was derailed by failing to beat teams in the upper-tier of the WAC. Can Fresno finally take the next step by coupling wins over BCS teams with a conference championship?

2011 Preview: Hawaii Warriors

Unluckily for Hawaii, the key reasons behind last year’s surprising success have graduated, and in their final season in the Western Athletic Conference, the Warriors will need new faces to step up if they are to claim a conference title for the only year Boise State will be out of their way.

Fresno State unveils new uniforms

Fresno State has unveiled its new uniforms ....

2011 Preview: Nevada Wolf Pack

It was a season of all seasons in 2010 for Nevada. The program burst through its never-finished-ranked drought and soared to its season-end ranking of 11 after defeating Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The 13-1 finish included the memorable upset of Boise State and was only blemished by a slip-up on the islands, Hawaii-on-the-road still the Pack’s kryptonite. However, after unprecedented success, the 2011 season is full of question-marks.

Bleymaier ousted as Boise State athletic director

After nearly 30 years at the helm of its athletic department, Gene Bleymaier has been fired as athletic director of Boise State University. President Bob Kustra made the move following a summer when an official NCAA investigation found its way to the City of Trees, looking into infractions involving several athletic programs at Boise State. Bleymaier has guided the athletic program to its highest heights, but Kustra's apparent loss of faith in Bleymaier has led to his dismissal.

2011 Preview: Utah State Aggies

2010 was somewhat of a roller coaster for Utah State. The Aggies traveled to Norman in Week 1, a place where Oklahoma is 61-2 in the past decade, and had the ball with a chance to tie it with four minutes left in the game. A few games later, Utah State laid wood to in-state rival BYU with a dominating 31-16 win, a team the Aggies hadn’t beaten in 17 years. Despite battling the eventual Fiesta Bowl champions and finally beating BYU, there were plenty of low times to show growth was still needed (like losing to Idaho by three touchdowns at home).

Who is the greatest coach in the game?

Last night, ESPNU was showing an ESPN The Magazine show for the college football preview issue. One segment was a focus on Coaches Confidential, where ESPN anonymously polled and interviewed current CFB coaches on various issues. One question was, who is the best coach in college football? TCU's Gary Patterson garnered 23% of the votes, the highest vote-getter in the poll. That's some high praise from his peers. What makes Gary Patterson so great? And who do you think is the best coach in the game?

Mountain West to be conference of running backs

Ronnie Hillman, Matthew Tucker, Asher Clark, Doug Martin, Alvester Alexander, Ed Wesley

While lots of talk has and will center around the accuracy of Kellen Moore, the strong arm of Ryan Lindley, replacing Andy Dalton, or who will be taking snaps at Wyoming, the heartbeat of offense in the Mountain West Conference this season will be the strong set of tailbacks who return. Whether or not they receive ink in the papers as the season progresses, these are the players who could most influence the end-result in the MWC.

Friday Flashback: #1 USC survives #16 Fresno State

11/19/2005
Reggie Bush's all-purpose bonanza powers #1 USC past #16 Fresno State

You really couldn't have asked for a better matchup, a regional non-conference matchup with both teams in the midst of special seasons. Fresno State rolled into the late-season showdown versus USC with an 8-1 record and ranked 16th in the country, its only falter a three-point loss on the road at Oregon. USC was 10-0 and ranked 1st in the country. What unfolded was an all-time classic.

MWC 2011 Preview: Boise State Broncos

After an up-and-down year, the class of non-AQ football in the West will finally be taking the field as a member of the Mountain West Conference. High off a Fiesta Bowl victory, Boise State accepted an invitation to join the MWC. With the Broncos joining Utah, TCU, and BYU, and a second-tier of teams in Air Force and San Diego State, the new MWC was on the brink of BCS-automatic-qualifying status. Then all hell broke loose, at least for Bronco Nation.

2011 Preseason Coaches Poll

USA Today has released the preseason coaches poll, shaping a large part of the season before any games are even played. Here's the poll:

The call up: What result proves Utah belongs?

Every year we have heard, "Sure Utah/Boise State/TCU can beat anyone in one game, but they could never survive the grind/pressures/beating/meatgrinder/WAR of a full BCS conference schedule." Well, we finally get to know if that's true, at least for Utah this season, and TCU to follow next season. Now that Utah will finally be in that grind-of-a-conference-schedule, what do they have to do to prove they belong?

MWC 2011 Preview: TCU Horned Frogs

Over the past few seasons, TCU and Boise State have developed a rivalry of sorts in just a few matchups. This season will be the only one when the two square off as conference rivals, as TCU is off to the Big East in 2012. In an interesting move, the Mountain West moved the matchup originally slated for Fort Worth to the blue turf of Boise. This matchup makes the 2011 MWC season full of intrigue. For the Frogs, they will need to replace their leader to make this battle as good as anticipated.

Larry Scott and the new Pac-12 television deal: Ballin' outta control

(R.I.P. Nate Dogg)

Back in May, the Pac-12 announced its new television deal with ESPN and Fox, and it was known that a Pac-12 television network would be forthcoming. Last week the terms of that network were finalized and announced in New York City, and I just could not stop envisioning Larry Scott rolling around in exotic sports cars, women on every side, hitting the clubs with limitless fistfuls of cash. The breadth and depth of the Pac-12 TV deal is so great that when Salt Lake City radio hosts were discussing the Pac-12's TV situation, they were entirely forgetting about half of the deal, saying that exposure and availability in the new deal is too small. What? Those dudes just can't shake off the jaded feeling The Mtn gave them about conference networks. Here's why Larry Scott is ballin' out of control:

MWC 2011 Preview: Air Force Falcons

2010 was a strong year for Troy Calhoun and the Air Force Falcons. The posted record of 9-4 almost doesn’t do it justice. The final touch was a grind-it-out win over Georgia Tech in the Independence Bowl. Of the four losses, two were to teams who would win BCS bowl games (Oklahoma and TCU). The three losses to Oklahoma, San Diego State, and Utah were by a combined 10 points. And for the first time since 2002, the Falcons won the Commander-In-Chief Trophy.

Boise Kiboshes MWC Expansion

Jon Wilner, one of the preeminent sports writers in the West, had some interesting insight into the decision by the MWC to restrain from expanding to 12 teams and adding a football championship game.

The Upset's Reaction: 

EXPANSION IN GENERAL:

As we discussed earlier, the Mountain West holds in its hands, the viability of three football programs (Idaho, San Jose State, and Utah State). Whoever, if it be any at all, is selected for a spot in the MWC will be saved from a certain trip to FCS relegation. The MWC knows this. And with the future of the Big XII very much in the air, the MWC would be asinine to offer a place to any of these three schools. They aren't going anywhere. And whoever is added to the fray will need to vindicate their entry and the additional revenue split that would come with it. 

NO Title Game: 

The Mountain West left $5 million dollars on the table by refusing to expand and add a conference title game. Boise State balked because it did not want to find itself having to play and beat a team a second time in order to assure BCS access. BCS access provides an $8 million dollar payment. In the end, the MWC decided it wasn't worth the risk (more revenue distribution, double jeopardy for undefeated MWC regular season team, et al) 

This is a complicated issue to address: First, non-AQ's don't play by the same rules as AQ's. Shocking, I know. Take last year's SEC Championship Game for example. Undefeated Auburn had already defeated South Carolina during the regular season. Yet, the Tigers had to beat the Gamecocks a second time to assure itself a BCS spot. Unlike a non-AQ is a similar position, Auburn would be going to a BCS game no matter the outcome. In a hypothetical MWC Title Game between 12-0 Boise State and 9-3 Air Force, a Boise State loss guarantees the Broncos AND the Falcons will be left out of the BCS. I understand Boise's concern. 

On the other hand, the constant in this equation is that non-AQ's are without the benefits of assured BCS access. As much as the MWC would like to claim AQ status through a bid or waiver, it will never come to pass. The Cartel simply won't let another conference share in its feast at the table, at least not in an automatic sort of way. The MWC should do everything it can to generate the most revenue for its members. A conference game is assured every season. BCS access is not. Take the $5 million floor and hope for a $13 million (Conf Title Game + BCS invitation) ceiling. As of now, the MWC simply hopes for one of its members to find a way to BCS access. It's all or nothing. 

This begs the question, does the $5 million dollar MWC Title Game compensate for the additional revenue sharing required with two additional teams in the conference? 

Seems to me that the MWC has decided on a tactical oversight in lieu of its strategic vision. The MWC is investing in the disavowal of the BigXII and the ability to add schools who not only help its bottom line, but give it better access to the BCS. Like any other investment, it comes with a price. For every year the BigXII remains solvent, the more money the MWC loses. Comrade Craig Thompson has become a River Boat Gambler Craig Thompson. Only time will tell whether he played his card correctly. 

MWC 2011 Preview: San Diego State Aztecs

2010 was a breakthrough. After over a decade of bowl drought, San Diego State rose up to show that they could indeed be a winning team in the Mountain West Conference. A strong-armed quarterback, a freshman phenom at running back, and two senior studs on the outside made the Aztec offense a scoring machine. SDSU finished 9-4 with an impressive bowl victory over Navy. All four of SDSU’s losses came against teams who played in bowl games, and were lost by a combined 15 points.

But with some significant changes in the program, the question still remains on Montezuma Mesa: can winning become a tradition?