College Football 2010: Minnesota

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

When Joel Maturi fired Glen Mason because his team blew a 31-point lead in a bowl game on a channel no one gets (NFL Network), he reached into the large pool of middling NFL assistants who are dying to become head coaches. He plucked Tim Brewster from the Denver Broncos staff, in part because a guy named Mike Shanahan absolutely loved him.

Brewster had worked as a recruiter at Texas, claimed the credit for bringing Vince Young on board, and proceeded to give the media a bunch of bluster about Big Ten titles and Rose Bowls and things the Gophers haven't done in so long that their fans probably don't even know the things exist.

Good thing he was a talker, because the product he fed Gopher fans in the Metrodome's final seasons convinced no one of his ability to coach anything. In his first season, the Gophers went 1-11, lost to I-AA newcomer North Dakota State, and made the Big Ten proud by losing non-conference games to Bowling Green and Florida Atlantic. Things weren't much better in 2008. The Gophers started 7-1, yes, but that would be it for the whole "winning games" thing. Included in a season-ending five-game skid was an improbable 29-6 home loss to then-hapless Michigan. Then Iowa closed out the Metrodome's history of hosting Gopher football by edging Minnesota 55-0.

Last year, Minnesota almost beat Wisconsin in early October, then almost beat Illinois and Iowa later in the year. And they almost beat Iowa State in their bowl game.

Almost.

There's heat on Brewster this year. He can't afford a lot of almosts anymore, because the fans are on to the fact that he's an ace recruiter who doesn't appear to be as good a game coach.

Unless he planned to blow two timeouts to challenge an obviously correct call in the Air Force game last year. Perhaps that was intentional.

Offense
Senior quarterback Adam Weber has gone downhill for most of the last two years. He flashed some ability as a freshman on a bad team, but hasn't done much on mediocre teams since.

Not sure what that means, but Brewster's insistence on a move away from the spread offense didn't help Weber much. The fact that Duane Bennett and DeLeon Eskridge never have presented a consistent ground threat hasn't helped, either. The presense of newcomer Lamonte Edwards will help a bit this year, but after the Gophers averaged all of 99 rush yards per game last year, there isn't anywhere to go but the right direction.

Backup quarterback MarQueis Gray ran some and threw little as a freshman. Seemed like a waste of a potential redshirt, but I'm sure Brewster had a plan.

The Gophers lose leading receiver Eric Decker, but they got a good taste of life without him when he missed the team's last five games with an injury. That he still led the team in catches and yards by substantial margins shows you the state of the Minnesota passing game.

It's feeling Minnesota.

Da'Jon McKnight and Troy Stoudermire will be expected to play significant roles, but their ability to do so is questionable. The team hopes junior Brandon Green can inject some life into the receiving corps.

Four seniors are expected to start on the offensive line. That might not be a good thing, because that line allowed 41 sacks last year. Imagine if Weber wasn't a pretty good athlete.

Defense
Help wanted. Apply within.

Not much went right on this side of the ball last year. Minnesota allowed over 150 rush yards per game, opponents hit 58 percent of their throws, averaged 217 yards per game, and the Gophers only posted 22 sacks. Nine starters, including leading tackler Lee Campbell and top playmaker Nate Triplett, are gone. It's not the 2007 team that couldn't stop anyone, but it was close, and it hurt the Gophers' ability to compete in conference play.

It's too bad that the losses are so heavy, because Minnesota's run defense showed signs of life late in the Big Ten season, and the defense played well in the bowl game even though Iowa State piled up a lot of yards.

Look out for linebacker Spencer Reeves, a potentially good player who could become a leader on the strong side. Minnesota needs a lot out of tackles Brandon Kirksey and Jewhan Edwards, because the pass defense will be hurting for some time. The safety position is a mess, as Kim Royston is recovering from a broken leg and Kyle Theret is suspended at least for the opener at Middle Tennessee.

Brewster has recruited athletes all over the defense, but there simply aren't any proven players around because of graduation and suspension. It's going to be very hard for them to be remotely good on defense for at least the first few games of the season.

Special teams
Senior kicker Eric Ellestad is a bright spot. He hit 13 of 17 field goals last year. His kickoffs weren't very deep, but he has a chance to get better in that area. Freshman Dan Orseske should handle the punting duties.

Stoudermire had fumble problems last year, but he is a capable returner. The coverage teams are meh, but as the overall team depth improves, the Gophers should see improvement in this area.

Prediction
Pain.

This isn't Minnesota's year. There's already a lot of grumbling in the Twin Cities for a coaching change. The Gophers are only a field goal favorite against Middle Tennessee State in their season opener. They have to play USC Sept. 18. The league home schedule includes Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, and Iowa, none of which look particularly winnable.

It just seems the deck is stacked against Brewster this year. It's nothing a great coach can't overcome, but Brewster has done nothing to make anyone around the Minnesota program think he's a great coach.

In fact, it's just the opposite.

Weber must shine as a senior, no matter the offense. He has to find reliable playmakers on the perimeter, and the Gophers simply have to run the ball better.

Even if these things happen, it might not be enough for Minnesota to win more than four or five games. If they don't, they could be looking at another 1-11 or 2-10 season, and that won't fly in Gopher Country.

College Football 2010: Wisconsin

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

I don't have any fancy quotes or sayings or anything. Simply put, there is a lot of reason to be totally excited about this Wisconsin team.

That alone is reason to dread the upcoming season.

Wisconsin hasn't wilted in the face of expectations like some other schools have over the years -- COUGHCALCOUGH. They aren't going to go 4-8 because ESPN's Christian Fauria picked them to -- gasp -- win the national title.

Of course, they could finish 7-6.

Last year, little was really expected. The Badgers needed to find a new starting quarterback, there were concerns all over the defense, and they weren't sure who their top wide receivers were.

While the Champs Sports Bowl is hardly a fought-for destination on the bowl schedule, Wisconsin turned heads by going there and beating a good Miami team in one of the better non-BCS bowls that was played last year.

It might not seem that way, but it was the kind of game that could springboard the Badgers to something more significant in 2010 ... something that could finally make people think Bret Bielema actually knows what he's doing, and he isn't just riding Barry's significant coattails.

Offense
Quarterback Scott Tolzien earned the starting job last summer, and he proved it last fall. Tolzien was accurate, relatively efficient, and flashed some big-play ability in his right arm. By completing over 64 percent of his throws, topping 2,700 yards passing, and posting a pretty good 16-11 touchdown-interception ratio, Tolzien gave the offense a chance.

He gave John Clay a chance, too. Boy, did the big man run with it.

Clay averaged over five yards per carry, running for over 1,500 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns on the ground. He's no threat in the passing game, but Clay is a beast for opposing fronts to deal with. Not unlike other big Wisconsin backs, Clay has muscle and bulk, but he also has enough speed to get around the corner and elude defenders in the open field. The presence of Montee Ball allowed the Badgers to keep Clay under 300 carries, despite his often-dominating presence. He wasn't worn down or run into the ground like some backs, and that will only help him in the future. Ball is a bowling ball out there, but he also has some quickness, and he might have more upside as a receiver than Clay does.

Nick Toon emerged as UW's No. 1 receiver a year ago, topping 800 yards. For his next trick, Toon will need to bring his play up a notch, making himself a legitimate 1,000-yard threat and helping Tolzien be a better quarterback. These two will form Wisconsin's most lethal third-down connection. The tight end factory has churned out another good one in converted wide receiver Lance Kendricks. The senior has a huge frame and can move in the open field, ala former Badgers Travis Beckum and Owen Daniels. Kendricks will join them in the NFL soon. The Badgers have depth at receiver with Isaac Anderson, Kyle Jefferson, and David Gilreath. But unless Gilreath can become more of a threat, Wisconsin really does lack the downfield threat many teams have. It's not the most important thing to this offense, but if they could find a game-breaking receiver, it would make all the difference in their ability to really open up opponents.

Wisconsin's offensive line is what it is. Big, tough, physical, but not particularly athletic or sexy. There are only two senior starters -- center John Moffitt and left tackle Gabe Carimi. Both were first-team All-Big Ten a year ago. Guards Kevin Zeitler and Travis Frederick could be that good, and right tackle Josh Oglesby has a ton of talent. The Badgers also have impressive depth along the line, as guys like Bill Nagy, Peter Konz, and Jake Current all have starting experience and could probably start for many major college teams. Just not this one.

Defense
There are missing pieces on the defense, most notably leading tackle Jaevery McFadden and sack leader O'Brien Schofield. Safety Chris Maragos is also gone. None of the three will be easy to replace.

At linebacker, UW is probably best-equipped to deal with the losses. Sophomore Chris Borland came in halfway through last season and never failed to impress, garnering Freshman All America honors despite only starting five games. He posted 10.5 tackles for loss and showed a boatload of potential. Sophomore Mike Taylor has also impressed when he's gotten to play, and middle linebacker Culmer St. Jean is a good and steady player.

End J.J. Watt is the only returning line starter, so that's where Bielema and coordinator Dave Doeren have the most work to do. Redshirt freshman tackle Jordan Kohout looks the part, and end Louis Nzegwu should get plenty of playing time. They're a long way from the group that helped the Badgers hold opponents to 88 yards per game on the ground in 2009, but the line won't be terrible, either.

Cornerback Niles Brinkley is a very good player, and sophomore Marcus Cromartie will force himself into the lineup eventually. Safety Jay Valai had a strong 2009 season, and converted cornerback Aaron Henry should take over for Maragos at free safety.

With three of four starters back, the secondary should look very strong again, provided the pass rush gives them something close to the help they gave last year. Wisconsin posted 37 sacks last year -- at least one in every game -- and they need something similar this year. No secondary is good enough to be hung out to dry by an anemic pass rush. That's going to be a key cog in this Badger team ... the ability to get to opposing quarterbacks without sending the house at them.

Special teams
Both kicker Philip Welch and punter Brad Nortman are back. Welch was good on 17 of 24 kicks last year after a strong freshman year. He has to get better as a junior. Nortman is pretty good, having averaged a net of nearly 36 yards per kick last year. The Badgers need Gilreath to do more as a kick returner. The coverage teams are generally pretty good with little to complain about. There are too many returning players here not to see significant improvement.

Prediction
I hate how Wisconsin schedules. Like clockwork, they get a game with a middle-of-the-road team from a major conference (Arizona State), a home game with a downright bad team (San Jose State), pretend to take on a challenging road trip (UNLV), and bring in some I-AA (FCS, whatever) flavor (Austin Peay). Ugh. 4-0. Easy.

(We hope.)

The Badgers get Minnesota, Ohio State, Indiana and Northwestern at home, and Michigan State, Iowa, Purdue, and Michigan on the road in league play. By any metric, they probably won't beat both Ohio State and Iowa, but I think they'll get one win there. The other home games should be wins, two of them -- Indiana and Minny -- by double digits. The game with Purdue should be a win, but Michigan and Michigan State should be toss-ups when they're played.

For Wisconsin, it's probably a best-case 11-1 season, but that's best-case. That doesn't always work out, as we know. That said, even if they lose a couple games they probably shouldn't, the Badgers are still looking at nine or ten wins this year, and that's a good run of back-to-back seasons for Bielema, who was heavily maligned in Madison after the 7-6 disaster and near-Cal Poly loss of 2008. He appears to have used the lessons learned from that campaign to make himself a better coach and Wisconsin a better program.

It's hard not to respect the man for that.

When the fall is over, Wisconsin will have either proven last year to be a fluke, or they will have re-established themselves as a Big Ten title threat.

There is no in-between.

Enjoy the ride.

College Football 2010: Big Ten

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Big Ten Conference
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Iowa
4. Penn State
5. Northwestern
6. Michigan State
7. Michigan
8. Illinois
9. Purdue
10. Indiana
11. Minnesota

Stories to Watch in the Sun Belt

Ohio State's stranglehold on the league. The Buckeyes aren't loosening their grip on an upper-echelon spot in the conference this year. Not with junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor all set to come into his own. His eye-popping performance in the Rose Bowl could be just the beginning. Of course, it could also end up being eye-popping for different "Where the hell is that guy?" reasons. Pryor has been an enigma for the Buckeyes. When he's on, you get the Rose Bowl. When he's off, you get the five times last year where he hit half or fewer of his passes in games. No excuses here. Pryor is a great athlete -- he led the team in rushing last year -- and he has a slew of them around him. Running back Brandon Saine, receiver DeVier Posey, and receiver Dane Sanzenbacher are all top-notch players capable of making Pryor's life much easier. If he lets them. Jim Tressel's team fields another star-studded defense. Names like Cameron Heyward (end), Ross Homan (linebacker), and Devon Torrence (cornerback) will be quite familiar by season's end.

Who is the real Iowa? Last year, there is no question the Hawkeyes answered the bell for some big performances. The Hawkeyes stymied Wisconsin on the road after falling behind 10-0, won convincingly at Penn State, trounced rival Iowa State -- a bowl team -- on the road, and beat up Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Of course, the same Iowa team lost to Northwestern at home, had to rally to beat Arkansas State at home, and needed to block two late field goal attempts to beat Northern Iowa at home. It's maddening inconsistency, but it's also "finding ways to win." This year, a Murderer's Row of teams visit Iowa City, as Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State come calling in league play. There's also a non-league trip to Arizona. The Hawkeyes return eight starters on defense. End Adrian Clayborn is an early favorite for league honors. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi also returns, so there's reason to believe in this Iowa team, despite the occasional struggles last year.

Can Northwestern become a contender? Under Pat Fitzgerald, the culture has definitely changed in Evanston. Formerly a school seemingly content to have the occasional bowl appearance, the Wildcats have become a regular in the postseason. They've done it with smart quarterbacks, good athletes on offense, and competitive defenses. This year will be no exception. Junior Dan Persa takes over at quarterback for the graduated Mike Kafka, and he has all the attributes his predecessors have had, only his arm might be a bit better. The Wildcats have to use running back Arby Fields more effectively, as the run game was a disaster last year. The Wildcats have a pretty easy early schedule, so that should give Persa time to get to know his teammates and get in a rhythm in the offense. Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin are all on the docket after Nov. 1, so they need to be ready to run a gauntlet if they want to contend for the league title.

Michigan tries to save their coach. It's come down to this. If Michigan doesn't make a bowl game this year, marking a third straight postseason absence, Rodriguez is probably out of a job. He's probably going to need more than just a spot in the Alamo Bowl -- no disrespect to the Alamo Bowl. It would help him greatly if the game against Ohio State in November actually meant something to Michigan, something that hasn't happened in his tenure. But at least he didn't lose to Appalachian State. Take that, Lloyd. Rodriguez has athletes all over the place, but he has to make football players out of them. He has to find a running back to take the heat off Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. Yes, it's the spread, but the Wolverines can't have their quarterbacks leading the way in rushing, which might happen if a back doesn't step up. The defense hasn't been very good under Rodriguez. Admittedly, it wasn't that good before he got there, either (outside of 2006). Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton need to step up and be big playmakers at linebacker. The schedule doesn't have a lot of gimmes on it, so if Rodriguez is going to right the ship, he's going to have to earn it.

Best of the rest
For Wisconsin, this is going to be an interesting year. More to come on the Badgers. ... Darryl Clark is gone, but Penn State is still tough. Word is that true freshman Robert Bolden will start Saturday against Youngstown State, which is an amazing development. He does have a lot of experience around him, including talented back Evan Royster. ... If Michigan State can find more consistency on defense (allowed at least 33 points in six games, gave up 15 or less in five games), they could have something going. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is a hidden gem, a player capable of some big numbers if the Spartans can replace leading receiver Blair White. ... Joke all you want about Rodriguez, but Illinois coach Ron Zook isn't exactly oozing job security at the moment. Back-to-back losing seasons left their Rose Bowl run of 2007 cast as a one-shot deal by a one-hit wonder. Zook has six new starters on offense, including replacing underachieving quarterback Juice Williams, likely with redshirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase. It can't hurt. ... Danny Hope did well in his first year at Purdue. The Boilermakers won five games, upset Ohio State (costing them a BCS title game shot), and played Oregon very close in an early-season road game. What they need now is to continue growing a competitive defense. New starting quarterback Robert Marve couldn't cut it at Miami, but there is optimism that he will do well in the Midwest. Having Keith Smith to throw to certainly helps. ... There are things to like about this Indiana team. The Hoosiers were gamers last year, only losing in blowout fashion a handful of times. They have a quality offense, led by senior quarterback Ben Chappell. They just don't have enough pieces to climb the league ladder right now. It's fair to say this is still a work in progress for Bill Lynch. ... We'll have more on Minnesota, too. Needless to say, it doesn't look too good.

Preseason Big Ten Superlatives
Best QB: Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
Best RB: John Clay, Wisconsin
Best WR: Keith Smith, Purdue
Best offense: Wisconsin
Best defense: Iowa
Best coach: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Coach in the most trouble: Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
Best non-conference game: Miami at Ohio State, Sept. 11
Worst non-conference game: Austin Peay at Wisconsin, Sept. 25

College Football 2010: Independents

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Stories to Watch Among the Independents

Will Brian Kelly's magic work in South Bend? Kelly has done great things at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, and Cincinnati. Now, he gets his "dream job" with the Fighting Irish, and we'll see if he can bring this program back to the level it used to be at. He brings his spread offense in, and returning quarterback Dayne Crist -- Jimmy Clausen's backup last year -- is the new starter. Crist has star receiver Michael Floyd to throw to. Floyd was injured and missed five starts last year, but he's a definite game-breaker. Senior Armando Allen will key the run game, one that underachieved a bit last year. Kelly has work to do on the offensive line, where there is turnover from a unit that was only okay for most of last year. The defense -- which also had issues in 2009 -- returns plenty of starting experience, but we don't know what they will look like. Kelly's teams at CMU and Cincy weren't exactly known for strong defensive play, and he brought coordinator Bob Diaco with him from Cincinnati. The Bearcats had an up-and-down group, one that made some huge plays but also gave up a lot of points and big plays. Home games with Purdue and Michigan might look easy, but they won't be. That said, if Notre Dame can start well, they have a stretch of five games that should be largely easy for them before a season-ending game at USC.

Navy keeps on truckin'. An impressive win over Missouri in the Texas Bowl last year served notice. Navy is a strong program in college football. The Midshipmen will try to back up that message with another ten-win season this year. Senior quarterback Ricky Dobbs makes their triple-option offense go. He ran for over 1,200 yards and 27 touchdowns last year, and also chipped in 1,000 yards passing and five scoring tosses. With leading receiver Marcus Curry back, the Midshipmen might be able to throw the ball more this year ... if necessary. Curry and Vince Murray will key the ground game, with Murray getting a lot of looks as the fullback. There is the usual turnover on the offensive line, but tackles Matt Molloy and Jeff Battipaglia both return. On defense, the undersized line is led by nose tackle Chase Burge and safety Emmett Merchant. The Middies play three games at neutral sites, with Maryland in Baltimore, Notre Dame at Meadowlands Stadium, and Army in Philly. They only play four true road games, but Louisiana Tech, Air Force, Wake Forest, and East Carolina are all tough opponents. If Ken Niumatalolo can get ten wins out of this team, he'll earn the respect of virtually everyone who hasn't noticed Navy yet.

Army tries to get there. Last year, the Cadets missed a bowl by one win, losing their contracted spot in the EagleBank Bowl to UCLA because of their 5-7 season. Since they had two more wins than the previous year, and they have 16 starters back, it makes sense that Army would have a real chance at their first bowl since 1996 this year. Coach Rich Ellerson has the option installed, and sophomore quarterback Trent Steelman is back to run it. He has to improve his passing, but that will come with experience and improved receiver play. Slotbacks Patrick Mealy and Jameson Carter return, and so does fullback Jared Hassin. Four starters return on the offensive line. Career sack leader Josh McNary anchors the defensive line after a 12.5-sack season. Also back are linebackers Andrew Rodriguez and Stephen Anderson, both of whom could become stars on that side of the ball. Safeties Donnie Dixon and Donovan Travis both return, too. Ellerson's schedule is manageable, as the Cadets also play three neutral-site games (Rutgers at Meadowlands Stadium, Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium, and Navy in Philly) and five home games. If they take care of business, Army wins at least seven games and goes bowling at the Armed Forces Bowl.

College Football 2010: WAC

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Western Athletic Conference
1. Boise State
2. Fresno State
3. Louisiana Tech
4. Nevada
5. Utah State
6. Hawai'i
7. Idaho
8. New Mexico State
9. San Jose State

Stories to Watch in the WAC

A league in serious flux. Suddenly, the WAC's future is in serious doubt. Boise State, Fresno State, and Nevada are all bolting for the Mountain West, and the league couldn't coax BYU into joining ... even in everything but football. That leaves the WAC at six teams, and while that might be good enough for some leagues, it probably doesn't work when they have lost their three highest-profile universities. We may hear a lot of rumors about the future, as WAC commissioner Karl Benson tries to recruit some new members who can help keep the league viable, especially in football. Even if Benson can find a couple new schools, it's hard to imagine he will succeed at keeping the league a player in football without Boise, Fresno, and Nevada.

Boise's dominance continues. They don't seem to ever fall off now, do they? Boise State is poised to bust into the BCS once again this year, as they are clearly the top team in a non-AQ league. Junior quarterback Kellen Moore is a darkhorse Heisman contender, especially now that defending winner Mark Ingram has a knee injury and could miss some time. The Broncos return an incredible 20 starters (ten on offense and ten on defense). Among them are Moore, running backs Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin (15 touchdowns), receiver Titus Young, defensive end Ryan Winterswyk, defensive tackle Billy Wynn, linebacker Winston Venable, and cornerback Brandyn Thompson. Boise opens on Labor Day night in Landover, Md., against Virginia Tech. If they get by that game, they should be a pretty heavy favorite in every game. Their biggest conference challenge is likely a trip to Nevada in late November. The Broncos are a solid favorite to win the WAC, and they could crash the BCS title game if things break their way.

Is Utah State this year's Idaho? The Vandals had a real element of surprise going last year, because they were terrible the year before, and they won eight games despite their defense allowing 36 points per game. Utah State is a bit different, but the backstory is at least somewhat similar. The Aggies haven't made a bowl since 1997. They've lost at least eight games in every season since 2002. They're rebounding thanks to an energetic coach and an exciting quarterback. USU senior Diondre Borel finished short of 3,000 yards passing last year, and he posted an impressive 17-4 touchdown-interception ratio. The run game will be hampered by a torn ACL suffered in the spring by Robert Turbin, who ran for nearly 1,300 yards last year. Turbin could miss the season, leaving the job to Michael Smith, a senior who averaged 6.3 yards per carry in limited work last year. If the Aggies can survive a tough non-conference schedule, they could make a bowl, but it depends on Borel, the passing game, and a continuously improving defense.

Idaho tries to do it again. While Idaho had a lot going their way last year, they overcame a poor defense to get to the Humanitarian Bowl. To return to the bowl season, Idaho needs that defense to get a lot better. They bring back ten starters, which is nice, and they'll be led by senior safety Shiloh Keo and linebacker JoJo Dickson, their leading tacklers. The Vandals didn't make many big plays on defense last year, and that's where the biggest difference could come in 2010, assuming the Vandals can parlay that experience into a more explosive unit. On offense, senior quarterback Nathan Enderle leads the way. He was accurate and efficient last year, and they'll need more of that, as leading rusher De'Maundray Woodridge and leading receiver Max Komar are both gone. A road trip to Nebraska is their only daunting non-conference games, while league foes Nevada and Boise State both visit Moscow.

Best of the rest
Even without Ryan Mathews in the backfield, Fresno State is formidable. The passing game looks strong with returning quarterback Ryan Colburn, and sophomore running back Robbie Rouse could be a good one. The offensive line will be one of the WAC's best. ... Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Vai Taua return for Nevada. The Wolf Pack were embarrassed a few times last year, and they will lean on their senior stars to make sure that doesn't happen again. ... Sonny Dykes brings his version of the Air Raid offense to Louisiana Tech. While the transition sounds potentially difficult, the Bulldogs have a capable quarterback in Auburn transfer Steven Ensminger, assuming he can hold off a late charge from returning starter Ross Jenkins. ... Hawai'i could be a darkhorse in this league. The Warriors have a very good secondary returning, and quarterback Bryant Moniz is only going to get better. Hawai'i has a tough schedule, but could surprise in conference play if the defense is stout. ... DeWayne Walker got three wins out of New Mexico State in a transition year. Now, he brings back 15 starters who are used to his way, and a crop of recruits he chose. That means things are likely looking up in Las Cruces after the disastrous Hal Mumme era. ... Former Duke assistant Mike MacIntyre takes over at San Jose State. The Spartans went 2-10 last year, and they have a very tough non-conference schedule. Pile on that a team that was pretty bad last year, and it could be a couple years before the Spartans are again competing for the postseason.

Preseason WAC Superlatives
Best QB: Kellen Moore, Boise State
Best RB: Vai Taua, Nevada
Best WR: Titus Young, Boise State
Best offense: Boise State
Best defense: Boise State
Best coach: Chris Petersen, Boise State
Coach in the most trouble: Greg McMackin, Hawai'i
Best non-conference game: Boise State vs. Virginia Tech, Sept. 6
Worst non-conference game: Cal Poly at Fresno State, Oct. 2

College Football 2010: Sun Belt

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Sun Belt Conference
1. Middle Tennessee State
2. Troy
3. Arkansas State
4. North Texas
5. Louisiana
6. Florida Atlantic
7. Florida International
8. Louisiana-Monroe
9. Western Kentucky

Stories to Watch in the Sun Belt

Will the overall competitiveness improve? We keep waiting for the Sun Belt to get over the hump, in a way. Member schools play a lot of "guarantee" games, where they get a large paycheck in exchange for traveling to a big school to get their asses kicked. And those ass-kickings are still happening. Last year, league champion Troy lost by 17 to Bowling Green, 50 to Florida, and 36 to Arkansas. Middle Tennessee State lost by 23 to Clemson and by 21 to non-bowl Mississippi State. Florida Atlantic lost to Nebraska by 46 and South Carolina by 22. Louisiana lost to LSU by 28 and Nebraska by 55. It's a problem, and it's going to continue to be a problem. Even the best the Sun Belt has to offer simply can't compete with the nation's top teams. The best that the Sun Belt can hope for is to get a lower-rung team from a major conference to visit one of their campuses, at which point the league has a chance to pick up a much-needed non-conference win. This year, Minnesota travels to Middle Tennessee State, North Texas hosts Kansas State, Oklahoma visits Lafayette, FIU gets Rutgers at home, Western Kentucky hosts Indiana, and Florida Atlantic plays a "home" game in Detroit against Michigan State. Good luck.

MTSU "dashes" to top. While Troy tries to reload at quarterback, Middle Tennessee State hits the ground running. Senior Dwight Dasher needs to improve his mediocre accuracy, but he brings every other tool the Blue Raiders could possibly want. He led the team with over 1,100 yards rushing last year, and also threw for 2,800 while accounting for 36 total touchdowns. The running game will be dynamic this year, thanks to the return of senior Phillip Tanner from injury. He's joined in the backfield by D.D. Kyles, who ended up running for over 800 yards in his place last year. Wide receiver Garrett Andrews returns, but the Blue Raiders do have to reload a bit on the perimeter. Elsewhere on offense, things look great. The defense brings back six starters, including leading sacker Jamari Lattimore and All-Sun Belt safety Jeremy Kellem. The Blue Raiders look the part of league favorite this year, and they might be able to reach ten wins for a second straight season.

North Texas is back. This is the year fourth-year head coach Todd Dodge has been waiting for. The Mean Green have talented players all over the field. The major question comes at quarterback, where fifth-year senior Nathan Tune starts after Riley Dodge was moved to receiver after suffering another serious injury to his throwing arm. Dodge -- the coach's son -- was one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school, but he couldn't stay healthy. The offense around Tune looks to be very good. Star back Lance Dunbar returns after a 1,400-yard season with 17 touchdowns. Leading receivers Jamaal Jackson and Darius Carey return, and four starters are back on the offensive line. After a disastrous 2008 season for the defense, it got a bit better last year. With eight starters back, more is expected this year. The Mean Green have to both make more big plays on defense and take better care of the football on offense. UNT has averaged a minus-14 turnover differential in the last four seasons, which won't get them to a bowl game.

Best of the rest
I mentioned above that Troy has to reload a bit. The Trojans lost starting quarterback Levi Brown and eight defensive starters, including leading tacklers Bear Woods and Boris Lee, along with sack leader Brandon Lang. That's a lot, but Troy has proven in the past they have more depth than anyone in the Sun Belt. ... Departed quarterback Corey Leonard and running back Reggie Arnold didn't get it done for Arkansas State last year. Now, the Red Wolves have a new quarterback in Ryan Aplin and a new running back in Derek Lawson. Don't be surprised if the athletic duo get plenty of room to maneuver behind an offensive line that returns intact. ... Louisiana has a nasty non-conference schedule this year (at Georgia, at Mississippi, at Ohio), and could struggle overall if quarterback Chris Masson continues to improve. The Ragin Cajuns bring back eight starters on defense, and junior cornerback Dwight Bentley could be a star. ... Venerable coach Howard Schnellenberger has built the Florida Atlantic program from scratch, and he's done well, getting the Owls to two bowl games. This year will be a challenge, as the Owls return two offensive starters and play a brutal non-conference schedule. ... Mississippi State transfer Wesley Carroll and Syracuse transfer Jeremiah Harden have emerged in the Florida International backfield. FIU continues to improve under Mario Cristobal, and better days are ahead. Those days are probably not imminent, though. Carroll and Harden should improve the Golden Panthers' offense, but not enough to get them to a bowl. ... Former Army coach Todd Berry -- who engineered some total disasters there -- takes over at Louisiana-Monroe. The Warhawks were awfully close to a bowl last year, but now are faced with overhauling their offense and replacing seven starters on defense. ... Western Kentucky is still building a program that can compete in I-A (FBS, whatever). Former Stanford assistant Willie Taggart takes over after an 0-12 season, and there is promise in sophomore quarterback Kawaun Jakes.

Preseason Sun Belt Superlatives
Best QB: Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee State
Best RB: Lance Dunbar, North Texas
Best WR: Jamaal Jackson, North Texas
Best offense: Middle Tennessee State
Best defense: Arkansas State
Best coach: Larry Blakeney, Troy
Coach in the most trouble: Rickey Bustle, Louisiana
Best non-conference game: Minnesota at Middle Tennessee State, Sept. 2
Worst non-conference game: Austin Peay at Middle Tennessee State, Sept. 11

College Football 2010: SEC

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Southeastern Conference
East Division
1. Florida
2. Georgia
3. South Carolina
4. Kentucky
5. Tennessee
6. Vanderbilt

West Division
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Arkansas
4. Auburn
5. Mississippi
6. Mississippi State

Stories to Watch in the SEC

Alabama better in defense of title? One of the great challenges facing Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is motivating his crew to defend their national championship. As long as that motivation is there, Saban should find that his team could actually be better than it was a year ago. Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram is back to anchor the running game, which also features the extremely talented sophomore Trent Richardson, who ran for over 750 yards last year in a purely complimentary role. Senior quarterback Greg McElroy threw just four picks in 325 pass attempts last year. Leading receivers Julio Jones and Marquis Maze return, as do three starters on the offensive line. Saban has some work to do on defense, where he lost a ton of talent, most notably linebacker Rolando McClain. Expect linebacker Dont'a Hightower -- a Freshman All-American last year -- to shoulder much of the load. There are plenty of juniors and seniors along Alabama's defensive two-deep, indicating that Saban will have no shortage of talent or playing experience to call upon. The friendly schedule -- tough games with Penn State, Florida, and Auburn are all at home -- sure helps matters for Alabama.

Florida reloads. Amid all the health drama surrounding coach Urban Meyer -- who is thankfully okay and ready to go this season -- the Gators have some heavy losses to deal with on the field. Quarterback Tim Tebow was the biggest star in the sport, and they also lost Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes, Joe Haden, and Ryan Stamper. That's a lot of passing yards, rushing yards, receptions, tackles, interceptions, passes defensed, and sacks. Meyer obviously has a very talented crop of players, but he has to find new leaders. Junior John Brantley will run the offense, and junior Jeff Demps will probably get more looks running the ball than he did with Tebow, who had 118 carries more than the next-most on the team last year (Demps). The Gators are a heavy favorite in the East because of the available talent, as well as their proven ability to reload. It helps that safety Ahmad Black and tackles Omar Hunter and Jaye Howard lead a solid group of defensive returnees. If Brantley can run the offense efficiently while integrating some new receivers, Florida will be formidable again.

How good can Ryan Mallett be? The Arkansas junior -- a Michigan transfer -- flourished in Bobby Petrino's offense last year, throwing for over 3,600 yards and 30 scores. There's more to come, as Mallett is better than the 56 percent completions he was good for a year ago. He'll have to be, because there are holes on this Arkansas team that won't go away with the snap of a finger. The Hogs gave up over 400 yards per game last year, including over 450 yards four times, and they coughed up 30 or more points four times. Mallett might be able to make this offense even better in 2010, but he has to do it with the help of the defense. The Razorbacks simply can't afford to spend too much time trying feebly to stop opponents, especially in the tough SEC West. Seven starters are back on defense, and Petrino simply needs that unit to improve with the help of linebacker Jerry Franklin, end Jake Bequette, and cornerbacks Ramon Broadway and Rudell Crim. Games against Tennessee Tech and Louisiana-Monroe should help whip that defense into shape with some confidence before their trip to Georgia and games against Alabama, Texas A&M, and Auburn.

Masoli arrives in Oxford. If he's cleared by the NCAA, it seems a virtual lock that Jeremiah Masoli will start at quarterback for Mississippi after transferring from Oregon. Masoli brings a lot of talent and experience to Houston Nutt's team, and he instantly makes them credible at the sport's most important position. The other problem for the Rebels will be replacing do-everything back/receiver Dexter McCluster. Expect Nutt to try a few guys in that spot, including Derrick Herman and Jesse Grandy. If Masoli steps in and shows some accuracy while taking good care of the football, the Rebels could make some real noise this season as a darkhorse in the SEC West. Road dates against Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU could be too tough for Ole Miss to overcome, but it becomes even tougher for them to do anything notable if they can't get quality play out of the quarterback position.

Best of the rest
Georgia looks quite impressive, thanks to ten returning starters on offense. Redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is the new starter, leaving the Bulldogs with one huge question mark on offense entering the season. ... Steve Spurrier can't seem to get South Carolina over the hump. With a freshman under center at Georgia and a ton of new faces at Florida, this seems like as good a year as any. If the Gamecocks can show some actual consistency on offense, they're going to be good. ... If new coach Joker Phillips can solve Kentucky's quarterback situation, they have a shot in the East. The Wildcats have talented back Derrick Locke and receiver Randall Cobb back, along with big-play defensive end DeQuin Evans. ... After an up-and-down season with Lane Kiffin, Tennessee has to hope Derek Dooley can restore some calm to the program. It might take some time to build a winner, as the Volunteers lost eight offensive starters and their top four tacklers on defense. Then again, after the controversial Kiffin, many UT fans will be happy if Dooley can just avoid pissing off most of the college football world. ... As if there weren't enough coaching changes in the SEC East, Vanderbilt named Robbie Caldwell as the successor to Bobby Johnson, who stepped down before fall camp started. It doesn't make Vandy any more or less of a team this year, as it was thought to be a tough year ahead for the Commodores. Johnson was a class act who worked hard at Vandy to be respectable amid serious academic hurdles. This is likely a program that is destined to never be a serious contender in this league, but they've proven they can be competitive and avoid constantly being blown out as they once were. ... Auburn detractors aren't laughing now. Controversial hire Gene Chizik built a solid team last year, and they should improve again in 2010. Quarterback Cameron Newton is a good fit for their offense, and junior receiver Darvin Adams should get better as he gains experience. Replacing star back Ben Tate will be tough. ... Look for a big season out of LSU. They have nine losses the last two years, but the Tigers do have a growing quarterback and some stars in the making around him. I like Jordan Jefferson a lot, and now we'll find out if coordinator John Chavis can keep the defense improving. If that happens, LSU could shock a lot of people this year. ... Many were surprised by Mississippi State winning five games last year. For them to get better this year, it's going to take some great strides at the quarterback position. Running back Anthony Dixon is gone, leaving a hole in the offense. The Bulldogs got just nine touchdown passes out of two quarterbacks last year, and while junior Chris Reif returns, he's trying to fend off a challenge from redshirt freshman Tyler Russell. The struggle continued through fall camp, and no starter has been named as of this writing.

Preseason SEC Superlatives
Best QB: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
Best RB: Mark Ingram, Alabama
Best WR: Darvin Adams, Auburn
Best offense: Georgia
Best defense: Alabama
Best coach: Nick Saban, Alabama
Coach in the most trouble: Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
Best non-conference game: Penn State at Alabama, Sept. 11
Worst non-conference game: Georgia State at Alabama, Nov. 20

College Football 2010: Pac 10

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Pac 10 Conference
1. Oregon
2. USC
3. California
4. Oregon State
5. Washington
6. Arizona
7. Stanford
8. UCLA
9. Arizona State
10. Washington State

Stories to Watch in the Pac 10

No Carroll, no bowl. Pete Carroll slithered out of Los Angeles for the NFL, unaware (yeah, right) that USC was about to get the hammer dropped on them by the NCAA. When the Trojans take the field this year, they will have former Carroll aide and NFL coach Lane Kiffin leading the way, and they will have nothing to play for but a conference title and pride. The Trojans will make no postseason appearance this year, and they are ineligible for the national championship. Kiffin has the typical loaded roster at USC, but did lose around one-third of last year's lettermen, along with 12 starters. He will try to build around the usual strong offensive line and sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley, who had some ups and downs as a freshman. Barkley looked strong at times, and he also had games where he totally looked like, well, a freshman. The Trojans lose their leading rusher and receiver, along with three starters on the offensive line, so it could be a struggle at times for USC to even match their 26.5 point average from a year ago, which was down significantly from what they had been posting in previous seasons. The defense was a bit of a sieve against the run, but Kiffin's father, Monte, is an accomplished defensive coach who will whip the unit into shape. The linebackers will be a strength, with senior Malcolm Smith and junior Chris Galippo both back.

Oregon a quarterback away. The Ducks were strong a year ago, and they looked like a potential national championship contender until quarterback Jeremiah Masoli got in trouble again and was kicked off the team. He's at Mississippi now, and Oregon has the kind of team a new quarterback must dream of. The Ducks have experience all over the place, with key players like running back LaMichael James, receiver Jeff Maehl, receiver D.J. Davis, left tackle Bo Thran, safety John Boyett, cornerback Talmadge Jackson, and linebacker Spencer Paysinger all returning from very good 2009 seasons. New starting quarterback Darron Thomas indeed has a lot to work with. Thomas didn't play much as a true freshman, but he did get his feet wet in the offense and won the job officially in fall practice. The Ducks were exposed a bit defensively in the Rose Bowl, as Ohio State and Terrelle Pryor moved virtually at will while the vaunted Oregon offense was shut down. The Ducks have five league road games, along with a non-conference date at Tennessee, but the league schedule is still manageable. Oregon travels to Washington State, Arizona State, and Oregon State, all very winnable games. If Thomas can play well and continue the Ducks' dual-threat ways in the backfield, Oregon will go a long way, even with a pretty tough schedule.

Washington prepares to climb up the ladder. After an 0-12 2008 season, Steve Sarkisian coaxed five wins out of a marginally-talented Huskies team last year. He got great contributions from quarterback Jake Locker and running back Chris Polk to help get them there. Now, all the stars of that improved offense are back, with Locker looking at being a high pick in the 2011 NFL Draft if he can have another strong season. Polk ran for over 1,100 yards as a freshman, while receivers Jermaine Kearse, Devin Aguilar, and James Johnson combined for over 130 receptions and 16 touchdowns. The defense took huge steps last year, and they bring back eight starters, including cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Quinton Richardson. For Sarkisian to get Washington to the postseason for the first time since 2002, he needs the team to play more consistent football away from home. The Huskies travel to BYU, USC, Arizona, Oregon, and California before the season finale at still-hapless Washington State. If the bowl season is to call for UW, they have to snap their 12-game road losing streak by pulling an upset. They'll be underdogs in all these games, but need to find a way to "steal" one or two of them.

The battle against expectations. It seems expectations always seem to get the best of California. With a high preseason ranking last year, the Golden Bears fizzled, getting embarrassed at Oregon and at home against USC -- combined 72-6 in back-to-back weeks -- on their way to a so-so 8-5 record. Star running back Jahvid Best battled injury all year, though, so junior Shane Vereen got a lot of playing time, including in the Bears' bowl loss to Utah. Now Best is gone, but there is plenty of confidence that Vereen will do just fine out of Cal's backfield. Quarterback Kevin Riley was as up-and-down as the team was, and in the end, he has a lot of work to do as a senior. Riley isn't nearly accurate enough for what we expect out of head coach Jeff Tedford's offense. He has to get up from 59 to closer to 65 percent completions this year. Look for him to use big receiver Marvin Jones and rangy tight end Anthony Miller a lot. This Cal team has a lot of experience, but they're looked at as a bit of a darkhorse in the conference. I like how their team looks, and they should make noticeable improvements both on offense and defense. The schedule includes five home games in league play, and the last three games Cal plays are all at home. There's no reason the Golden Bears can't make some noise and potentially threaten to claim a major bowl bid if Oregon and/or USC falter.

Best of the rest
Junior quarterback Nick Foles will see a lot of familiar faces on the field with him at Arizona this year. The Wildcats return their top four rushers and eight of their top nine receivers from a year ago. Expect big things out of junior receiver Juron Criner. ... It's not surprising that Oregon State looks strong. They are among the most consistent programs in the country. Again this year, Mike Riley doesn't look to have a serious league contender, but he does have a team that will pull an upset or two and make a fifth straight bowl appearance. The brothers Rodgers -- running back Jacquizz and wide receiver James -- are back to lead the charge ... Stanford loses all-everything running back Toby Gerhart, but they return future NFL starter Andrew Luck at quarterback, and senior receiver Ryan Whalen is one of the best at his position in the Pac 10. ... After some interesting back-and-forth with Carroll, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel wisely quieted down last year. The bluster was not backed up on the field, where the Bruins went 7-6 and needed Army to lose to Navy in order to make a bowl game. Expect some positive steps this year, but the guys Neuheisel needs to make noise are probably still too young to do that. ... If Michigan transfer Steven Threet can become an effective quarterback in the desert, Arizona State might be able to spring a surprise or two. In the end, their league schedule (five road games, home date with Oregon) and a non-conference roadie to Wisconsin make it a bit far-fetched to think the Sun Devils will go bowling. ... It's starting to look up at Washington State, and not just because they have no other direction to look. The Cougars have 40 players with starting experience back, and they will lean on sophomore quarterback Jeff Tuel to continue growing in his role. This will be a year where the Cougars close the gap, but not necessarily one where they escape the basement.

Preseason Pac 10 Superlatives
Best QB: Jake Locker, Washington
Best RB: Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
Best WR: Jermaine Kearse, Washington
Best offense: Oregon
Best defense: USC
Best coach: Mike Riley, Oregon State
Coach in the most trouble: Dennis Erickson, Arizona State
Best non-conference game: Iowa at Arizona, Sept. 18
Worst non-conference game: Portland State at Oregon, Sept. 18

College Football 2010: Mountain West

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Mountain West Conference
1. TCU
2. Utah
3. BYU
4. Air Force
5. San Diego State
6. Wyoming
7. Colorado State
8. UNLV
9. New Mexico

Stories to Watch in the Mountain West

TCU reloads for another BCS run. The pieces are certainly in place for the Horned Frogs to make another trip to a BCS bowl. Leading rusher Joseph Turner is gone, but efficient senior quarterback Andy Dalton returns, off a strong season that saw him take very good care of the football while throwing accurately. He's one of nine starters back on offense, so the Frogs figure to improve on last year's solid total of 38 points per game. There's nothing flashy about this offense. They have balance in their game, don't rely on one running back, and they don't have any superstar receivers. Seniors Jeremy Kerley and Jimmy Young lead the way there, but neither is a dominating presence, and defenses aren't able to clamp down on an obvious go-to guy. At running back, look for Matthew Tucker and Ed Wesley to carry the load. Gary Patterson's defense is always good, and they bring back seven starters from a ferocious unit that allowed less than 13 points per game despite having teams like BYU, Clemson, and Boise State on the schedule. Senior tackle Cory Grant and senior linebacker Tyler Luttrell are the top players on a unit that should be even better than it was last year. With Oregon State, SMU, and Baylor on the non-conference schedule (only Baylor travels to Fort Worth), TCU is hiding from no one, and if they go 12-0, they'll have earned it.

Can Utah pose a threat? We thought BYU -- with senior quarterback Max Hall leading the way -- could challenge TCU in the Mountain West last year. No dice. The Cougars were thrashed by the Horned Frogs on national television in Provo, and TCU never looked back on their way to an undefeated regular season. Like BYU last year, Utah appears to be the top challenger this year, and they get to play TCU at home. Kyle Whittingham returns a good chunk of offensive talent, including sophomore quarterback Jordan Wynn, who took over the offense at mid-season and led the team to improvement down the stretch. With a full season, Wynn could become a big-time player in the MWC. While the defense only brings back four starters, the Utes have fielded solid defensive teams for the better part of the last seven years, so there's no reason to think they won't do it again. Look for junior end Derrick Shelby and freshman linebacker V.J. Fehoko to become huge names on this defense. Utah has a rough path to the TCU game Nov. 6. They face Pittsburgh (home) and Iowa State (road) in non-conference play, and they travel to Wyoming and Air Force in league action. After the TCU game, the Utes travel to Notre Dame and host BYU, so it's hardly a cakewalk schedule for one of the real darkhorse contenders to "bust" the BCS.

Can Air Force crack the "Big Three?" Lately, Utah, BYU, and TCU have owned the MWC. Air Force has gone 5-3 in league play each of the last two years, but only managed a fourth-place finish each time. They haven't beaten any of those three teams since 2007, when they bested TCU and Utah in back-to-back weeks. That's only six games total, but it's a lot when you're talking about a team's ability to crack the top three of a conference. Air Force is good, but they have some issues to overcome this year if they are to get in the top three of the MWC. While the skill position players all return -- led by quarterback Tim Jefferson, only a junior, and running backs Jared Tew, Asher Clark, and Savier Stephens. The offensive line is completely blown up, however, and they figure to lack experience up front. The projected five starters have combined for only one collegiate start among them, but this isn't a new challenge for Air Force. It's quite common for them to have to replace a lot of starters on both sides of the ball, because they typically have a slew of seniors in their starting lineup. On defense, the Falcons will rely on end Rick Ricketts, outside linebacker Andre Morris, and cornerback Reggie Rembert, all seniors. They have skill and experience all over, and they should be very efficient once again this year. The schedule is manageable, with only a non-conference trip to Oklahoma looking somewhat daunting, along with a road date with TCU in league play.

Wyoming tries to recreate the magic. 7-6 probably doesn't sound like much of a magical season, but for Wyoming, it got the job done last year. A team that lost games 41-10 (Texas), 24-0 (Colorado), 52-0 (BYU), and 45-10 (TCU) managed to go bowling despite being outscored by an average of 27-18 over its 13 games. The Cowboys then stunned Fresno State in double overtime in the New Mexico Bowl. For Wyoming to get back to a bowl game, a lot has to go right. Dave Christensen returns eight starters on offense, including sophomores at quarterback (Austin Carta-Samuels) and running back (Alvester Alexander). Both must significantly improve and become the big guys on this team. The secondary will improve -- largely because it can't get much worse -- and look out for sophomore safety Shamiel Gary, who was strong as a true freshman. As Christensen gets more of his recruits in Laramie, things will get better. It will help that the Cowboys will be better on the field, but the schedule includes Texas and Boise State in non-conference play, and it's hard to imagine this team winning more than five games unless things go quite right again.

Best of the rest
Hall is gone at BYU, and now the rest of the league may be a bit perturbed at the school's willingness to go indie in football and leave the MWC. That said, the losses of Hall and Harvey Unga will make it very tough for Bronco Mendenhall to keep the Cougars in the league's top echelon. ... Like Christensen at Wyoming, San Diego State coach Brady Hoke has quickly improved matters. The Aztecs won four last year, and they were very competitive in a lot of their losses. Hoke has a solid quarterback in junior Ryan Lindley, who could blossom into a pretty good NFL prospect if he keeps improving. ... After a bowl game in his first season and a 3-0 start in his second, Steve Fairchild fell hard at Colorado State. The Rams lost their last nine games last year, though four of them were by less than ten points. Expect the Rams to use a freshman quarterback -- Pete Thomas -- for at least a part of the season. That might be scary, but it's a sign of the future, because Thomas is a highly-regarded recruit. Fairchild did well to get him to Fort Collins. ... Former Montana coach Bobby Hauck takes over at UNLV. The Rebels won five last year, but it wasn't enough to save Mike Sanford's job. Now, Hauck will bring a winning mindset to what has been traditionally a losing program. He has 15 starters back, including underachieving senior quarterback Omar Clayton, who could do some big things in Hauck's system. ... It was a tumultuous first season for New Mexico coach Mike Locksley, but things are going to look up soon. Locksley was suspended for a game because of an altercation with an assistant, but he has done well in recruiting, and his team wasn't as bad as 1-11 indicates last year. If they can figure out the quarterback position, the Lobos could surprise, but it's not likely they'll be good enough for a bowl game.

Preseason Mountain West Superlatives
Best QB: Andy Dalton, TCU
Best RB: Eddie Wide, Utah
Best WR: Jimmy Young, TCU
Best offense: Utah
Best defense: TCU
Best coach: Gary Patterson, TCU
Coach in the most trouble: Mike Locksley, New Mexico
Best non-conference matchup: Oregon State vs. TCU at Dallas, Sept. 4
Worst non-conference matchup: Northwestern State at Air Force, Sept. 4

College Football 2010: MAC

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Mid-American Conference
East Division
1. Temple
2. Ohio
3. Bowling Green
4. Kent State
5. Buffalo
6. Akron
7. Miami (Ohio)

West Division
1. Northern Illinois
2. Western Michigan
3. Toledo
4. Central Michigan
5. Ball State
6. Eastern Michigan

Stories to Watch in the MAC

Central Michigan moves on without star. There was no better player in the MAC last season than Dan LeFevour. The record-setting Chippewas quarterback moves on after a stellar career at CMU in which he did virtually everything a MAC quarterback can realistically do. He finished his CMU career at just a shade under 13,000 passing yards, became the first college quarterback ever to pass for 12,000 yards and run for 2,500 in a career, and became the MAC's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. He led the team in rushing last year. Yeah, good luck replacing him. It's not the end of the world, because inexperienced sophomore Ryan Radcliff spent two years (including a redshirt year) learning under LeFevour. While coach Butch Jones is gone to Cincinnati, it's unlikely that new coach Dan Enos will change much. The offense will still have some wide-open feel to it, even if it's not like it was with LeFevour. CMU also loses top receivers Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson, who moved on to the NFL. The defense has some young talent, but lacks experience, so it could be a rough year for Enos, even if his stated goal is to turn Central Michigan into a Boise State-type program.

LeFevour is not the only missing star quarterback. Lost in all the LeFevour love is the loss Bowling Green is dealing with. Well, it's actually two huge losses. Quarterback Tyler Sheehan graduates second on the Falcons' all-time career passing list (missed the top spot by 163 yards). Sheehan was a steady, accurate thrower in an offense that demands such. He wasn't a productive runner like LeFevour, and he didn't win any conference titles or bowl games at Bowling Green, so he's more easily forgotten, unless you're a Falcon fan. Also gone is receiver Freddie Barnes, who smashed the college record for receptions in a season by catching 155 of Sheehan's 373 completions last year. Barnes reached 1,770 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, and finishes second on the Falcons' all-time receiving yards list. Redshirt freshman Matt Schilz is favored to take the quarterback job, while senior Tyrone Pronty and juniors Ray Hutson and Adrian Hodges should be prominent receivers in a more spread-out attack. Bowling Green could make some noise if coach Dave Clawson can find a way to overcome a severe lack of experience all over the roster, along with a schedule that includes trips to Troy, Tulsa, and Michigan in the first four weeks.

Can Temple improve again? Al Golden has been the Owls' head coach for four years. In each season, the team's record has improved from the year prior. Temple has gone from 0-11 before Golden arrived to 1-11, 4-8, 5-7, and 9-4. It would be a stunner if Golden made an improvement for a fifth straight year, but it can't be ruled out. Temple hasn't won ten in a season since 1979, so the challenge is daunting. The Owls have 16 returning starters, including star running back Bernard Pierce, who shocked many with a super freshman season. Junior Chester Stewart is expected to start at quarterback, and leading receivers Michael Campbell and Joe Jones both return. Plenty of starting experience returns to the defense, especially the secondary. The schedule is a bit friendlier than usual, with only the sorta-annual road trip to Penn State looking like an unattainable goal. Outside of that, Temple should have at least a puncher's chance to win each game, meaning a ten- or 11-win season is a real possibility for a program that was a total laughingstock in college football just a few years ago.

The struggles continue. No end in sight to the issues at Eastern Michigan or Miami, thought progress is coming. At EMU, coach Ron Prince is trying to fill the program with his type of players, and it's going to take time. The Eagles have plenty of it, however, because they're 41-119 since a 6-5 season in 1995 that marks their last winning season. English has a ton of experience back from last season, but the impact is coming from the players he's recruited. As a defensive coach, his first priority is getting a more competitive group on the defensive side of the ball. Last year, the Eagles allowed nearly 40 points per game, over 275 rush yards per game, and were outgained by an average of 150 yards per game. Miami won last year, but that home win over Toledo shouldn't confuse anyone. They were awful. For Mike Haywood to get anything better this year, it won't take as much work as what English has ahead of him, but it is still a significant hill. From a recruiting, talent, and experience standpoint, Miami is significantly behind the top teams in the East -- Temple and Ohio. If Miami is to get a lot better, it may rest on the shoulders of senior running back Thomas Merriweather, who has only started 13 games and run for 981 yards in his Miami career. He was a talented recruit who has been through a lot at the school, so we'll see if he can stay on the field and make that long-awaited impact.

Best of the rest
For Ohio, there's a real shot at a repeat in the MAC East. Frank Solich has another solid team led by first team All-MAC linebacker Noah Keller, who was all over the field defensively last year. The Bobcats have a road date with Ohio State, but an otherwise manageable schedule. ... Sixth-year senior running back Eugene Jarvis and quarterback Spencer Keith return for Kent State. The Golden Flashes lost their last three to miss out on bowl eligibility last year, but they should be able to top the .500 mark this year thanks to a ton of talent in their offensive backfield. ... Former Cincinnati assistant Jeff Quinn is the new boss at Buffalo. He's been an interim coach for two bowl games in his career, both following Brian Kelly. Now, he runs his own program for the first time. Former coach Turner Gill left this team in a good place, even though they had a losing season last year. The challenge for Quinn will be integrating new skill-position starters while installing the spread offense. ... There's reason for hope at Akron, thanks to a shiny new stadium and a talented young coach. Rob Ianello has an impressive resume that includes a stop at Notre Dame as their recruiting coordinator. He has a solid staff with him that brings loads of big-school experience. The expectation here is that Akron will rebuild from a stretch of four straight losing seasons, but Ianello has his work cut out for him short-term while he builds a more competitive roster. ... Northern Illinois keeps building and building. This is a good team that will contend for a MAC title this year. The Huskies have juniors and seniors all over the place, including junior quarterback Chandler Harnish and senior running back Chad Spann, both of whom will have big seasons this year. On defense, end Sean Progar was awesome as a freshman, and he will only get better. ... If sophomore quarterback Alex Carder steps in for the graduated Tim Hiller at Western Michigan, the Broncos might emerge as a true threat. Carder has a ton of experience around him, especially at wide receiver. Also impressive is a defense that could feature a stout secondary. Safeties Mario Armstrong and Doug Wiggins should lead the way. ... Tim Beckman surprised some by getting five wins out of a transitional year at Toledo. The Rockets will improve this year, especially if Beckman -- a defensive coach by trade -- can make this team's defense better. Toledo allowed nearly 40 points per game, offsetting a surprisingly effective offense in 2009. ... Stan Parrish might only be 4-41-1 as a Division I head coach, but half of those wins came last season, as Ball State finished 2-3 after an 0-7 start. I know it doesn't sound like much, but the Cardinals can bank on further improvement this year now that they've solved the quarterback puzzle. Sophomore Kelly Page is going to be a really good one in this program.

Preseason MAC Superlatives
Best QB: Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois
Best RB: Bernard Pierce, Temple
Best WR: Eric Page, Toledo
Best offense: Temple
Best defense: Northern Illinois
Best coach: Frank Solich, Ohio
Coach in the most trouble: Ron English, Eastern Michigan
Best non-conference game: Connecticut at Temple, Sept. 18
Worst non-conference game: Nicholls State at Western Michigan, Sept. 11

College Football 2010: Conference USA

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Conference USA
East Division
1. Southern Mississippi
2. Central Florida
3. UAB
4. Marshall
5. East Carolina
6. Memphis

West Division
1. Houston
2. Tulsa
3. UTEP
4. SMU
5. Rice
6. Tulane

Stories to Watch in Conference USA

Keenum's Heisman Case. Yes, it's a bad play on words, but it was done for the best quarterback you may not have heard of if you're a power conference elitist. Houston quarterback Case Keenum has virtually no business playing college football, but you could argue the unfinished business is what brought him back. The Cougars were thought to be a BCS-buster team before they got blown out at UTEP after upset wins over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Then they lost to East Carolina in the Conference USA title game, and were blown out by Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, in a game where Keenum threw six of his 15 picks for the season. Keenum is also within reach of a number of records. He is 14 yards away from passing Kevin Kolb for the school's all-time career passing record. He's 4,167 yards away from Timmy Chang's NCAA record, a number easily within reach since Keenum threw for 5,671 in 2009. The sky's the limit for Keenum, who isn't just another college system product. He's a legitimate NFL candidate, and this Houston team is a legitimate Top 25 threat. Keenum has receivers James Cleveland, Tyron Carrier, and Patrick Edwards to throw to, and running backs Bryce Beall and Charles Sims both return. If the Cougars can get their defense to stop people, this team could be in a major bowl this winter.

Ruffin McNeill and Doc Holliday get their shots. It's been a long time coming for two veteran college coaches. McNeill got a taste of being a head coach when Texas Tech named him as the interim replacement for Mike Leach when the latter was suspended before the Red Raiders' bowl game last season. After Leach and his staff were let go, McNeill got the head job at alma mater East Carolina, replacing new South Florida coach Skip Holtz. McNeill has some work to do, as longtime starting quarterback Patrick Pinkney as he installs the wide-open offense he saw become so successful at Texas Tech. Meanwhile, longtime college assistant Holliday got the job at Marshall, replacing the canned Mark Snyder. Marshall has fallen quite a bit under Snyder, going 22-37 after being a perennial bowl team since their ascension to Division I-A. Holliday takes over a team that surged late last season, qualifying for and winning a bowl game to finish 7-6. Now, he has to guide this team through a brutal schedule that includes Ohio State and West Virginia in the first two games. As they try to build depth all along the roster, expect them to rely on senior Brian Anderson to lead the offense. Clemson transfer Willy Korn couldn't win the job, so Holliday moved the senior to safety. The Thundering Herd and Pirates are both in good hands, even if neither is a serious East Division contender this year.

Tulsa's quick rebound? After back-to-back campaigns with double-digit wins, Tulsa slipped to a 5-7 record last year. They lost some insanely close games to teams like Boise State and Houston, but also got blown out at home by East Carolina and finished 1-6 after a 4-1 start. The rebound for Todd Graham should be pretty quick. The Golden Hurricane are likely bowl-bound again this year, thanks to an experienced quarterback and more consistent defense. G.J. Kinne will be better this year, thanks to a ground game that can only get better this year. The 'Cane was led in rushing by Kinne, who didn't even top 400 yards on the season. They have to run the ball better, and they will. Where Tulsa will really get better is in the passing game. Kinne had his moments where he looked every bit the rusty quarterback who had sat out two seasons (redshirt and transfer seasons). He has almost all his receivers back, including Damaris Johnson and Trae Johnson, both of whom have plenty of experience in this offense.

Interesting East Division race. It's hard to tell what to think about the East Division. On one hand, there's Southern Mississippi, long a tough team to knock out of this race, but still looking for their first Conference USA title in the two-division format. In the other corner sits Central Florida, a program marked lately by its inconsistency. The Knights haven't posted back-to-back winning seasons under George O'Leary, alternating between losing and winning records. Last year, UCF went 8-5. USM has the more balanced offense, despite losing running back Damion Fletcher. Look out for redshirt freshman Kendrick Hardy, who could be a big-time player. The Golden Eagles have to decide on a quarterback, as both Austin Davis and Martevious Young have starting experience. Coach Larry Fedora seems inclined to go with Davis, but Young will get a chance to play. He's a better athlete, but not by much, and Davis is a bit more accurate with his throws. At UCF, there are questions in the offensive backfield. O'Leary has said both Rob Calabrese and true freshman Jeffrey Godfrey will play at quarterback this season. Godfrey is probably more talented, but Calabrese has more experience and is looking to rebound after a slow start led to his benching last year. At running back, Brynn Harvey banged up his knee in spring practice and will miss at least a month to start the season. Look for Jonathan Davis to start, and for there to be a dropoff in ability there. Harvey is quite talanted, and UCF will struggle to make due without him while also dealing with a quarterback controversy. UCF's defense is also in need of a rebuild. The two meet in Orlando come November, in a game likely to decide the division's representative in the Conference USA Championship.

Best of the rest
Now without Joe Webb, UAB looks to make another step forward in their rebuilding. Coach Neil Callaway likes sophomore David Isabelle, and while Webb was a great player for the Blazers, it might benefit them to not have him around as the centerpiece of the offense. Look for the ball to get spread around more now. ... Memphis also debuts a new coach, as they hired an African American Larry Porter, who also happens to be the first alum to take the helm of their football program. There's a lot of work here, as the Tigers were 2-10 and are very low on quality depth. ... There's pressure on UTEP coach Mike Price this year. And there should be. The Miners have a talented and experienced quarterback in Trevor Vittatoe, and they have yet to even get to bowl game with him. This is their last chance, and it may be Price's. ... June Jones has worked his magic again. Somehow, despite using a true freshman quarterback for the second half of the season, Jones got SMU to a bowl game, and they routed Nevada in the Hawai'i Bowl. Kyle Padron gets a whole season this time, and big things could be coming to Dallas. ... Rice returns 18 starters this year, and they should be significantly better than last year. The Owls started 0-8 last year, and hope to build off a modest 2-2 record to close the season. Alabama transfer Nick Fanuzzi is likely to start at quarterback. ... Bob Toledo's work has just started at Tulane. Now that he is happier with the competition on the roster, Toledo needs the team to perform better on the field. Just five wins over the last two years don't lead to many expectations.

Preseason Conference USA Superlatives
Best QB: Case Keenum, Houston
Best RB: Donald Buckram, UTEP
Best WR: James Cleveland, Houston
Best offense: Houston
Best defense: Central Florida
Best coach: Kevin Sumlin, Houston
Coach in the most trouble: Bob Toledo, Tulane
Best non-conference matchup: Houston at UCLA, Sept. 18
Worst non-conference matchup: Central Arkansas at Tulsa, Sept. 25