The whole College Football World knows about Boise State, but the WAC has other teams that should not be sold short. Here is how it looks for this season:
Obviously BOISE STATE is the class of the conference. They have not lost a regular season game in two years, and return everyone except two players on their two deep. QB Moore returns to lead an offense that remains intact. Last year, this offense scored 40 or more points 10 times. The defense is in just as good a shape, and held opponents to 14 or less points 7 times, including TCU. The schedule features two BCS games. One at home against Oregon State should be doable. The big one is at Landover MD vs Virginia Tech. A win there and Boise may go to the Big game. WAGERING NOTES: Boise State is a solid 16-7-2 ATS in their last two seasons. At +1500 (15/1) they have to be taken seriously to win it all.
NEVADA returns 9 starters on offense from a team that went 8-5 last year. QB Kaepernick lead this group that scored 33 or more points 9 times last season. The defense was a major problem last year, and loses 5 starters. They will have to improve, as they gave up 28 or more points 8 times. The schedule includes a game at BYU, two other MWC teams, and a home game against Cal. Oh yea, they finish the year at home against Boise State. WAGERING NOTES: Nevada is 1-6 ATS in non-con games other than UNLV in the past 3 years. They are 5-0 ATS vs UNLV.
Pat Hill starts year #14 at FRESNO STATE and welcomes 8 starters back on his offense. The RB and WR positions get hit hard by graduation, but the OL comes back intact. The defense returns 9 starters, but loses half of it's 2 deep secondary players. Fresno State has never been afraid to play anyone. This year's non-con schedule includes home games vs Cincinnati and Illinois, and a trip to Ole Miss. This team is capable of defeating just about anyone, but is very inconsistant. WAGERING NOTES: Fresno STate is 1-7 ATS vs Boise State and 0-5 ATS vs Utah State.
IDAHO was the suprise in the conference last season, winning 6 of their first 7 games, in route to an 8 win season including a bowl game. QB Enderle returns with all the skill players on offense this year, but Idaho loses both TE's, a WR, and 4 on the line. The defense only loses 2 starters, but gets hit at FS. The schedule features some good tests with non-con games at Colorado State, Western Michigan, and Nebraska. They do get Boise and Nevada at home. Tis team won more games last year than in their previous 3 added up. Another bowl is not out of the question. WAGERING NOTES: As well as Idaho did, they were still 2-6 ATS in conference games. They are now 3-21 ATS in conference games in their last 3 years. Most of that success has come against New Mexico State, where they are 7-1 ATS.
Sonny Dykes takes over at LOUISIANA TECH but certainly does not inherit an empty cupboard. 7 starters return on an offense that was disappointing last season, scoring 17 or less points 5 times. The defense returns 9 starters, but gave up 30 or more points in half of it's games. With all the hype about former HC Dooley, this team still lost more than they won in their past 4 seasons (17-24). Are they a poor team that had a great HC, or is Tennessee in trouble? The non-con schedule does not help, with games at Texas A&M, and at home against Southern Miss and Navy. WAGERING NOTES: La. Tech is 7-0 ATS as a home dog in the past 3 years. They are 6-0 ATS vs Fresno State.
Everyone loves to play in HAWAII, but the Warriors can be tough at times. Last year they fell just short of a bowl game. This year, the task will be more difficult. Hawaii has to totally rebuild, losing 8 starters on offense including their entore backfield, and 4 starters from a defense that gave up 30 or more points 8 times last season. The schedule is not too bad, opening with USC, but then going to Army and Colorado State. Hawaii is a longshot, but there were last season also. WAGERING NOTES: Hawaii is one of the most difficult teams to wager on, showing no pattern except being 1-4 ATS against BCS Conference teams in the past 3 years.
UTAH STATE showed improvment last season. The offense, led by returning QB Borel, only loses 2 starters, but depth in the WR department. The defense loses 5 starters and gets hit hard in the line and at FS. The schedule includes a game at Oklahoma, and BYU takes Utah's place. 4 wins was not a lot, but it was an improvment last season. WAGERING NOTES: Utah State is one of the best kept wagering secorets of late, going 22-11-2 ATS in their past 3 seasons. They are 8-3 vs non-con opponents during that time.
NEW MEXICO STATE suffered through another 3 win season, thanks largely to a 1-7 S/U recond in conference. This year, 5 starters are lost on offense, plus a lot of depth. The defense also loses 5 starters, and gets hit very hard at LB. The non-con schedule is not too tough this year, but the Aggies are going to have to improve on their conference record (5-35 S/U in the past 5 years) to make any kind of dent in the WAC. WAGERING NOTES: As bad as it is S/U in conference play, the Aggies are a respectable 16-16 ATS in the past 4 years.
SAN JOSE STATE welcomes new HC MacIntyre this season. He has his work cut out for him. State loses their QB and 3 others on an offense that was woefull inept last season, scoring 10 or less points in 5 games. The defense,which had it's moments last year, loses 8 starters including the entire line. The schedule is absolutely brutal, with non-con games at Alabama, Wisconsin and Utah. Can this team recover from what will be a beat down in their first 3 games? WAGERING NOTES: San Jose State is 0-10 ATS in their last 5 games of the year in the past two years. Last year, the Spartans only covered 1 game, going 1-9-2 ATS.
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