2006 Mountain West Predictions

The conference that is the highest above sea-level, our 2006 Mountain West predictions do not show any team going sky-high. Sports handicapping expert Marc Lawrence will detail all of the teams for you, but if you want weekly predictions from him, then check out one of his college football picks packages.

Ranging in altitudes from 7 feet to 7,220 feet, the Mountain West Conference appears to be growing to new heights. In TCU they possess the team with the nation’s 2nd longest winning streak. They also own only one turnover in the head coaching ranks. Heck, who needs the WAC when you’re scaling to new levels.

Here is my take on the MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE for 2006. Coming up next: the PAC 10 CONFERENCE. Enjoy…

AIR FORCE
"The other team had a lot more Afro-American players than we did and they ran a lot faster than we did.'' Those were the infamous words uttered by Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry when explaining his team's 48-10 loss last year against TCU, the 2nd worst conference defeat in school history. It ultimately put his team under an unfair media microscope that eventually led to the Falcons’ first back-to- back losing seasons since 1980-81. Under our own microprocessor, we found four of UFA’s seven losses occurred by 12 combined points. Behind the winningest - and classiest - coach in school history, look for the Force to strike back fast ’06.
PLAY ON: vs. Wyoming – *KEY off win - (9/23)

BYU
Bronco Mendenhall got this program back to the level it had lacked the previous three seasons when the Cougars won six games and a bowl bid while finishing in 2nd place in the MWC. It’s just a start, however, according to Mendenhall. “We’re not just satisfied with going to a bowl game. It was a nice step for our program, but we’re not satisfied to finish second. That wasn’t our goal,” the coach stated. Three all-MWC 1st team performers return in QB John Beck, RB Curtis Brown and TE Jonny Harline. The defense will need to step up, though, as they declined 49 YPG last season and return zero linemen. Still, we won’t buck Bronco.
PLAY ON: vs. Utah - *KEY as dog - (11/25)

COLORADO STATE
After winning seven or more games 10 straight years, the Rams have failed to hit that plateau each of the past two seasons. Could it be the luster is wearing off Sonny Lubick’s act? We tend to think it’s more a matter of fixing a running game that has slipped dramatically each of the last two years. After averaging more than 170 RYPG in his career, Lubick’s boobs have managed to muster 116 RYPG the past two seasons. You know the axiom – you run the ball, you stop the run, you win the game. A schedule filled with eight opponents that were bowl-eligible last season will be tricky.
Still, our money’s on Sonny.
PLAY ON: vs. Fresno State (9/30)

NEW MEXICO
The Lobos’ three-year bowl run ended last year when a stunning season ending loss against Air Force denied them a 4th consecutive 7-win season. Prior the defeat New Mexico had been rock-solid down the stretch, having gone 20-4 SU in their final five games of the season the last five years. Not one for excuses, Rocky Long reached out and reeled in Bob Toledo (his former boss at UCLA) as his new offensive coordinator. Hence, the Lobos will be installing a new system in 2006, once that brought two conference titles to the Bruins during Toledo’s reign. A hungry wolf, with seven home games, should find its way back to the bowl scene in ’06.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. Colorado State (10/28)

SAN DIEGO ST
Former Iowa quarterback and Oklahoma assistant coach Chuck Long has landed his first Division 1-A head coaching opportunity and he’s landed in San Diego. “I’m excited to be an Aztec. This program is ready to break out and we are going to make it happen this year,” exclaims Long. If experience is a factor it won’t hurt knowing that Long’s former team owned no less then five Top 6 finishes. Spring camp featured low scoring games as defense ruled the day. Eight starters return from last year’s stop-unit knowing they’ll be counted on heavily to turn this ship around. Especially knowing they take on seven bowlers from last season.
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Wyoming (11/4)

TCU
Averaging more than 8.5 wins per season, and on the heels of an 11- win effort last year, TCU opted to extend the contract of head coach Gary Patterson through 2012. Rightfully so, we may add, as the Frogs enter the 2006 season on a 10-game win streak, 2nd only to Texas’ 20- game skein. The Froggies are loaded with returning starters, welcoming back their top two running backs, four of their top five wide receivers and quarterback Jeff Ballard (8-0 as a starter). In addition, the Frogs look to benefit tremendously from having played no less than 21 tadpoles (freshmen) last season. These days the name of their web site says it all – GoFrogs.
PLAY ON: as dog vs.Texas Tech (9/16)

UNLV
If experience is a good teacher then Mike Sanford should be promoted to a professorship. His rookie season on the sidelines with the Rebels was wrought with injuries. This year’s squad opens healthy with 20 seniors dotting the roster. In addition, invaluable experience was learned after adapting to Sanford’s new shotgun spread offense last season. “I’m excited about this schedule. There are a lot of positives. We had a tough hurdle to overcome with only one home game out of the first five (last season),” exclaimed Sanford. Meanwhile, a three-way battle for quarterbacking honors was underway in spring camp. Experience has taught us many a good lesson. It’s also taught us to pass on teams like these.
PASS

UTAH
Understand this… no team in college football is as deep at quarterback than the Utes. JR. QB Brian Johnson, 2nd team all-MAC in ’05, will likely battle Brett Ratliff for starting honors. Ratliff relieved Johnson when he went down with a knee-injury, guiding the team to a 2-0 finish with huge underdog wins to conclude the season. Waiting in the wings is 6’7” JR Tommy Grady, a transfer fro Oklahoma (Jason White’s backup). Last year Utah lost celebrated coach Urban Meyer and five players from the 2004 team to the NFL draft. Kyle Whittingham guided them through troubled waters with 4-1 finish to complete a winning year. They ain’t broke and we’re not fixing ‘em.
PLAY ON: vs. San Diego State (9/23)

WYOMING
A win over UCLA in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl, followed by a 4-1 start to the 2005 season, found the Cowboys kicking their spurs early on last season. Then, before you could say Mamma don’t let you babies grow up to be Cowboys, Wyoming was rode hard and put away wet en route to an 0-6 season ending collapse. Head coach Joe Glenn hopes the rash of injuries that infected his team last year will be held in check in 2006. “There is a lot of potential on this team. But that scares me…” said Glenn. There’s nothing worse than a Cowboy shaking in his boots.
PLAY ON: vs. Utah - *KEY as dog – (10/14)