2006 Buffalo College Football Predictions

Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.  Get a $500 bonus when you sign up for a new account at BetUS and make an initial deposit of $500 or more!

#117 – Buffalo Bulls 1-10 SU; 5-5-1 ATS

Fargo’s Take The Turner Gill era begins in Buffalo this season and it looks like it’s going to be a very rough beginning. The Bulls had only one victory in 2005 and there simply is not enough talent to turn this team around in a short time frame. Buffalo had one of the most anemic offenses in the nation last year, averaging only 10 ppg and 279.5 ypg, 118th and 114th in the country respectively. The start to the season was one of the worst ever as the Bulls managed three points in its first three games combined before “exploding” for 21 points against Western Michigan. The cupboard isn’t bare but it certainly isn’t stocked and if the Bulls want to improve on that one victory, more points on the scoreboard is priority one. Gill, unlike former coach Jim Hofher, is offensive minded and should be able to make improvements right away. Defensively, the Bulls were respectable, finishing 60th in total defense but good efforts went unnoticed due to the offensive inefficiencies. Expect more of the same in 2006 and not many money line college football picks from us on Buffalo..

Returning Starters on Offense – 8 The offense returns a majority of the starters from 2005 but that isn’t something the Bulls faithful should be getting excited about. Buffalo is sure to be better on that side of the ball with Gill in the mix but he will certainly have his work cut out for him. The offense got into the redzone only 26 times last season and making matters even worse, it managed to score points in only 14 of those drives. Sophomore Drew Willy took over at quarterback last season after the first three games when the team averaged only one ppg so there is experience behind center. The running game will be decent but the offensive line is the concern as three long time starters are gone.

Returning Starters on Defense – 5 The unit performed well at times but it was a sitting duck a lot of the time. The horrendous offense and poor special teams put the defense is a hole most of the time, allowing a lot of points and a horrendous 90.9% redzone success rate. The Bulls will have a new look this season, going for the traditional 4-3 alignment which will certainly put the pressure on the defensive line that does not return one starter from last season. The linebackers and safeties will be the core of the group. An extremely misleading stat from last season is that Buffalo finished the season 10th in the country in passing defense but that was because it was always behind and teams simply didn’t have the need to throw.

Schedule A MAC schedule can be good or bad depending on the draw and Buffalo’s is not good. The Bulls face three of the four powerhouse teams, missing only Toledo, with two of those games coming on the road. Unlike most early season schedules, Buffalo starts out with three straight conference games so a lot will be known right away on how much offseason progress the Bulls have made. Non-conference games at Auburn, at Boston College and at Wisconsin promises a 0-3 record but they are spread out enough that they aren’t going to do much damage to the confidence as each is followed by a conference home game which are all winnable to a point.

You can bet on… Similar to its opening opponent Temple, game one of the Gill era is a huge one for Buffalo. A win at home would put the team in first place in the MAC for a couple weeks at least and would provide some great momentum heading out on the road. A loss could be detrimental since Temple doesn’t beat anyone and if the Bulls are a victim, it could be lights out early. Buffalo covered half of its games last season and went 3-2 against the number when getting more than three touchdowns including a 2-0 mark at home. We will certainly see some big numbers again this season and with an offense that has the ability to be better, the Bulls could get over the hump and become a profitable team.

Give yourself a great chance to beat the NCAA football lines this season with the free college football picks that our cappers provide every week.  When you are ready to take it up a notch, they also offer expert football picks on many games throughout the season!

College Football Coaching Changes in 2006

We want to keep you posted on the 2006 college football coaching changes. This is one of the keys to being a successful handicapper this fall and you must constantly keep appraised of what is happening week in and week out.  If you are ready to try your hand at beating the college football odds, get signed up for a new account with BetUS and take advantage of a $500 match bonus on your first deposit of $500 or more.

Their were a total of 23 schools which entered the 2005 season with new head coaches last year (see Wednesday’s Notes in the archives on how they fared). There were only 10 new hires this year but then with the tragic death of Northwestern’s Randy Walker over the summer, this year’s “coaching carousel” grew to 11. In a special weekend edition of Ness Notes, I’ll preview all 11 schools and coaches.

The 23 coaching changes of last year broke down like this. There were 10 schools bringing in coaches with previous experience and 13 schools which were giving their ‘guys’ their first head coaching job at the Division I-A level. Among this year’s group of 11 changes, just two schools have hired guys with previous head coaching experience.

The short list includes Dan Hawkins, who left Boise State to take the Colorado job and Dennis Erickson, who’s had numerous college and NFL jobs (most recently as the 49ers head coach) and this year makes a return visit to Idaho (coached there from 1982-85). What follows is this year coaching changes, listed alphabetically by school.

Boise State (Chris Peterson): Peterson has been Boise’s OC the last five years and he’s been an integral part of a team that’s averaged 41.3 PPG during that span, including an impressive 48.9 PPG in 2004. While the school’s best-known as a passing team, it should be noted that the Broncos have ranked in the top-25 nationally in rushing yards for three of the last four years. Boise saw two 31-game winning streaks end in last year’s 9-4 (6-5-1) season.

It’s 31-game WAC winning streak ended on November 12 at Fresno State (27-7) and the school’s 31-game home winning streak ended in the MPC Bowl, when Boston College held on the beat the Broncos on their famed “Blue Turf”, 27-21. Since 1999, the Broncos are 45-2 SU at home and 30-11 ATS. Looking ahead to this year’s schedule, Boise opens at home on a Thursday night with Oregon State (note: Boise is 1-10 SU and 2-6-1 ATS all-time vs Pac-10 schools).

Other tough spots will be at Utah on 9/30, a home rematch with Fresno State on November 1 (prior to LY’s loss, Boise was 4-0 SU and ATS vs Fresno since 2001, outscoring them 166-84)and at Nevada on November 21 (Wolf Pack tied with Boise for last year’s WAC title at 7-1 and have gone 10-2 SU at home in 2004 and 2005). There’s little reason to believe that the Broncos will miss a beat with Peterson in charge.

Buffalo (Turner Gill): Gill spent 17 years at Nebraska as its QB (three years) and then in various roles as an assistant. The Cornhuskers record during that time was 176-38. So Buffalo will certainly be a “shock to the system.” The Bulls joined Division I-A in 1999 and have won a total of just 10 games, never winning more than two MAC games in any year. After an 0-11 1999 season, the team won twice in 2000 and three time in 2002 before going a combined 5-41 (18-25-1) these last four seasons.

Last year’s 1-10 team (6-5 ATS) averaged a meager 10 PPG while allowing 29.7 PPG. However that total was down from the three previous seasons, in which the defense allowed 31.9, 37.1 and 34.7 PPG. Turner will be installing new schemes on both sides of the ball this year and has the second-fewest returning starters of any MAC team, so don’t expect too much more from Buffalo this year.

Two games of note are the team’s opener on August 31 at home vs Temple and an October 21 visit to Ohio U. In Temple, the Bison face a team which went 0-11 last year and will bring a 12-game losing streak into the game and Ohio is coached by Frank Solich. Solich is a former Nebraska player and long-time assistant plus was the team’s head coach from 1998 through 2003 and Gill worked as one of his assistants during that time.

Colorado (Dan Hawkins): Hawkins spent the last five years at Boise State compiling an impressive 53-10 mark. His .841 winning percentage is No. 1 among active coaches and his 53 wins are fourth-most ever by a coach in his first five seasons at a major school. He dominated the WAC while at Boise, going 37-3 and winning four league titles.

He takes over a Colorado team which has won three Big-12 North titles in the last four seasons but one which has nowhere near the talent of Big-12 South powers Texas and Oklahoma. Hawkins is a great hire but he has just five returning starters on offense and anywhere from six to eight on defense. The Buffs open with Montana State but then face Colorado State on September 9.

The favorite in this game is just 1-9 ATS the last 10 years and it’s back at a neutral site (Invesco Field) after two consecutive years of playing in Boulder (Colorado won both games by three points in non-covers). Colorado visits Georgia on September 23 (Hawkins took Boise there last year and lost 48-13!) plus plays in Norman on October 21 and Lincoln on November 24.

Idaho (Dennis Erickson): Erickson is just 40-56 in six seasons as an NFL head coach (four years with the Seahawks and two with the 49ers). However, he’s 145-56-1 in the college ranks with stops in Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami and Oregon State. He won two national titles in Miami and led Oregon State to an 11-1 season and BCS Bowl (41-9 Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame) in 2000.

In his second tour of duty at Idaho, he takes over a team that’s gone 11-47 these last five years and 23-29-2 ATS. Erickson has wanted to get back in the college ranks since being fired by the 49ers in 2004 but many schools shied away because of his past problems with the NCAA. However, this was a “no-brainer” for Idaho, which brings in a “big-name” coach. Erickson will take his Vandals to Pullman on September 9 to face Washington State (he coached there from 1987-88) and to Corvallis on September 23 to play Oregon State (1999-2002).

Middle Tennessee State (Rick Stockstill): Stockstill has been a 17-year assistant at the Division I-A level, 14 years at Clemson (under Danny Ford, Ken Hatfield, Tommy West and Tommy Bowden). He’s spent the last two years at South Carolina, under Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier. He takes over a team that many felt was as talented as any team in the SBC last year but the Blue Raiders went just 4-7. In fact, the team is just 17-29 (21-23) the last four years.

The team hung tough at both Alabama and North Carolina State last year and went into Vanderbilt and beat the Commodores 17-15, a loss that kept Vandy from its first bowl bid since 1982. Nine offensive starters return and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blue Raiders posted their first winning record since going 8-3 in 2001. However, the Blue Raiders may have to pull off an upset in one of these games to pull that off. They are at Maryland (9/9), at Oklahoma (9/23), in Nashville to meet Louisville (10/6) and at South Carolina (11/18).

Sunday’s notes continues my preview of CFB’s 2006 coaching carousel. Listed below are six of 2006’s new head coaches and the teams they’ll lead. See yesterday’s notes for the other five.

Kansas State (Ron Prince): Prince is just 36 years old and has never been a head coach at any level (Division I-A assistant these last five years). He was the OC at Virginia most recently and he’s known as a great recruiter. He’s got big shoes to fill, as Bill Snyder stepped down last year after a remarkable career at Manhattan.

Snyder took over arguably the worst program in the nation back in 1989 and then led the Wildcats to 11 straight bowl games from 1993 through 2003, contending for the national title in four seasons. However, the Wildcats have gone 4-7 and 5-6 these last two seasons, so Prince’s timing is pretty good. He’s got 17 returning starters and a quick look at the schedule shows his team could easily open 5-1.

The Wildcats open the year with four consecutive home games and get to play Illinois State, Florida Atlantic and Marshall in Manhattan before Louisville comes to town on September 30. They then open their Big-12 schedule with a visit to Baylor and another home game with Oklahoma State. Snyder didn’t lead the Wildcats to a bowl game until his fifth season at Kansas State but it’s likely Prince will do so in his first year at Manhattan.

Northwestern (Pat Fitzgerald): Randy Walker was about to enter his eighth season as head coach of the Wildcats in 2006. His career record at Northwestern was just 37-46 (41-37-2 ATS) but he had led the Wildcats to three bowls during his first seven years in Evanston, including a Sun Bowl appearance last season against UCLA. The Wildcats had taken on one of the nation’s toughest schedules last year and still went 7-5. Even with the loss of QB Brett Basanez, a workable September schedule and 13 returning starters (including super sophomore RB Tyrell Sutton) made it likely the Wildcats would be bowl-eligible again this year.

Then came the sudden death of Walker and on July 7, the naming of 31-year-old Pat Fitzgerald as the team’s new head coach. Fitzgerald was a star on the school’s two Big-10 title teams of the mid 90s and becomes the youngest coach in Division I-A this year. Who really knows how the program will react but as mentioned earlier, the Wildcats do an a chance to start fast. They open at Walker’s old school Miami-Ohio on August 31 and then play home games against New Hampshire and Eastern Michigan. If the team can settle on a QB by then, a Friday night visit to Reno to play Nevada (10-2 at home these last two years), is winnable.

The Big-10 schedule comes next, opening with road games at Penn State and Wisconsin. I’m not sure the team can match it’s 5-3 league mark of last year, so opening at least 3-1 (4-0 would be nice) is a must. It will be hard not to root for Fitzgerald and the Wildcats this year.

Rice (Todd Graham): Graham was the DC at Tulsa these last three years, working under Steve Kragthorpe. All Tulsa did in the last three years is go from seasons of 1-10 and 1-11 in 2001 and 2002 to 8-5 in ‘03 (bowl appearance) plus after a 4-8 year in ‘04, to 9-4 last year. Last year’s team won the C-USA title game and the Liberty Bowl, 31-24 over Fresno State. Graham takes over for Ken Hatfield, who produced just three winning seasons in 12 years.

Rice has some of the most stringent academic standards for its athletes of any Division I-A school, so it’s not surprising the school’s last bowl appearance came in 1961. Graham has brought in former Texas QB Major Applewhite as his OC and this run-oriented team will try to install a passing offense. Pass offenses with option personnel rarely work, so expect Rice to struggle this year. However, since the team went 1-10 (3-8 ATS) in 2005, things can’t get much worse.

Rice opens with cross-town rival Houston on September 2 and if the Owls lose that one (are 9-23 against the Cougars), they’ll likely open 0-4, at least. The Owls follow their season-opener with a trip to UCLA, a game with Texas at Reliant Stadium and a visit to Tallahassee to play Florida State. Rice has averaged more than 100 YPG through the air just two times since 2000, averaging 122 YPG in 2001 and a meager 103 YPG last year. This will take awhile.

San Diego State (Chuck Long): Long is best remembered for finishing a close second to Bo Jackson in the 1985 Heisman race. However, he’s spent the last 11 years as an assistant, first at Iowa (his alma mater) and recently at Oklahoma, where he was first the QB coach and then the team’s OC. He takes over for Tom Craft, who led the Aztecs to a 19-29 record these last four years (22-21-2 ATS). San Diego State last had a winning season in 1998, finishing 7-5 (including a 20-13 Las Vegas Bowl loss to North Carolina).

Long is a good hire for this underachieving program which is the only MWC team since the conference’s inception in 1999 that’s not gone to a bowl game. Lynell Hamilton (if healthy?) is a talented RB and QB O’Connell should get better under Long’s direction. The defense should be much better this year and last year’s team was better than its 5-7 mark (outscored conference foes by 22 points). It would be no surprise if the Aztecs were to make it to 7-5 in 2006.

Temple (Al Golden): While UVa’s OC Ron Prince takes over at Kansas State, its DC Al Golden, takes over the job at Temple (I’d rather be Ron!). Temple will again play as an independent, moving to the MAC in 2007. Temple is coming off a year in which it went 0-11 and got outscored by an average of 45-10 but the Owls actually went 5-6 ATS in 2005 (now that’s trick!). Bobby Wallace went 19-71 in his eight years at Temple, so Golden doesn’t exactly have big shoes to fill.

Consider this fact, Temple has not had a winning season in 15 years and has not even topped four wins in a season since 1990. This year’s schedule will again be tough but it can’t be any worse than last year’s, as nine of the team’s 11 opponents were bowl-eligible by season’s end. Temple averaged a pathetic 9.7 PPG on offense and allowed a dreadful 45.3 PPG on defense. I guess the good news is that only two starters return on the defensive side of the ball.

Temple visits Buffalo (see Buffalo write-up in Part 1) to open the season on August 31 and if the Owls don’t win there, the next best chance at a win won’t come until a home game with Kent State (1-10 in 2005) on October 7. Wins should be few (and possibly far between) in 2006 but there may be a couple of wins for Golden in his first year.

Wisconsin (Brett Bielema): Like Prince at Kansa State (Bill Snyder), Bielema takes over at Wisconsin for the school’s most successful head coach, Barry Alaverz. If not for the sudden hiring of Fitzgerald at Northwestern, Bielema (at 36 years-old), would have the youngest Big-10 coach this season, by 15 years!

Alvarez led the Badgers to 11 bowls in his 17 years, going 8-3 in those games and 118-73-4 in his tenure. Bielema is his hand-picked successor and while he’ll have an experienced defense back, the offense loses eight starters from a squad that averaged a school-record 34.3 PPG in 2005. Brain Calhoun is the biggest loss (1636 rushing yards / 571 receiving yards / 24 TDs) but QB John Stocco is back.

Wisconsin needs to start fast, opening with Bowling Green in Cleveland on September 2 (LY’s score was 56-42 Wisconsin!) and then home to Western Michigan plus San Diego State. The Badgers open Big-10 play with a road game at Michigan but then play at Indiana plus home to Northwestern and Minnesota. It would come as no surprise if the Badgers start 5-1 this year. Wisconsin won’t win 10 games like last year but a winning record and a bowl bid is likely.

Make sure you factor in these coaching changes before making any college football picks this fall.  Check out this week’s free football picks to get a feel for who can win for you this season.

MAC College Football Predictions 2006

The 2006 MAC predictions show a conference that is always a threat to the BCS schools. If you want to know about each individual team then let handicapping expert Marc Lawrence be your guide.  Our cappers also offer a great selection of free college football picks each week!

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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)

Get more winning football predictions right here at College Football Free Picks.  You won’t find more expert college football picks anywhere online.

2006 Mountain West Conference NCAA Football 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 NCAA football picks packages.  Looking for somewhere to beat the college football lines this season?  Try out BetUS this season and take advantage of a $500 match bonus on new accounts depositing $500 or more!

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)

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2006 PAC 10 College Football Predictions

With USC once again reigning supreme, our 2006 Pac 10 predictions show the boys from Troy riding high all the way to the BCS once again. With Marc Lawrence giving the run down on each team in the league, we want you to feel comfortable betting this conference this season. If you want weekly help, then check out one of his college football picks packages.  There’s no better way to beat the NCAA football odds this season than with this special $500 match bonus offer from BetUS!

As it turns out a ‘Three-Peat’ wasn’t in the cards for USC but make no mistake, the Trojans will be going all-in in 2006. Opposition aplenty comes calling in the PAC 10 as programs that were down last year are back up again this season. Fasten your seat belts for a high scoring, wide-open race in the Wild West.

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

ARIZONA
Thanks to Mike Stoops, the times are changing in the desert. According to the 2006 media guide: ‘for the first time in his tenure the roster is peopled by those who believe. The 2006 Cats are a bowl team. The players believe it. The coaching staff believes it’. Seventeen returning starters, including sensational sophomore QB Willie Tuitama, are anxious to get it on. They’ve penciled a rematch against Washington as a top-priority game on this year’s itinerary. “The way the kids play says a lot about who we are. To me, we played the worst game in Arizona football history against Washington… That’s something that still lingers with me,” commented Stoops. We believe him.
PLAY ON: vs. Washington – *KEY – (9/30)

ARIZONA STATE
Scoring points has never been a problem since Dirk Koetter’s arrival to Tempe five seasons ago, averaging 31.5 PPG. Ask Koetter how he feels about his chances this season and he responds, “I’m the happiest guy in America. We have two great quarterbacks… it’s the greatest thing in the world.” The cause for enjoyment is 6’4” 240 lb SR QB Sam Keller, who tossed for 2,165 yards and 20 TD’s in only six games before closing down with a thumb injury last year. His backup, freshman Rudy Carpenter, closed out 4-1 with a QB rating of 175.0 – the highest in the nation. WR T-Rich (Terry Richardson) looks to clean up in ’06.
PLAY ON: vs. Oregon (9/30)

CALIFORNIA
Four was the operative number for the Bears last season when they went 8-4 overall, including 4-4 in the PAC 10, good for 4th place in the conference. Look for those numbers to improve dramatically in 2006 as 53 lettermen are back, including former starting QB Nate Longshore, who was injured-and-out during the first game of the season last year. Virtually every offensive skill player returns as well. “We’re a different team this season. We are a year older after being very young last season… there is a lot of potential in a lot of places,” understates head coach Jeff Tedford. With QB Joe ‘The Boob’ headed back to the bench, we’ll color this team DANGEROUS.
PLAY ON: vs. UCLA – *KEY as dog – (11/4)

OREGON
Oregon epitomized a ‘team on a mission’ last season, going 10-2 after a 5-6 effort in 2004. They’ll be put to the test again in ’06 as they lose their starting quarterback and running backs. Mike Riley only hopes that doesn’t denote the Ducks’ have been ‘gaggled’. Riley also remembers that were it not for a humiliating home loss against USC, the Ducks would have instead been undefeated and not BCS bowl snubbed at season’s end. He also knows his teams have averaged a mind-boggling 30 PPG in their 56 road games under his lead. Yes, they travel well. Look for the ‘skein’ to continue.
PLAY ON: vs. Southern Cal (11/11)

OREGON STATE
A 3-6 finish dashed any hopes the Beavers had of 4th straight bowl appearance last season. Directly attributable to their demise was a defense that collapsed nearly 100 yards from the 2005 club. Head coach Mike Riley will rely on the return of all four defensive backs in hopes of shoring up that unit. On the other side of the ball Riley welcomes back all five of his starting offensive linemen, in addition to an award winning place kicker in Alex Serna. Meanwhile Matt Moore, the incumbent, will battle Ryan Gunderson for starting honors in a well-fortified quarterback battle. OSU’s 20-0 mark at home in non-conference clashes catches our attention.
PLAY ON: vs. Idaho (9/23)

SOUTHERN CAL
Pete Carroll’s plea for three fell just short in a last second loss to Texas in the BCS title game in what was perhaps the most exciting game of the season (sans Notre Dame and USC). Gone are Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Linehart, along with a handful of others now employed in the NFL. He does have 56 lettermen back however, half of which who were on last year’s season-ending two-deep squad. “There’s no denying we lost a lot of outstanding players from the 2005 team… but this in not an unfamiliar situation for us,” warns Carroll. Remember, the last time USC lost a game it went on to win its next 34.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. Notre Dame (11/25)

STANFORD
Walt Harris’ return to the Bay area seemed like a natural fit. His west-coast offense looked like a perfect fit in the PAC 10. With 10 starters back on offense, points-a-plenty looked to be the order of the day. Somewhere long the way something went awry. Terribly awry. An embarrassing home loss to Division 1-AA Cal Davis (first loss in 114-year history to a non-Division 1-A school) set the table. When the dust settled Stanford’s offense ranked No. 101 in the land as they were outstatted in all but one game. Like last year, 10 starters are back again on offense, this time with the entire line in tact. It’s take-two for the red-faced Cardinal.
PLAY ON: vs. Oregon (9/2)

UCLA
Disappointing finishes seem to be the order at UCLA where the Bruins have seen many a good season ruined down the stretch. Last year was no different when, after an 8-0 start, Karl Dorrell’s troops closed out 2-2 to cap off a 10-win campaign. That actually ‘improved’ their mark in games from November out to 8-18 SUATS since 2000 (note: they are 0-10 SU in these games against foes with a win percentage of .666 or greater). Meanwhile new assistant head coach Jim Colletto, former head honcho at Purdue, will be working with prized recruit, 6’5” Sophomore QB Ben Olson, the top quarterback in the 2002 class. Big Ben, you’re on the clock.
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Arizona State – *KEY as favorite – (11/18)

WASHINGTON
Who would’ve ever thunk it. Three wins the last two years from a former football factory that saw an eight-year bowl run come to a grinding halt in 2003. Tyrone Willingham’s first year at the throttle showed feint, if not moderate, improvement. “Last year we couldn’t tell you that we knew our players, nor could our players tell you that they truly knew us,” surmised Willingham. Fourteen returning starters, including QB Saiah Stanback and their top two running backs, key the attack. Improvement looms under the Ham’s honey baked approach, if for no other reason, as we said last year, there’s nowhere to go but up for this downtrodden program.
PLAY ON: vs.Oklahoma (9/9)

WASHINGTON STATE
On the heels of back-to-back losing seasons, it was a good-news/bad- news scenario for the Cougars last year. The good news came about when their offense came alive, improving 120 YPG. The bad news – you guessed it – was a 76 YPG slippage by the defense. Bill Doba, who lost his wife to cancer this spring, was the defensive coordinator at WSU before assuming the head coaching reins. He knows better than anyone the importance of needing to re-tool his defense (they allowed 589 YPG over a 4-game losing span last year) should they wish to regain their winning ways. A 0-12 log during October under Doba finds us flipping the calendar for now.
PASS

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2006 SEC College Football Predictions

Stay on top of one of the toughest conferences in college football with our 2006 SEC predictions. Marc Lawrence feels like this is going to be one tough league once again and amateur bettors will be eaten alive if they are not careful. That is why we recommend one of his college football picks packages so you can rest assured you are making the most out of your betting this season.  For anyone who plans to do any NCAA football betting throughout this season, even if you already have a sportsbook account, you should open a new account with BetUS and deposit $500 or more.  If you do, they ll automatically add another $500 to your account!

Make no mistake about it. Football is large in the SEC. It’s a conference that has led the nation in attendance 25 straight years and has seen five teams finish in the Top-25 each of the last three seasons. A 30-12 mark outside the league last year has certainly stamped the SEC as a conference to recognize.

Here is my take on the SEC CONFERENCE for 2006. Enjoy…

ALABAMA
Head coach Mike Shula is banking on last year’s upset win in the Cotton Bowl as a confidence-building catalyst for 2006. Actually, he should be thanking the schedule maker as nine of the Tide’s first ten games are littered with losing teams from 2005. Departed is team MVP QB Brodie Croyle, who has moved on to the NFL. SR Marc Guillon and SOPH John Parker Wilson will battle to fill his shoes. The good news is star RB Kenneth Darby decided to spurn the lure of leaving early for the NFL draft and return instead for his senior season. Thanks to the aforementioned ‘Charmin’ schedule, the Tide could be on a roll in ’06.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. Tennessee (10/21)

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ARKANSAS
Not even the emergence of sophomore QB Casey Dick was enough to put the Hogs over the top in 2005 as Houston Nutt finished 5-6 for the second straight season. Dick replaced QB Robert Johnson for the final four games of the year and figures to be behind center in ’06. [It did lead to the best headline of the year though: NUTT YANKS JOHNSON, INSERTS DICK] The good news is 53 lettermen are back, including19 starters. We also note that during his tenure, no team in the SEC has more home wins than Nutt’s Hogs. Eight home games in ’06 insures their return to the post-season.
PLAY ON: vs. South Carolina (11/4)

AUBURN
A 9-3 season is considered a downer if you are either Bobby Bowden or were undefeated the previous season. Assuredly, Tommy Tuberville is not Bowden but his team was 12-0 in 2004. “We had a target on our back all year with a perfect season the year before…This group has a chance to be pretty good. They know that,” says Tuberville. That largely due in fact to the 23 seniors dotting this year’s roster, the most ever in Tuberville’s 14-year head coaching career. Included are six all-SEC honor winners from the team that lead the conference in offense and scoring. The luxury of eight home games makes them pretty damn good.
PLAY ON: vs. LSU (9/16)

FLORIDA
2005 left its mark on the Gator football program. For openers they snapped a 3-game bowl losing skid. They were one of only eight teams in the nation to go undefeated at home. And they wrapped up the best recruiting class in the country. All good building blocks under ‘Boy Wonder’ Urban Meyer in his first year in Gainesville. His past itinerary shows sterling success in his 2nd year with past football programs as Meyer is 21-3 SU & 15-8 ATS in Year 2, including 15-0 SU & 12-2 ATS in non-conference confrontations. SR QB Chris Leak will need to improve on his 22-11 mark as a starter if Meyer is to stay on course.
PLAY ON: vs. South Carolina – *KEY off SUATS win – (11/11)

GEORGIA
Slowly but surely, Mark Richt is quietly putting up ‘Bobby Bowden- type’ numbers. Seventy-eight straight weeks in the AP Top 25 (behind only Miami and Texas), 44 wins in four seasons, 20-2 in non- conference games, 19-2 in other team’s stadiums, the only coach to beat Phil Fulmer three times in a row at Tennessee. Pretty impressive, wouldn’t you agree? And he’s been the big-dog in Athens only five years. He’ll be put to the test this season as graduation losses have hit this team hard. “I feel like we’ve got a good group of seniors coming up who are excited about the challenge of taking the lead here,” confesses Richt. We wouldn’t doubt him for a minute.
PLAY ON: vs. Auburn (11/11)

KENTUCKY
First, the bad news: By last count 17 starters and key reserves missed a combined 80 games because of injuries for the Wildcats last season. Next, the good news: Most of them are back in 2006. Because of the aforementioned injuries, head coach Rich Brooks was forced to play 14 true freshmen. Combined with the 14 starters that are back this year, you can see why Kentucky is keyed up about their prospects this season. A switch to a conventional 4-3 defense last year yielded little results overall, but improvement was made where it counted – against the rush. A return to full health should do wonders for this club. Otherwise it may be Brooks & Done.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. Mississippi State (10/28)

LSU
It’s not often a team that loses 10 of its starters from the previous season is a Top 5 pre-season choice. So it is at LSU, where Les Miles hopes his 2nd season with the Bengals is as successful as Year Two was at Oklahoma State when his Cowboys doubled both their SU & ATS numbers. Leading the charge is 6’6” JR QB LaMarcus Russell, who is 17-2 SU as a starter. And just in case his injured shoulder isn’t fully healed, backup Matt Flynn, MVP in last year’s Peach Bowl, is waiting in the wings. Eight home games await the Tigers, who were a perfect 5-0 away from home last season. Yes, they’re diggin’ Miles at El-Les-U.
PLAY ON: vs. Alabama (11/11)

MISSISSIPPI
New head coach Ed Orgeron immediately put his stamp on this program in 2005. The former defensive coordinator at Southern Cal and Syracuse quickly laid the groundwork in establishing the Rebels as a defensive force as they improved their stop-numbers 59 YPG. Unfortunately the offense went into shell, declining 65 YPG. The net result was a 3-8 record, thanks in no part to an ugly 0-4 SUATS finish. To make matters worse, Ole Miss returns in ’06 with the fewest pass attempts – 0 – among returning quarterbacks (along with New Mexico State and Texas). Zero returning defensive linemen doesn’t help, either. Too many goose eggs and not enough goose liver for our tastes.
PASS

MISSISSIPPI STATE
It’s been six years since the Bulldogs have been able to muster more than three wins in a single season. Sylvester Croom is hoping the streak ends in 2006. Aside from the luxury of seven home games, Mississippi State returns 17 starters from last year’s squad. Interestingly, last year’s starting quarterback, Omar Conner, is listed 1st on the depth chart at wide receiver this season. He yields to QB Michael Henig, a sophomore who broke into the starting lineup in Week Nine of the season last year. The defense has done their job, improving 138 YPG since Croom took over two years ago. Keep an eye on these Sly dogs.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. South Carolina (8/31)

SOUTH CAROLINA
BAR BET: name the only university in the nation with a football and basketball coach that have each won national Coach of the Year honors… South Carolina. A lot of ‘firsts’ occurred for the Gamecocks last year, including their 1st win ever in Knoxville (Vols), their 1st win against Florida since 1939, and a school record five-straight SEC wins (after an 0-3 start). Not surprisingly, all of this was achieved under the lead of the No. 1 coach in SEC annals, Steve Spurrier, whose 92-17 .844 conference record is tops in league history. The biggest blemish last year occurred when USC lost for the 4th straight year to arch rival ‘Neck Tech (Clemson). Calling Super Hero to the rescue.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. Clemson (11/25)

TENNESSEE
Caveat emptor. It could be the driving force behind the Volunteers in 2006 as they enter off an embarrassing 5-6 effort last year. For what it’s worth, Tennessee has suffered a losing season only four times since 1965, and has not endured back-to-back losing seasons since 1963-64. Their combined record the following four seasons is 32-11. Rest assured Phil Fulmer is dead set on making amends in 2006. To do so he’ll be forced to take on no less than seven bowlers for the 2nd year in a row. Behind a defense that actually improved 58 YPG last season, look for the winningest program in the SEC to exact a strong dose of revenge in ’06.
PLAY ON: vs. South Carolina (10/28)

VANDERBILT
Oh so close. The Commodores opened the season 3-0 for the first time since 1984 last year. It appeared they were a virtual lock to land their first bowl bid since 1982 when a dramatic two-point loss against Middle Tennessee State opened Pandora’s Box. Out of it came a six-game losing streak and – poof – just like that the dream turned into a nightmare. To their credit the Commies refused to throw in the towel completely when they surprised arch rival Tennessee, winning straight-up as double-digit dogs. QB Jay Cutler, the SEC Player of the Year, is now playing in the NFL. Without him, will it be horseshoes or hand grenades this year? Stay tuned.
PLAY ON: as dog vs. K

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2006 NCAA Football Predictions: Sun Belt Conference

This is a real conference on the move as will be shown by our 2006 Sun Belt predictions. One again Marc Lawrence is going to take you team by team through this conference and give you the low down on what to expect, but if you want help making your picks week after week then take a look at one of his college football picks packages. You won’t want to miss a single day of winners from this long time expert on the gridiron.

The new kids on the block continue their search for identity in 2006. In just four seasons, the league has secured a bowl win (2002 New Orleans Bowl), had multiple teams reach the postseason (2004 – North Texas and Troy) and had Troy’s Demarcus Ware chosen as the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Still, they’ve still got this ‘Louisiana Garbage Can image they’d like to kick.  For anyone who wants a chance at beating the NCAA football odds throughout this season, even if you already have a sportsbook account, you should open a new account with BetUS and deposit $500 or more.  If you do, they ll automatically add another $500 to your account!

Here is my take on the SUN BELT CONFERENCE for 2006. Coming up next: the WAC CONFERENCE. Enjoy…

ARKANSAS STATE
If more teams developed Arkansas State head coach Steve Roberts’ ‘I Will’ philosophy there would likely be an over abundance of bowl- eligible teams. ‘I Will’ became ‘We Did’ in 2005 when the Indians overachieved their way to its 1st-ever bowl game. That was the same Arkansas State squad that was ranked No. 115 in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S pre-season poll in 2005. Roberts will be put to the task this season with numerous offensive holes to fill, including a new starting quarterback and a pair of replacement running backs. Then again, last year’s team featured a lot of new faces snapping on their chin straps. Don’t count him out.
PLAY ON: vs. Army (9/2)

LA LAFAYETTE
Now here’s a non-descript team that doesn’t smell up the joint. After capturing a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship last season, head coach Rickey Bustle was inked to a contract extension through 2010, and it’s easy to understand why. His teams have increased its win percentage each season since his arrival four years ago. They lose only 13 lettermen from last year’s championship squad and, behind SR QB Jerry Babb, will face only one opponent with a winning record in 2006 (LSU in their opener). To top it off they enter this new season riding the nation’s 7th longest win streak. Not bad for a Louisiana garbage can.
PLAY ON: vs. Texas A&M (9/9)

LA MONROE
Here we go again with yet another ‘politically correct’ nickname change. In yielding to pressure from the native American Indian sovereignty, they switched from the Indians to the Warhawks. Now that’s a nice new surname saturated with serenity. It’s also reassuring knowing that when they go on the warpath (as Warhawks have been known to do) they will no longer be slighting the American Indian (sic). Meanwhile, head coach Charlie Weatherbie’s warriors have been collecting scalps on a regular basis of late as they’ve come away winners in 10 of their last 18 battles. They’d better win early and often this year as the last five games of the season are away from the reservation.
PLAY ON: vs. Louisiana Lafayette (11/25)

MID TENNESSEE STATE
On the heels of their fourth consecutive sub .500 effort, former head coach Andy McCollom was dispatched in favor of Rick Stockstill, an assistant at South Carolina the last two seasons. If Stockstill were a racehorse his blood lines would be impeccable, as he’s tutored under the likes of Steve Spurrier, Lou Holtz, Danny Ford, Tommy Bowden, Ken Hatfield and Tommy West. He’ll rely heavily on SR southpaw QB Clint Marks, who has started 21 consecutive games while completing 66% of his passes. Faced with seven road games, and a 4th new defensive coordinator in as many years, let’s hope Stockstill doesn’t buck shins in his maiden season.
PLAY ON: vs. Florida International (8/31)

NORTH TEXAS
A disastrous 2005 season, one the athletic department cares to refer to as a ‘hiccup in the rear view mirror’, saw the Eagles 26-game conference win streak snapped to shreds. In truth it was more like a Heimlich maneuver gone bad when North Texas was solidly outgained in each of their 11 contests. The not-so-mean Green Machine was absolutely pummeled outside the conference, outscored 204-26 in an 0-4 effort. The return of 50 lettermen, along with16 starters, should help the healing process. RB Jamario Thomas will need to return to his 2004 form when he lead the nation in rushing. Otherwise it will be another difficult season to swallow.
PLAY ON: vs. Florida Atlantic (11/18)

TROY
Like many of the ‘big-name’ schools that suffer a losing season, Troy has a tendency to bounce back up off the carpet the following year. In his 16 season with the Trojans, head coach Larry Blakeney has suffered through only four losing years. His teams are 24-11 combined the following season. He’ll be put to the test early on in 2006 when his team opens on the road in four of their initial five games. They will also have to overcome a seven-game road itinerary. To their credit, Troy was the No.1 ranked team in total defense in the Sun Belt Conference last season. Unfortunately, they ranked dead- last in red-zone efficiency on both sides of the ball.
PLAY ON: vs. Louisiana Monroe (10/21)

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2006 WAC College Football Predictions

Here are the 2006 WAC predictions courtesy of Marc Lawrence. If you are looking for a quality handicapper this fall then try picking up one of his college football picks packages. You won’t want to miss a single day of winners from this long time winner.

I’ll bet you didn’t know in the last four years the WAC owns the 2nd best win percentage of all conferences in bowl games (8-6). In addition, the top three teams in the league own 140 victories since 2001, the 4th best mark of top-trio teams in all other conferences in the land (better than the Big 10). Things aren’t as wacky in the WAC as you might have imagined.  Don’t miss out on this limited-time $500 match bonus from BetUS.  It’s for players that want to start beating the college football lines this year.

Here is my take on the WAC CONFERENCE for 2006. Enjoy…

BOISE STATE
The biggest question surrounding this program is, ‘Was Dan the man, or is it the magical blue-smurf turf’ that has accounted for Boise State’s lofty status in Division 1-A football this decade? (Boise’s 63 wins is topped by only three other teams this decade) Gone is head coach Dan Hawkins, the new Colorado mentor. In his stead is Chris Peterson, former Broncos’ OC, and a finalist for the Frank Broyles award (recognizing the nation’s top assistant coach) in 2002 and 2004. Peterson will enjoy the luxury of having 18 returning starters at his disposal, including star QB Jared Zabransky, a senior who has started 25 straight games (20-5). Don’t buck these Broncos.
PLAY ON: vs. Fresno State (11/1)

FRESNO STATE
Anyone. Anytime. Anywhere. That is Pat Hill’s philosophy when it comes to squaring off against the opposition. In his nine years with the Bulldogs Hill has take on 44 non-conference opponents, only 15 at home (he’s 26-12 ATS those games, including 7-0 ATS with revenge). He lost 4-year starting QB Paul Pinegar and all-WAC DE Garrett McIntyre to the NFL draft, meaning there are some serious holes to plug in 2006. Their 7-game bowl streak is the longest of any West Coast team. Even minus McIntyre, we especially like the fact this defense has improved each of the last three years. They’re also 46-10 SU from November out under Hill, and that’s against Anyone. Anytime. Anywhere.
PLAY ON: vs. Oregon (9/9)

HAWAII
From an empty cupboard to Overstock.com, Warriors’ head coach June Jones is happy to be logging on in 2006. Last year Hawaii featured a mere nine returning starters and, as a result, missed out on a bowl bid for the first time in four years. This season the Grass Skirts return a walloping 61 lettermen, including 15 starters from last year’s 5-7 edition. In addition, eight home games should virtually guarantee a return to the post-season. Junior QB Colt Brennan is back after establishing 11 school records while leading the nation in total offensive yards last season. It looks to be bombs away in Pearl Harbor in ’06.
PLAY ON: vs. Nevada (10/7)

IDAHO
Like the Prodigal Son, Dennis Erickson has returned home. It all began in Moscow (Idaho, that is) for Erickson back in 1982 when he took the reins of the then Division 1-AA Vandals. Twenty-four years later, Erickson brings 17 years (and a glossy 145-56-1 SU & 80-59-4 ATS record) of college football, and six years of NFL head coaching experience, to his old home. Ironically, he’ll open the 2006 season against former UI coach John L. Sullivan when his team travels to Michigan State. In addition, he’ll also take on two former employers when he visits Oregon State and Washington State in PAC 10 action. Who says you can never return home?
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Michigan State (9/2)

LOUISIANA TECH
It seems you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The Bulldogs were hitting on all cylinders at season’s end last year with wins in five of their final six games. Unfortunately blowout losses in their first two non-conference road games left them unappealing to bowl scouts. In seven years behind head coach Jack Bicknell, La Tech has tackled 31 bowl teams, 24 BCS opponents and 20 teams residing in the Top 15. It will be nothing different in 2006 when they open the season on the road in four of their first five games against the likes of Nebraska, Texas A&M, Clemson and Boise State. Some dogs never learn.
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Clemson (9/30)

NEVADA
Back for his 3rd term at Nevada, Chris Ault (177-73-1 career) captured his 8th conference championship with the Wolf Pack last year. Not only did they lead the nation in Time of Possession (33:12), they extended the nation’s longest active scoring streak to 304 games. This is definitely a program on the rise and it shows. They return 14 starters from last year’s championship squad, plus a starter in 2004, offensive lineman (J.J. Milan), who sat out last year with an injury. If they get by their initial four games (all versus bowlers) they can literally write another bowl bid in 2006. Rest assured they’ll come out on the attack.
PLAY ON: vs. Colorado State (9/16)

NEW MEXICO STATE
Yikes. The Aggies foray into the WAC last year was a total disaster as they not only failed to win game throughout the entire season, but also went 0-8 ATS in conference play. It has Hal Mumme scratching his head wondering what went wrong. For starters, his ‘air-raid’ offense simply couldn’t overcome the nation’s worst defense. That needs to be addressed in a major way. The new signal caller will be 6’ 6” QB Chase Holbrook, a transfer from SE Louisiana, who came in with Mumme last year. Keep this thought in mind: teams that were winless the previous season are 14-3-2 ATS at home against a foe off a SU underdog win since 1982. We’ll be watching.
PASS

SAN JOSE STATE
Veteran head coach Dick Tomey did an admirable job in his first year with the Spartans last season, winning both of their final two games of the season while improving the offense and the defense. He’ll look to build on the season-ending victories behind eight returning starters on offense and the benefit of seven home games in 2006. More than that, though, is Tomey’s Marine-like approach to defense. Last year’s unit allowed 112 fewer points than the team he inherited, making San Jose one of eleven teams to yield 110 or fewer points in 2005. The defensive line was gutted, making his approach even more challenging in ’06.
PASS

UTAH STATE
When does playing seven road games in the same season prove to be an advantage? When you’re doing it for the 3rd time in four years. FYI: teams playing in their 7th road game of the year are 57-76-4 ATS, including 27-52-3 ATS without revenge. Second year head coach Brent Guy, a former defensive coordinator at Arizona State, welcomes back a compliment of offensive skill people. Better yet, Guy played 20 freshmen in 2005, 12 of whom started at least one game, He will need to find a go-to running back, however, as a player other than a RB lead the team in rushing nine of eleven games last season. Bret’s our guy.
PLAY ON: vs. Louisiana Tech (10/21)

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