BYU eyes conference title, BCS bowl berth

The reward for winning the Mountain West Conference is a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl.

Not that Brigham Young has anything against Las Vegas -- it's practically the Cougars' second home -- but another trip here would be a little disappointing.

BYU, of course, wants to win the Mountain West for the third consecutive season. The Cougars just hope their reward is a Bowl Championship Series game.

But even winning the top-heavy conference might not be easy. Utah and Texas Christian bring back strong teams, and New Mexico could disrupt a few opponents' seasons.

The Mountain West media chose BYU. Following is the league's order of finish, according to the media poll.

1. BRIGHAM YOUNG

Outlook: No question about the Cougars' offensive firepower. Quarterback Max Hall, running back Harvey Unga and tight end Dennis Pitta key an offense that averaged a conference-best 442.8 yards per game for a team that went 11-2. But only three defensive starters return, and BYU could have difficulty replacing defenders such as linebackers Bryan Kehl and Kelly Poppinga.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall: "We talk about (the BCS) in the context only that it's what the outside world is going to focus on."

2. UTAH

Outlook: The Utes are loaded, with eight starters returning on offense and six on defense after a 9-4 season. Injury-prone quarterback Brian Johnson, though, must stay healthy.

Coach Kyle Whittingham: "A Mountain West Conference championship is our first and foremost goal. It's eluded us the last three years. Our sights and focus are settled on that."

3. TEXAS CHRISTIAN

Outlook: Most of last season was a nightmare for the Horned Frogs, who fought off-field controversies. But they won four of their last five games to finish 8-5, and with an experienced team that includes standouts such as tailback Aaron Brown, they could be a threat even from the beginning of the season.

Coach Gary Patterson: "We had some distractions. We talked about it as a team. I think the biggest they understand is by Aug. 3, we need to solve all our off-field problems."

4. NEW MEXICO

Outlook: With quarterback Donovan Porterie, running back Rodney Ferguson and cornerback DeAndre Wright back, the Lobos won't be an easy ride for any opponent. Even so, New Mexico, which went 9-4 in 2007, appears to be a step behind the top three.

Coach Rocky Long: "When we recruited (Porterie), I thought he was going to be the guy that takes us to our first conference championship since 1964. So it's got to be in the next two years."

5. WYOMING

Outlook: Coach Joe Glenn is feeling heat after a 5-7 finish, the third year in a row the Cowboys failed to post a winning record. But Wyoming has enough talent to make a run at a bowl if it can solve its inconsistency at quarterback.

Glenn: "It's time to get over the hump at Wyoming."

6. AIR FORCE

Outlook: The Falcons were last year's surprise team, and it would be shocking if they match that 9-4 record. Their two best players are gone -- quarterback Shaun Carney and wide receiver Chad Hall.

Coach Troy Calhoun: "I think by and large, rarely are there going to be years we're picked high. That's the nature of the beast. And ultimately, the key is the way it is played out. Last year, we were (picked) seventh or eighth."

7. SAN DIEGO STATE

Outlook: San Diego State had one of the league's top quarterbacks last season in Kevin O'Connell and still went 4-8. How will the Aztecs be better without him?

Coach Chuck Long: "We put the ball in Kevin's hands last year just because of his ability to run the ball as well as throw it. You offset that this year, we don't have as much mobility at quarterback, so we want to give it to our running backs more. It's that simple."

8. COLORADO STATE

Outlook: Steve Fairchild has the difficult task of replacing long-time Rams coach Sonny Lubick, who turned the program into an almost annual contender. Eight starters on offense and six on defense return, so Fairchild gets an experienced team, even if it is coming off a 3-9 season.

Fairchild: "We just hope to build on what Sonny has done. He's a legend, and I'm going to follow him a little bit, but we'll get to work and see where we can go."

9. UNLV

Outlook: A 6-29 overall record, including 2-10 last year, puts the heat on coach Mike Sanford. In Sanford's favor, this might be his best team, with tailback Frank Summers and wide receiver Ryan Wolfe back, and a promising young quarterback in Omar Clayton.

Sanford: "We've had by far the best summer since I've been at UNLV. All of it has to do with these guys' leadership. They've had workouts on their own where the whole team's been there two and three times a week."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.