MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL

THE CONFERENCE STANDINGS

The Mountain West from top to bottom:

No. 22 Texas Christian vs. Baylor: Horned Frogs ranked first in MWC in four major defensive categories last season.

Brigham Young vs. Arizona: Cougars' 10-game winning streak is second only to Boise State's 13.

Utah at Oregon State, Thursday: Neither Utah nor opponent has produced a 100-yard rusher in 13 consecutive games.

New Mexico at Texas-El Paso: Lobos are only conference team to win at least six games in each of past six seasons.

Wyoming vs. Virginia: This is the second time an Atlantic Coast Conference team has visited Wyoming. The Cowboys defeated North Carolina State 15-14 in 1961.

Colorado State vs. Colorado in Denver: Five previous meetings decided by seven points or fewer.

Air Force vs. South Carolina State: Falcons are 11-0 against Division I-AA teams.

San Diego State, off: Tailback Brandon Bornes has gone 269 rushing attempts without losing a fumble.

UNLV at Utah State, Thursday: Rebels looking for first back-to-back victories and first road win since beating BYU 24-20 on Oct. 8, 2004.

FIVE BEST PLAYERS

1. Tommy Blake, DL, TCU: A preseason All-American, according to Athlon

2. Chase Ortiz, DL, TCU: His 11 tackles for loss were second only to Blake's 16 1/2 in MWC

3. Rodney Ferguson, RB, New Mexico: Led league with 1,234 yards

4. Aaron Brown, RB, TCU: Conference leader with 143.4 all-purpose yards per game

5. Beau Bell, LB, UNLV: Named No. 1 senior inside linebacker by Gil Brandt

THEY WROTE IT ...

Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) columnist Dick Harmon, on BYU possibly going independent if the conference television package doesn't improve: "Who is going to call? ABC? ESPN -- for Tuesday and Friday night spots? And for how much money? Games could go on BYU-TV and get broad distribution, and KSL-TV could step in and pick up a ton of broadcasts. But the financial rewards would be minimal -- you can do only so much with those PBS fundraising telethons and local car dealership commercials. If you operate a $20-plus million athletic budget, you need cash. That's among reasons BYU folks aren't letting fans bring in their own popcorn, sack lunch or water to the stadium. Notre Dame has NBC because Notre Dame is who it is -- the Microsoft of the sport of football."

San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Nick Canepa, on second-year Aztecs coach Chuck Long: "Chuck Long can speak coach. But can he play coach?"

Rocky Mountain News (Denver) columnist Bernie Lincicome, on Colorado State's tough opening schedule: "There, facing (coach Sonny) Lubick and CSU in the first four games of the season, are merely heated if not hated rival Colorado, and then Pacific-10 power California, followed by road games with defending Conference USA champ Houston and the Mountain West's favorite, TCU. CU is what it always is to CSU, and the other three are all ranked by somebody, Cal as high as seventh. At what point is Lubick allowed to exhale?"

THEY SAID IT ...

Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick, on the Rams' tough early schedule: "I'm wondering if maybe they aren't trying to tell the old man something. Is it time for me to go or what?"

Air Force safety Bobby Giannini, on the defense's struggles in recent seasons: "The last three years, we've been saying we don't want to do what we did last year. I'm kind of tired of that statement."

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, on the sellout crowd for the home opener against Arizona: "Coming from being booed in my first game as a head coach in that stadium, I think it is progress."