2009 Conferences in Review: #7 Mountain West

The Mountain West Conference occupies #7 in my 2009 Conference Rankings.

2009 Conference Champion: TCU Horned Frogs 12-1 (8-0 MWC)

2009 Bowl Record: 4-1

Bold Prediction for 2010: There is a three-way tie for first place in the MWC. TCU beats BYU; BYU beats Utah; Utah beats TCU.

Team Rankings: The top four teams in the conference were competitive with the best of other conferences, but it continues to the be bottom 5 teams that weigh down the perception of the league. Boise State's impending addition will not change matters for the conference, as Utah's leaving will make the transaction on the whole a wash. For the Mountain West to be BCS-ready (note: I did not say "worthy" - in my mind the BCS itself is unworthy to crown a "national champion.") the bottom of the league must improve.

1. Texas Christian	0.7447	12 - 1	#6
2. Brigham Young	0.7244	11 - 2	#10
3. Utah	0.6788	10 - 3	#18
4. Air Force	0.5952	8 - 5	#41
5. Wyoming	0.5007	7 - 6	#64
6. UNLV	0.3884	5 - 7	#82
7. San Diego State	0.3015	4 - 8	#99
8. Colorado State	0.2287	3 - 9	#104
9. New Mexico	0.1069	1 - 11	#118

Awards!

Best Showing in an Out-of-Conference Game:

BYU 14, Oklahoma 13. In a game many people remember for Sam Bradford's injury, BYU's defense really put a show on, largely holding OU in check BEFORE Bradford's shoulder injury.

Worst Showing in an Out-of-Conference Game:

Florida State 54, BYU 28. Wow. A bad loss to a bad team at home. There is nothing more to say.

Best Conference Game:

BYU 26, Utah 23 (OT). BYU scored a touchdown in overtime to beat their arch-rivals Utah in the 2009 edition of the 'Holy War'.

Best Showing in a Bowl Game:

3-Way Tie!

(a) BYU 44, Oregon State 20.

(b) Utah 37, California 27.

(c) Air Force 47, Houston 20.

Three games. Three underdogs. Three victories.

Worst Showing in a Bowl Game:

N/A. The Mountain West was 4-1 in bowl games, the lone loss to #3 Boise State. Not bad, MWC. Not bad.

Best Scoring Offense: TCU

Best Passing Offense: BYU

Best Rushing Offense: Colorado State

Best Scoring Defense: TCU

Best Passing Defense: TCU

Best Rushing Defense: TCU

Least Penalized Team: Air Force

Best Turnover Ratio: Air Force

Week 1 Matchups / Prediction of the Week!

Thursday, September 2

Pittsburgh at Utah - POTW!

The Utes start strong, crushing Pitt in 2004-Urban-Meyer-fashion. Utah 28, Pitt 10.

Saturday, September 4

Colorado vs. Colorado State (in Denver)

Northwestern State at Air Force

New Mexico at Oregon

Washington at BYU

Oregon State vs. TCU (in Arlington, TX)

Nicholls State at San Diego State

Southern Utah at Wyoming

Wisconsin at UNLV