Two KF.C regulars rank TCU's 2007 opponents.
Lindy's views them in this order:
5 Texas, 44 BYU, 45 Utah, 65 SMU, 69 Wyoming, 72 New Mexico, 75 Baylor, 79 Stanford, 83 Colorado State, 93 Air Force, 9 San Diego State, 102 UNLV.
Like KillerFrog-in-the-Kitchen-Sink, it seems odd to the Wimple to rank SMU-- at home!-- higher than Wyoming and San Diego State. Both are road games, and in '05 when they were last road games, both teams played TCU very tough.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Sorting the MWC: Kings of the Mountain
The usual suspects will vye for supremacy in the Mountain West next season: TCU, BYU, and Utah. The Horned Frogs and Cougars both bring new quarterbacks to play behind seasoned lines (Max Hall at BYU, either Marcus Jackson or Andy Dalton at TCU). TCU returns nine starters in its leage-best defense, and will be the only one of the three to start the season ranked. Brian Johnson returns under center for the Utes, who will probably boast one of the nation's best offenses.
None of these teams play each other before Columbus Day. Utah must travel to Fort Worth and Provo. BYU hosts both TCU and Utah. Each of these games will be tremendous contests.
Utah has the toughest OOC schedule, playing Washington State, UCLA, Louisville. While the Utes can win them all, they'll more likely split them. BYU gets rising Pac-10 challengers UCLA and Arizona in its schedule, and will likely split those as well- but two wins is not out of the question. TCU faces Texas in early September- a win in Austin would be a memorable upset.
Most likely these three conference giants will all end up 10-2 or so. However, if any one of them has only one loss, they may win a BCS berth. If any one of them goes undefeated, a BCS bowl is certain.
None of these teams play each other before Columbus Day. Utah must travel to Fort Worth and Provo. BYU hosts both TCU and Utah. Each of these games will be tremendous contests.
Utah has the toughest OOC schedule, playing Washington State, UCLA, Louisville. While the Utes can win them all, they'll more likely split them. BYU gets rising Pac-10 challengers UCLA and Arizona in its schedule, and will likely split those as well- but two wins is not out of the question. TCU faces Texas in early September- a win in Austin would be a memorable upset.
Most likely these three conference giants will all end up 10-2 or so. However, if any one of them has only one loss, they may win a BCS berth. If any one of them goes undefeated, a BCS bowl is certain.
Sorting the MWC: Pushing for a Bowl
Last season's adjustment in schedule lengths and bowl-eligibility made seven the new six: non-BCS teams are unlikely to go bowling unless they have seven wins. The Mountain West has ties to only four bowls, meaning five teams are likely to sit at home for Christmas, unless they can come up with seven wins, making them more eligible for an at-large bid than a 6-6 BCS team.
Which MWC teams are likely to get seven or more wins this year? TCU, BYU, and Utah are all but certain to. UNLV, SDSU and Air Force are all but certain not to. In the mushy middle sit Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado State. Of the three, Wyoming seems the most likely to achieve seven wins: Virginia, Utah State, Ohio, and Boise State are all winnable OOC games for the Cowboys. In conference, a .500 record is a possibility. Wyoming's tight defense is probably going to be improved in '07, and their star QB, Karsten Sween, won't be so shiney and new.
New Mexico also returns a rising star at QB- Donovan Porterie- but will be building a new offensive line to protect him and Rodney Ferguson, a terrific runningback. Look for the Lobos to start the year slowly.
Colorado State hopes Kyle Bell's return will spur new life into its offense, which went lifeless in the second half last year. Coach Lubick, who is feeling heat, is trying to get more physical play from his team. If he gets it, the Rams will be bowling again in 2007.
Look for Wyoming to place fourth or tie for third in conference, with New Mexico and Colorado State coming in next.
Which MWC teams are likely to get seven or more wins this year? TCU, BYU, and Utah are all but certain to. UNLV, SDSU and Air Force are all but certain not to. In the mushy middle sit Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado State. Of the three, Wyoming seems the most likely to achieve seven wins: Virginia, Utah State, Ohio, and Boise State are all winnable OOC games for the Cowboys. In conference, a .500 record is a possibility. Wyoming's tight defense is probably going to be improved in '07, and their star QB, Karsten Sween, won't be so shiney and new.
New Mexico also returns a rising star at QB- Donovan Porterie- but will be building a new offensive line to protect him and Rodney Ferguson, a terrific runningback. Look for the Lobos to start the year slowly.
Colorado State hopes Kyle Bell's return will spur new life into its offense, which went lifeless in the second half last year. Coach Lubick, who is feeling heat, is trying to get more physical play from his team. If he gets it, the Rams will be bowling again in 2007.
Look for Wyoming to place fourth or tie for third in conference, with New Mexico and Colorado State coming in next.
Sorting the MWC: bottom feeders
MWC teams can be categorized into three groups heading into 2007: teams for whom 2nd place will feel like a let-down (TCU, BYU, Utah); teams for whom missing a bowl will feel like a letdown (Wyoming, New Mexico, and maybe Colorado State), and teams hoping to avoid last-place (Air Force, San Diego State, UNLV).
UNLV and SDSU have grovelled at the bottom of the league since its foundation. Second-year coach Tom Craft's Aztecs appear lively, and may surprise Arizona State or Cincinnati, and enter conference play with a .500 record. UNLV, on the other hand, seems likely to start conference play with only one win, against Utah State. Once conference play is underway, SDSU appears more likely to cull a few wins and may flirt with bowl eligibility.
Air Force and Colorado State both ended last season in a tailspin. Runningback Kyle Bell returns to the Rams, however, making it more likely that Colorado State will produce an upswing than Air Force, which has the league's only new coach, and is installing a new offense.
The Wimple predicts SDSU, Air Force, and UNLV will fill out the bottom three in 2007.
UNLV and SDSU have grovelled at the bottom of the league since its foundation. Second-year coach Tom Craft's Aztecs appear lively, and may surprise Arizona State or Cincinnati, and enter conference play with a .500 record. UNLV, on the other hand, seems likely to start conference play with only one win, against Utah State. Once conference play is underway, SDSU appears more likely to cull a few wins and may flirt with bowl eligibility.
Air Force and Colorado State both ended last season in a tailspin. Runningback Kyle Bell returns to the Rams, however, making it more likely that Colorado State will produce an upswing than Air Force, which has the league's only new coach, and is installing a new offense.
The Wimple predicts SDSU, Air Force, and UNLV will fill out the bottom three in 2007.
Football Preview Season
'Tis the season for football previews. Here're several already out for TCU or the MWC, with commentary:
CFN's mammoth preview of the MWC, team by team, position by position, etc. is now out. It's a little too TCU and BCS centered, believe it or not, but it's got lots of good information.
The most thorough TCU preview is ESPN's Blue Ribbon preview (there's one for every D1 team).
Here's one listener's review of Coach Patterson speech at the Fort Worth Rotary Club in July.
KF.C's David May previews the team for spring practices.
Feisty's depth-chart after spring drills, and another look with recruiting in mind.
SMQ: oddly, SMQ treats Jackson as the only game in town for QB at TCU. He does discuss the top three in the league with more insight than most other commentators, combined. Also SMQ on SMU, BYU, Baylor, Wyoming, Texas, and others as they come.
ESPN: a team-by-team blurb through the MWC; QB battle, Hodge, Brown, O-Line and receivers highlighted.
ESPN, again: two three-part story-lines for the MWC. TCU gets both first mentions-- will the Frogs follow Boise State to the BCS? How powerful will the re-loading go this year?
ESPN, yet again: a focus piece on Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz
Athlon: ranks TCU at 25, with a short preview.
Lindy's ranks TCU at 15, with a short preview, and speculates that one loss to Texas shouldn't keep the Frogs out of the BCS.
USA Today/CBS.Sportsline: spring report; highlights the QB battle, Hodge, Stewart, Young.
CollegeFootballNews (and Fox Sports) has previews up for BYU, Utah, San Diego State and UNLV. As they're posted, each preview for Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming, New Mexico, TCU, Baylor, UT, Stanford, and SMU will be linked to each school's name in this list.
Yahoo sports previews the top ten toughest road schedules, naming Utah, TCU, and BYU to the list.
Rivals previews TCU ranking 33, citing primarily non-BCS status and a new QB for the low position.
CFN's mammoth preview of the MWC, team by team, position by position, etc. is now out. It's a little too TCU and BCS centered, believe it or not, but it's got lots of good information.
The most thorough TCU preview is ESPN's Blue Ribbon preview (there's one for every D1 team).
Here's one listener's review of Coach Patterson speech at the Fort Worth Rotary Club in July.
KF.C's David May previews the team for spring practices.
Feisty's depth-chart after spring drills, and another look with recruiting in mind.
SMQ: oddly, SMQ treats Jackson as the only game in town for QB at TCU. He does discuss the top three in the league with more insight than most other commentators, combined. Also SMQ on SMU, BYU, Baylor, Wyoming, Texas, and others as they come.
ESPN: a team-by-team blurb through the MWC; QB battle, Hodge, Brown, O-Line and receivers highlighted.
ESPN, again: two three-part story-lines for the MWC. TCU gets both first mentions-- will the Frogs follow Boise State to the BCS? How powerful will the re-loading go this year?
ESPN, yet again: a focus piece on Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz
Athlon: ranks TCU at 25, with a short preview.
Lindy's ranks TCU at 15, with a short preview, and speculates that one loss to Texas shouldn't keep the Frogs out of the BCS.
USA Today/CBS.Sportsline: spring report; highlights the QB battle, Hodge, Stewart, Young.
CollegeFootballNews (and Fox Sports) has previews up for BYU, Utah, San Diego State and UNLV. As they're posted, each preview for Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming, New Mexico, TCU, Baylor, UT, Stanford, and SMU will be linked to each school's name in this list.
Yahoo sports previews the top ten toughest road schedules, naming Utah, TCU, and BYU to the list.
Rivals previews TCU ranking 33, citing primarily non-BCS status and a new QB for the low position.
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