Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Alright, I know it's just the end of March and spring football isn't half-way done yet down in Provo or up on the hill, but the college football junkie in me is already looking forward to September. BYU opens its season in Tucson against the Arizona Wildcats. Utah opens at the Rose Bowl against UCLA.
This really could be a huge year for the Mountain West, after a mediocre 2005. Start with BYU, for example. The Cougar offense is loaded with stars -- John Beck, Curtis Brown, Jonny Harline, etc..
The defensive line and secondary remain major concerns, and the offensive line is depleted this spring, but there's no reason the defense can't be at least moderately improved from last year. The law of averages simply might dictate that.
The offensive line is certain to be solid, with many returning starters. Throw in Travis Bright. Some thought he might be BYU's best offensive lineman before his foot injury. Then you've got Tom Sorensen who arrives in August. He started for Vanderbilt as a true freshman before an LDS mission. He made the All-Freshman team in the SEC.
BYU has a lot of tough road tests -- at Arizona, Boston College, TCU, Air Force, Colorado State and Utah. But an easier home slate should have the Cougars going 6-0 at Lavell Edwards. It'll be a disappointment if the Cougars go any worse than 8-4 next fall. There are no games BYU cannot win. A couple lucky bounces here and there and the Cougars are Top 25 contenders at 9-3 or 10-2.
Utah and TCU are also loaded for solid years. The biggest question mark facing the Utes is which quarterback to throw out there. Brian Johnson returns from injury; Brett Ratliff has the two wins over BYU and Georgia Tech that turned the Utes' season around.
It doesn't matter who the Utes put on the field at running back. Utah always plugs in another back and moves on. Another Quinton Ganther will shake out by September. UCLA is the toughest road contest, and Utah gets Boise State, TCU and BYU at home. The Utes also look very much like a Top 25 contender at a possible 9-3, and have a more favorable schedule than the Y.
TCU got all the bounces en route to the 11-1 record in 2005. Quarterback Jeff Ballard is a rising star, though, in the MWC, and BYU saw first-hand what running back Aaron Brown (not from CNN) could do as a freshman. Three games will make or break the Horned Frogs season by early October: Texas Tech (Sept. 16), BYU (Sept. 28), and at Utah (Oct. 5). The schedule is favorable enough for a 9-2 record and Top 25 ranking.
Don't be surprised if the Mountain West gets a team in the Bowl Championship Series for the second time in its history. One of these three contenders will rise above the others. That team will also have the schedule (in BYU's and Utah's cases, especially) to get in, and the extra BCS game will mean easier access.
Yes, it should be a great year. Even the middling teams in the league -- Air Force, Colorado State, New Mexico and San Diego State -- all could be improved this fall. Here's to respectability in '06!
