The MWC was the first non-BCS conference to have a representative in a BCS bowl game in 2004. This may be the year the MWC conference gets a team back in the top tier of bowl games. The BYU Cougars have won 16 straight conference games they win by an average of 20 points per game and are coming off of a bowl game victory over UCLA. The Utah Utes have played BYU to the wire the last two seasons and TCU comes back with the most returning starters to round out the real conference contenders. The middle of the pack will be decided between New Mexico, UNLV, Wyoming and Colorado State. The cellar of the conference will be filled by San Diego State and Air Force. The MWC conference is much underrated. Overall the conference is a combined 7-2 in bowl games over the last two seasons and fares well against the bigger programs of BCS conferences.
BYU Cougars
The Cougars have owned the MWC conference over the last two seasons. The BYU offensive line is one of the biggest in the country and easily the best in the conference. The Cougars will be hard to stop on the ground with sophomore Harvey Unga (1227 yards and 44 receptions). The offense will be led by junior Max Hall (3848 yards and 26 touchdowns). Hall will have one of the best receiving corps to throw to led by TE Dennis Pitta (813 yards and 5 touchdowns). The roster is littered with older players that went on their mission and returned to play football. The defensive line has three returning starters led by 1st team All-MWC Jan Jorgensen (14 sacks). If the team has a weakness it will be the defensive backfield. Only senior David Nixon returns at MLB. All four defensive backs have moved on and will need to be replaced. BYU recruited the bets kicker on the country in freshman Justin Sorensen and will only strengthen one of the best special teams units in the conference.
Utah Utes
The Utes were the first mid major program under the direction of Urban Meyer to prove that a smaller program can compete with the powerhouses of the BCS conferences. The last two seasons has also seen the WAC send a team to one of the major bowls. This season The MWC should get a team back and it may easily be the Utes. Utah has BYU and TCU at home this season. The last two years the Utes had the Cougars on the ropes only to let up and lose both games. Utah has the 2nd most returning players in the conference and had players miss 51 games due to injury last season. Offensively the Utes will be led by veteran quarterback Brian Johnson (1847 yards and 11 touchdowns). Johnson dominated the league two seasons ago but has been hampered by injuries since and will need to play like his old self if the Utes want to take advantage of their favorable schedule. Johnson will be handing the ball off to 2nd team all-MWC Darrell Mack (1204 yards and 12 touchdowns). The offensive line is huge and returns four starters. The defensive line lost two starters but do return DE Paul Kruger (57 tackles and 3 sacks) who received MWC HM in his freshman season. One linebacker returns with any experience, All-MWC OLB Stevenson Sylvester. The defensive backfield returns three
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