WAC – 2009 Football Betting Preview

2009 WAC Football Betting Preview

The Western Athletic Conference would be rename the BSC (Boise State Conference) if the initials had not already taken. Boise State’s conference record since joining in ’02 is a jaw dropping 62-2 and they have won 5 outright conference championships and shared another in 7 seasons. Only Hawaii’s unbelievable run to the Sugar Bowl in ’07 prevented Boise State from having the nation’s longest consecutive championship streak.

But the Broncos’ excellence is a reflection on how poor the WAC’s other teams have been for this length of time. Moreover, Boise State’s WAC record during that time frame is the best in the nation by a 5 game margin over second place USC, who boasts a very impressive 52-7 mark in the Pac-10 since ’02.

Without including Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada and Boise State, the WAC’s other 5 teams have combined for only 2 bowl appearances in the last 7 seasons. Only the Sun Belt Conference, which until this year had a smaller membership, has had less bowl teams over the same time period. The big concern we have about Boise State and the Western Athletic Conference is how strong the conference truly is. As the conference’s best program, how the Broncos stack up against BCS programs is a determining factor in how good the WAC is, and the results are not pleasant. Boise State is 1-4 in their last 5 bowl games and is an unimpressive 2-6 against ranked opponents since ’04. Those 2 victories came in the ’06 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma which is legendary and against an Oregon team down to their fourth string QB last season. It only seems appropriate to think that year after year the Broncos are just a good team taking advantage of very poor conference. And this year will not be any different as Boise State will once again embark upon another dominant season in the Western Athletic Conference

OUR 2009 WAC STANDINGS PREDICTIONS
1. Boise State Broncos
2. Nevada Wolfpack
3. Fresno State Bulldogs
4. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
5. San Jose State Spartans
6. Hawaii Warriors
7. Idaho Vandals
8. Utah State Aggies
9. New Mexico State Aggies

Boise State Broncos

The Broncos continue to upgrade their talent level each season. There are some major losses this year, but the Boise State will be able to fill those holes and should win a yet another WAC title. Coach Chris Petersen has continued the success of the program and ’09 should be not be any different. The goal, like every year recently, is a ultimately a trip to a BCS bowl game.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 8-0)

Boise State 2009 Season Preview – Boise State 2009 Season Schedule

Nevada Wolf Pack

The Wolf Pack has had its bumps in the road under Coach Chris Ault over the last 24 years and last year was an up year, ending with a trip to the Humanitarian Bowl. And the 2009 season should be even better for Nevada thanks to an under appreciated explosive offense and what should now be an experienced veteran defense.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 7-1)

Nevada 2009 Season Preview – Nevada 2009 Season Schedule

Fresno State Bulldogs

The Bulldogs have taken a back seat in the WAC to the Boise State Broncos over the last few season. While Boise State continues to reload each season, the Bulldogs tend stay on pace in the top of the standings based on experience and talent. The ’08 year was supposed to be a success with an experienced QB like Tom Brandstater leading the way, but Florida State struggled to even make a bowl game. Something the will try not to repeat this year.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 5-3)

Fresno State 2009 Season Preview – Fresno State 2009 Season Schedule

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Last season the Bulldogs had an impressive defensive line. This year Louisiana Tech should be dominating. Defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith will be star and Mason Hitt will be back as well. Both starting ends, Jared Barron and Matt Broha return, as does the emerging Kwame Jordan. With those five leading the way, the line should be the best in the WAC.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 5-3)

Louisiana Tech 2009 Season Preview - Louisiana Tech 2009 Season Schedule

San Jose State Spartans

Once again the Spartans barely missed out on a bowl game last season. In ’07 they were 5-7 and again in ’08 they were bowl eligible with a 6-6 record, but were left out of the mix. The goal this year for San Jose State is to not just to be bowl eligible, but to play in a bowl game. With 7 starters returning on offense and defense, it is certainly an achievable goal.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 3-5)

San Jose State 2009 Season Preview – San Jose State 2009 Season Schedule

Hawaii Warriors

The Warriors went through many transitions after they lost superstar QB Colt Brennan and head coach June Jones. Coach Greg McMackin did the best job he could with the tools he had to work with and ended up going to a bowl game. However, it was the defense that kept Hawaii in games in ’08, not the offense. But, this season it will be Hawaii’s high scoring offense that makes headlines once again.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 3-5)

Hawaii 2009 Season Preview – Hawaii 2009 Season Schedule

Idaho Vandals

Coach Rob Akey first year in Idaho only produced one W, and that was against Cal Poly, granted it’s a good FCS team, but this is a program that wants to try and compete with the WAC elite, Boise State and Fresno State. In Akey’s second year, Idaho doubled their win total to 2 games but at least one of those wins was against New Mexico State. At this pace, the Vandals will win three games this year and that is not a crazy bet to make. But do us a favor and don’t bet the farm on it.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 2-6)

Idaho 2009 Season Preview – Idaho 2009 Season Schedule

Utah State Aggies

Last season the expectations for the Aggies were about as low as they could possibly get. But the WAC was in for a little surprise as the Aggies beat Idaho, Hawaii and New Mexico State. Utah State even kept a couple of other games close and nearly knocked off a pretty good Fresno State team. But in the end, that was still not enough for Coach Brent Guy to keep his job and new head man Gary Anderson is creating even higher expectations.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 2-6)

Utah State 2009 Season Preview – Utah State 2009 Season Schedule

New Mexico State Aggies

The Coach Hal Mumme era is over and with Coach DeWayne Walker heading into the program, no team in the country will look more different than the transformed Aggies. For the past 17 years, New Mexico State looked to the air and occasionally have had some of the best passing offenses in the country. That will become a thing of the past. Coach Walker is a defensive minded coach and the offense will be more balanced with the addition of a running game.

(Our Predicted 2009 Conference Record: 1-7)

New Mexico State 2009 Season Preview – New Mexico State 2009 Season Schedule

WAC – 2009 Football Season Overview

The WAC seems to be clearly divided into two separate leagues the haves and the have-not’s this season. Boise State and Nevada are the clear cut favorites in the conference and it will be a struggle for any other team to beat them, while Fresno State and Louisiana Tech appear to have bowl-worthy seasons. But, the WAC’s other 5 teams have major question marks and it is doubtful that they can earn a fifth bowl eligible team.

The lack of depth towards the bottom of the conference is the number one factor that many football fans believe that the WAC’s recent run of BCS busters came as much due to easy scheduling as it did Boise State and Hawaii’s successes. And once again this season it will not be different. The bottom dwellers of the WAC is exceptionally weak like they have been in the past and Boise State is more than ready to pounce. The only program that has a remote chance at giving the Broncos a battle is the Nevada Wolfpack, and factor in that the game is Boise. Making it very unlikely that Nevada can upset the Broncos and knock them off their conference championship pedestal.