In case you missed it last year - geography refresher: ranging in altitudes from 7 feet to 7,220 feet, the MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE looks to be growing to new heights. BYU is perched atop and ready to reclaim it's position in the Conference pecking order, while TCU and Utah might have something to say about who sits where in the MWC this year. The bottom line is this mini-Conference is scaling to new levels.

Returning starters are listed alongside each team's name (returning QB's designated with an *).

MWC

AIR FORCE - 3 / 5
Team Theme - NO THUMBS UP

If "Rookie of the Year" were an award for first-year college football coaches, Troy Calhoun would have been a hands-down winner last season. He not only orchestrated the 4th best turnaround in the nation (4-8 to 9-4), the Academy graduate also shattered the school record for most wins by a first year coach and was one of only eight new coaches (out of 23) to secure a bowl bid. He'll need to prove his worth this year, though, when he welcomes back just 23 lettermen, only eight of which were starters. Among those missing is 4-year starting QB Shaun Carney, RB Chad Hall (MWC offensive player of the year) and three all-conference defensive starters. We see the classic sophomore slump coming. Put your thumb away, Troy. There will be no free rides this season.

PLAY AGAINST: vs. Utah (9/20)

BYU - *10 / 4
Team Theme - A PERFECT 10

With 10 starters back on a senior-lade offense, the Cougars open the 2008 season riding a 10-game win streak, the longest in the nation. They also have their sights set on playing in nothing less than a BCS bowl game. "We've been good the last two seasons, and now, we're looking to be great. Anybody who wants to be great will never be satisfied with being 11-2," said DL Jon Jorgenson. 18-1 in their last 19 conference games (tied with Ohio State for nation's best) and 16 conference wins in a row can instill that sort of confidence. And, if you can believe it, the Mormons actually own a better record on the MWC road (24-9) than at home (22-11). QB Max Hall tossed for 3,848 yards last year, the most of any sophomore in the land and RB Harvey Unga gained 1,211 yards on the ground - as a freshman. Yeah, they're that good.

PLAY AGAINST: as a favorite vs. Utah (11/22)

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COLORADO STATE - 7 / 5
Team Theme - RAM RODDER

Iconic head coach Sonny Lubick has finally settled into his rocking chair. In his stead, Steve Fairchild takes over. Fairchild, a former Rams quarterback and 2nd all-time passer in conference history behind BYU's Jim McMahon, has spent the past five seasons as offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills. "We are going to play an exciting brand of football… I guarantee we will be a physical team that can stretch the field offensively," says Fairchild. He'll need to achieve those promises without the services of QB Caleb Hanie, who led the MWC in passing efficiency last year. His backup SR Bill Farris, looks to be the logical contender to fill his shoes. Although it may take time, the bottom line is that Fairchild will prove to be a good hire. With four of their six road games this season coming against 2007 bowl teams, the Rams will have to prove themselves before we bite.

PASS

NEW MEXICO - *6 / 6
Team Theme - CLUBBER LONG

The dean of MWC coaches, Rocky Long, capped off his best season ever with the Lobos last year, going 9-4, and delivered a 23-0 knockout punch over Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl - the Lobos first post-season win in 46 years. "I thought last year's team over-achieved… a lot of that success had to do with the senior leadership. There were a lot of playmakers in last year's senior class," said Long. They're gone this year, however, and he'll need to fill the holes of the departed. Listed among the missing starters are four offensive linemen, both wide receivers and the top four linebackers. The Lobos do return their top three yardage producers in QB Donavan Porterie (3,000 passing yards), and RB's Rodney Ferguson (all-MWC) and Paul Baker (MVP in last year's bowl game). Don't count Rocky out just yet.

PLAY ON: vs. BYU (11/2)

SAN DIEGO ST - 4 / 8
Team Theme - FRY BABY

Last year in this space we outlined the fact that coaches out of the Hayden Fry coaching tree take time to develop. We noted his pupils (Chuck Long included) were 14-65 in the first year and 24-45 in the second year of their careers. All of them, Fry included, needed at least three years before enjoying a winning season. Long fell right in line in his 2nd season last year going 4-8 after his team took the gas in its final three games. According to the family tree, its Long's turn to reap what he has sown in his first two years at SDSU. Long will rely on the MWC's 2nd best passing offense. That's okay by Chuck. He's a Fry baby and he knows what's in the cards.

PLAY ON: vs. Air Force (10/11)

TCU - *7 / 6
Team Theme - NICE LEGS

If teams were ranked solely by their record the Frogs would be No. 13 in the poll with a 87-35 mark over the last ten years, including nine bowl games and three straight bowl wins. Better yet this team is 39-6 straight-up at home at Amon G. Carter Stadium this decade. And it all starts with Gary Patterson, perhaps the most unsung coach in college football, with four Top 25 finishes in his seven-year stint. He is understandably excited about SO QB Andy Dalton who broke numerous TCU passing records in his freshman year. SR RB Aaron Brown returns off an injury plagued campaign with 2.049 career-rushing yards. It's clear, the Frogs once again have a leg up on the rest of the Mountain West.

PLAY ON: vs. Utah (11/6)

UNLV - *9 / 5
Team Theme - STUCK ON TWO

Like home market prices in Las Vegas, the Rebels bottomed out when they emptied out, going 0-8, to conclude a 4th straight two-win season last year. Head coach Mike Sanford has been responsible for the last three years and realizes he is squarely on the hot-seat. "We've all worked very hard to get this program in position to become a consistent winner and we expect to get over the hump this year," states Sanford. Seven home games, for the first time since the 1970's, and a bevy of returning starters leaves no room for excuses. His fate will be in the hands of sophomore QB's Travis Dixon (last year's starter) and Omar Clayton. Here's hoping RB Frank 'The Tank' Summers (5'10" 240 lbs) has a say in the matter.

PLAY AGAINST: vs. Utah (9/6) - *KEY

UTAH - *8 / 6
Team Theme - SPREADING IT ON THICK

"Utah plans to lay it on thick this season with the return of several key players from the injured list. The spread offense, run so effectively by the 2003-05 Utes gave way to a hybrid model, customized to personnel, the last two years…Utah's playbook will swell to the size it was in 2005." Taken directly from the spring prospectus, those words best summarize a team loaded with size, speed, experience and all-conference accolades at virtually every position. 5th-year SR QB Brian Johnson will look to make it eight straight bowl wins for the Utes. "We've got to win the Mountain West Conference title; that is our barometer… a lot of positives have happened, but the championship has eluded us, and that's where our focus is," says head coach Kyle Whittingham.

PLAY ON: vs. Oregon State (10/2)

WYOMING * 8 / 7
Team Theme - MAKE A WISH

Joe Glenn has been around long enough to realize you win games by playing a tough physical brand of football, and you win championships by winning games away from home. "The key for us is we've got to learn to win on the road," Glenn says. "We do have seven home games, and four out of our first five are at home… we've got to go on the road the second half of the season and finish stronger if we want to compete for a bowl game." He plans to accomplish that behind an offensive line that returns all five starters. "All we needed were some birthdays," Glenn says of a line that now will start two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. It's time to blow out the candles.

PLAY ON: vs. Utah (10/11)