The Falcons finished the 2001 season with a .500 record and tied for fifth in the Mountain West. Only one offensive and five defensive starters return for Air Force in 2002 though. The non-conference schedule is probably the weakest in the MWC, with a tough home contest with Notre Dame but the rest of the matchups against teams the Falcons can beat. Air Force will have very little experience this season, which will not help them to have a winning season. I think the Falcons will have to play very well and surprise some people to have a chance at going .500 again in ’02.

The BYU Cougars were one of the biggest surprises in 2001, losing only two games all season (which happened to be their final two games of the season against Hawaii and Louisville). With QB Doman and TB Staley gone, the Cougars will have to turn to their five offensive and three defensive returning starters to get the job done. The non-conference slate is challenging, with home contests against Hawaii and Syracuse as well as a trip to Georgia Tech. The Cougars won’t match last season’s results but should challenge for a winning record overall and a spot in the top half of the Mountain West.

The Rams have proabably been the most solid team in the MWC since the conference was formed several years back. Four offensive and six defensive starters return from last year’s team that went 7-5 overall and finished in second place behind BYU. The OOC schedule is the toughest in the conference, with trips to Virginia, UCLA, and Fresno State, as well as a home game with Louisville and a neutral site game with in-state rival Colorado. I expect the Rams to have similar records to last year’s squad and challenge for the ’02 MWC title.

New Mexico could be one of the surprise teams in the country in 2002 after coming off a 6-5 season in ’01 in which they finished tied for third in the Mountain West. Seven starters return from each side of the ball, but only five of the Lobos’ thriteen games are in Albuquerque. The non-conference games are tough, with trips to NC State, Texas Tech, and in-state rival New Mexico State. If New Mexico can win three or more of the non-conference games and have a successful conference season, they could go bowling in 2002.

The Aztecs struggled in 2001, going 3-8 and finishing next-to-last in the Mountain West. Only ten total starters, four from the offense and six from the defense, as well as both kickers, return for the 2002 campaign. The non-conference slate is second only to CSU in the conference, the toughest games being trips to Fresno State, Colorado, and Hawaii, as well as home matchups with Arizona State and UCLA. The MWC is improve this season, and the Aztecs will likely struggle in and out of conference. I don’t expect them to win more than a couple games this seaosn.

After a disappointing season in 2001, in whch the Rebels had high expectations but finished 4-7 overall and tied for fifth in the conference, the Rebels will try to turn things around in 2002. Five offensive and four defensive starters return. The return of QB Jason Thomas can make up for the lack of experience if he has the kind of year most people expected him to have in ’01. The OOC schedule, which has trips to Oregon State and Toledo, as well as home games with Wisconsin and Kansas, will pose challenges to UNLV. I expect the Rebels to be improved from the past season, but I don’t think they’ll be good enough to be a serious contender for the MWC title.

The Utah Utes won eight games last season but only finished tied for third in the MWC. Thirteen starters, six offensive and seven defensive, return this season, and I think the Utes could win the Mountain West title. Tough OOC contests at Arizona and Michigan, as well as a home game with Indiana, will challenge the Utes before the conference schedule gets underway. I think the Utes can sneak up on some people this season and come away with the conference title in 2002 even though only five of their games are in Salt Lake City.

The Cowboys suffered through another frustrating season in 2001, winning only two games and finshing dead last in the Mountain West. The good news is that Wyoming returns nine offensive and six defensive starters, giving them one of the more experienced teams in the conference this season. They’ll have to take their experience on the road, however, as only five of Wyoming’s twelve games are at home. Other than trips to Tennessee and Washington, the non-conference games are winnable for Wyoming. I think the Cowboys will again struggle in the 2002 season, probably not seriously challenging for a winning season.