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Even with a program like Oklahoma, as steady as it comes, this is a team that’s ready to go to the big stage right now. The Sooners were ranked #1 in the AP poll last season, but injuries to their top RB and WR spurred the team to hit turbulence, and finish at 10-3.
I am not sure why but I actually feel sorry for Boise State coming into this season. Odds are this is their worst team in a while; the Mountain West Conference isn’t what it used to be so not much to play for there; and the University was acting like it was getting cold feet about moving to the Big East next season.
In 2012, Boston College has the returning starters to be a much improved team from a year ago – which is a good thing indeed, because not much went right for the Eagles in 2011. The Eagles had a pop-gun offense and were outgained by virtually every conference foe, on their way to limping home with a 4-8 record.
Randy Edsall, the man that built the Connecticut football program from literally nothing (as far as the FBS is concerned) to a 2010 BCS bowl participant (the Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma) took over Maryland a year ago with an aggressive approach. Things were going to be done Edsall’s way, and if you didn’t like it, you could leave. This is precisely what QB Danny O’Brien did, as he transferred to Wisconsin to do graduate work and play for the Badgers.
Brady Hoke turned this team around and Rocky Long did a good job of keeping it going last year. The job will get a little tougher now with a more difficult Mountain West Conference. It also gets more difficult now that the team won’t have Ryan Lindley or Ronnie Hillman in the backfield.
The most improved team in the nation was the Wyoming Cowboys in 2011. Wyoming followed up a brutal 3-9 season in 2010 with an impressive 8-5 turnaround in 2011. The team has done this in the past only to slip back the next season. Now, it is up to the Cowboys to keep moving forward even though the Mountain West Conference has gotten a little tougher for the time being.
Nevada moves from the WAC to the Mountain West this year, and the team hopes it will give them a chance for bigger things. Chris Ault’s Pistol system has recruits coming to the school to play in the exciting offensive system. The team went 12-1 two years with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, but they slid to 7-6 last season.
Hawaii slipped to 6-7 in 2011, and the team decided to part ways with Greg McMackin. Fortunately for the Warriors, they landed a huge name in offensive guru Norm Chow. Chow has been behind the success of quarterbacks such as Ty Detmer, Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and many others. Hawaii fans have high hopes that Chow can move this program forward in the coming years.
With control of one of the smaller fish in the conference pond, head coach Mike London is doing an excellent job in Charlottesville. London’s guidance pushed the Cavs to an 8-5 record last year, perhaps squeezing out some close games they shouldn’t have. There are also some pieces back in 2012 to make up a strong offense and a competent defense.
Pat Hill did a ton for the Fresno State Bulldogs. He put this small school on the map by challenging the big boys and winning a lot of games. Hill was fired after an ugly 4-9 season in 2011. Now, it will be up to Tim DeRuyter to get the school going back in the right direction.
Rice won 10 games in 2008 and all seemed to be well in the program’s track back to relevance. Somehow, David Bailiff’s team has managed to win just 10 games since 2008. Basically, Rice was a one-year wonder and they are trying to figure out how to generate that kind of success once again.
The WAC is in shambles right now. This is a conference that will have just seven members as a part of its football roster this year. Louisiana Tech will leave for Conference USA after this season, but they’d like to take home another WAC title before leaving. The Bulldogs went 8-5 and lost to TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Miami was once long a power on the college football scene, but its last national championship occurred in 2001. The program has been in a really trying time of late; coaching changes have gone hand-in-hand with scandal (I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of hearing that word as it pertains to NCAA football) and Miami fans, frankly, aren’t used to seeing a .500 ballclub.
Mike Price has led the UTEP Miners to six straight losing seasons, and yet he still has a job. He is in the final year of his contract though, so unless this team has a better season this might be his last year in El Paso. UTEP has made a habit of starting fast and then falling apart late in the season.
Conference USA 2012-2013 College Football Previews: UTEP Miners
Head Coach: Mike Price
2011 Record: 5-7
UTEP Gambling Odds from JustBet to win BCS Championship: (Part of Field) +1,800
UTEP Gambling Odds from 5Dimes to win Conference USA: +1,500
UTEP Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2012 Schedule –>
Can the team put together a winning season this year?
UTEP has an extremely difficult non-conference schedule this year, so they’ll have to try to navigate through that and get to a bowl game. The Miners lost quite a few starters from last year’s team, but there are a lot of guys returning who have had some experience on the field in the past. Let’s take a look at the strength and weaknesses of this team.
Mike Edwards is the leader of a strong group of wide receivers. Edwards is only 5’11, but he runs terrific routes and has a way of finding open space. He’ll likely be one of the most productive receivers in the conference this year. On the other side, Jordan Leslie had a solid freshman year and the team expects big things from him in his sophomore campaign.
Germard Reed and Horace Miller give the Miners two starts on the defensive line. Reed is a big defensive tackle who can really plug up the middle of the line. Miller is an impressive pass rusher because of his quickness around the outside. Both of these guys have great motors, and they will be leaders on the field this season.
UTEP must replace all three starting linebackers from last year. Jamie Irving, who missed all of last year due to injury, will be plugged into one of the spots. The rest of the linebacker unit is a major question mark. UTEP has several undersized and inexperienced guys that will likely be on the field here in 2012.
The running back position is a question mark this year as well. UTEP badly needs a consistent running game in the year ahead. Sophomore Nathan Jeffery will be the featured back, but he doesn’t have much help around him. Can the youngster handle a heavy load every week? [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The Miners secondary isn’t very good, which is a big problem in a conference where teams air it out at every opportunity. DeShawn Grayson is a solid safety at the back, but the Miners cornerbacks have had trouble staying in front of people the last couple years. UTEP must do a better job limiting big plays.
I don’t expect this to go well for UTEP in 2012. The Miners play a much more difficult schedule than last season, and I don’t think the team is better. The defense still has tons of holes, and the offense is relying on too many unknowns right now. Mike Price may well be on the way out of El Paso at the end of this season. Look for a very disappointing season for UTEP.
9/1/12 10:30 PM ET OKLA
9/8/12 7:00 PM ET @MISS
9/15/12 8:00 PM ET NMXST
9/22/12 TBD @WISC
9/29/12 TBD @ECAR
10/6/12 TBD SMU
10/13/12 TBD @TULSA
10/20/12 TBD TULNE
10/27/12 TBD @HOU
11/10/12 TBD CENFL
11/17/12 TBD @SOMIS
11/24/12 TBD RICE
Doc Holliday and the Marshall Thundering Herd took a nice step forward in 2011. The Thundering Herd loaded up the schedule and managed to go 6-6 in the regular season and then win in the St. Petersburg Bowl against FIU. Marshal finished 7-6 even though they had to play the 16th toughest schedule in the nation.
Western Kentucky started the season 0-4 and it looked like it was going to be another miserable season for the Hilltoppers. The team came together and went 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference to finish 7-5 on the year. This is a team that just a few years ago lost 26 games in a row. Clearly, Willie Taggart is doing something right at Western Kentucky.
