ESPN College Football

It’s always going to be difficult for the Sun Belt Conference to draw as much attention and praise as some of the other non-AQ conferences get simply because of the nonconference schedules its teams play.

Florida, Alabama and LSU are mainstays on nonconference schedules and make pulling off the undefeated season almost impossible. But the Sun Belt Conference is good for at least one upset of a major conference school every year. This season, Middle Tennessee defeated Maryland for the second consecutive year and Louisiana-Lafayette defeated Kansas State.

While Troy didn’t pull off any big upsets, it did manage to run through the conference season undefeated and claim its fourth consecutive Sun Belt title, matching North Texas as the only teams to accomplish that feat.

For the third time in the past four seasons, the Sun Belt is sending two teams to bowl games, which also has helped them secure two guaranteed bowls for the upcoming bowl cycle. Previously, the Sun Belt had just one guaranteed bowl.

This is the first time in conference history that the Sun Belt has boasted two nine-win teams in Troy and Middle Tennessee. Prior to this season, the conference had only one team ever win nine games (North Texas in 2003).

But the Sun Belt Conference is also the youngest conference in the FBS and is still working toward better schedules, better rosters and better access. The achievements Troy and Middle Tennessee have made this year will only help the conference down that path.

Offensive MVP: Troy quarterback Levi Brown

Brown became the all-time single-season passing yardage leader in Sun Belt Conference history and won the Player of the Week award a record six times. In his first full season of starting, Brown set Troy and Sun Belt Conference single-season records for passing yards (3,868) and total offense (3,887).

Defensive MVP: Middle Tennessee defensive end Chris McCoy

McCoy had 59 tackles, 20 for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, a blocked kick and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 68 yards for a touchdown. He anchored a unit that led the nation in tackles for loss.

Newcomer of the Year: Troy running back Shawn Southward

Southward didn’t really catch fire until late in the season, but he had two 100-yard rushing games and scored a school record four touchdowns against Western Kentucky. He was the Trojans leading rusher with 574 yards on just 100 carries, an average of 5.7 yards per rush.

Coach of the Year: Troy’s Larry Blakeney

In the latter half of this decade, Blakeney has made Troy a powerhouse in the Sun Belt Conference. The team has won four consecutive conference titles and two consecutive outright titles. This year’s 8-0 campaign was Troy’s first undefeated conference season since joining the Sun Belt and a win in a bowl game would set the single-season record by a Sun Belt team.

Biggest Surprise: Middle Tennessee

To think that Middle Tennessee would be able to win nine games, the most since becoming an FBS school, and challenge for the conference championship with a new quarterback, offense and offensive coordinator is almost unfathomable. But Middle Tennessee pulled off several big wins to become the most improved team in the conference.

Biggest disappointment: Arkansas State and Florida Atlantic

Both of these teams had several top seniors returning and both were supposed to challenge Troy for the Sun Belt title. But Florida Atlantic lost its first four and six of its first eight and Arkansas State lost eight of its first 10 to notch some of the worst seasons both teams have seen in quite some time.

Game of the Year: Louisiana-Lafayette 17, Kansas State 15 (Sept. 12)

Junior kicker Tyler Albrecht made a 42-yard field goal with 32 seconds left to give the Ragin’ Cajuns an upset victory over the Wildcats and their first 2-0 start since 1990. The kick was Albrecht’s first-ever collegiate attempt.

Dan LeFevour couldn’t have scripted a better end to his Mid-American Conference career.

LeFevour helped the Chippewas to an undefeated MAC season and a conference title. He won his first game against an AQ opponent, became the MAC’s all-time leader in passing and the country’s all-time leader in touchdowns.

LeFevour not only finished his career as the face of Central Michigan, but also the face of the conference.

And it was a good year to showcase the MAC.

For the first time since 2004, the MAC had three teams with at least nine wins and for the first time since 2005, the conference has five teams with at least seven wins. Both the West and East Divisions came down to the final weeks of the regular season to decide a championship and teams such as Ohio and Bowling Green played the final fourth of the season like a series of elimination games. Ohio earned its first division championship since 2006 and Bowling Green was the only team with a new non-AQ head coach to finish the regular season with a winning record. Both teams are going bowling.

And then there was one of the biggest success stories of the season in Temple. The Owls fell a game short of their first divisional title and conference championship berth, but still managed to finish with their best record since 1979.

Not to mention there is a ton of young talent in players like Toledo’s Eric Page, Kent State’s Spencer Keith and Tyshon Goode, Temple’s Bernard Pierce and Ball State's Kelly Page that will be able to keep the conference on an upswing.

The MAC still has a ways to go to catch up to some of its non-AQ brethren, but this year could be the breakthrough season it was looking for.

Offensive MVP: Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour

There’s no doubt that LeFevour was the best offensive player in the conference this year. While his numbers might have been down from his sophomore season, he was still the most complete and dangerous player in the league. LeFevour finishes his career as the leader in total offensive yards (15,140), attempts (1,669), completions (1,110), passing yards (12,255) and is tied for second in touchdown passes (99).

Defensive MVP: Temple defensive end Adrian Robinson

Robinson led the MAC and tied for tenth in the country with 12 sacks. He also had 42 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and one interception. He helped Temple become the 20^th-ranked rushing defense in the country.

Newcomer of the Year: Temple running back Bernard Pierce

Pierce led the MAC and ranked 13th in the nation in rushing with 1,308 yards on 224 carries and 15 rushing touchdowns. He was the Owls most effective offensive weapon and helped them rank 21^st in the country in rushing with an average of 192.3 yards per game.

Coach of the Year: Temple’s Al Golden

In his fourth season as head coach, Golden led the Owls to a 9-3 overall record, 7-1 in the MAC. That record included nine consecutive wins during the season. The Owls have improved every season under Golden. In 2006, they won one game, four in 2007 and five wins a year ago.

Biggest Surprise: Temple

When Temple opened the season with a loss to FCS opponent Villanova, no one expected much from the Owls. But in a loss to Penn State, the Owls discovered they could play with any team in the country and rattled off nine consecutive wins to become one of the most talked about teams in the country. With a lot of talent coming back, Temple should be the favorite to win the East next year.

Biggest disappointment: Toledo

With so many senior leaders and playmakers returning this season, it was disappointing to see the Rockets win just five games. Two of Toledo’s loses came to teams with losing records, including Miami-Ohio, which only won one game this season.

Game of the Year: Temple 34, Miami-Ohio 32, Nov. 5

A loss a winless Miami-Ohio team not only would have stopped the Owls winning streak, it would have still put them a game out of securing a bowl and taken them out of first place in the MAC East. The Owls needed a Brandon McManus field goal with three seconds remaining to notch the win that would be their seventh in a row.

Is Conference USA emerging as a power conference among the non-AQs?

That would be fair to say considering the close conference races and the stellar nonconference results Conference USA put forth this season.

Although Houston didn’t win the conference championship, it certainly carried the national banner for the conference with wins over a top-5 Oklahoma State team, Texas Tech and Mississippi State. It was the only team in the conference to post double-digit wins in the regular season and keep a steady spot in both the Associated Press poll and BCS standings throughout the season.

While this is the first season in the past three that didn’t have two teams with double-digit wins -- though it’s still possible if East Carolina wins its bowl -- it was certainly one of the more competitive conference races C-USA has seen in quite some time. With two weeks remaining, five teams were still vying for the East Division title. And both divisions came down to must-wins in the final game of the regular season.

The Conference USA title game was a nail-biter throughout as Houston tried to mount yet another come-from-behind win as the Cougars had done so many times this season.

Several C-USA teams also made major strides this season. East Carolina became the first team to win back-to-back conference titles since the conference went to a championship format. SMU is going to its first bowl game since 1984 and Marshall is making its first postseason appearance since 2004.

Conference USA might not get the love that the Mountain West or even WAC get, but there’s little doubt that C-USA is a conference on the rise.

Offensive MVP: Houston quarterback Case Keenum

Keenum led the country in both passing and total offense and helped the Cougars to win three games over automatic-qualifying teams, including No. 5 Oklahoma State. Keenum set Conference USA single-season records for pass attempts (659) and completions (468), throwing for 5,449 yards (fourth-highest total in FBS history) and 43 touchdowns with just nine interceptions.

Defensive MVP: Central Florida defensive end Bruce Miller

Miller lead Conference USA and ranked fifth nationally in sacks with 12, including 10 solo. He also lead the league in tackles for loss with 16.5. He had 53 total tackles, broke up three pass attempts and forced a fumble. UCF leads the conference in total defense.

Newcomer of the Year: Houston wide receiver James Cleveland

Cleveland set a Conference USA single-game record with 19 receptions in the C-USA Championship Game. He had 101 total catches this season making him one of six FBS players to catch 100 passes this season. He ranks second in the nation in receptions per game (11.7) and is tied for third in touchdown receptions with 14.

Coach of the Year: Houston’s Kevin Sumlin

Sumlin led Houston to a 10-3 record, just the second time since 1990 that the Cougars have won 10 games. A win in the Armed Forces Bowl will match the school record of 11, set in 1973 and matched in 1979. Sumlin’s team is the only FBS school that won three nonconference games against AQ schools this season.

Biggest Surprise: SMU

Coach June Jones said at the beginning of this season that he thought his team had the potential to win five games last year. It won just one. But after some housecleaning, Jones got his team to believe and they won seven games and will be attending their first bowl game since 1984.

Biggest disappointment: Tulsa

Yes, the Golden Hurricane lost some key players from last season, but many thought they would be right in the Conference USA title mix with Houston, East Carolina and Southern Miss. Tulsa lost six of their final seven games to miss a bowl game for the first time since 2004.

Game of the Year: Houston 29, Texas Tech 28 (Sept. 26)

While many assumed Houston’s win over Oklahoma State was a fluke, this is the win that really brought both the Cougars and Conference USA into the spotlight and kept them there almost the entire season. Keenum led the Cougars on a 95-yard scoring drive with 49 seconds remaining to give them one of three AQ upsets on the season.

Prior to the start of last season, most of the WAC coaches lauded Boise State and used them as the model the rest of the conference could follow. Who could blame them? The Broncos have been dominant during their time in the WAC and for the second consecutive season, they’ve completed an undefeated campaign and continued to be the team that every other WAC program is chasing.

But no team has quite caught up. Despite good seasons by Fresno State, Nevada and Idaho, none of those teams were able to play with Boise State and the Broncos were nearly kept out of the BCS because of their weak conference schedule.

However, there’s no denying that the conference is moving in the right direction.

This season, the WAC has more teams with eight or more wins this year than last year and those have come prior to the bowl season. The combined winning percentage of the bottom four teams is higher than it’s ever been with the current WAC teams. And this is the second consecutive season that the conference did not have a one-win team. Conference USA is the only other non-AQ conference to boast that stat, but it also had two two-loss teams while the WAC had just one.

Boise State’s dominance in the WAC doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon, but it’s good to see the other eight teams beginning to get a little more competitive, which will only help the conference in the long run.

Offensive MVP: Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore

Moore has been one of the most consistent players, not only in the WAC, but across the country. He leads the nation in passing efficiency with a 167.35 rating while completing 64.7 percent of his passes for 3,325 yards and 39 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

Defensive MVP: Nevada defensive end Dontay Moch

Moch has helped Nevada become the nation’s top rushing defense. He leads the WAC and is eighth in the nation in tackles for loss with 19.5. He has 57 total tackles (35 solo), including 6.5 sacks. He's also broken up three passes and forced two fumbles.

Newcomer of the Year: Nevada wide receiver Brandon Wimberly

It’s hard to be a top receiver on a rushing team, but Wimberly managed to shine. He caught 46 passes for 653 yards and five touchdowns to lead Nevada and rank 10^th in the WAC among receivers.

Coach of the Year: Boise State’s Chris Petersen

What else can you say about Petersen that hasn’t already been said? His teams are a model of consistency and that’s a tribute to the coaching and the recruiting. This year, Boise State becomes the first WAC team to play in two BCS bowl games.

Biggest Surprise: Idaho

The leagues coaches picked Idaho last in the preseason and the media had it second-to-last, but the Vandals shocked the country by winning six of their first seven games and now they're on its way to their first bowl game since 1998.

Biggest disappointment: Nevada

A lot of people thought the Wolf Pack would give the Broncos a run for their money for a spot in the BCS. But an 0-3 start doomed those dreams quickly. The Wolf Pack did rebound to win eight straight, but they still couldn’t find a way to get past Boise State, which continues to be the mountain the Wolf Pack has yet to conquer.

Game of the Year: Boise State 45, Louisiana Tech 35, Nov. 6

In one of the most unlikely upset bids, Louisiana Tech forced the Broncos into one of their toughest games of the season and came extremely close to knocking the Broncos out of the BCS. The Bulldogs came back from a 27-7 halftime deficit to get within three points in the fourth quarter. No team gave Boise State more of a scare than Louisiana Tech.

TCU carried the torch for the Mountain West this season with wins over Clemson, ranked BYU and Utah teams, and climbed to No. 4 in the regular season BCS standings -- the highest regular season ranking ever for a non-automatic qualifying team. The Horned Frogs were a Nebraska upset away from playing in the national championship.

While the top three teams in the conference, TCU, BYU and Utah, held their own in the win column, the rest of the conference didn’t necessarily live up to the standards of a potential automatic qualifying conference. Air Force notched seven wins, but that was the only other winning team in the Mountain West. Two teams have three or fewer wins. No automatic qualifying conference had that few teams with winning records.

Still, with a slew of new coaches, the league is expected to make a turnaround next year and close the gap between the top and the bottom of the conference. And both TCU and Utah return so many key players that another undefeated team next year is not outside the realm of possibility.

Offensive MVP: TCU quarterback Andy Dalton

Dalton didn’t get the national recognition he deserved for his leadership of TCU, but without him the Horned Frogs aren’t playing in a BCS bowl. Dalton helped TCU rank fourth in the country in total offense (469.08 yards per game) and he finished with 3,006 total yards and 25 touchdowns, the best numbers of his career.

Defensive MVP: TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes

Hughes came back for his senior season to win a Mountain West Conference title and now he has a chance to win a BCS game and help TCU to a split national championship. Hughes has 11.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and a career-high 54 tackles this season. But Hughes was important for more than his play. Just the threat of him allowed all the other defenders on the field to be better.

Newcomer of the Year: TCU running back Ed Wesley

Wesley didn’t win the Mountain West’s Newcomer of the Year award, but he was probably in contention. Wesley finished the regular season with 640 rushing yards and four touchdowns and 170 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He was a member of the running back trio that combined for 2,029 yards.

Coach of the Year: TCU’s Gary Patterson

TCU has always had the talent, but there’s always been a game that’s tripped the Horned Frogs up. This season, coach Patterson didn’t let that happen. He inspired them with his Tom Petty lyrics and allowed his team to quietly lead itself. A win in a bowl could put TCU in a split national championship.

Biggest Surprise: Wyoming

There was so much uncertainty at Wyoming with a new coaching staff and a new quarterback that few thought it would be able to win enough games to get bowl eligible. But the Cowboys defied the odds thanks to the play of quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels and are heading to the New Mexico Bowl.

Biggest disappointment: New Mexico

New head coach Mike Locksley was supposed to breathe life back into the New Mexico program that was rebounding from a down year. Instead, things got worse. The Lobos were 1-11, their worst season since 1987, and the university spent much of the season trying to put out off-field fires.

Game of the Year: BYU 26, Utah 23 OT, Nov. 28

Even though there was no championship on the line, BYU and Utah fought like there was and created one of the best games of the season. BYU quarterback Max Hall found tight end Andrew George for the game-winning touchdown in overtime, but Hall’s postgame comments about Utah will probably be what folks remember most about the game.

In a college football season that largely went according to plan, the Big Ten campaign followed a familiar script.

Ohio State once again emerged as the conference champion, a title it has owned six times this decade. Not far behind the Buckeyes are Iowa and Penn State, two teams also projected to challenge for the title. The Big Ten stuck to its roots and played ferocious defense, boasting the nation's finest collection of down linemen. On the flip side, the quarterback position continued to plague the conference.

The truth is, not a lot changed in the Big Ten this year.

Michigan struggled again, and Illinois continued its post-Rose Bowl nosedive. Iowa and Northwestern built on momentum generated last season, while Wisconsin reclaimed its place among the league's better squads. Ohio State won the league despite just two first-team all-conference players, while Penn State pounded inferior teams but struggled in its two showcase games.

The league once again took its lumps in nonconference play, going 5-9 against BCS conference teams and Notre Dame. But the Big Ten boasts three top 15 teams and will send two squads to BCS bowls for the fifth consecutive season.

Despite the status quo feeling of the season, there were plenty of exciting moments.

Iowa mounted the best start in team history, winning its first nine games, eight in come-from-behind fashion. Michigan and Notre Dame provided an entertaining shootout, which elevated hopes before both traditional powerhouses went kaput. Purdue ended long slides against ranked teams and at Michigan Stadium, while Indiana showed some improvement despite all-too-familiar results. Michigan State found itself in several of the league's most thrilling games (Michigan, Notre Dame, Iowa, Minnesota), but the Spartans struggled to overcome inconsistent play.

All of this brings the Big Ten to a familiar place, needing to prove itself in the bowls to regain national respect. The league flopped last year, going 1-6 in postseason play, and extended its losing streak in BCS bowls to six.

The bowl lineup looks more manageable this year, but coaches and players around the Big Ten understand the urgency to get results in the coming weeks.

Offensive MVP -- Wisconsin RB John Clay

There weren't many viable candidates in a defense-driven league, but Clay rose to the top with his punishing running style. After a hiccup against Wofford, the sophomore embraced a featured role and eclipsed 100 rushing yards in seven of his final nine games, including each of the last five. Clay ranks 14th nationally in rushing (116.3) and was the lone Big Ten back to average more than 100 rush yards per game.

Defensive MVP -- Michigan State LB Greg Jones

A much tougher call here, as you could make a case for 10 defensive standouts. Jones gets the nod because of his ability to find the football on seemingly every play. He led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with 141 tackles and also led Big Ten linebackers with nine sacks, which ranked fifth overall in the conference. Honorable mentions go to Michigan's Brandon Graham, Penn State's Navorro Bowman and Jared Odrick, Iowa's Adrian Clayborn and Pat Angerer, Wisconsin's O'Brien Schofield, and Ohio State's Kurt Coleman.

Coach of the Year -- Iowa's Kirk Ferentz

Another tough decision between Ferentz and Ohio State's Jim Tressel, who amazingly has never won the award. While Tressel deserves a ton of credit for getting Ohio State back on track after an Oct. 17 loss at Purdue, Ferentz encountered major obstacles seemingly every week. Iowa battled injuries from the preseason until early November, when quarterback Ricky Stanzi went down against Northwestern. The Hawkeyes also had the league's toughest road schedule and nearly went 4-0. For a guy that some wanted out after three mediocre seasons and a wave of off-field problems, Ferentz has restored his place among the nation's elite coaches.

Biggest surprise -- Wisconsin

The outlook in Madison looked pretty gloomy in early August, as Wisconsin had seen its wins total decrease in each of the last two seasons. Throw in another quarterback competition and major questions throughout the defensive front seven, and Wisconsin entered the fall with fairly low expectations. But Bret Bielema's team improved in almost every area. The Badgers boast a balanced offense of Clay's power running and an effective play-action pass attack operated by surprising quarterback Scott Tolzien. The defense got younger but better, as Big Ten Freshman of the Year Chris Borland emerged at linebacker.

Biggest disappointment -- Illinois

Ron Zook's team receives this undesirable distinction for the second straight year after a miserable 3-9 finish. The Illini are 8-16 since their surprise Rose Bowl run in 2007, and while Zook is expected to return next fall, the program is losing momentum on the recruiting trail and at the ticket booth. Things went downhill from the get-go, as Illinois fell flat against Missouri in the opener. Juice Williams and the offense took a long time to get going, and by that point, the defense was a mess. Other disappointments included Michigan, which didn't beat an FBS team in October or November to fall out of bowl contention. Michigan State and Minnesota also fell short of expectations.

Game of the Year -- Ohio State 27, Iowa 24 (OT), Nov. 14

A lackluster end to regulation shouldn't spoil a memorable game, and both Iowa and Ohio State provided plenty of drama at The Shoe. Hawkeyes backup quarterback James Vandenberg nearly became a state hero as he tried to rally Iowa to a Rose Bowl berth in his first career start. Iowa mounted one of its patented rallies, but the Buckeyes prevailed in the end as backup kicker Devin Barclay, a 26-year-old former Major League Soccer player, nailed the game-winning field goal in overtime. Honorable mentions go to Iowa-Michigan State (Oct. 24) and Michigan-Notre Dame (Sept. 12).

Once again, we were reminded this season that SEC championships aren’t won on paper.

Florida was the most overwhelming preseason favorite to win the title since the league expanded in 1992. The Gators were coming off their second national championship in three years. Tim Tebow was returning, and so was everybody on a defense that was suffocating the year before.

Their stated goal was a perfect season.

But it was Alabama that was near-perfect Saturday in a 32-13 SEC championship game win over Florida , and it’s the Crimson Tide (13-0) that carry a spotless record into the BCS National Championship game against Texas on Jan. 7.

Really, since the first month of the season, it was apparent that Alabama and Florida were the two best teams in the SEC. They embarked on a collision course that came to a head for the second straight year in Atlanta. Only this time, they both arrived unbeaten.

The fourth quarter of the 2008 SEC championship game had haunted the Crimson Tide, who were no match for Tebow and the Gators’ dominance the final 15 minutes of that game.

This time, the fourth quarter was a mere footnote, because Alabama dominated from the outset. By midway through the fourth quarter, the game had long since been decided.

It was Alabama’s first SEC title in 10 years, and kept alive the Crimson Tide’s streak of winning at least one SEC title in every decade since the league was formed in 1933.

And speaking to how difficult it is to repeat in this league, Florida failed in its bid to become the first repeat SEC champion since Tennessee did it in 1997 and 1998.

Even more so than a year ago, the separation at the top of the league this season was obvious.

It was Alabama and Florida and then everybody else. Six teams finished with 7-5 records -- Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The only team other than Alabama and Florida to finish with a winning SEC record was LSU. It’s the fewest number of teams to have winning league records since expansion in 1992.

Florida clinched the East title on Oct. 31 with a 41-17 rout of Georgia, and Alabama locked up the West title a week later with a 24-15 win over LSU.

From there, the wait was on.

Offensive MVP: Alabama running back Mark Ingram

He’ll be in New York City this weekend for the Heisman Trophy ceremonies and just might become the first Alabama player to win college football’s most prestigious individual award. Ingram was at his best against the best teams. He rushed for 1,542 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. But even more telling, he averaged 154 yards against the six best defenses that he faced.

Defensive MVP: Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain

If you were looking for the perfect linebacker, McClain has all of the attributes. He has great size, great instincts, the ability to chase the football from sideline to sideline and is incredibly smart. When the Crimson Tide needed a big play on defense this season, McClain was usually the one making the play.

Newcomer of the Year: Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett

In his first tour through the SEC, Mallett rewrote the Arkansas record books. Every week, he was setting a different passing record. A transfer from Michigan, Mallett led the SEC with 29 touchdown passes and 3,422 passing yards. Mallett edged out Mississippi State defensive end Pernell McPhee, who also had a big debut season after coming over from junior college.

Coach of the Year: Alabama’s Nick Saban

Even though the Crimson Tide started the season ranked in the top 10, to lead a team to back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons and then top off that second season with your school’s first SEC title in 10 years speaks for itself. Plus, Alabama had to replace three offensive linemen, including two All-Americans, as well as a three-year starter at quarterback and one of its defensive captains. This was some of Saban’s finest work yet. Honorable mention goes to Kentucky’s Rich Brooks.

Biggest surprise: Kentucky

The Wildcats were on the brink of having their first eight-win regular season since 1984, but lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee in overtime. It was Kentucky’s 25^th straight loss to the Vols. Still, with all of the injuries the Wildcats suffered, and losing star defensive end Jeremy Jarmon before the season due to an NCAA suspension, it’s the kind of season few people saw the Big Blue having. Rich Brooks has done a super job with this program, and the Wildcats get a chance in the Music City Bowl to win their fourth straight bowl game.

Biggest disappointment: Ole Miss

The way it all fell apart for Georgia made the Bulldogs a candidate here, but so much was expected of Ole Miss. The Rebels got all the way up to No. 4 in September before losing at South Carolina. The talent on this team was obvious, and it was veteran talent in most places. Making everything worse was the fact that the Rebels seemed to be getting it back on track with wins over Tennessee and LSU, but then laid the smelliest egg of the season in a 41-27 loss to Mississippi State in which Ole Miss was thoroughly outplayed and outcoached.

Game of the Year: Alabama 26, Auburn 21, Nov. 27

There were some strong candidates. Ole Miss’ 25-23 win over LSU rates right up there. Alabama’s 12-10 win over Tennessee with Terrence Cody blocking the field goal as time expired was a thriller, and so was LSU’s 33-30 win over Arkansas in overtime. But the fact that Alabama saved its season by driving 79 yards in the final minutes to rally past Auburn on the road is what separates that contest from the rest. It was a terrific game with even better atmosphere, and Auburn played its best game of the season.

Whatever happened to the Big 12 and all of those wild offensive numbers and great teams from last season?

With all of the promise from last season, more of the same was expected with many of the key players returning for another season. But an improbable rash of injuries and suspensions left top players like Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham, Baylor’s Robert Griffin and Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter sitting along the sideline rather than playing.

Instead, the defenses bit back in 2009, capped by a wild 13-12 victory by Texas over Nebraska in the conference championship game.

The results were seen on the field where the conference started slowly with a 4-7 record in out-of-conference games. Only one of those nonconference wins came after the first week of the season.

Taking advantage of Oklahoma’s injuries and a tight victory in Dallas on Oct. 17 over the Sooners, the Longhorns remained at the front of the Big 12 for most of the season. The Big 12 finished with only one team ranked among the top 19 teams in the final BCS standings and only three in the Top 25.

The bowls will provide a tough challenge for Big 12 teams. Only Texas Tech and Oklahoma are favored among the eight teams that were selected for postseason play.

Texas will be a consensus underdog against Alabama in the Citi BCS Championship Game. It’s exactly the position the Longhorns were in five years ago when they stunned USC in the title game.

A Texas triumph in the Jan. 7 matchup will be necessary to help salvage some of the Big 12’s reputation.

Offensive MVP – Texas quarterback Colt McCoy

Although he struggled in the championship game and against Oklahoma, McCoy was the fulcrum of the league’s best team. Down the stretch he pushed himself into Heisman consideration with 300-yard passing games in three of his last four regular-season games to finish with 3,512 passing yards and 27 touchdowns. But his most impressive number was breaking David Greene’s career won-loss record to set the NCAA mark with a 45-7 record.

Defensive MVP -- Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh

After his stellar senior season, Suh might have progressed to a level never approached by a Big 12 defensive player. Suh dominated the game in ways unusual for a defensive tackle as he finished with a team-leading 82 tackles, including 50 solo stops. He was third nationally with 12 sacks, broke up 10 passes and also blocked three kicks. He capped his season with a career-best 12 tackles in the championship game, including a record 4.5 sacks in a performance that earned him a trip to New York City for the Heisman Trophy award ceremony.

Newcomer of the Year -- Kansas State running back Daniel Thomas

Thomas was projected as a quarterback when he arrived at Kansas State this summer from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Coach Bill Snyder thought he could help the team more at running back and he emerged as the focal point of a Kansas State defense that took the Wildcats within a game of the North Division title. Thomas led the league with 1,265 rushing yards, 247 attempts, 11 rushing touchdowns and 105.4 yards per game, accounting for more than 100 rushing yards in five different games.

Coach of the Year -- Texas’ Mack Brown

While some could argue for Paul Rhoads and Snyder as possible candidates, Brown’s ability to lead the Longhorns to a perfect 13-0 season, his second Big 12 title and his second BCS title game appearance elevates him over the rest. The Longhorns excelled from the first game as they charged to the first 12-0 regular-season record in school history. He’s also pushed the Longhorns into another BCS bowl game for the fourth time in six seasons. Texas has won all of those previous games, but will be challenged as it faces Alabama as a decided underdog.

Biggest surprise -- Kansas State

The Wildcats were picked to battle to stay out of the North Division cellar and had to break in new players at quarterback and running back. After a 2-2 start in nonconference play capped by a loss at Louisiana -Lafayette, Snyder’s team caught fire behind quarterback Grant Gregory, Thomas and a plucky defense. The Wildcats led the season with a month to go, but couldn’t nail down a title after losses to Missouri and Nebraska. Those losses cost them a bowl appearance, but Snyder proved he could still coach a little bit -- even at the age of 70.

Biggest disappointment -- Oklahoma

The Sooners entered the season as the nation’s No. 3 team and a potential challenger for the BCS title game. But a preseason injury cost them Gresham for the season, and Bradford played less than two complete games before he was knocked out for the season with a shoulder injury. An injury-ravaged offensive line struggled to remain solvent, and the Sooners’ hopes of claiming an unprecedented fourth straight Big 12 title ended after an early loss to Texas. It didn’t stop there as later road losses to Nebraska and Texas Tech left them free-falling all the way to a berth in the Sun Bowl. It left them with a 7-5 record that marked the most losses in the regular season in Bob Stoops’ coaching tenure.

Game of the Year -- Texas 13, Nebraska 12, Big 12 title game, Dec. 5

The defenses dominated this game as the two teams combined for only 308 total yards and converted only eight of 35 third-down plays. But after a fourth Nebraska field goal by Alex Henery had given the Cornhuskers a 12-10 lead with 1:44 left, Texas answered. McCoy mustered a late drive to put the Longhorns in position for a game-winning kick. But as he attempted to run a final play from scrimmage, McCoy appeared to have allowed the game clock to expire as he threw the ball out of bounds. Nebraska players charged the field thinking they had won the game, but game officials ruled there was one second left. Hunter Lawrence took advantage of the remaining time to drill a 46-yard field goal, pushing the Longhorns into the BCS title game. Memories of the extra play will resonate throughout history for Nebraska fans who already believe they were jobbed out of a chance at a surprise Big 12 title.

The ACC entered this season with high hopes for a national title contender, and by the sixth week of the season -- when Virginia Tech held the No. 4 ranking in the country -- it seemed to be a realistic goal. Not only were the Hokies in the mix, but Miami was ranked No. 9, and with only one loss each, both teams seemed capable of great seasons.

Only Georgia Tech, though, was left standing.

Virginia Tech’s stumble against Alabama in the season opener wasn’t entirely a shock, nor was it a huge blow to the conference’s image, as the Hokies looked respectable in their 34-24 loss to the Tide. It was the back-to-back Coastal Division losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina that sent the Hokies tumbling out of the championship pictures. For Miami, which successfully navigated its way through an unforgiving four-game start to the season, the 40-37 overtime defeat to unranked Clemson was tough to swallow, but it was the loss to North Carolina that closed the door on the Canes’ BCS hopes.

While the Coastal Division eventually handed the reins to the most consistent team of the season and eventual ACC champ - Georgia Tech -- the Atlantic Division was turned upside down. Two first-year coaches -- Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Boston College’s Frank Spaziani -- edged out the veterans in their division and fought for the top spot in the standings until Nov. 21, when BC’s loss to UNC guaranteed the Tigers a spot in the ACC championship game before they even set foot on the field to play Virginia.

Clemson, which started out 2-3, finally exceed expectations instead of disappointing fans, and Boston College earned the overachievers award after forging through a season with two new coordinators and a 25-year-old rookie quarterback nicknamed “Uncle” Dave Shinskie. The entire conference rallied around BC linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma cancer but vowed to return in 2010.

Florida State, which was predicted to win the Atlantic Division, hit rock bottom with a 0-3 conference record in October. It prompted a closed-door meeting of high-ranking officials to discuss the future of the program -- a meeting that foreshadowed Bobby Bowden’s eventual retirement. Bowden was hardly the only coach in the ACC, though, that was scrutinized this year. Virginia coach Al Groh was fired shortly after his loss to rival Virginia Tech, and Ralph Friedgen’s job security was questioned for months leading up to the Terps’ 2-10 finish.

Losses to nonconference opponents were a factor in all three of those coaches’ evaluations, as FSU lost to Florida, Maryland lost to Middle Tennessee for a second straight season, and Virginia lost to William & Mary. The ACC struggled again in its nonconference opportunities, as Georgia Tech and Clemson both lost to their in-state SEC rivals, leading to the ACC's 2-5 record against the SEC, but Virginia Tech helped with a win over Nebraska, NC State beat Pitt, Miami defeated Oklahoma, and Wake Forest’s win over Stanford now seems all the more impressive.

Overall, there were plenty of positive signs for the conference this year. Florida State has finally figured out which direction it’s headed, Duke made remarkable progress in just the second season under coach David Cutcliffe and was within arm’s reach of bowl eligibility, and the ACC championship game saw a significant boost in attendance. Although there was a drop-off in bowl eligible teams -- from an NCAA-record 10 to seven -- the ACC did will enter the bowl season with three teams -- Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami -- ranked among the top 15 in the BCS standings.

Offensive MVP – Clemson running back C.J. Spiller. He had three 300-yard games this year, including arguably his best performance of the season, which came in the ACC championship game. Spiller ran for a career-high 233 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries in the loss to Georgia Tech, and has 1,145 rushing yards this year. His four kickoff returns for touchdowns equaled the total for the 11 other ACC teams combined this year.

Defensive MVP – Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan. He should be a top 15 overall pick in the NFL draft, according to Todd McShay, and is currently sixth in the country in sacks and tied for 18th in tackles for loss. Only one other player in the country has matched his 12.5 sacks, and he has 18 tackles for loss.

Newcomer of the Year – Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams. He finished the regular season ranked fifth in the country in rushing yards per game, third in total rushing yards and tied for third in rushing touchdowns. He became the first Tech freshman to rush for 100 or more yards in four straight games. His 1,538 rushing yards are the fourth-most in ACC single-season history. He set the ACC freshman touchdown record with his 20th score, and had nine 100-yard rushing games.

Coach of the Year – Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson. In just his second season, Johnson won the program’s first outright conference title since 1990, guided the Yellow Jackets to the school’s first appearance in a BCS bowl since 1967, a No. 9 ranking in the BCS standings this week and an 11-win season. Only three teams in ACC history have won 12 games in a season, but Georgia Tech could become the fourth with a win over Iowa in the bowl game. With the 39-34 win over Clemson in the ACC title game, Johnson improved to 10-1 in games decided by five points or less while at Georgia Tech.

Biggest surprise – Boston College. The Eagles (8-4, 5-3 ACC) were picked by the media this past summer to finish last in the Atlantic Division, but instead BC was in the hunt to win its division for the third straight year until late November. Under the direction of first-year coach Frank Spaziani, BC finished second in the Atlantic Division behind Clemson. They were able to overcome the growing pains of a 25-year-old first-year starting quarterback who hadn’t played football since high school, and the devastating news that Herzlich had been diagnosed with cancer.

Biggest disappointment – Florida State’s defense. It has to be painful for FSU fans to wonder what could have been had the Noles’ defense been a more formidable group this year. The offense was soaring under quarterback Christian Ponder before he was hurt, but the defense finished the regular season ranked 108th in rushing defense, 113th in pass efficiency defense, 110th in total defense, and 98th in scoring defense. This team was picked to win the Atlantic Division, and with a better defense, it might have been able to.

Game of the Year – ACC championship game: Georgia Tech 39, Clemson 34. Yes, there were other great games throughout the season -- Virginia Tech’s finish against Nebraska, Clemson’s overtime win at Miami, and Georgia Tech’s upset of Virginia Tech all come to mind. But the final conference game carried the most weight, and as far as entertainment value goes, it delivered. Both teams racked up more than 300 rushing yards, neither team punted and Clemson led 34-33 with 6:11 left -- plenty of time for Johnson’s offense to work its magic.

It was a strange, unpredictable and exciting year for the Pac-10.

All of those terms, however, can't hide the fact that the conference didn't produce a second BCS team for the seventh consecutive year. And didn't deserve one -- five teams finished 8-4 behind 10-2 Oregon.

On the plus said, the Pac-10, which finished 21-9 in nonconference games (.700), earned a widespread reputation among pundits as the nation's deepest conference, and perhaps its best, top-to-bottom. Nine teams received votes at some point this season in the AP poll and seven were ranked at some point. Seven teams won six or more games and earned bowl eligibility.

Five teams were ranked in the final BCS standings, more than any other conference.

That's dandy. But did we mention the lack of a second BCS bowl team? That costs the conference $4.5 million each year it happens.

For comparison's sake, the Big Ten has lost six consecutive BCS bowl games, but it's had two BCS bowl teams six of the past seven years. Do the math.

While the conference's nine-game round-robin schedule certainly hurts the effort to get two BCS bowl teams, the conference also deserves its share of the blame for not coming up big in a number of marquee nonconference games.

Oregon State lost to Cincinnati; Oregon lost to Boise State; Arizona lost to Iowa; Washington lost to LSU; Arizona State lost to Georgia; Stanford lost to Wake Forest.

Sure, no other conference played teams ranked No. 3, 6, 10 and 12 in the final BCS standings, but a couple of wins certainly would have helped the cause.

Beyond the national issues, the internal churn within the conference standings was particularly noteworthy. For the first time in seven years, USC didn't at least share the conference championship and earn a berth in a BCS bowl game. Moreover, there was real mystery who would win the conference title until the final week of the season.

While the teams at the top scrambled, the Trojans, the preseason favorites, took a shocking tumble to fifth place.

That is as big a story as anything else.

Offensive MVP -- Stanford running back Toby Gerhart.

Gerhart turned in the best season of any offensive player in the nation. He finished second in the nation with 145 yards per game and first with 26 rushing touchdowns. The first-team All-Academic pick even passed for a TD. All that earned him an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York.

Defensive MVP -- UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price.

Price led the conference with 22.5 tackles for a loss, a number that ranked third in the nation. No one else in the conference had more than 14.5 TFL. He also had seven sacks and forced two fumbles. All that despite frequently fighting through double-teams.

Newcomer of the year -- Oregon's running back LaMichael James.

James, a redshirt freshman, ranked second in the Pac-10 and eighth in the nation with 123 yards rushing per game. His 1,476 yards set a new conference freshman rushing record. He also scored 14 touchdowns and ranked first in the conference with 6.87 yards per carry. James led the country with 20 runs of at least 20 yards.

Coach of the year -- Oregon's Chip Kelly.

It's impressive that Kelly led Oregon to a Pac-10 championship and its first Rose Bowl since the 1994 season in his first season as head coach. But everyone knows it was more than that. The performance at Boise State in the season-opener was abysmal. And LeGarrette Blount's behavior afterwards was even worse. But Kelly kept his locker room together, and the Ducks won 10 of their final 11 games. Not a single person in the country thought that would happen on Sept. 3.

Biggest surprise -- Arizona.

The Wildcats were picked to finish eighth in the preseason media poll. The Pac-10 blog, an unabashed Wildcats believer, only picked them fifth. But they are headed to the Holiday Bowl, which makes them first among the three teams that tied for second in the conference. Once embattled coach Mike Stoops led the Wildcats to an 8-4 finish, despite losing their quarterback, top receiver and dominant left tackle from 2008, and then seeing their All-American tight end, Rob Gronkowski, go down to injury in the preseason.

Biggest disappointment -- USC.

USC's dynasty wasn't going to last forever, but the general thought is a rival would seize the title in a tight race, not that the Trojans would go belly-up. An early loss at Washington was surprising, but it fit USC's previous M.O., -- a stumble vs. Pac-10 underdog followed by reassertion of dominance. Then came a 27-point loss at Oregon. And, two weeks later, Stanford gleefully ran up the score in a 55-21 win. Completing the deluge, Arizona handed the Trojans their second loss in the Coliseum, 21-17, in the season-finale. The Trojans, once ranked fourth in the nation, now have a date with Boston College in the Emerald Bowl as the Pac-10's No. 5 team.

Game of the year: Oregon 44, Arizona 41 2 OT

Speaking of Arizona, this double-overtime defeat at home ended up costing the Wildcats the Rose Bowl. But both teams played so well and with such energy in this back-and-forth affair, it was more about Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli willing his team to victory. This might not just have been the best Pac-10 game of the year, it might have been the best period.

It was supposed to be a down year for the Big East.

The league entered the season with no ranked teams and much uncertainty. Every team had at least one major question mark, and several stars were lost in the 2009 NFL draft.

Instead, the conference had one of its strongest showings and most exciting seasons ever. Two teams -- Cincinnati and Pittsburgh -- cracked the top 10, five total league teams appeared in the Top 25 at some point and three finished in the final rankings. Cincinnati provided the Big East a legitimate powerhouse, going 12-0 and coming up a controversial Big 12 second short of possibly crashing the BCS title game.

While the Bearcats were clearly the league's best team, the conference remained very balanced. Cincinnati beat Pitt by one point, Connecticut by two and West Virginia by three. West Virginia beat Pitt on a last-second field goal, while Pitt pulled the same trick on UConn.

South Florida got its usual September day in the sun by beating Florida State before slinking back into the shade by mid-October. Rutgers won eight games, including a blowout of South Florida and a thriller over UConn, but couldn't get a signature win. Syracuse, despite a 4-8 record, showed signs of progress under first-year coach Doug Marrone, while Louisville ended the Steve Kragthorpe era after missing a bowl for the third straight year.

In all, the league was highly competitive each week and finished 32-8 against nonconference opponents. The Big East provided lots of great stories -- like Cincinnati's run, UConn's strength in the light of tragedy and Greg Paulus' transition from point guard to quarterback -- and several dramatic games, including the Cincinnati-Pitt finale and virtually every game Connecticut played. Many young stars, from Dion Lewis to Mohamed Sanu to Zach Collaros, came of age under the bright lights and will be making plays in this league for years.

If that's what a down year looks like, may the Big East never find its way up.

Offensive MVP: Pitt running back Dion Lewis

Had Tony Pike stayed healthy all year, he may have run away with this award. But that doesn't diminish the amazing achievements by Lewis, who did the unthinkable by dominating the conference as a true freshman. He finished third in the nation in rushing with 1,640 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. He eclipsed 100 yards nine times and went over 150 yards in five of his last seven games. The rest of the Big East can't believe they have to face this guy for at least two more years.

Defensive MVP: Pitt defensive tackle Mick Williams

This was a very difficult choice. Several defensive players had standout years, but there was no one obvious guy like Scott McKillop last year. I asked a few coordinators around the league for help with this pick, and the consensus was that Williams and fellow Pitt defensive lineman Greg Romeus were the two most disruptive, headache-inducing defenders in the conference this year. I give Williams the nod over Romeus because he had 15 tackles for loss from the defensive tackle position, which is very impressive, and his work on the inside helped make it possible for Romeus to rush the passer on the edge.

Special teams MVP: Cincinnati returner Mardy Gilyard

Rutgers' Devin McCourty had a great year on special teams as well, but Gilyard had the uncanny ability to make a huge play when his team needed it most. Never was that more evident than his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Pitt. Gilyard returned two kickoffs and a punt back for scores this year and was a threat to go all the way every time he touched the ball.

Newcomer of the year: Lewis

If he's the offensive player of the year, then this is obvious. There were other top-notch newcomers who might have won this in other years, including Rutgers' Sanu and South Florida's Jason Pierre-Paul.

Coach of the year: Cincinnati's Brian Kelly

Kelly might not have any more room on his mantle for this award since it would be the third time in three years he's won it. UConn's Randy Edsall deserves strong consideration as well for the way he kept his team together and led with grace after the death of Jasper Howard. But 12-0 is 12-0, especially when you replaced virtually your entire defense.

Biggest surprise: Connecticut

Not so much that it finished 7-5, which was about as expected, but because the Huskies rebounded from tragedy to close the year strong while becoming an offensive power.

Biggest disappointment: South Florida

I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise anymore, but after yet another 5-0 start that included a win at Florida State, the Bulls sure should have done better than 7-5 and the International Bowl. Yes, Matt Grothe's injury didn't help. But when you consider that five of the team's victories came over two FCS teams, Western Kentucky, Syracuse and Louisville, that 7-5 mark looks even drearier.

Game of the year: Cincinnati 45, Pitt 44, Dec. 5

The Big East saved its best for last, as the schedule worked out perfectly to create a de facto championship game at Heinz Field. And what a game it was, with Cincinnati coming back from a 21-point first-half deficit and 14-point fourth quarter hole to win on a touchdown pass in the final minute. It's a game that will remembered by both sides for a long, long time.

The Mountain West Conference spent almost all of the offseason protesting the current BCS system and claiming that Utah -- the only team to finish undefeated last season -- was unfairly left out of the BCS mix.

The BCS didn’t change and neither did the Mountain West.

For the second consecutive season -- and the third time since 2004 -- the conference has produced the highest-ranked undefeated nonautomatic qualifying team in TCU, and will once again appear in a BCS bowl.

And Boise State will be joining the Horned Frogs.

For the first time in the history of the BCS system, two nonautomatic qualifying teams will play a BCS bowl -- Boise State and TCU will meet in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl -- proving the Mountain West’s protests for more equality did not go unheard.

But make no mistake, the non-AQs earned their way into the BCS spotlight and it wasn't just TCU and Boise State. The non-AQs as a whole had one of its best seasons in terms of national rankings, big wins and overall records.

For eight weeks, five nonautomatic qualifying schools appeared in the Associated Press Top 25 and there were never fewer than three non-AQ teams in the AP poll.

Five nonautomatic qualifying schools appeared in the BCS standings during five of the eight weeks. The BCS standings never had fewer than four non-AQ teams ranked this year.

TCU, Boise State and BYU were consistent early on, while Utah and Houston started making regular appearances after the sixth week of the season. At the end of the year, Central Michigan made its first appearance in the AP poll.

Five non-AQ teams finished with double-digit wins and 11 teams with nine or more wins. Three of the five conference champions had more than 10 wins.

East Carolina and Troy also made history by winning their respective conferences. The Pirates became the first Conference USA team to win back-to-back titles since the conference went to a championship format, and the Trojans notched their fourth consecutive Sun Belt conference title, tying North Texas for the most consecutive championships.

The non-AQs also took down their fair share of automatic qualifying schools, including Oklahoma, Oregon, Clemson, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Mississippi State among others.

Individually, the quarterbacks made the headlines. Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour became the FBS' all-time leader in career touchdowns and broke both school and Mid-American Conference passing records. Houston's Case Keenum led the nation in total offense and passing, and threw for more than 5,000 yards for the second consecutive season. Boise State's Kellen Moore led the nation in passing efficiency and led his team to its second consecutive undefeated regular season.

Last season appeared to be a monumental year for the non-AQs with Utah’s accomplishments, but this year more than ever has shown that parity is becoming more abundant across the board.

Offensive MVP: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

Moore led the nation in passing efficiency with a 167.35 rating and led the Broncos to a 13-0 campaign, their second consecutive undefeated regular season. He completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 3,325 yards and 39 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Many considered Moore a potential Heisman candidate.

Defensive MVP: Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU

Hughes anchors the nation's second-ranked defense. He has 15 tackles for loss, including 11.5 sacks, and a career-high 54 tackles. Hughes already has been named an AFCA All-American and is expected to be a consensus All-American for the second consecutive season.

Newcomer of the Year: James Cleveland, Houston

Cleveland, a transfer from Trinity Valley Community College in Texas, ranks second in the country in receptions per game and sixth in receiving yards with 107.45 per game. He had five games with double-digit receptions and more than 100 receiving yards, including a 19-catch, 241-yard performance in the Conference USA title game.

Coach of the Year: Gary Patterson, TCU

Patterson led the Horned Frogs to their first undefeated season since 1938 and first 12-0 regular season in school history. The Horned Frogs will play in their first BCS bowl game, and were a second away from possibly playing for a national championship.

Biggest surprise: Idaho

Idaho was picked to finish last in the WAC coaches poll and second-to-last in the WAC media poll, but won six of its first seven games and finished with a 7-5 record, the most wins since 1999. Idaho will be playing in its first bowl game since 1998.

Biggest disappointment: New Mexico

New Mexico finished last season 4-8, its worst season since winning four games in 1999, but was supposed to be on an upswing with new head coach Mike Locksley. Instead, Locksley found himself embroiled in off-field controversies and the team went 1-11, its worst campaign since going 0-11 in 1987.

Game of the Year: Navy 23, Notre Dame 21, Nov. 7; TCU 14, Clemson 10, Sept. 26

It was hard to pick just one game out of the hundreds that were played this year, but both of these games changed the course of a couple different seasons.

Navy’s win over Notre Dame was the Midshipmen’s second win over the Irish in 45 years and likely cost Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis his job.

TCU’s win over Clemson, which ultimately played in the ACC championship, continued to give the Horned Frogs the clout to stay high in the BCS standings and stave off the pressure from Boise State. That win could have been the push the Horned Frogs needed to get them into the national championship had the Big 12 title game turned out differently.