ESPN College Football

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

The knock against Boise State year after year is always its schedule.

Too weak, the critics say. Play with the big boys, they yell. No credibility, they howl. The argument has always been a lazy one, steeped in superficiality and ignorance.

This past weekend proved it.

Boise State had a school-record six players drafted, including two in the first round. For those scoring at home, only Alabama (eight), Georgia and Oklahoma (seven each) had more. Ten Boise State players have been drafted in the past three years. To put that into context, Boise State had 10 players drafted between 2002-08, a span of seven years.

So it turns out, going 50-3 over the past four seasons was not so much a product of a lousy schedule, but a product of some darn good football players, and some excellent coaching.

Consider: Boise State never lands Top 25 recruiting classes. In fact, Boise State and five-star commitments go together -- never. Coach Chris Petersen is perhaps the most underrated coach in America when you consider the talent level of the players he has to work with when they arrive on campus.

Shea McClellin went No. 19 overall to the Bears. In the class of 2007, he was unheralded and unranked out of a tiny town in Idaho. Doug Martin went No. 31 overall to Tampa Bay. In the class of 2007, ESPN ranked him the No. 248 running back in the nation. They are about as unlikely a pair of first-round picks as you will find in the draft. And yet NFL teams, NFL coaches and NFL scouts seemed to have no problem with the competition they faced.

Anybody who has bothered to watch Boise State play under Petersen appreciates the type of players he has been able to develop. Three of the four starting defensive linemen on last year's team were drafted, and that is no big surprise. Boise State dominated up front the past several years -- as Georgia will attest to after getting walloped in the season opener last season. McClellin and Billy Winn (sixth round, Cleveland) were stalwarts on that unit.

Tyrone Crawford moved into the starting unit in 2011, but he has been a significant contributor over the past two seasons, as the team's leader in tackles for loss. Crawford is another player with an unlikely story. He hails from Canada, and only began playing in ninth grade at the request of his physical education teacher. He was picked in the third round by the Cowboys.

We have not even talked about quarterback Kellen Moore, who went undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions. Moore helped engineer all those victories with his leadership, his skill and his incredible knowledge of the offense. He is talented, yes. But he is undersized and lacking in some of the key measurables teams want in a quarterback, so he was passed over despite the intangible values he brings to the quarterback position.

Whether he should have been drafted is another topic. The point is that NFL teams and scouts are not simply enamored with college success, enough to overlook deficiencies or potential stumbling blocks for that particular player on the next level. These NFL teams do an inordinate amount of homework and research when they make their selections. They are looking for talent and potential when they watch tape, not the strength of the opposition.

Nobody is going to argue that Boise State has played the quality schedule Alabama has played. But the argument that Boise State is simply lucky and not any good must end. The Broncos have proven they have way too much talent to be undercut with such a silly notion.

Boston College entered the Jay McGillis Spring Game on Saturday without running backs Montel Harris and Andre Williams. Less than 15 minutes in, the Eagles found themselves without Tahj Kimble, too.

But Rolandan Finch rose to the challenge Saturday, carrying the ball 27 times for 196 yards and hauling in four catches for 38 yards in the offense's 68-58 win over the defense.

The scoring system for the game went as follows: First downs (one point), explosive plays of 25 yards or more (two points), sacks (one point), pass breakups (one point) and turnovers (three points).

The offense concluded its first spring under coordinator Doug Martin, who is bringing a more up-tempo approach to a unit that finished 112th nationally in 2011.

Returning starting quarterback Chase Rettig completed 13 of 23 passes for 120 yards, one touchdown and two picks. Josh Bordner concluded a strong spring by going 8-of-18 for 159 yards and two scores. Both signal-callers were victims of Ameer Richardson interceptions, as the redshirt freshman picked off each quarterback on consecutive series.

Sophomore James McCaffrey also had two picks, in addition to a fumble recovery and three tackles. Kicker Joey Launceford stepped in at defensive back and had a pick of his own, returning an interception 40 yards for a touchdown in the second half.

1. The merger of what’s left of the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA on Monday is the latest painful episode of the epidemic unleashed upon intercollegiate athletics by AQ conferences. Of all that the BCS brought to college football, the most havoc has been wreaked by the heightened financial importance of belonging to an AQ league. Conferences are misshapen. Rivalries are tossed aside. Surely if anyone could have predicted this, the BCS commissioners would have come up with Plan B.

2. The NCAA Football Rules Committee’s proposed change on kickoffs is a two- or three-beer argument. If player safety is the goal, the idea of moving the kickoff from the 30- to the 35-yard line is a no-brainer. But moving the result of a touchback from the 20 to the 25? The argument is that it will encourage receiving teams not to return the ball from the end zone. But if I’m kicking off, do I want to surrender five more yards? If my kickoff defense is good, why kick it into the end zone?

3. Boston College has been anemic on offense for three years, yet new Rutgers coach Kyle Flood hired three Eagle offensive assistants in the last few days. Assistants, like players, are more successful under some head coaches than others. BC head coach Frank Spaziani already had hired former Kent State head coach Doug Martin and longtime Ohio State coordinator Jim Bollman to transform his offense. Rutgers may or may not be better for the arrival of the coaches. BC, which needs fresh blood, is better off for their departure.

Our Mark Schlabach took another crack at his way-too early top 25 today. In response, we'll try again to rank Notre Dame's 2012 opponents.

1. USC (Nov. 24, away): Virtually every early outlook has the Trojans slated as the preseason No. 1 or No. 2 team, and rightfully so. Matt Barkley enters 2012 as the Heisman front-runner and USC will return to the familiar position of having the target on its back throughout the season.

2. Oklahoma (Oct. 27, away): Considering Notre Dame is the only current official, penned-in game that is absolutely going to happen for the Big 12 favorites next season, I'd imagine the Sooners would get up for that.

3. Michigan State (Sept. 15, away): A growing defense will keep Sparty plowing ahead in Year 6 of the Mark Dantonio era, which may just begin with MSU as the Big Ten favorite.

4. Michigan (Sept. 22, home): A number of early polls suggest Michigan as the leading Big Ten contender, but I think some of its losses on defense will be tough to replace. Nonetheless, any team with Denard Robinson under center has a chance to make big things happen, as Notre Dame fans are all too aware of.

5. Stanford (Oct. 13, home): Who needs Andrew Luck when you have that much time in the pocket? Throw anyone under center behind that offensive line and he'll have all the time he needs to make something happen.

6. Miami (Oct. 6, Chicago): The Hurricanes make the biggest jump from the last time we looked at the Irish's opponents. An experienced defense and a great recruiting year for Al Golden suggest this program is back on the rise, pending NCAA sanctions.

7. BYU (Oct. 20, home): I said it before and I'll say it again: If Riley Nelson has a big year, watch out.

8. Purdue (Sept. 8, home): This contest scares me if I'm an Irish fan. First game back from what is sure to be an exhausting season-opening trip in Dublin, with a hungry in-state rival waiting for them and looking to build on momentum following a strong 2011 finish and weak 2012 opener (Eastern Kentucky).

9. Wake Forest (Nov. 17, home): Jim Grobe teams usually perform better than they should, but the Deacs must recover from a weak finish in 2011.

10. Boston College (Nov. 10, away): No more Luke Kuechly means happier offenses everywhere. The Eagles just hope that means theirs, too, which will be in its first year under coordinator Doug Martin.

11. Navy (Sept. 1, Dublin): The Midshipmen have a brutal start to the 2012 schedule, facing the Irish in Dublin before going to Happy Valley to face Penn State, but things get easier afterward. Can they put the awful luck of 2011 behind them and beat the beatable opponents?

12. Pitt (Nov. 3, home): Paul Chryst seems like the right fit, but asking him to lift the Panthers out of their underachieving ways in Year 1 is a bit much.

With 2011 in the rearview mirror, here is an early look at Notre Dame's 2012 opponents, with the game date and site in parantheses.

1. USC (Nov. 24, away): Matt Barkley's return makes the Trojans a trendy preseason national title pick and Barkley a likely preseason Heisman frontrunner. They host the Irish in the regular-season finale, and how sweet it would be for Notre Dame should they knock their rivals off with the highest stakes on the line.

2. Oklahoma (Oct. 27, away): Like the Trojans, the Sooners return their prized quarterback (Landry Jones) and will, at the very least, enter 2012 as the Big 12 favorite.

3. Michigan State (Sept. 15, away): Kirk Cousins and Keshawn Martin are gone, but the Spartans return four offensive linemen and plenty of production on the defensive side of the ball as they go for a third-straight 11-win season.

4. Michigan (Sept. 22, home): Denard Robinson and several key skill players likely return, but the Wolverines lose a lot on each line and will rely on several young players to fill the void.

5. Stanford (Oct. 13, home): Perhaps the biggest mystery entering 2012. We just don't know how much this team will drop off following the likely loss of Andrew Luck. Time will tell.

6. BYU (Oct. 20, home): Another wild card. Much will depend on the growth of dual-threat QB Riley Nelson and the Cougars' offense.

7. Purdue (Sept. 8, home): The Boilermakers finished 2011 with back-to-back wins for the first time this season and have a bit of momentum under Danny Hope. Some see them as a darkhorse Leaders Division contender in 2012.

8. Miami (Oct. 6, Chicago): The Hurricanes will likely be led by a defense that returns eight starters for Al Golden's second year.

9. Wake Forest (Nov. 17, home): Quarterback Tanner Price is back, but the Demon Deacons must eliminate the mistakes that cost them five of their final six games and two assistants their jobs.

10. Boston College (Nov. 10, away): The Eagles got better as the season went on and hope new offensive coordinator Doug Martin can bring the unit up to speed with the defense, which loses Luke Kuechly.

11. Navy (Sept. 1, Dublin): Can Trey Miller build off 2011, when he was forced in midseason for the injured Kriss Proctor?

12. Pitt (Nov. 3, home): New coach Paul Chryst will have his work cut out for him on a team with quarterback, protection and, at least in the past calendar year, coaching issues.

Arizona State showed some fight, but that might make the final 56-24 margin in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas smart even more for Boise State.

How the game was won: Boise State dominated on both sides of the ball. It was the better team in every aspect. And let the Pac-12 blog officially voice its opinion -- late to a loud chorus -- that the Broncos in the Las Vegas Bowl instead of a BCS bowl is a travesty. Yes, Allstate Sugar Bowl, we are talking to you. You should be ashamed.

Turning point: Boise State's Doug Martin took the opening kickoff 100 yards for a TD. Other than 0-all just before that, 7-0 would be the closest the Sun Devils got all night. So the turning point was Boise State walking into the stadium.

Stat of the game: Arizona State was outrushed 162 yards to minus-11. Wow. What can you say about that?

Player of the game: Boise State QB Kellen Moore didn't have his best game -- he threw two interceptions -- but his 50th win capped one of the greatest careers in college football history. With him behind center, Boise State became the first Football Bowl Subdivision program to win 50 games in four years. One word from all of college football, Kellen: Thanks.

What Arizona State learned: Some Sun Devils showed fight -- QB Brock Osweiler and receiver Gerell Robinson being two -- but this is a program that needs to transform itself. Sloppy, me-first play needs to end. Doing the exact wrong thing at critical moments needs to end. New coach Todd Graham has inherited a considerable challenge.

Record performance: Osweiler, after throwing for 395 yards, set a school single-season record for yards this season.

Arizona State Sun Devils (6-6) vs. Boise State Broncos (11-1)

Dec. 22, 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Arizona State take by Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller: After a strong start, Arizona State crashed and burned, and that's why coach Dennis Erickson is out of a job.

And if the Sun Devils are unfocused against Boise State, they will get crushed, losing a fifth consecutive game and thereby finishing with a losing record. That would be no way to send Erickson off into the sunset.

On Oct. 29, things seemed so different. With the Sun Devils at 6-2 and nationally ranked, Erickson seemed due for a contract extension. Heck, even a raise. Quarterback Brock Osweiler was putting up big numbers and an opportunistic defense was forcing turnovers and getting red zone stops. The South Division title seemed a certainty. And the schedule eased up, so it was reasonable to project 10 wins.

But things went haywire at UCLA, and the Sun Devils never recovered. After losing to the Bruins, ASU went down at Washington State and lost to rival Arizona, which was playing with an interim coach after firing Mike Stoops. The season-ending loss at home to Cal was played in front of an embarrassing number of empty seats. The defense went belly-up during the losing streak.

Most Sun Devils fans are focused on who the team's next coach will be. The Sun Devils better focus on Boise State or they could get embarrassed.

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Boise State take by Nation blogger Andrea Adelson: For the second straight year, Boise State is left to lament a missed field goal. This year, it was Dan Goodale’s 39-yard miss as time expired against TCU, and Boise State lost 36-35. The loss snapped a 65-game regular-season home winning streak and any hopes for Boise State to get back to a BCS game. Last year, it was Kyle Brotzman who missed field goals in regulation and overtime in a loss to Nevada, also costing the Broncos a BCS shot.

The Broncos may have finished as the highest-ranked non-AQ team, but you are not guaranteed an automatic spot into the BCS unless you are a conference champion. It is really hard to believe that a second-straight 11-1 season could end with so much disappointment. But only in Boise are 11-win seasons disappointments when you don’t have access to the big stage.

Still, this senior group has won 49 games in its career and has a chance to set the record for most wins by a class in the bowl game. Quarterback Kellen Moore topped himself with another fine season, throwing for 3,507 yards, 41 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He did it without his top two receivers from a season ago, turning a group of unknowns into his go-to guys.

Tyler Shoemaker had 15 touchdown catches to lead the way. The defense was perhaps not as crisp as in years past. The defensive line was unable to get consistent pressure up front, and the secondary has been ravaged by one injury after another. The Broncos played against TCU without their top three cornerbacks and had to rely on freshmen against some very talented skill players. Doug Martin was banged up this year as well. Still, you have to give credit to this program for its recent run of success over the last four years -- one BCS appearance, plus three other teams completely worthy of getting in. Remember the undefeated regular-season team of 2008 was left out of the BCS, and now back-to-back seasons have been decided by a field goal.

There are heartbreaking ways to lose. Then there are the ways Boise State has lost the past two years.

Crushing. Agonizing. Dream shattering.

Missed field goals, missed opportunities, blown leads. These are generally not the things Boise State does. But in two losses to Nevada and TCU, the Broncos could not hold on when they needed to most. That means BCS hopes are dashed, and the debate about the worthiness of the Broncos will not be put to rest.

It may be cruel, but those two losses may end up defining a group of seniors who have won an incredible 46 games -- and counting. Because so much more was expected of a group led by quarterback Kellen Moore, future NFL running back Doug Martin and what was supposed to be one of the top defensive lines in the nation.

The Broncos have beaten teams like Virginia Tech, Georgia and Oregon. But who remembers that when you lose to teams from non-AQ conferences. These are the must-win games, the ones you are expected to dominate.

Injuries played a major role Saturday against TCU. Martin and running back D.J. Harper were hurt. The top three cornerbacks were hurt. The starting center was hurt. But everybody has injuries this time of year. Boise State did not have enough to respond.

So here the Broncos sit for a second year in a row, trying to come to terms with a season that will end away from the national spotlight.

"We're definitely bummed about it," senior safety George Iloka said in a phone interview. "We're not used to losing, but I feel the mood is a little different this year. Last year, the depression was a lot longer. It was a full-out depression. But now guys know what we have to do to bounce back. We have a lot more seniors this year, so as veterans if we have our heads down, there is no way the younger guys are going to have their heads up. We have to lead by example. It's about the next game and getting better and proving we are better."

This a group that has lost three total games by a combined five points. Crushing to be sure. But the Broncos still have a chance to set the school record for wins by a senior class. They need to win out to make that happen. They have been to and won a BCS game, in 2009. They have had a player in Moore become the first Heisman finalist in school history. They beat a team from the SEC for the first time in history.

Iloka has been trying to emphasize those positives as the Broncos prepare to move forward at San Diego State on Saturday.

"This loss doesn't define us," he said. "The loss from last year doesn't define us nor does any win define us. It's a body of work. That's why we keep our heads held high. We've only lost three games. We can't be down in the dumps, and we've got to get better to prepare for San Diego State. They're a good team. We definitely can't be hungover from last Saturday."

Coach Chris Petersen expects Martin and Harper back for the game, but said the Broncos will be without their top three cornerbacks -- Jerrell Gavins, Jamar Taylor and Ebo Makinde. True freshman Lee Hightower and sophomore Quaylon Ewing-Burton will start.

Boise State has three games left in the regular season before going to either the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl or the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Not the way the Broncos envisioned closing the season.

“All the losses are crushing,” Petersen said during his news conference Monday. “People don’t understand how tough these losses are to the coaches, to the kids. You put your heart and soul into it year-round, and when you don’t get it done, it’s hard.”

Here are some final notes before the big showdown between TCU and No. 5 Boise State on Saturday. These are courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information.

• Boise State opponents' average drive starts at its own 22-yard line. That is the furthest average drive start in the country.
• TCU has allowed 32 completions of 20-plus yards this season (tied for No. 88 in FBS). That includes 15 long completions to Baylor and SMU in its two losses. Kellen Moore has 147 completions of 20-plus yards in the past three years, the most of any player during that span.
• Doug Martin has gained 444 of his 756 of his yards after contact, a whopping 58.7 percent.
• Moore is completing 79.7 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and no interceptions after a play-action fake this season. He has a 72.5 percent completion percentage, 38 touchdowns and three interceptions after play-action the past three years.

And a few more from TCU sports information:

• TCU is 3-1 in its past four games against top-five teams. Last season, the Horned Frogs won 47-7 at No. 5 Utah and 21-19 against No. 5 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. TCU lost 35-10 at No. 2 Oklahoma in 2008 while defeating the No. 5 Sooners 17-10 in Norman in 2005.
• This is the only contest in the country this weekend with both starting quarterbacks ranked in the top 10 nationally in passing efficiency. Moore is fourth (179.5); TCU's Casey Pachall is eighth (160.3).

And be sure to check out the podcast I did with Mountain West correspondent Mick McGrane, as we previewed the game. Fast forward to the 8:30 mark.

Here are your non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference. The independent players of the week are picked by a national media panel.

C-USA

Offense: J.J. McDermott, QB, SMU. McDermott was 20-of-31 and passed for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns as SMU defeated UCF, 38-17. McDermott improved to 5-0 as a starter and it marked his third straight 300-yard passing game, tying the SMU record.

Defense: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall. Curry had nine tackles, which included four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, to go with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a win over Rice.

Special teams: Richard Crawford, PR, SMU. Returned a punt 92 yards in a win over UCF, the second-longest punt return in league history. He totaled 141 punt return yards for the game, the second-best single-game effort in SMU history.

Independent

Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson completed 17 of 27 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a team-high 87 rushing yards on 12 carries to lead BYU to a 38-28 win over Oregon State.

Defense: Brandon Ogletree, LB, BYU. Forced turnovers on each of the Beavers’ first three possessions of the third quarter, intercepting a pass and causing two fumbles.

Special teams: Jon Teague, PK, Navy. Teague made two field goals against Rutgers, though his 34-yard attempt was blocked with under five minutes to play.

MAC

East Division

Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Pierce broke five school records in a 34-0 win over Buffalo after running for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Pierce and Matt Brown each rushed for 100 yards.

Defense: Roosevelt Nix, DT, Kent State. Forced an early fumble that led to a Kent State field goal and posted career-highs of six tackles and four solo stops in a loss to Miami (Ohio). He also had two tackles for loss, a pair of quarterback hurries and broke up a pass.

Special teams: BooBoo Gates, KR, Bowling Green. Gates had four kick returns for 152 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter in a 28-21 loss to Toledo.

West Division

Offense: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois. Ran for a career-high 229 yards on 14 carries and passed for 203 yards on 14-of-27 passing for a total of 432 yards of total offense in the Huskies 51-22 win over Western Michigan.

Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Had a team-high 10 tackles in a 28-21 win at Bowling Green. Marrow added a career-best three passes defensed.

Special Teams: Scott Kovanda, P, Ball State. Punted seven times for 327 yards and a 46.7 average in a 23-20 win at Ohio. Kovanda pinned Ohio inside the 20-yard line four times and had a career-long 67-yard punt.

Mountain West

Co-Offense: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State. Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State. Martin carried the ball 20 times for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-13 win at Colorado State. His 65-yard TD run was the longest of the season for Martin. Hillman ran 27 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 win at Air Force. Both of his touchdowns came in the final period after the game was tied with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter.

Defense: Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise State. Crawford recorded five tackles in a win at Colorado State, including two sacks for losses totaling 14 yards. He also recovered a fumble.

Special teams: Chris McNeill, WR/PR, Wyoming. McNeill returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown, threw a 28-yard touchdown pass and also completed a 2-point conversion pass in a 41-14 win over UNLV. The punt return for a touchdown was the Cowboys’ first since 2004 and the first in the Mountain West this season.

Sun Belt

Offense: Kolton Browning, QB, ULM. Went 23-of-31 for 275 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Troy. He also added 33 yards on nine carries on the ground to top the 300-yard mark in total offense.

Defense: Lance Kelly, LB, ULL. Had a game-high eight tackles, a tackle-for-loss, a fumble recovery, a pass break-up and an interception in a win over North Texas.

Special Teams: Mitchell Bailey, RB, ULM. After ULM took a 15-10 lead on Troy late in the third quarter, Bailey forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that the Warhawks recovered on the 17-yard line. Two plays later, Browning threw a touchdown pass to Colby Harper to stretch the ULM lead and the Warhawks never looked back.

WAC

Offense: Chandler Jones, WR, San Jose State. Scored three touchdowns three different ways in a 28-27 win over Hawaii. He scored on a 20-yard reverse, off a fumbled kick return, and caught a 37-yard pass with 36 seconds remaining to win. Jones came into the game with just one career touchdown.

Defense: Khalid Wooten, CB, Nevada. Recorded six tackles, forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass in a 49-7 win over New Mexico.

Special teams: Travis Johnson, DE, San Jose State. Blocked two kicks in San Jose State’s win over Hawaii. One was on an extra-point attempt, which was picked up and returned by Duke Ihenacho for the Spartans’ first-ever 2-point defensive PAT. He also blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt with 3:22 remaining.

Taking a look some of the top stories among the non-AQs in Week 7.

The turnaround kids: Bravo to Louisiana-Lafayette (6-1) for becoming bowl eligible after a 30-10 win against North Texas, continuing a remarkable turnaround under first-year coach Mark Hudspeth. Not only have the Ragin’ Cajuns doubled their win total from a season ago, they are the first Sun Belt team to ever win six of its first seven games. They already have beaten preseason favorites FIU and Troy en route to a 4-0 league mark, and are hoping for their first bowl appearance since 1970.

But Louisiana-Lafayette is not the only team that has doubled its win total from a season ago.

Eastern Michigan: In 2009, the Golden Eagles finished the season 0-12. Today they are 4-3 after Alex Gillett scored on a 30-yard run with 37 seconds left in a 35-28 win against Central Michigan 35-28. Eastern Michigan racked up 350 yards rushing and all five of its touchdowns came on the ground. This is the first time it is above .500 in October since starting 3-2 in 2005. It finished that season 4-7.

San Jose State: The Spartans were one of the worst teams in the country last season, finishing 1-12 after injuries decimated the team. But now they have equaled their win total from the past two seasons combined and sit at 3-4, very much in the thick of the too-hard-to-predict WAC race after a wild 28-27 win against Hawaii on Friday night. Fans stormed the field, and coaches and players danced in celebration, too. After so many dark years, San Jose State is 2-1 in WAC play.

Conference shenanigans: If you want great examples of parity, take a look at the MAC West and the WAC. Five teams are at 4-3 in the MAC West, including Eastern Michigan and Ball State, two of the worst teams in the nation last season. Toledo leads the division with a 3-0 mark in league play. Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Ball State and Northern Illinois are all at 2-1 in league play.

The WAC is having a tough time without Boise State this season. No team is above .500. Fresno State (3-4), which went winless in league play and got smoked 57-7 by Boise State, sits atop the conference at 2-0. Hawaii, the preseason favorite, has had two ugly losses to San Jose State and UNLV. Nevada, which lost one game a year ago, is 3-3. New Mexico State, one of the worst teams in the country the past several seasons, is 3-3 with one league win. Just about every team has a shot at the league, maybe save Idaho (1-6, 0-3).

Let's hear it for the Chandlers: Chandler Jones, WR, San Jose State. Jones scored three different ways in a 28-27 upset win against Hawaii on Friday night. His 20-yard run on a reverse got the Spartans on the scoreboard. Next, a 23-yard fumble return off a fumbled kickoff return gave San Jose State a 20-7 second-quarter lead. Finally, he caught the game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds to go. Incredibly, his longest play going into the game was a 16-yard reception against Nevada in September.

Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois: Harnish became the 10th player in FBS history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 200 in a single game, after he accomplished the feat in a 51-22 win against Western Michigan. Harnish ran for a career-high 229 yards, including runs of 51, 29, 45, 40. He also passed for 203 yards. And oh by the way, he only played three quarters. Denard Robinson was the last to pull the 200-200 double -- doing it twice last season.

Helmet stickers

Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State. Hillman ran 27 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 win at Air Force. It was the Aztecs' first victory in Colorado Springs since 2004, and Hillman's fifth 100-yard rushing game this season.

Cody Hoffman, WR, BYU. Hoffman had nine catches for 162 yards and a touchdown in a 38-28 win against Oregon State.

J.J. McDermott, QB, SMU. McDermott went 20-of-31 for 358 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a 38-17 win against UCF.

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State. Moore went 26-of-30 for 388 yards and four touchdowns in a 63-13 win against Colorado State. He started the game with 18 straight completions. It is the second time this season he completed more than 80 percent of his passes. Teammates Tyler Shoemaker (180 yards receiving) and Doug Martin (200 yards rushing) deserve mention as well.

Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Pierce ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-0 win against Buffalo, breaking four school records in the process. He now has 44 touchdowns (43 rush, one receiving) in his career, passing Paul Palmer (1983-86). Pierce re-wrote his own single-season record for touchdowns and now has 18 (previous record was 16 from 2009). He also re-wrote his own season record for points scored (96, which he shared with Brandon McManus in 2009) and now has 102 points this season.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Boise State talked conference this week. Yup, Mountain West Conference.

Sure, national headlines may have linked the Broncos to a new home in the Big East. Those were promptly ignored. What was emphasized? Making a statement in their first Mountain West game against Colorado State on Saturday.

You could say No. 5 Boise State made a statement. Or you could say Boise State just kept on rolling and did not really have to say much of anything. The Broncos absolutely controlled the Rams from the start of the game, racking up a school-record 742 yards of offense, and getting career days from running back Doug Martin, receiver Tyler Shoemaker and another eye-popping performance from Kellen Moore in a 63-13 win.

That marks back-to-back games in which the Broncos executed to near perfection, something that perhaps we have become spoiled watching with Moore in charge. Moore, ever understated, simply said, "Just felt like we were executing like the way it goes in practice. Hopefully that's the type of stuff we have. If we execute the way we should, those things should be happening."

Moore started the game with 18 straight completions and finished 26-of-30 for 338 yards and four touchdown passes. His .867 completion percentage was the fourth-highest total in school history. But it gets better than that. It was the second time this season he completed more than 80 percent of his passes. He did it in the opener against Georgia, too.

If anybody turns their nose at his numbers because of the subpar competition, they simply have not watched Moore play. Coach Chris Petersen said Moore is seeing things well right now, and that might be yet another understatement. When somebody has the experience Moore has, on top of the smarts Moore has, they are bound to succeed. But Moore takes that to another level with the ease in which he directs the offense.

Four of his completions went for over 25 yards. His two touchdown passes to Shoemaker covered 52 yards and 62 yards, helping Shoemaker set his career mark with 180 total yards. Moore now has 120 career touchdowns, one away from tying BYU quarterback Ty Detmer for No. 4 on the NCAA list. He also needs one more win to tie the career wins record of 45, set by Colt McCoy at Texas from 2006-09.

"I knew the whole week going in, the quarterback's a good player," Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild said. "He started out, what did he hit 18 in a row? When I played, I couldn't have done that on air."

Meanwhile, the run game worked better than it has all season, as Martin got to 200 yards, the first time a Boise State player hit that mark since Ian Johnson had 205 against Nevada in 2007. In all, Boise State had eight plays that went over 25 yards, including five that went 36 or more.

When the run and the pass work that well, it is extremely difficult to stop the Broncos.

"If we can run the ball like that, good things will happen for us," Petersen said.

Much was made of the way new challenges would be presented to the coaching staff with a new conference. Boise State had never played Colorado State before, so plenty of game planning and film watching had to be done in order to prepare. But the Broncos made it look effortless, the way they did in the WAC. During their 10-year run in that league, Boise State won eight league championships and posted a 75-5 mark in conference games.

"(This) sets the standard for us in the Mountain West," Shoemaker said. "We talked about that a lot this week in practice, to let them know as a new conference member we're here to compete."

And to keep winning.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Thankfully for Colorado State, its first game against Boise State has mercifully come to an end.

It was an all-out Broncos blitz in a 63-13 win, their first conference game in the Mountain West. While talk about the Big East may have overshadowed the day, Boise State made it known it is just as serious about winning this league as it was in the WAC. If Saturday was any indication, they could be on yet another road to domination.

The No. 5 Broncos (6-0) became bowl eligible and racked up more than 700 yards of total offense. There was not much that went unaccomplished on the field. Kellen Moore had four incompletions, threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns before being pulled in the third quarter. Running back Doug Martin hit 200 yards. Tyler Shoemaker not only had 180 yards receiving, he also executed a fake punt to perfection.

Had the starters stayed in the game, Boise State could well have scored 70. In any case, Boise State has now posted back-to-back games in which it has scored 50-plus points. The fewest points the Broncos have scored all year? Thirty against Nevada two weeks ago.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- New conference, no problem for Boise State.

The Broncos rolled to a 63-13 lead after three quarters thanks to their usual high-powered offense leading the way. Kellen Moore went 26-of-30 for 338 yards with four touchdown passes before being pulled from the game with 5:11 to go in the third quarter. He now has 120 career touchdown passes, No. 5 in NCAA history and one behind Ty Detmer of BYU. Consider he has only played in one full game this season -- in the opener against Georgia.

Meanwhile, Tyler Shoemaker had 180 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and Doug Martin ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Seven of the Broncos' nine scoring drives lasted under 2 minutes.

The defensive line harassed and pressured Colorado State quarterback Pete Thomas, who had only 100 yards passing and an interception. The Rams were 0-of-10 on third-down conversions through three quarters.