ESPN College Football

Bowl season starts Saturday. We had previews, keys to watch and predictions this morning for the three games so be sure to check those out.

Now on to some links:

This is the final chapter for Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn.

WAC affiliated bowls are fretting because of the changing league.

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall is surrounded by supporters in New Mexico, because he served as an assistant coach there.

Southern Miss center Cameron Zipp will start his 38th straight game against Louisville in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl on Tuesday.

Troy quarterback Corey Robinson is in the driver's seat of the offense.

Northern Illinois has had a quick turnaround to get ready for the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl.

A look back at UTEP's upset of BYU in 1997.

Tulsa's pace will tax the Hawaii defense.

Speaking of Hawaii, if you have not seen this video of the Hawaii marching band, you MUST.

Utah has to rediscover its running game in Las Vegas.

TCU is wary of Wisconsin's passing game.

Here are three keys for Fresno State and Northern Illinois in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl on Saturday in Boise, Idaho.

Fresno State (8-4)

1. Get the ground game going. Robbie Rouse has been hobbled for much of the season with various injuries. First it was an ankle. Now it’s a broken left hand and a rib injury. He will wear a cast on his hand and he has declared himself perfectly fit for the game after missing the regular-season finale against Illinois. When he’s healthy, he’s proved to be a dynamic back. When he’s not, he and the Bulldogs have struggled. If he is hobbled, watch for A.J. Ellis.

2. Make life easy for Ryan Colburn. That means getting the running game going, and protecting him. Colburn is coming off his best game of the season against Illinois, in which he threw for 300 yards, and is painfully aware that the last senior quarterback to win a bowl game at Fresno State was Jeff Tedford in 1982.

3. Play up. Fresno State has some big wins over teams from AQ conferences under coach Pat Hill. But it also has some uncharacteristic losses to non-AQs. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Fresno State is 0-6 against teams from non-AQ conferences but 5-2 against teams from AQ conferences in bowl games since 1990.

Northern Illinois (10-3)

1. Get the ground game going. Chad Spann is going to have to be productive for Northern Illinois to have a chance to win. In the MAC championship game against Miami (Ohio), he only had 54 yards rushing. But there is a reason Northern Illinois has the No. 7 rushing team in the nation and Spann is a big reason. He averages nearly 100 yards a game and has the school record with 20 rushing TDs. His offensive line has done a great job all season but struggled against the RedHawks. Both are going to have to step up.

2. Contain Chris Carter and Logan Harrell. Fresno State has the best sack duo in the country in Carter and Harrell, who have combined for 21.5 sacks. What has worked so well for Fresno State has been the way the inside linemen have been able to hold their blocks to give Carter and Harrell time to make tackles behind the line. Northern Illinois may have to use an extra back to help block them, depending how disruptive they are early in the game.

3. Score. No brainer, right? Well the Huskies have had big-time problems scoring in bowl games of late. They have scored a combined 20 points in their last three, including a field goal in a loss to USF in the International Bowl last season.

Northern Illinois Huskies (10-3) vs. Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4)

Dec. 18, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The season ended in heartbreak for the Huskies, who were upset in the MAC title game 26-21 to Miami (Ohio). The Huskies had won nine straight going into the game, but their normally strong running game was totally shut down. Chad Spann, the reigning MAC player of the year, had 54 yards rushing and 3.2 yards a carry. Miami simply loaded the box, and Northern Illinois could not get any consistency going in the passing game with Chandler Harnish. Still, the Huskies do have a potent rushing attack, ranking No. 7 in the country. Coach Jerry Kill has done a terrific job taking this team to three straight bowl games. But he will not be on the sideline for this one, having accepted the head coaching job at Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Fresno State was able to overcome back-to-back losses to Nevada and Boise State to close the season with two straight wins. The Bulldogs have been hurt this season because of injuries to several key players. Running back Robbie Rouse, slated to replace Ryan Mathews, has been hobbled for most of the year, and missed the finale against Illinois. Still, he did have back-to-back 200-yard games and more than 1,000 yards this season. Quarterback Ryan Colburn has taken a big step forward, and so has the defensive line. After ranking as one of the worst teams in the nation in sacks last year, Fresno State ended up with 37, thanks to Chris Carter and Logan Harrell, who combined for 21.5. Three of the Bulldogs’ four losses this season have come to ranked teams.

Yes, Hawaii is still playing UNLV out on the islands, but we are going to give out our final regular-season non-AQ helmet stickers, anyway.

Miami (Ohio) QB Austin Boucher. In just his third career start, Boucher threw for 333 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Armand Robinson with 33 seconds left to win the MAC championship game, 26-21 over Northern Illinois on Friday night. The RedHawks pulled an incredible upset and capped an incredible turnaround season after going 1-11 in 2009. Robinson had 176 yards on 14 catches.

Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders (6-6) are headed to a bowl game for consecutive years for the first time in their FBS history after a 28-27 win over Sun Belt c0-champion FIU. Quarterback Dwight Dasher threw for a season-high 244 yards and a touchdown, and ran for another 57.

UCF defense. The Knights had five sacks, six quarterback hurries and two interceptions in a 17-7 win over SMU in the Conference USA championship game. It was the lowest point total for the Mustangs since June Jones arrived in 2008.

Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick. Became just the third player in NCAA history to rush and pass for 20 touchdowns in the same season, joining Tim Tebow of Florida and Cam Newton of Auburn. Kaepernick had 155 yards rushing in a 35-17 win over Louisiana Tech, becoming the third quarterback in NCAA history to run for over 4,000 yards. He also had three rushing touchdowns, giving him 59 for his career, tied atop the NCAA rankings with Eric Crouch.

Fresno State QB Ryan Colburn. Went 18-of-26 for 304 yards and three touchdowns in a 25-23 win over Illinois on Friday night. The Bulldogs end the season with yet another win over an opponent from an AQ conference, their 17th win over a team from an AQ conference since 2000.

There's only one Big Ten team in action this weekend, but I have five reasons why you should pay attention. So pay attention!

1. Mikel Leshoure: If you haven't watched the Big Ten's best running back this season, stay up late Friday night and tune into ESPN2 as Leshoure and Illinois visit Fresno State (10:15 p.m. ET kickoff). Leshoure comes off of a team-record 330-yard rushing performance at Wrigley Field and has racked up 664 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns in his past three games. The Illini junior, who will weigh his NFL options after the season, needs 311 yards to break the team's single-season rushing record held by Rashard Mendenhall.

2. Games that can impact the BCS standings: The final BCS standings on Sunday night will determine which team earns the Big Ten's automatic BCS berth. Wisconsin pretty much has a trip to the Rose Bowl locked up, but a few games this weekend could impact the standings. Keep an eye on Illinois-Fresno State, Arizona State-Arizona, Oregon-Oregon State and Auburn-South Carolina. Both Ohio State and Michigan State beat Illinois, while Wisconsin didn't play the Illini but beat Arizona State on Sept. 20.

3. Nebraska in the Big 12 title game: The Cornhuskers play their final Big 12 game, and it's a big one. Nebraska renews one of the great rivalries in college sports as it takes on Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game at JerryWorld. Although Nebraska's performance the rest of the way will be credited to the Big 12, the Big Ten would love to have a reigning league champion and a BCS bowl champion entering its league in 2011. Big Ten fans scouting the Huskers should keep a close eye on the quarterback position, as Taylor Martinez and Cody Green both could play.

4. Illinois defense aims for redemption: The Illini defense reached its low point last fall against Fresno State, which racked up 53 points and 233 rush yards in a win at Memorial Stadium. Vic Koenning's defense performed better against Northwestern at Wrigley Field but is still trying to recapture its midseason form. Fresno State provides a good test Friday with Robbie Rouse, the nation's No. 13 rusher, as well as veteran quarterback Ryan Colburn.

5. The bowl selections: Michigan State this week launched a full-blown campaign to get in the discussion for a BCS at-large berth. Will it work? Probably not, but you never know if there will be a surprise on Selection Sunday. The real drama likely will come with the Outback and Gator Bowls, who have more options than usual, albeit lukewarm ones. Will Penn State, Iowa, Michigan or Illinois head to the Outback? What will the Gator do? It should be very interesting to watch.

Let's take a look at the good and the bad for the non-AQs in Week 12.

The good: TCU and Boise State are still in the national title hunt, keeping the non-AQs as one of the hottest topics of the college football conversation as we get into the final parts of the season. The two will continue to jockey for position, especially if they both win out. … Congrats to BYU for become bowl-eligible following a 1-4 start to the season. It has won five of its last six and has outscored its opponents 144-24 in the past three games. OK, the Cougars have beaten up on the bottom feeders in the league, but so has everyone else. … Wyoming closed its season with a 44-0 win over rival Colorado State for its first Mountain West win. Air Force also finished its season with a win over UNLV to finish 8-4. The Falcons await their bowl assignment. … SMU is also headed to a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1983-84. … Northern Illinois is headed to the MAC title game for the first time since 2005 and has won eight straight.

The bad: Fresno State was shut out for the first time since 1998 in a 51-0 loss to Boise State. The Bulldogs managed 125 total yards of offense. Ryan Colburn was sacked four times, had three turnovers and completed just six passes. … East Carolina continues to struggle, this time giving up 62 points to a Rice team that had two wins going into the game. The Pirates have given up 40-plus points in eight of their 11 games this season, including two games of 60-plus points. They have the worst defense in college football. … Army was held to just three points and a season-low 165 rushing yards in a loss to Notre Dame, and also lost the turnover battle. The Black Knights had been averaging 273 yards on the ground, and were one of the nation’s best in turnover margin. Since the start of 2006, Army is 7-35 when the margin is negative or even.

The uplifting: Southern Miss played truly inspired football in a 59-41 win over Houston. Coach Larry Fedora wondered how the events of last week would affect his team going into the game. Three players were shot after a fight inside a club spilled out into the parking lot. Linebacker Martez Smith is paralyzed from the waist down, but he was at the game for Senior Day, and in an emotional moment, was allowed onto the field in his wheelchair before the game. Tim Green, shot in the neck and unable to speak, watched from his hospital room, while Deddrick Jones watched from Fedora’s office. Defensive end Cordarro Law, who wore Jones’ No. 91, had two sacks and played with extra motivation. Green and Smith are his roommates.

The heartache: It seems we are always writing about Western Kentucky in this space. The Hilltoppers blew yet another fourth-quarter lead, dropping a 27-26 game to Middle Tennessee. Rod Issac returned a fumble 99 yards in the fourth quarter to spur the comeback. The Blue Raiders scored the final 17 points of the game. Western Kentucky has won two games this season -- both on the road. … Meanwhile, the Aztecs blew a 27-10 second-quarter lead to Utah and lost for the fourth time this season. Each loss has come to a bowl-eligible team. Each loss has been by five points or less.

500 club: Two non-AQ quarterbacks went over 500 yards this weekend: Hawaii QB Bryant Moniz set a new school record with 560 passing yards in a 41-7 win over San Jose State, breaking the old record of 559 by Colt Brennan against Arizona State in the 2006 Hawaii Bowl. San Diego State QB Ryan Lindley went 36-of-54 for a career-high 528 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions -- but his two INTs late made the difference in a 38-34 loss to Utah. He did become the first Aztecs player to post back-to-back 3,000-yard seasons since Dan McGwire in 1989-90.

A few more helmet stickers: Western Kentucky LB Bar’ee Boyd. As a team, the Hilltoppers had not blocked a punt in over two years. In the first quarter against Middle Tennessee, Boyd did it twice. His second block was recovered by Derrius Brooks in the end zone for a touchdown. … Wyoming DE Josh Biezuns had a career-high 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in a 44-0 win over Colorado State.

Week 13 look ahead: The big one Friday night is in Reno, when No. 4 Boise State plays No. 19 Nevada with not only WAC title hopes on the line, but BCS hopes on the line for the Broncos as well. This weekend could clear up the national championship picture as well. … There also is a big game in the MAC on Tuesday night between Miami (Ohio) and Temple. Miami needs a win and an Ohio loss at Kent State to clinch the East. … And of course, there is BYU at Utah, in a game that is no sure thing for the Utes anymore. The Cougars actually have a semblance of an offense, but this will be their biggest test since the last time they lost -- at TCU. Their opponents are a combined 8-37 in their four-game winning streak.

Before the season started, Fresno State coach Pat Hill thought quarterback Ryan Colburn was in for a pretty special senior season.

He has been right through the first three games. In fact, Colburn has been more important than ever to the Bulldogs' offense because injuries have taken a big toll at receiver and running back.

Colburn has been consistent throughout, throwing for nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. He is 65-of-89 for 786 yards and is completing 73 percent of his passes, a career high. If you compare the start to his senior season with some of the other great quarterbacks to come through Fresno State, Colburn is right there with them.

In fact, he is off to a better start than David Carr in 2001 and Billy Volek in 1991.

“He’s playing really well,” Hill said. “Ryan’s done an outstanding job as a leader for us and is playing very efficiently. I’m very happy with his performance.”

With the departure of Ryan Mathews, who led the NCAA in rushing last season, Fresno State knew it would have to rely more on Colburn. That became especially true when injuries hit the backfield. Running back Robbie Rouse, who went into the season as the starter, missed one game with shoulder and ankle injuries. He played last week against Ole Miss but was still hobbled with a bad ankle, rushing just seven times for 22 yards.

A.J. Ellis, who replaced Rouse in the starting lineup, has a sprained toe and is most likely out for Saturday’s game against Cal Poly. Hill said he was concerned with Ellis’ foot. The injuries have taken a toll on production. Fresno State, so good a year ago with Mathews, ranks No. 104 in the country in rushing averaging 103 yards a game.

The passing offense, meanwhile, ranks 30th in the country. Colburn ranks ninth in the country in passing efficiency and has a better completion percentage than Ryan Mallett, Andrew Luck and Kellen Moore.

Even more impressive: Colburn is putting up good numbers despite a depleted wide receiving corps. The injury bug has hit there, too, with Rashad Evans (hamstring) and Devon Wylie (foot surgery) missing time. Leading receiver Jamel Hamler hurt his shoulder against Ole Miss and his status is up in the air for Saturday.

Also, All-WAC offensive guard Andrew Jackson (ankle) has been hurt, too.

“It’s been a funny deal with injuries this year,” Hill said. “They haven’t been from big hits. It’s just the nature of the game.”

Fresno State lost to Ole Miss last week to drop to 2-1, but as long as Colburn stays healthy, the Bulldogs have a shot to be in every game.

It was a terrific opening weekend for the upper echelon teams in the Mountain West Conference, with TCU, BYU and Utah posting big wins in their marquee games against opponents from the automatic qualifying conferences. New Mexico -- not so much.

We will know much, much more after Monday night, but here is what we learned through the games so far:

Don’t sleep on TCU. The Horned Frogs are happy to have everybody talking about Boise State and the national championship race. TCU has largely been left out of that discussion. But a 30-21 win against Oregon State on Saturday night should serve as a reminder that TCU has an experienced, talented squad returning and could be legitimate national championship contenders.

Andy Dalton needs to cut down on the interceptions, but if the option works as well as it did against the Beavers, then TCU should win all its games this year. TCU rolled up 278 yards rushing. The defense limited Jacquizz Rodgers to 75 yards on the ground, a very good sign for a unit missing four starters from last season. One area that needs to be shored up -- cornerback. Greg McCoy was often a target for Ryan Katz.

BYU made two quarterbacks work, for now. It may be unorthodox in Provo, but BYU made its two-quarterback system work in the opener against Washington. Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps rotated series and both finished with 131 yards each. Nelson threw two touchdown passes and had 45 yards rushing. He had 17 pass attempts to 23 for Heaps. The offense did sputter on two drives in the fourth quarter with a chance to put the game away, but the defense stepped up with Washington mounting a late drive, batting down Jake Locker’s pass with 1:55 to win.

Could New Mexico be the worst team in FBS? It was the most lopsided game of the weekend, a 72-0 drubbing at the hands of Oregon. What is staggering is that every FCS team playing against a top-division opponent came closer than the Lobos did to the Ducks. New Mexico had eight first downs, 107 yards of total offense and five turnovers. It trailed 59-0 at halftime and gave up 720 yards. Embattled coach Mike Locksley, who went 1-11 in his debut season, is going to need to find some answers fast to keep his team from sliding.

Fresno State could be a dark horse. The Bulldogs had an impressive 28-14 win over Cincinnati late Saturday night behind Ryan Colburn, who tied a career-high with four touchdown passes. Coach Pat Hill expected improvement out of Colburn, but he had to have been pleased with the way his defense played. Going into the game, he worried about the way his team would be able to handle the spread because it has struggled against that offense in the past. Fresno State held the Bearcats and Zach Collaros in check, holding him to 219 yards passing and just 9.1 yards per completion. Robbie Rouse didn’t do much in his debut, with 40 yards on 20 carries.

Middle Tennessee could be fine without Dwight Dasher. The Blue Raiders lost to Minnesota 24-17 on Thursday night, but it wasn’t a blowout without its top playmaker, ineligible for taking a $1,500 loan. Middle Tennessee had the lead at one point in the game, and the play of new quarterback Logan Kilgore was encouraging. He went 13-of-18 for 172 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Without Dasher, Phillip Tanner stepped up with eight carries for 75 yards and a touchdown. Of the five Sun Belt teams playing AQ opponents, Middle Tennessee played the closest game.

We continue our series of camp previews for selected non-AQ teams.

Opening camp: Fresno State

Schedule: Practice starts today. First two-a-day practice is Aug. 10.

What’s new: Fresno State has seven home games this season for the first time since 1994, and the first time under coach Pat Hill. The Bulldogs also were able to retain their offensive coordinator for the first time since 2004-05.

Key battle: Hard to say there is a battle at quarterback, with Ryan Colburn heading into fall as the starter. But coach Pat Hill has said he wants to see some competition out of Derek Carr during two-a-day practices. If Colburn remains the starter, Carr would redshirt.

New on the scene: Josh Harper, a true freshman wide receiver, was a California commit at one point before switching to Fresno State. One of the most highly touted players in the state of California, Harper could contribute immediately, considering the team lost three of its top four receivers. He is the son of former NFL player Willie Harper.

Breaking out: Redshirt freshman cornerback L.J. Jones. He had a great spring game, including an interception return for a touchdown. Fresno State is going to need him for its young secondary.

Don’t forget about: Rashad Evans. The sophomore wide receiver had a good freshman year in 2008 but redshirted last season. His return could help the Bulldogs’ passing attack.

All eyes on: Robbie Rouse. The sophomore running back is slated to take over for NCAA leading rusher Ryan Mathews. Fresno State has had a good track record of producing exceptional backs. Rouse is a different mold at 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds. Last season he ran for 479 yards and 4 TDs behind Mathews, who is now in the NFL.

Quoting: “It’s not about potential it’s about production. We’ll find out a lot about our football team in the opener against Cincinnati. In the first three weeks of the season our young kids will get broken in quickly. If we keep our health we should be a very competitive team in November.” -- Fresno State coach Pat Hill

Other previews:

Southern Miss

Nevada

UCF

Utah

This is the second in a series of week-long previews featuring five non-AQ teams as we head into the start of fall camp.

Up today: Fresno St.

Fresno St. coach Pat Hill put it mildly when he said his team had some holes to fill during WAC media days.

More like a gargantuan hole in the middle of the backfield.

Ryan Mathews, who led the NCAA in rushing last season, has taken his talents to the NFL, leaving sophomore Robbie Rouse as the likely starter at running back. Sophomores Mike Harris and A.J. Hill should also be in the mix.

But there are several factors that work in Rouse’s favor as he attempts to replace Mathews. For one, the entire starting offensive line returns and should be one of the greatest strengths of the team when fall camp opens Thursday.

“We’re going to need this vet group because we’re breaking in a new group of receivers and running backs,” said Hill, going into his 14^th year with the Bulldogs. “I think having a veteran line is always a key.

“On offense, there are so many things that can limit you if you’re not good on the offensive line. Until our young players adjust to the speed of the game, our offensive line is going to have to be that rock for us.”

The offense should also be helped with the return of quarterback Ryan Colburn, going into his second season as a starter. Hill says Colburn is entrenched but would like to see some competition from Derek Carr, the younger brother of David Carr. Derek Carr played in five games last season in limited work and is expected to redshirt should Hill stick with Colburn.

“They both had very good offseasons,” Hill said. “Colburn is a special, special guy and I had sort of the same problem back in 1999 when I had Billy Volek and David Carr and I redshirted David. It worked out good for Billy and it worked out good for David.

“Right now, Ryan Colburn is definitely our starter. He earned the job last year and played well for us. But it all starts again in the fall. If there’s a change at the quarterback position, we’ll make it, but right now Ryan Colburn is our quarterback.”

Still, it may be hard to replace the school-record 1,808 yards and 19 TDs from Mathews, who averaged 6.55 yards a carry. Rouse, at 5-foot-7, doesn’t have the size Mathews has, but has worked in the offseason to bulk up and improve his speed.

He ran for 479 yards and four touchdowns, and averaged 5.8 yards a carry last season behind Mathews, so you can say he learned from the best.

Now it’s his turn.

“We’ll spread the ball around in different ways,” Hill said. “We’ll still have a mentality of tough, hard-nosed football when we have to be.”

Other previews:

• Nevada
  

Fresno State’s loss to Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl was a tough way to finish a tough season and it was made worse when star running back Ryan Mathews decided to leave school for the NFL. But coach Pat Hill saw an opportunity in Mathews' departure and perhaps a break from the power running game the Bulldogs have relied upon in the past. Hill wants to air it out a bit this spring, which is a good thing since he has a nice group of quarterbacks and receivers.

Here’s a look at the strongest and weakest positions for Fresno State this spring:

Strongest position: Quarterback

Key returners: Senior Ryan Colburn (60.7 completion percentage, 2,459 yards, 19 touchdowns, 11 interceptions), sophomore Derek Carr (completed 10 of 14 passes, 112 yards)

Key departures: Ebahn Feathers (completed 2 of 3 passes, seven yards, touchdowns, 60 yards rushing, one rushing touchdown)

The skinny: Hill said prior to spring ball that Carr would either start or redshirt this year, which seemed to come across as a challenge to last year’s starter Colburn. Colburn struggled at times in his first year as starter, but played well down the stretch. The quarterbacks are going to be asked to do more this year while the running game is being rebuilt. Hill said the Bulldogs have more speed at wide receiver and he wants to exploit that with some spread looks. While Colburn and Carr will be the main competitors this spring, the Bulldogs have three other quarterbacks coming in, including junior college transfer Kelly O’Brien.

Weakest position: Running back

Key returners: Sophomore Robbie Rouse (82 carries, 479 yards, four touchdowns), sophomore Michael Harris (12 carries, 26 yards)

Key departures: Ryan Mathews (276 carries, 1,808 yards, 19 touchdowns), Lonyae Miller (68 carries, 354 yards, four touchdowns), Anthony Harding (15 carries, 32 yards)

The skinny: Losing Mathews, who was the nation’s top rusher last year, is a huge blow to the Fresno State team that relies on the running game for the bulk of the offense. Rouse had a good freshman campaign, but he’s not big enough to be an every down bruising back for the Bulldogs' style of play. He is, however, a good threat to catch passes out of the backfield and he has the moves to shake a lot of defenders. Fellow sophomores Harris and A.J. Ellis also will be counted on to get the running game going.

Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program heading into the spring:

Boise State Broncos
Spring practice starts: March 8
Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

" All starters but Kyle Wilson return in 2010. Jerrell Gavins, who started at Wilson's outside cornerback position during the Fiesta Bowl (Wilson moved to safety) likely will slip into that starting slot.

" With so many players returning and few questions to answer, the Broncos can really start working on the 2010 season. This will also be a good time to sort out the offensive line (10 O-linemen had at least one start last year) and looking for some redshirted playmakers that could find their way into the lineup this season.

" Defensive line coach Pete Kwiatkowski steps in as the new defensive coordinator for Justin Wilcox, who went to Tennessee, but don’t expect any major changes to the defense. Kwiatkowski was Wilcox’s mentor and the two shared the same vision for the Broncos defense.

Fresno State Bulldogs
Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

" Fresno State lost three top backs in Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding and will spend the spring looking for a replacement. Robbie Rouse is the top returning back, but he’s a smaller back than the ones the Bulldogs lost. Look for Michael Harris to get a chance this spring.

" With Seyi Ajirotutu, Marlon Moore and Chastin West gone, the Bulldogs will be looking to fill their receiver depth to help starting quarterback Ryan Colburn. Coach Pat Hill noted on signing day that he wants to spread things out this year and he’s looking forward to some speed joining the team in the fall. In the meantime, sophomore Rashad Evans, redshirt freshman A.J. Johnson and sophomore J.J. Stallworth will work for playing time with Jamel Hamler and Devon Wylie.

" The defensive front, which struggled late against the running game (most notably Nevada and Wyoming), will be a focus this spring. The Bulldogs return nine starters from the bowl game, including All-WAC first team defensive end Chris Carter and linebacker Ben Jacobs.

Hawaii Warriors
Spring practice starts: April 1
Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

" The offensive line was a question heading into the 2009 season and will be again in 2010. The Warriors lose four senior starters, including center John Estes. Backups Kainoa LaCount, Matagisila Lefiti, Andrew Faaumu, Bronson Tiwanak, Clayton Laurel and Adrian Thomas will be among those competing for starting roles.

" Bryan Moniz finished the season as the starting quarterback and will go into spring ball as the leading candidate to start in 2010, but Shane Austin, who played some in 2009, will challenge for the starting role this spring. Moniz finished the season completing 57 percent of his passes for 2,396 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

" The Hawaii defense struggled some last year, but should be better if star linebacker Brashton Satele receives a sixth season. The Warriors will be looking for a new right tackle as well as a couple of starting linebackers, but the defense, which improved as the season progressed, should be a pleasant surprise in 2010.

Idaho Vandals
Spring practice starts: March 23
Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

" The top priority this spring will be reloading the offensive line. The Vandals lost four starters on the offensive line, including All-American guard Mike Iupati. The only returner is left tackle Matt Cleveland. Guy Reynolds Jr. was Iupati’s backup, and players such as Clell Hasenbank, Tevita HalaHolo and Tyron Novikoff will be competing for starting roles.

" The offense carried the team last year, especially the passing game, but starting quarterback Nathan Enderle will have to work out three new receivers this spring. The biggest loss is slot Max Komar, who made key catches all season, including in the Humanitarian Bowl win over Bowling Green.

" The Idaho defense was one of the worst in the country allowing 433.23 yards per game and 36.00 points per game. More often than not, the Vandals were trying to outscore their opponents instead of stopping them defensively. Eleven players with starting experience from last year’s bowl team return; the only loss is strong safety Jeromy Jones. But with the way the defense played last season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some of those positions open this spring.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Spring practice starts: March 17
Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

" The loss of running back Daniel Porter and tight end Dennis Morris takes out a lot of the offense and scoring the Bulldogs had in 2009. New head coach Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin will spend the spring looking for playmakers to fit their wide-open offensive style.

" Wide receiver will be a key competition this spring for Louisiana Tech’s new spread offense. Tennessee transfer Ahmad Paige and LSU transfer Tim Molton are both eligible and will join RP Stuart, Cruz Williams and Phillip Livas in the receiving corps.

" Louisiana Tech will be looking for some consistency in the punting game after Cade Glasgow struggled last year. Overall, the Bulldogs punting game averaged 32.91 yards per game, which ranked last in the WAC. The Bulldogs didn’t recruit a punter, so expect some potential walk-on help.

New Mexico State Aggies
Spring practice starts: April 5
Spring game: May 1

What to watch:

" Second-year coach DeWayne Walker was unhappy with the team's scoring, especially in the second half of the season, which prompted him to replace his offensive coordinator and running backs coach. His main priority this spring is finding some consistency at quarterback. Jeff Fleming and Trevor Walls return and redshirt freshman Tanner Rust and true freshman Andrew Manley will challenge, but junior college transfer Matt Christian is the favorite to be the starter.

" The running game was the one bright spot for the offense last season with Seth Smith rushing for 1,016 yards, but he had just one rushing touchdown. Redshirt freshman Marquese Dunn will get a look this spring and will challenge for playing time as Walker looks for playmakers.

" Shoring up a total defense that allowed 423.62 yards per game and 31.62 points per game will be Walker’s project this spring. The Aggies return some key players, but Walker said most of the help on the defensive line will come in the fall.

Nevada Wolf Pack
Spring practice starts: March 5
Spring game: April 3

What to watch:

" The running game is Nevada’s bread and butter and it should stay that way with quarterback Colin Kaepernick and star running back Vai Taua returning. However, the Wolf Pack need to spend this spring working on depth with players such as Lampford Mark, Mike Ball and Stefphon Jefferson.

" The offensive line needs to replace Kenneth Ackerman and Alonzo Durham this spring in order to keep the running game effective. Center Jeff Meads and tackle Jose Acuna are the primary backups for those two spots. The Wolf Pack also will look to build offensive line depth across the board.

" The Nevada defense will spend the spring learning a slightly altered 4-3 defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Andy Buh. The defense has been the weak link of the Wolf Pack for the past few years, so shoring that up this spring will be a high priority.

San Jose State Spartans
Spring practice starts: March 12
Spring game: April 22

What to watch:

" For the second consecutive season, San Jose State had trouble producing offense mostly because of inconsistent play at quarterback. Jordan La Secla returns as the incumbent, but junior college transfer Matt Faulkner, who enrolled in January, will challenge this spring.

" For as much as the passing offense struggled, the rushing offense was worse. Lamon Muldrow, who led the team with 592 yards and three touchdowns last season will be counted on in the running game, but the Spartans signed three running backs for 2010, including Forrest Hightower, who will challenge in the fall.

" Most of spring practice will be spent learning the new coaching staff and the new offensive and defensive schemes. The Spartans are transitioning from a spread offense to a more traditional style that will incorporate an H-back and a tight end. The Spartans also will move toward an attacking style defense, but will stay in a 4-3 base that will feature both man-to-man and zone coverage.

Utah State Aggies
Spring practice starts: March 23
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

" The primary concern this spring will be finding running back depth after star Robert Turbin suffered a torn ACL during winter workouts. All eyes will be on Michael Smith, Derrvin Speight and Kerrwynn Williams as they try to pick up the slack.

" Second-year head coach Gary Andersen is showing his commitment to defense after shuffling several players on that side of the ball. Nathan Royster is moving from defensive tackle to end, Junior Keiaho and Devin Johnson are moving from end to linebacker, wide receiver Cameron Sanders has moved to defensive back and the Aggies are hoping to get some defensive contribution out of Page Clifford, a transfer from Utah.

" There should be some good competition at wide receiver this spring with Matt Austin returning from injury and Travis Van Leeuewen coming off a redshirt season. Mid-year signees Xavier Martin and Dontel Watkins also will challenge for starting roles. Utah State had a good passing offense with 246.75 yards per game from starter Diondre Borel.

I feel sick for Juice Williams. And Arrelious Benn. And Ron Zook.

If there's a more heartbreaking way to lose a football game, please feel free to let me know. Illinois seemingly had a shootout victory in hand, up 52-45 in the closing seconds. But Fresno State reached the end zone on an incredible stretch by wide receiver Jamel Hamler on a 19-yard reception.

Hamler's touchdown set up The Craziest Play of the 2009 Season.

Fresno State head coach Pat Hill went for the 2-point conversion and the win, which didn't surprise me one bit. Illinois got the penetration it wanted and had quarterback Ryan Colburn in its grasp, forcing a desperation throw to Hamler. Illinois couldn't knock down the pass, and it caromed to Devan Cunningham, a 6-6, 350-pound offensive tackle, who rumbled into the end zone to put Fresno State up 53-52.

A replay review upheld the call, though it looked like the ball hit Hamler first, which would have prevented a teammate from advancing it. What a tough blow for Illinois.

The Illini offense really showed up today, especially sophomore running back Mikel Leshoure, who rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries. Williams passed for 211 yards and three scores, though he also had two interceptions. Still, Juice deserved to win this game.

Illinois' defense didn't show up when it mattered, and it likely will lead to changes on the staff. Williams is gone, and Benn could join him.

You can't fault the effort from the Illini today. But the results are still ugly: 3-9.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Graham Watson

Bowling Green recognizes that Saturday’s game against Boise State represents a great opportunity to put the Bowling Green program back on the map.

UNLV is eager to snap a 19-game conference road-losing streak at Wyoming this week.

UTEP coach Mike Price talks about the three-hour weather delay for his team against New Mexico State last weekend.

Southern Miss is seeking respect with an upset of No. 20 Kansas this weekend.

Navy fans and former servicemen are up in arms about Pittsburgh playing music over the loud speaker during the Navy alma mater.

Fans are not happy about Nevada’s rough start to the season.

The WAC ruled that the hit on Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn by Boise State was not helmet-to-helmet.

Player-only meetings have helped Troy get its season back on a winning track.

SMU’s run-and-shoot offense isn’t helping the Mustangs maintain early leads.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Graham Watson

Fresno State is starting to look like the Fresno State of old.

The Bulldogs have gone into Madison, Wis., and have a 21-17 lead over the Badgers heading into halftime. Quarterback Ryan Colburn already has completed 10 of 16 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns against a Wisconsin defense that struggled some against Northern Illinois last weekend.

A Fresno State win would do a couple of things: Not only would it make the Bulldogs’ credo -- “anybody, anytime, anywhere" -- relevant again, it also would strengthen a Western Athletic Conference that’s in need of some competition.

Fresno State’s biggest fans right now have got to be Boise State. The Broncos need Fresno State to come into next week’s game undefeated. The win against Wisconsin would make the Bulldogs a better opponent and strengthen the Broncos' schedule. Right now, Boise State needs all the help it can get to fend off a surging Mountain West Conference that also is angling for a BCS bowl berth.

Yes, it’s early in the season, but for the non-AQs, every game and every advantage counts. And who knows? Maybe Fresno State will actually give the Broncos a competitive game this season. That hasn’t happened since 2005.