Poll gives little support to Idaho
RENO, Nev. – Reporters who cover Western Athletic Conference football figure Idaho will have a tough time during its first season in the nine-team conference.
The Vandals are the media’s choice to finish in last place during the 2005 season, according to a poll released on Wednesday.
Idaho received 115 points, 10 less than Utah State, which joins the Vandals and New Mexico State as first-year teams in the WAC.
Boise State was the choice to win a fourth consecutive title. The Broncos, who haven’t lost in 26 conference games since 2001, return 17 starters for coach Dan Hawkins.
Boise State received 499 total points in the poll, including 43 of 57 first-place votes. The other 14 first-place votes went to coach Pat Hill’s Fresno State Bulldogs, who finished second with 470 points.
“That’s the way it should be, because they’re the champs until somebody knocks them off,” Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar said of Boise State.
Hawaii (339) edged Nevada (336) for third place in the poll. Louisiana Tech (325) was fifth, followed by New Mexico State (181), San Jose State (175), Utah State and Idaho.
The three new teams are replacing UTEP, Tulsa, Rice and Southern Methodist in the reconfigured conference.
But the conference hierarchy remains much the same, with Boise State and Fresno State generally thought to be a cut above the rest. The schools won’t meet until Nov. 10, and both face difficult non-conference games befitting their national profiles – Boise State travels to Georgia and Oregon State, while Fresno State visits Southern California and Oregon.
“Boise State and Fresno State are definitely the two WAC teams that everybody thinks about, and with good reason,” New Mexico State linebacker Jimmy Cottrell said. “The rest of us are chasing those teams, but this is a strong league, top to bottom. I don’t think they’ll coast to a 1-2 finish, that’s for sure.”
Since Hawkins took over for Dirk Koetter at Boise State in 2001, the Broncos have won all four meetings with Hill’s Bulldogs. Unless that streak ends, players from both schools agree BSU will be the prohibitive conference favorite.
Jared Zabransky, Boise State’s junior quarterback, was named the preseason offensive player of the year. He seamlessly took over for Ryan Dinwiddie last season, passing for 2,927 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for 326 yards and 13 more scores.
Fresno State defensive lineman Garrett McIntyre was named the preseason defensive player of the year. McIntyre will play on both ends of the line after starting at defensive tackle last year.