Welcome to the Mountain West* - The Idaho Statesman
Boise State's stay in the Mountain West might be brief (hello, Big East? ... see news stories on Main 1) but that doesn't mean we can't be polite and offer a few introductions. After all, this is where the Broncos wanted to be for so long. At least, Boise State is showing up for its first conference game. Right, TCU? While this BSU-MW relationship might be a short one, many thanks for the belated invitation and good luck with that C-USA thing. Do us a favor: Leave your nametags. We might need them again next year.
COLORADO STATE
Coach: Steve Fairchild, above, is in his fourth year with the Rams. He is 16-26.
Stadium: Hughes Stadium (32,500, artificial turf)
Fun fact: Colorado State made its first bowl appearance in the 1949 Raisin Bowl against Occidental. More like accidental. The Rams' next bowl appearance didn't come until 1990.
Notable football alum: NFL Hall of Famer Jack Christianson went to Colorado State to run track and had to be persuaded to join the football team. He was All-NFL from 1952 to 1957.
Plays Boise State: Saturday, Fort Collins, 4 p.m., The Mtn.
AIR FORCE
Coach: Troy Calhoun (fifth year, 37-21)
Stadium: Falcon Stadium (46,692, artificial turf)
Fun fact: The Falcons are probably every MW fan's second favorite team. Air Force lacks the storied football history of Army and Navy, but the Falcons have won 17 Commander-In-Chief's Trophies since its inception in 1972. Navy has 12 and Army just six. Running back Asher Clark, above, leads the Academy's powerful rushing attack with 92.6 yards per game. Air Force is No. 2 in the country in rushing.
Notable NFL alum: The Academy has had just six NFL draft picks. DT Chad Hennings, who played on Dallas' Super Bowl championship teams in the early 1990s, was picked in the 11th round in 1988.
Plays Boise State: Oct. 22, Boise, 1:30 p.m., Versus
UNLV
Coach: Bobby Hauck (second year at UNLV, 3-15; ninth season overall, 83-32)
Stadium: Sam Boyd Stadium (36,800, artificial turf)
Fun fact: The Rebels have appeared in fewer bowl games (three) than any other MW member. … How great would it be if WR Phillip Payne, above, and teammates honored former Rebel Ickey Woods by doing his famous shuffle every time they scored? It wouldn't be often. UNLV is averaging 16.0 points per game.
Notable NFL alum: Quarterback Randall Cunningham, best remembered as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback for the Eagles.
Plays Boise State: Nov. 5, Las Vegas, 8:30 p.m., CBS Sports
TCU
Coach: Gary Patterson, above, has built a powerhouse in Fort Worth. In his 11th year, Patterson is 102-30.
Stadium: Amon G. Carter Stadium (32,000, grass)
Fun fact: The Horned Frogs have a rich football tradition from Sammy Baugh (No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft in 1937) to Davey O'Brien (Heisman Trophy winner in 1938) to Bob Lilly (the Dallas Cowboys' first NFL Draft pick). Baugh and Lilly are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. … TCU has played in all five major bowls: Cotton (six appearances), Sugar (two), Orange (1942), Fiesta (2010 vs. Boise State) and Rose (2011).
Notable NFL alum: Running back LaDanian Tomlinson, New York Jets
Plays Boise State: Nov. 12, Boise, 1:30 p.m., Versus
SAN DIEGO STATE
Coach: Rocky Long (4-2 in first year with SDSU, 69-71 overall)
Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium (54,000, grass)
Fun fact: Before he achieved Super Bowl glory with the Washington Redskins and NASCAR success as an owner, Joe Gibbs played three seasons with the Aztecs. Fellow NFL Hall of Fame coach John Madden served three seasons as the team's defensive coordinator in the 1960s.
Notable NFL alum: Running back Ronnie Hillman, above, is following in the tradition established by Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk.
Plays Boise State: Nov. 19, San Diego, 6 p.m., CBS Sports
WYOMING
Coach: Dave Christensen (third year, 13-17)
Stadium: War Memorial Stadium (29,181, artificial turf)
Fun fact: In 1976, Wyoming had a great year. RB Lawrence Gaines and DB Aaron Kyle were first-round NFL Draft picks, and the Cowboys made it to the Fiesta Bowl. There was no Boise State-style story, however, as Oklahoma whipped the Cowboys 41-7. … Freshman quarterback Brett Smith, above, hopes to lead the Cowboys to a bowl game for just the third time since 1993.
Notable NFL alum: Tight end Jay Novacek, Troy Aikman's security blanket on the Cowboys' 1990s Super Bowl teams.
Plays Boise State: Nov. 26, Boise, noon, The Mtn.
NEW MEXICO
Coach: George Barlow, above, replaced Mike Locksley earlier this year. Barlow is 0-1.
Stadium: University Stadium (39,224, grass)
Fun fact: Coach Marv Levy took the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls in the 1990s. Unfortunately, Levy lost them all. He led the Lobos to a 14-6 record in 1958 and 1959 — he must have been a great coach.
Notable NFL alum: Linebacker Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears.
Plays Boise State: Dec. 3, Boise, 4 p.m., The Mtn.
15 Oct, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEVAGHlcDuaZuEa_dnOzQiKOAmReg&url=http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/10/15/1840204/welcome-to-the-mountain-west.html
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