The Mountain West Conference’s “Above the Rest” slogan rings true in at least one respect with the early scorecard against teams from automatic-qualifying BCS leagues. After two weeks of football games the MWC is 4-5, compared with 2-39 combined for the WAC, Conference USA, Sun Belt and MAC.
None of the six automatic-qualifying leagues has four wins against outside BCS teams. The Big East is 1-4.
Instead of coaches wanting more BCS scheduling, it’s going in the opposite direction.
San Diego State, looking at an 0-3 start with a game Saturday at Ohio State, seems ready to downgrade its schedule. New athletic director Jeff Schemmel told the San Diego Union-Tribune the Aztecs’ games with Wisconsin, Washington State and Notre Dame the next three years could change because he wants to implement a schedule “that will not put us behind the eight ball.”
San Diego State opened at home with UCLA, went to Air Force and faces Ohio State next. Aztecs coach Tom Craft, who is 0-7 vs. BCS teams, said Tuesday on the MWC conference call: “I definitely don’t favor this format or this schedule at all. It’s nice to have Jeff Schemmel reflect that. He believes in the same thing. If we could, we definitely would try to change our schedule.”
After San Diego State, Colorado State owns the longest losing streak against BCS teams at six. The Rams have only one BCS team scheduled for next year: Colorado.
Wyoming coach Joe Glenn had two BCS wins last year – Ole Miss at home and UCLA in a bowl that was packed with Wyoming fans.
“When you are on the road, you won’t have good luck playing these teams,” Glenn said. “If it’s home and home, I say maybe. I think we should forget about the paycheck.”
Nevada-Las Vegas, with two or three BCS foes each of the past four years, downgraded with Utah State, Nevada and Idaho this season.
MWC teams play four nonconference games next season, and commissioner Craig Thompson said meetings with MWC coaches and athletic directors produced a formula with two challenging games, another that should produce a win and a fourth “gimme.”
“Some teams have probably overscheduled, including this year,” Thompson said. “Ideally, I’d like to see one home and one road game against the BCS level.”
Wyoming plays Sept. 24 at Ole Miss, Utah plays Oct. 1 at North Carolina and Brigham Young plays Oct. 22 at Notre Dame.
Urban legend lives on
Urban Meyer’s two years in the MWC as Utah’s coach left the legacy of the spread offense, now used across the country, and an interesting twist on rivalry games.
Meyer added to Utah’s intense rivalry with BYU by referring to the Provo school as “the team down south” and never saying “Brigham Young,” “BYU” or “Cougars.”
With UNLV playing Nevada on Saturday, Rebels coach and former Utah offensive coordinator Mike Sanford declared the school in Reno is “the team up north.” He won’t say “Nevada” this week, either.
Said new BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, who was promoted from defensive coordinator: “Our players in general think it’s silly and think they are above those tactics.”
Bowling trophy
Before the Utah-Texas Christian game Thursday, ESPN will present Thompson a trophy for the MWC having the best winning percentage in last season’s bowl games.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
