Sun Belt, WAC and Independents
To finish off my 2011 NCAA College football previews we will have a look at the Sun Belt Conference, the Western Athletic Conference and the four Independent teams.
Sun Belt Conference (http://www.sunbeltsports.org/)
Last season, a win over Troy in November ultimately decided the conference crown for the Florida International Panthers. After losing their first four games, the team won six of its next eight and beat Toledo 34-32 in a wild finish to win their bowl game. This season, the Panthers will visit Arkansas State and host Troy in the last two weeks of October. The results of these two games will most likely go a long way in determining the conference champion. The Panthers also host in-state rival Central Florida in mid-September.
The Troy Trojans have been the barometer for other conference members over the last few seasons. This year will be no different for the team. They will have two stern tests to start the season when they face Clemson and Arkansas on the road.
Middle Tennessee State and Arkansas State could be bowl contenders and possibly jump into conference title contention with a key conference win or two. Middle Tennessee went bowling last season, losing to Miami (OH) 35-21 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl while Arkansas State is looking to bounce back from a sub-par 4-8 record.
I will go with Troy to win the conference crown and slot Florida International and Arkansas State into bowl games too.
With Boise State’s departure to the Mountain West conference, Nevada, Hawaii and Fresno State should battle for the crown.
Nevada will be hard pressed to repeat last season’s 13-1 record with a visit to Oregon and a trip to Boise State on their agenda in weeks one and four. Hawaii visits on November 12 for a key conference match.
The Warriors of Hawaii will be looking to follow up on the regular season success that they enjoyed last year and put the 62-35 drubbing from Tulsa in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl behind them.
Fresno State will start the season with a “Battle of the Bay” game against California before travelling to Nebraska. The Bulldogs will also host Boise State in October. One win from these three games would go a long way in the teams’ quest for national recognition.
This year I will pick Hawaii to win the conference championship and play a bowl game on the mainland.
Independents
All four Independents, Army, Navy, Notre Dame and Brigham Young should see bowl action.
Notre Dame again faces a tough schedule and the Fightin’ Irish will be looking to garner 10+ wins and a possible BCS bowl game. There will be many pitfalls with the first game against an improving South Florida a danger match.
BYU enters the Indy ranks this season after a lacklustre 7-6 2010 campaign. If the Cougars reach the seven win mark, they should go bowling.
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