Top ten MWC OOC games

[BoylenOver]

10. Boise St @ Wyoming
This will end up being a yawner, but contains intrigue with Boise's inclusion into the MWC for 2011.

9. SDSU @ Missouri
Missouri is vulnerable enough to get upset, but still carries enough cachet that it would earn a lot of credit for the MWC.

8. Air Force @ OU
I think the Sooners are a 2nd-tier BCS title contender (first tier: Alabama, Ohio St, kind of Texas, kind of Boise St). Air Force is talented enough to make it two devastating MWC upsets in consecutive years for the Sooners.

7. Wisconsin @ UNLV
The Badgers should start the season in the top 15, but they would be wise to remember escaping with a 7-point win the last time they visited Sin City in 2007.

6. BYU @ Florida St
Jimbo Fisher's first year at the helm in Tallahassee contains a ton of promise, but also a brutal OOC schedule (@ Oklahoma; vs. Florida; vs. BYU; vs. Samford). BYU will go into this game a moderate underdog, but revenge could give them an edge.

5. Navy @ Air Force
The Commander-in-Chief Trophy is on the line, and Navy will look to build on their much-deserved preseason hype and 7-game winning streak over the Falcons.

4. Pitt @ Utah
The marquee game on the opening day of college football, Utah looks to continue their perfect record against the Big East and 18-game home winning streak against a potent Pitt rushing attack.

3. Washington @ BYU
Steve Sarkisian returns to the stadium where he led BYU to their best season since winning a national title in 1984. This could be a scintilating QB duel that surpasses BYU's dramatic one-point victory in Seattle two years ago.

2. Utah @ Notre Dame
The Utes travel to South Bend and the historic campus of Notre Dame. It's hard to project how good both teams will be in November, but I expect this to be a great game that could have BCS ramifications.

1. Oregon St vs. TCU (Dallas)
TCU is positioned for a potential trip to the title game, and gets a primetime chance to prove they're deserving against the Beavers. It will be a fantastic match-up of two underrated coaches and two potent ground attacks.

[Top Ute]

10. Boise St @ Wyoming
This will end up being a yawner, but contains intrigue with Boise's inclusion into the MWC for 2011.

9. SDSU @ Missouri
Missouri is vulnerable enough to get upset, but still carries enough cachet that it would earn a lot of credit for the MWC.

8. Air Force @ OU
I think the Sooners are a 2nd-tier BCS title contender (first tier: Alabama, Ohio St, kind of Texas, kind of Boise St). Air Force is talented enough to make it two devastating MWC upsets in consecutive years for the Sooners.

7. Wisconsin @ UNLV
The Badgers should start the season in the top 15, but they would be wise to remember escaping with a 7-point win the last time they visited Sin City in 2007.

6. BYU @ Florida St
Jimbo Fisher's first year at the helm in Tallahassee contains a ton of promise, but also a brutal OOC schedule (@ Oklahoma; vs. Florida; vs. BYU; vs. Samford). BYU will go into this game a moderate underdog, but revenge could give them an edge.

5. Navy @ Air Force
The Commander-in-Chief Trophy is on the line, and Navy will look to build on their much-deserved preseason hype and 7-game winning streak over the Falcons.

4. Pitt @ Utah
The marquee game on the opening day of college football, Utah looks to continue their perfect record against the Big East and 18-game home winning streak against a potent Pitt rushing attack.

3. Washington @ BYU
Steve Sarkisian returns to the stadium where he led BYU to their best season since winning a national title in 1984. This could be a scintilating QB duel that surpasses BYU's dramatic one-point victory in Seattle two years ago.

2. Utah @ Notre Dame
The Utes travel to South Bend and the historic campus of Notre Dame. It's hard to project how good both teams will be in November, but I expect this to be a great game that could have BCS ramifications.

1. Oregon St vs. TCU (Dallas)
TCU is positioned for a potential trip to the title game, and gets a primetime chance to prove they're deserving against the Beavers. It will be a fantastic match-up of two underrated coaches and two potent ground attacks.

10. Take the under

9. Take the over. Won't even be close. I expect an opening line of Missouri -7.5/54.5, and while I don't touch the line, I'm all over the total. I expect this game to score well into the 60s.

5. AFA breaks the schneid this year and beats Navy.

4. Too low. Definitely bigger than Washington-BYU. Not even close. I'd say Washington-BYU isn't even BYU's biggest non-conference game -- Florida State is. Now, if you're talking about setting the tone for a season as your top criteria, then maybe I could see it. But Pittsburgh is a favorite to win the Big East. Washington is a mid-tier Pac-10 team at best.

1. We've slipped here. Last year it would've been BYU-Oklahoma. The year before, Utah-Michigan. Personally, I think Utah-Notre Dame could be a bigger deal. But if the MWC's top non-conference game features Oregon State, I don't think that can be construed as a huge positive.

[Indy Coug]

I'd swap the Boise and FSU games.

[BoylenOver]

I'd swap the Boise and FSU games.

Why?

[Indy Coug]

Why?

Brain fart. I meant the Washington and FSU games.

[BoylenOver]

4. Too low. Definitely bigger than Washington-BYU. Not even close. I'd say Washington-BYU isn't even BYU's biggest non-conference game -- Florida State is. Now, if you're talking about setting the tone for a season as your top criteria, then maybe I could see it. But Pittsburgh is a favorite to win the Big East. Washington is a mid-tier Pac-10 team at best.

1. We've slipped here. Last year it would've been BYU-Oklahoma. The year before, Utah-Michigan. Personally, I think Utah-Notre Dame could be a bigger deal. But if the MWC's top non-conference game features Oregon State, I don't think that can be construed as a huge positive.

Interesting thoughts. Maybe I'm buying too much into the Husky resurgence/Locker hype, but they're a deep sleeper in the PAC-10 this year. USC's sanctions and Oregon losing Masoli opens up that conference, and while UW could certainly end up a mid-conference team as you suggest, they could also win the conference with a 10-2 record. I'm also curious to see how BYU looks with freshmen at QB and RB (potentially). I'm being vague when I use the term "top", but my criteria involves intrigue, importance, and expected quality of the game. Pitt/Utah and BYU/FSU may be bigger, but I have a feeling both home teams win those respective games relatively comfortably. I honestly don't know who will win between UW and BYU.

As for Oregon St/TCU, you're right to state that Utah/Michigan and BYU/OU were more prestigious games, but Oregon St will finish the season with a better record than the Wolverines and Sooners did. And unlike Utah and BYU, TCU carries more legitimate BCS title buzz into this season, based not only on returning starters but their BCS bowl appearance in January.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I don't thing the BSU/WYO game will be a yawner. BSU is used to getting up for one game a year, and this year they have to get up for two with a good WYO team sandwiched between them on the road.

That game has trap written all over it. If they beat VaTech then they are already talking BCS NC in Boise and getting pumped about how they will get another chance to prove they are better than the whole current and historic P10 the next week against OSU. Take WYO and the points.

[Top Ute]

I don't thing the BSU/WYO game will be a yawner. BSU is used to getting up for one game a year, and this year they have to get up for two with a good WYO team sandwiched between them on the road.

That game has trap written all over it. If they beat VaTech then they are already talking BCS NC in Boise and getting pumped about how they will get another chance to prove they are better than the whole current and historic P10 the next week against OSU. Take WYO and the points.

Wyoming's won nine straight games in which the outcome was decided by a TD or less. There have been 7-6 teams that were far more dominant and impressive than Wyoming last year. Virtually everything went right for Wyoming to get to 7 wins, and they showed nothing in the way of competing with the top teams. Short of strong winds that take the pass out of the equation, Boise wins big.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Wyoming's won nine straight games in which the outcome was decided by a TD or less. There have been 7-6 teams that were far more dominant and impressive than Wyoming last year. Virtually everything went right for Wyoming to get to 7 wins, and they showed nothing in the way of competing with the top teams. Short of strong winds that take the pass out of the equation, Boise wins big.

I will take an open bet of lunch or $20 with anyone that wants to give me WYO +14.5. This offer is good until kick off of BSU/VaTech.

[BoylenOver]

I will take an open bet of lunch or $20 with anyone that wants to give me WYO +14.5. This offer is good until kick off of BSU/VaTech.

I'll take it.