Boise State Dominates WAC Football Coaches Poll
Courtesy of the WAC
July 29, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY – Boise State has been named the favorite in the 2009 Western Athletic Conference football coaches poll announced today at the league's football preview being held in Salt Lake City. It's the first time Boise State has been picked to win the WAC by the coaches since the 2006 season. Nevada was picked second, its highest selection since the poll began in 2005. Fresno State and Louisiana Tech tied for third.
Boise State finished last season with a 12-1 record and won the WAC regular season title with a perfect 8-0 mark. The Broncos lost a one-point contest to TCU in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, snapping its 12-game winning streak.
Nevada was 7-6 last year and finished tied for second in the WAC with a 5-3 record in conference play. The Wolf Pack played in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl last season, their fourth consecutive bowl appearance. Nevada returns last year's WAC Offensive Player of the Year in junior quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Louisiana Tech posted its best finish in the WAC standings since the 2001 season, tying for second place. The Bulldogs were 8-5 overall and won the Independence Bowl by beating Northern Illinois, 17-10. Fresno State also advanced to a bowl game last year, playing in the New Mexico Bowl, and was 7-6 overall.
Nevada finished in a tie for fourth last season and played in the New Mexico Bowl, its third consecutive bowl appearance.
2009 WAC Preseason Poll (1st-place votes in parenthesis):
| Coaches |
| |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Boise State (8) |
64 |
| 2. |
Nevada (1) |
55 |
| 3. |
Fresno State |
45 |
| |
Louisiana Tech |
45 |
| 5. |
Hawai'i |
36 |
| 6. |
San Jose State |
34 |
| 7. |
Utah State |
21 |
| 8. |
New Mexico State |
13 |
| 9. |
Idaho |
11 |
|