Final 2011 Power Rankings: Duke, New Mexico State, North Texas & ULM at 97-100

Offense: 24.5 PPG (No. 79); 398.1 YPG (No. 47); 125 rushing YPG (No. 89); 273.1 passing YPG (No. 26); 76 percent red zone efficiency (No. 94); 39.6 percent third down efficiency (No. 73); 36 sacks allowed (No. 102)

Defense: 36.8 PPG allowed (No. 112); 462.2 YPG allowed (No. 112); 218.8 rushing YPG allowed (No. 107); 243.3 passing YPG allowed (No. 82); 80 percent opponent red zone efficiency (No. 47); 45.7 percent opponent third down efficiency (No. 97); 18 sacks (No. 98)

Special Teams: 32.7 yards/punt (No. 116); 5.6 yards/PR (No. 96); 15 yards allowed/PR (No. 117); 7-12 FGM-FGA; 31-35 PATs; 23.4 yards/KR (No. 28); 23.1 yards allowed/KR; 0 touchdowns (No. 118)

Time of Possession: 29:08 (No. 79)

Turnover Differential: -3

Penalties: 90/681 (No. 96)

Las Cruces is typically a coaching graveyard. DeWayne Walker took the arduous task of turning around the Aggies from the once celebrated Hal Mumme in 2009. Walker’s three-year mark is an underwhelming 9-29, but NMSU showed enough fight in its 4-9 2011 to suggest progress.

Among the highlights for NMSU were a win in Big Ten country, a third straight win over in-state rival New Mexico and the program’s first defeat of Fresno State.

The defense was a lowlight. The Aggies were 3-3 midway through the campaign, but surrendered 40-plus points in five of their final seven outings.

Offense: 22.5 PPG (No. 93); 366.3 YPG (No. 79); 94.1 rushing YPG (No. 115); 272.2 passing YPG (No. 28); 72 percent red zone efficiency (No. 107); 39.2 percent third down efficiency (No. 76); 19 sacks allowed (No. 43)

Defense: 31.2 PPG allowed (No. 90); 425.4 YPG allowed (No. 92); 180.7 rushing YPG allowed (No. 85); 244.8 passing YPG (No. 84); 88 percent opponent red zone efficiency (No. 100); 43 percent opponent third down efficiency (No. 87); 17 sacks (No. 94)

Special Teams: 37.7 yards/punt (No. 38); 9 yards/PR (No. 51); 7.3 yards allowed/PR (No. 51); 9-20 FGM-FGA; 33-33 PATs; 20.4 yards/KR (No. 84); 17.5 yards allowed/KR (No. 3); 6 touchbacks (No. 83)

Time of Possession: 30:57 (No. 33)

Turnover Differential: -9

Penalties: 56/467 (No. 16)

Quarterback coaching guru David Cutcliffe returned one of the fewer seasoned snap takers in the ACC, seemingly a recipe for the Blue Devils to sneak into the postseason. However, Sean Renfree failed to take off, and the rest of the Duke team sputtered in typical Duke fashion.

Duke shook off an 0-2 start (including its second loss to Richmond in the last three seasons, and third straight overall) by ripping off three straight, including two over 2010 bowl qualifiers, Boston College and FIU. But that was it for the good times; the Blue Devils dropped seven straight to close the campaign and three by single digits.

Renfree completed over 65 percent of his pass attempts in Cutcliffe’s passing friendly offense, but was intercepted 11 times with only 14 touchdowns. Dual threat sophomore Anthony Boone got opportunities and showed some impressive wheels, but was only so-so throwing the ball. With little rushing attack to back it, Duke’s offense struggled.

Offense: 24.6 PPG (No. 78); 390.6 YPG (No. 55); 153 rushing YPG (No. 65); 237.6 passing YPG (No. 58); 82 percent red zone efficiency (No. 58); 41.5 percent third down efficiency (No. 53); 34 sacks allowed (No. 104)

Defense: 25.4 PPG allowed (No. 59); 326.2 YPG allowed (No. 21); 100 rushing YPG allowed (No. 8); 226.2 passing YPG allowed (No. 63); 71 percent opponent red zone efficiency (No. 6); 40.9 percent opponent third down efficiency (No. 71); 25 sacks (No. 47)

Special Teams: 31.1 yards/punt (No. 119); 3.8 yards/PR (No. 110); 10.6 yards allowed/PR (No. 91); 6-14 FGM-FGA; 35-37 PATs; 24.7 yards/KR (No. 13); 18.8 yards allowed/KR (No. 15); 0 touchbacks (No. 118)

Time of Possession: 32:31 (No. 13)

Turnover Differential: +3

Penalties: 68/600 (No. 51)

ULM ends 2011 in an eerily similar fashion to Arkansas State in 2010. Both finished a wholly unimpressive 4-8, but the statistics told a more complex story. ASU returned to win the Sun Belt championship. The RedWolves will be well stocked to defend their crown, but ULM could be in line for a viable push at the crown.

Not that it does Warhawk head coach Todd Berry much good for now. While their paths to 4-8 were different — ASU had a prolific offense but weak defense, while ULM was balanced — each suffered from numerous close losses. The Warhawks dropped three games by single digits, and outplayed FIU for much of the game in a 28-17 loss.

Tailback Jyruss Edwards finished with a ho-hum 667 yards, but scored 11 touchdowns; almost as many as No. 2 rusher and quarterback Kolton Browning threw for (13). Between his arm and legs, Browning accounted for over 2800 yards.

Darius Prelow was a ball hawk in the secondary, intercepting four passes to lead the Warhawks’ 13 team picks. Those interceptions were a big reason for ULM’s positive turnover differential.

With several key returners in 2012, ULM is a team on an upswing worth watching.

Offense: 24.8 PPG (No. 76); 341.8 YPG (No. 96); 152.4 rushing YPG (No. 66); 189.3 passing YPG (No. 87); 68 percent red zone efficiency (No. 115); 37.8 third down efficiency (No. 87); 16 sacks allowed (No. 30)

Defense: 30.7 PPG allowed (No. 88); 429.3 YPG allowed (No. 97); 163.5 rushing YPG allowed (No. 70); 265.8 passing YPG allowed (No. 104); 80 percent opponent red zone efficiency (No. 47); 42.9 percent opponent third down efficiency (No. 86); 27 sacks (No. 34)

Special Teams: 39.9 yards/punt (No. 9); 4.3 yards/PR (No. 105); 4.7 yards allowed/PR (No. 15); 8-16 FGM-FGA; 38-39 PATs; 18.9 yards/KR (No. 112); 22.4 yards allowed/KR (No. 74); 9 touchbacks (No. 61)

Time of Possession: 32:26 (No. 15)

Tunover Differential: +9

Penalties: 60/497 (No. 32)

North Texas started 0-3, but seemed to better grasp first year head coach Dan McCarney’s philosophy jumping into Sun Belt play. The Mean Green had its best season since the 2002 New Orleans-qualifying campaign, and McCarney won the most games of any first year coach in program history.

Lance Dunbar was a standout for the Mean Green offense, which shifted from a multiple receiver, heavy pass offense under Todd Dodge to a more power-based formation. Defensively, end Brandon Akpunku led a solid Mean Green pass rush with 7.5 sacks.

That’s the good news. The bad news is UNT had several facets of the game in its favor — a highly favorable turnover differential, ball control, some outstanding special teams play — yet failed to reach .500.