Potential BCS Bowl Busters in 2012 Including Louisiana Tech, BYU, Ohio

LOUISIANA TECH

The Bulldogs started slow, but finished strong in 2011, along the way earning their first WAC championship. La. Tech gave top 15 TCU all it could handle in the Poinsettia Bowl, truly exhibiting how far it had come in Sonny Dykes’ second year.

A young Bulldog team in 2011 is mature and game tested in 2012. One of the nation’s best wide receivers, Quinton Patton, flourishes in Dykes’ system. Colby Cameron emerged as a very capable quarterback, like past Dykes proteges Graham Harrell, Cody Hodges, Willie Tuitama and Nick Foles.

• Schedule

No one is likely to contend with the Bulldogs in the WAC, so penciling in six wins is probably safe. Tech also hosts UNLV and Rice, two teams that should be improved from 2011 but still not near the Bulldogs’ level. The rest of the non-conference slate is ambitious, though, starting on opening night with newly christened SEC program Texas A&M.

The Aggies travel to Shreveport on Aug. 30 in a nationally televised clash. Set your DVR for that one if you cannot watch live, because the explosive Tech offense is sure to challenge an A&M bunch that surrendered 28.2 points per game.

Tech later travels to 2011 bowl game participating Illinois and Virginia. Both teams have shown flashes of brilliance recently, but also been susceptible to upset. The Illini barely held off Western Michigan a season ago; same for UVa. against WAC member Idaho.

• Profile

Tech’s certainly a program flying below the radar. The WAC is spiraling into football oblivion, playing what is likely to be its final season with just seven teams — two of which are newcomers from the FCS. That won’t exactly help the Bulldogs command the attention they deserve. Still, Dykes is a well known name who has been more than willing to tout his program as being on par with teams from the mighty SEC. A Week One defeat of A&M would surely turn attention to Ruston.

• Overall

A difficult non-conference slate will likely trip up La. Tech at some point. However, should the Bulldogs catch their BCS conference opponents napping, the case for a BCS bid is strong. Patton is going to post All-America numbers at wide receiver, and the ‘Dog defense is underrated.

OHIO

A MAC team has never broken into the BCS. Marshall ran the table in 1999 and generated buzz, and a banner 2003 season for the conference produced three teams that flirted with the top 25. Included among them was Miami (OH), with a quarterback named Ben Roethlisberger. The RedHawks were a top 10 team by season’s end, but because of a loss to a ranked conference foe, MU was shunned.

Ohio U. could be the first MAC team to challenge for such prominence since that incredible 2003 season. The Bobcats are loaded, returning quarterback Tyler Tettleton to lead an offense that averaged 30.5 points per game. Bobcat defenses have been typically stingy under Solich, a particularly noteworthy achievement given the propensity for points the MAC has. The coming season’s team should be Solich’s best yet.

• Schedule

The marquee match-up on the Bobcats’ slate is the opening week trip to Penn State. Ohio has played six BCS conference opponents since 2008, and has yet to beat any of them. The Nittany Lion defense will challenge Tettleton and Co.

Ohio continues its non-conference rivalry with Marshall and hosts New Mexico State and Norfolk State, two opponents it should easily handle.

Bowling Green and Miami U. should be much improved from a season ago, but Ohio is clearly the class of the MAC East with Temple gone. Expect another trip to the MAC title game. If the Bobcats can go with a 12-0 record, the implications for winning its first league crown will be sky high.

• Profile

Frank Solich has built Ohio into a consistent winner, and last season marked a first for the program. The Bobcats’ defeat of Utah State in the Potato Bowl was Ohio’s first bowl victory. This year’s goal must be winning the MAC, a pinnacle that has eluded Solich. The MAC is certainly an afterthought, but a Nebraska tenured head coach and quarterback with a famous last name

• Overall

Should Ohio defeat Penn State in Happy Valley, things get really interesting. The Bobcats will get some challenge in the MAC, but defeating the Nittany Lions should have an early blip on the radar emanating via Athens.

WILD CARDS

SMU

June Jones has established his Hall of Fame-worthy legacy in resurrecting a long downtrodden SMU program. The Mustangs feature one of the best non-AQ talents in the nation in Zach Line. SMU hosts rival Houston, but draws Baylor, TCU and Texas A&M in the non-conference.

Toledo

The Rockets rose from the depths of a point shaving to consecutive postseasons with Tim Beckman at the controls. He’s gone to Illinois, but many of the players who have made UT a winner return. Toledo has a treacherous schedule ahead of it, traveling to the West twice to start 2012 (at Arizona, at Wyoming) and hosting co-Big East champion Cincinnati. The Rockets also travel to Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan in divisional MAC play.

UCF

The Golden Knights struggled through a mightily disappointing 2011, coming off an 11-win 2010. Departures from a stout defense were primary reasons for the UCF backslide, but the 2012 unit should be vastly improved. Transfer Tyler Gabbert should flourish in George O’Leary’s offense. A trip to Ohio State is an obvious red flag that would prevent UCF making any BCS waves.

Western Michigan

One of the nation’s most exciting and unsung quarterbacks calls Kalamazoo home. Alex Carder tossed 31 touchdowns and nearly 3900 yards. He’ll be without his top target, Jordan White, but does return Chleb Ravenell and his nine touchdown receptions. WMU plays Connecticut (which it beat last season), Illinois (which it nearly beat) and Minnesota (which lost to New Mexico State and North Dakota State a year ago). The non-conference schedule is not unnavigable by any means.