GAME OF THE YEAR: Utah at TCU, Nov. 14. Utah preserved its perfect season last year by driving 80 yards and scoring its lone touchdown with 48 seconds left in a 13-10 victory over TCU. The Horned Frogs get their shot at revenge in a late-season game that could determine the MWC champion. One thing to keep in mind: Utah has won five of its six all-time meetings with TCU.
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: Wyoming. The schedule isn't favorable for new coach Dave Christensen, who had been Missouri's offensive coordinator. He faces a couple of familiar foes when Wyoming meets Texas and Colorado in back-to-back weeks. At least the Cowboys get Texas at home. The Cowboys also have road games with Florida Atlantic and Utah, though they do get BYU and TCU at home. BYU clearly has the toughest non-league schedule with games against Oklahoma and Florida State, but the Cougars have the benefit of facing their toughest conference competition (Utah and TCU) at home.
EASIEST SCHEDULE: San Diego State. The Aztecs open the season at UCLA, but their other three non-conference games are against Football Championship Subdivision program Southern Utah and WAC lightweights Idaho and New Mexico State. The Aztecs have a chance to stock up some wins when they play five home games in a six-game stretch midway through the season.
MOST EMBARRASSING GAME: Nicholls State at Air Force, Sept. 5. The MWC did an admirable job this season of staying away from the lower-level FCS programs, though Air Force's opener with Nicholls State looks like a mismatch. Nicholls State went 3-6 last year and hasn't won more than six games in a season since 2002, though the Colonels did knock off Rice as recently as 2007.