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Show Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010 StatesmanSports WAC power poll: Week 12 November is halfway over, and the conference race is reaching a climax. Boise's been firmly in control thus far and shows no signs of slowing down, while the usual suspects have fallen to the bottom of the pack again. The WAC, like the popular drama "24," it would seem, is tminfully predictable. Still, there s some drama to consider this Saturday, including whether or not Utah State can make it an unprecedented three wins in a row, and whether or not Fresno State and Hawaii can make a good season a great one by staying on the winning path. And we'll all be watching what doesn't happen in the conference closely, as Boise State continues to hang its national title aspirations on the fate of three other Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams. Boise State (9-0, 5-0): In what could be the final match-up between the Broncos and the Vandals, Chris Petersen and his team held nothing back, blowing out the other Idaho team 52-14 on the heels of a 3-touchdown performance from quarterback Kellen Moore. Despite the win, the Broncos didn't advance in the BCS standings, and are still fourth behind Oregon, Auburn and Texas Christian in the standings. If at least two of those three teams win out, then Boise State's dream season could be all for naught, as the Broncos won't likely play in the National Title game. Nevada (9-1, 4-1): If you went out after Wednesday night's basketball game and forgot to check the late night scores, then you missed a good one between WOLF PACK Nevada and Fresno State, which went back and forth before the Wolf Pack came out on top 35-34. The Wolf Pack and Bulldogs were virtually deadlocked in every statistical category, but ultimately it was California-native Colin Kaepernick who lifted Nevada to a lead with 153 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Ranked No. 21 in the country, the team shouldn't struggle too much against New Mexico St. this weekend, but the Nov. 26 showdown against Boise looms. Hawaii (7-3, 5-1): The Warriors got the week off and to lick their wounds after the 42-7 thrashing they suffered to Boise State two weeks ago, but should get back on track this Saturday when they host the lowly San Jose State Spartans. Despite suffering their lowest statistical output in 12 years against Boise, Hawaii still has the nation's top passing attack, and will play three teams with a combined five wins to finish off the year. Their reward? Another Sheraton Hawaii Bowl appearance in (gasp!) Honolulu. Fresno State (6-3, 4-2): The Bulldogs may have hit a mid-season slump, but they're one of the hottest WAC teams as of late, and gave Nevada all they could handle last Saturday night. 5-foot-7 sophomore Robbie Rouse has rushed for over 200 yards in back-to-back games, and has eight total touchdowns over the course of the last four games. At 6-3, the team is bowl eligible, but are they in position to make this a special year? Even if they don't upset Boise St. this weekend, wins against Idaho and Illinois will go a long way toward positioning this team as next year's WAC favorite. Louisiana Tech (4-6, 3-3): The Bulldogs kept themselves alive in the bowl hunt with a 41-20 win at New Mexico State, and should get to five when they play San Jose State on Nov. 27. The Tech offense has found life with Ross Jenkins at the helm, but the team's rush defense will have to have the game of the season if the Bulldogs are to upset Nevada - and make it to the postseason - in the finale. Utah State (4-6, 2-6): Maybe I'm investing too much in back-to-back wins over New Mexico State and San Jose State, but Utah State is on a roll behind a resilient running game featuring senior Derrvin Speight. The Aggies are playing inspired right now. True, USU needed several miraculous plays to pull out the win against the Spartans, but as the team gains more confidence it can only improve. While the Aggies might be thinking a little too big when looking ahead to Boise State, I give Gary Andersen and company a decent shot over Idaho this Saturday. Idaho (4-6, 1-4): I hate to say it, but Vandal signal caller Nathan Enderle might have come into the year as the most overrated player in the conference. Of course, Boise State's defense can make anyone seem overrated, including Enderle, who threw two interceptions and hit on less than half of his passes in Idaho's 52-14 home loss last Friday. Amazingly, Idaho's porous pass defense played surprisingly well against Boise State (allowing just 225 yards) but as long as the Vandals continue to commit penalties and turnovers, they'll find the postseason out of reach. „Am) San Jose State (1-9, 0-5): I am convinced that San Jose State is not as bad as their 1-9 record indicates, especially not after nearly beating Utah State on Saturday. It's the second straight game the Spartans have lost on the final play of the game, a point which either means A) God just hates them or B) this team has even worse luck than me at a blackjack table. If there is one saving grace from Saturday's 38-32 loss, it's that Jordan Le Secla has finally found a reliable target in Noel Grigsby. New Mexico State (2-8, 1-5): It's tough to say anything good about the Aggies right now, who've gone in reverse since a Oct. 30 win against San Jose state. Ranked in the bottom 20 in terms of passing offense and points scored, watching the Aggie offense operate is about as fascinating as watching the New Mexico desert. With games against Nevada and Hawaii remaining, a 2-10 season is all but assured. Got beef with my picks? Think I missed the mark? We want to hear from you. Drop me a line at adam.nettina@aggiemail.usu.edu . Don't look now, but USU has chance to really stick it to the Y Just to clarify one thing, I'm not a double-threat of beating BYU in both football huge fan of sports smack-talk about and basketball during the same season has not The View happened since 1982, so it would definitely be sports other than the ones currently taking place. One example something to enjoy to its fullest. from is the annual complaint of Boise Imagine the sickening feeling of BYU fans if Section F they State fans saying things like, "Wel were to be subjected to hearing a "winning still killed you in football," right team, losing team" chant against them in their after their basketball team has been MATT SONNENBERG own building. Then imagine the USU students stomped out by the Aggies. following that up with a "just like football" Along these same lines is the chant, and you have got yourself a Utah State often used chant of, "Just like football," when a team University that the high-and-mighty BYU contingency is holding current bragging rights in both football and is suddenly more than just a little fearful of, especially basketball. considering BYU's impending independence in football With that said, certain standards and restraints like and whirlwind of uncertainty that will come with that. these go out the window when BYU is involved, and That is of course, if the Aggies win tonight. If not, this will be no different. For tonight, and any game chances are there will be a small faction of BYU fans against BYU, bring out all the big guns, and let them rip that do their own mimic performance of "winning team, with reckless abandon. losing team" to stick it to the USU fans in attendance. Much like the case was with football, I'm not going That's just something that a fan base like USU's has to to go one way or another in predicting a win for either come to expect. We can certainly dish it out, so we'd team. Both teams are very talented, with a couple best be ready to take it from others, too. superstar players on each side, so much of the game If there is one thing we learned from the 2008-09 will come down to who simply executes better. season though, it is that BYU brings out the Spectrum My gut feeling, much like it was with football, is on Wheels like none-other, so with that being the case, to cautiously predict that Utah State will win tonight. let's all make our way to Provo tonight and do our part Looking at the match-ups, with USU's defensive ability to raise hell for what could be the first time we get to in the backcourt and the Aggies possessing two stellar bust a "just like football" chant in our lifetimes. big men to match up against two mediocre big men for Yeah, the Aggies could lose, and if they do it would BYU, things look promising for USU despite having to not be a bad loss by any means. But if the Aggies win, travel to a place as tough to play at as BYU. it is something just about any student would forever Now if only USU can straight-up dominate the regret missing. Cougars tonight like the football team did Oct. 1, the Matt Sonnenberg is a senior majoring in print journalism. entire population of the city of Provo might find themselves on suicide watch after being on the losing end to Matt is an avid fan of Aggie athletics and can be found a school like Utah State, which they often speak so low on the front row of every home football and basketball of. It's probably bad enough for them that they have game. He can also be reached at matt.sonn@aggiemail. been thoroughly put in their places by USU in volleyusu.edu. ball, hockey and football. To kick them while they are down once more would leave BYU without any bragging rights to be had for an entire calender year. That Page 9 WAC: new schools to play USU continued from page 8 to building athletic excellence development and does not curand their commitment to rently compete in the FCS, will academics," said Utah State be coached by former national President Stan Albrecht. "We championship winning coach believe that all three will help Larry Coker. Roadrunner us in our quest to make the Athletics Director Lynn Hickey WAC one of the outstanding described the the move to the athletic conferences in the WAC as a realization of the country." university's master athletics Aggie head football coach plan. Gary Andersen applauded the "We have been working move, saying the addition of extremely hard for a very long the three schools "solidifies time to reach our goal of jointhe conference and puts the ing an FBS - Football Bowl WAC in a great position for the Subdivision - conference, and future to remain a very power- today's invitation is a realizaful conference." tion of a lot of hard work by so Andersen also spoke to many different people," Hickey the importance of expandsaid. "This is another great ing the WAC's footprint into day for the university and our Texas, especially in regards athletics department, and to recruiting. According to everyone is excited to take the Andersen, the addition of two next step up." Texas schools should pay off in The three schools will prohelping Utah State recruit high vide stability in the conference school players from the talentfollowing the departures of rich state. Nevada and Fresno State after "From a standpoint of lookthe 2011 season, but their ing at ourselves, for Utah arrival to the conference might State, Texas is becoming a not be the final change in the more important place for us conference's near future. In to recruit," Andersen said. praising the additions, USU "There is a great chance that Athletic Director Scott Barnes we will take another coach and hinted that the WAC and its put another full-time recruitboard of directors may extend ing coach in Texas because invitations to other schools in we have had so much success the future. there in the past." "We will celebrate the addiFrom the perspective of the tion of these schools, while three new schools, the move keeping an eye on other potento the WAC could not have tial opportunities for the WAC come at a better time. USTA moving forward," he said. recently won the Southland Conference championship - adam.nettina@aggiemail. in women's soccer, while the usu.edu football team, which is still in Howell, McKenna dominate XC meet By MIKE REES staff writer The Utah State Men's and Women's Cross Country teams finished their seasons strong at NCAA Mountain Regionals in one of the deepest, most competitive races they've run this year. The qualifying race for the NCAA national championships was hosted by the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday. The men finished as a team with a solid seventh place among 16 teams. Every point mattered for the Aggies, as they finished just one point ahead of eighth-place UTEP, and just four points behind the University of Wyoming. Earning a little bit of revenge, the Aggies were able to outpace 12th-place New Mexico State, which barely edged Utah State by one point at the WAC championships two weeks ago. Blazing the way for the men was sophomore Daniel Howell in 18th place, followed closely by junior Brian McKenna. Howell and McKenna finished the 10k (6.2 miles) course in 30:20.6 and 30:24.1, respectively. "We ran good on the men's side. Daniel and Brian ran absolutely great. Any time you're in the top 20 in that meet it's a great accomplishment," head coach Gregg Gensel said. "As far as the team goes, seventh place is pretty good, especially considering the men were ranked 10th going in," he added. Howell's stellar performance was .4 seconds away from qualifying him for an at-large bid to run at NCAA Nationals. "The kids really stepped it up," Gensel said. "They came into the race thinking they had something to prove, and I think they did." On the women's side, Ruth Hilton finished as frontrunner for the Aggies in 42nd place, running the 6k (approximately 3.7 miles) course in 21:54.0. The ladies placed 17th among a deep field of solid teams. "The field on the women's side was deeper than on the men's side, but for Ruth to finish in the top 40 is pretty darn good," Gensel said. The Utah State women were able outrace conference rival Nevada, which placed 18th. New Mexico State, who the ladies beat in their last race at the WAC championship, placed 13th. "We could have done a lot better," Hilton said. "You get what you get, but we had a pretty good turnout at WAC (championships). It gives a me a little more motivation to improve. Not ending on a high makes us want to work harder and do better next season." This race marks the pinnacle of the cross country season for the Utah State harriers. Hilton and the athletes will enjoy a muchneeded respite before gearing up for the indoor track and field season, which begins at the first of the year. "It's nice to have a break," she said. "Yesterday I went mountain biking instead of going for a run. It's exciting to see that you have more ground to cover and start a new season." - mike.rees@aggiemail.usu.edu Cross country results Utah State Men's Finishers Utah State Women's Finishers 18. Daniel Howell, 30:20.6 20. Brian McKenna, 30:24.1 54. Hunter Nelson, 31:28.5 56. Aaron Clements, 31:30.5 61. Steve Atkinson, 31:48.7 69. Kyle McKenna, 32:04.9 79. Eric Larson, 32:32.0 42. Ruth Hilton, 21:54.0 75. Kim Quinn, 22:28.7 81. Kaylee Campbell, 22:36.0 84. Jessie Chugg, 22:46.8 86. Alicia Holt, 22:48.7 99. Stephanie Burt, 23:04.7 105. Alex Litzsinger, 23:09.3 |