The Mountain West Conference title has spent all but one of the last six years in the state of Utah.

TCU’s 2005 championship was the only one since 2003 not won by Utah or BYU. The Horned Frogs came painfully close to winning another last year, but a mistake-filled fourth quarter allowed Utah to rally for a 13-10 win and go on to an MWC title and an unbeaten season.
The Frogs remember just how close they came — and know that’s probably why they were picked to win it this time.
“Preseason ranking is potential,” TCU quarterback Andy Dalton said. “We want to prove it right.”
The league is coming off a frustrating offseason. Repeated pushes for changes in the Bowl Championship Series were unsuccessful despite the MWC having the only unbeaten team in major college football last season.
Utah holds the nation’s longest winning streak, which reached 14 when the Utes beat Alabama 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl. The Utes finished No. 2 in the final AP poll and revived a campaign for change, but coach Kyle Whittingham says that argument ends with the new season.
“That’s really not my arena — to lobby and politick for something,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “That’s something for our commissioner, our president and the athletic directors to debate. I just need to try to continue to win games.”
The Utes became the fifth straight conference champion to go 8-0 in the league, a streak that started with Utah’s unbeaten Fiesta Bowl team of 2004.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said change will come if teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic Conference continue to get at-large BCS berths and win.
“When you get on a big stage, you have to be able to go play and you have to be able to deserve the respect,” Patterson said. “You can’t just do it every once in a while.”
TCU was 8-0 in 2005, then BYU won back-to-back titles by going 16-0 through 2006 and 2007. Utah regained the crown last year, but is missing three-year starting quarterback Brian Johnson and All-American kicker Louie Sakoda. Defensive standouts Paul Kruger and Sean Smith left school early for the NFL.
“Every year is a new set of circumstances,” Whittingham said.

A capsule look at the teams in predicted order of finish:
TCU: Key players: QB Andy Dalton, Jr.; WR Jimmy Young, Jr.; DE Jerry Hughes, Sr. Returning starters: 7 offense, 4 defense.
The Horned Frogs are replacing seven starters from the speedy defense that nearly carried TCU to the conference title. One of them is Hughes, who led the nation in sacks last season and had 19› tackles for a loss. ... TCU came the closest to toppling Utah last year, but missed two field goals in the fourth quarter and the Utes rallied for a 13-10 win in Salt Lake City.
BYU — Key players: QB Max Hall, Sr.; RB Harvey Unga, Jr.; TE Dennis Pitta, Sr.; DE Jan Jorgensen, Sr. Returning starters: 4 offense, 8 defense.
Hall passed for 3,957 yards and 35 touchdowns last fall, but will be missing his favorite target. Austin Collie, who had 100 yards receiving in the last 11 games, left early for the NFL and Hall will have four new starters blocking for him on the offensive line. ... BYU’s two-year unbeaten streak in the Mountain West ended last year with losses to TCU and Utah — two teams that have to visit Provo this fall. ... Unga needs 841 yards to tie Curtis Brown’s career rushing record. ... BCS hopes will begin or end with the season opener against Oklahoma at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium.
UTAH — Key players: RB Matt Asiata, Sr.; LB Stevenson Sylvester, Sr.; DE Koa Misi. Returning starters: 4 offense, 7 defense.
Utah has the nation’s longest winning streak at 14 straight games. The Utes return from their unbeaten run through 2008 without an experienced quarterback to replace three-year starter Brian Johnson. ... Corbin Louks had a slight edge entering training camp, but has thrown only 15 passes in his career and will still have to beat junior college transfer Terrance Cain and redshirt freshman Jordan Wynn for the starting job. ... Coach Kyle Whittingham also has new coordinators on both offense and defense after losing three assistants.
AIR FORCE — Key players: QB Tim Jefferson, So.; RB Asher Clark, So.; DB Reggie Rembert, Jr. Returning starters: 5 offense, 6 defense.
After an 8-2 start, the Falcons fizzled with two losses to end the regular season and a 34-28 loss to Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl. ... Coach Troy Calhoun had a group of youngsters last year in his second season and still contended for the league title until the last few weeks of the season. ... With a year of experience, the young Falcons could make another push if they can pull off an upset or two.
COLORADO STATE — Key players: QB Grant Stucker, Sr.; RB John Mosure, Jr.; LB Mychal Sisson, So. Returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense.
The Rams were the biggest surprise of the league a year ago under new coach Steve Fairchild, who guided his alma mater to a 7-6 finish capped by a win over Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. ... The Rams have a difficult schedule with games at rival Colorado, BYU and TCU, but do get defending champion Utah at home.
NEW MEXICO — Key players: QB Brad Gruner, So.; QB Donovan Porterie, Sr.; WR Chris Hernandez, Jr.; LB Clint McPeek, Sr. Returning starters: 8 offense, 3 defense.
New coach Mike Locksley left his post as offensive coordinator at Illinois for his first head coaching job after Rocky Long stepped down. ... Locksley brought in former North Texas coach Darrell Dickey to open up the offense, which will be no small task. The Lobos passed for all of four touchdowns last season.
UNLV — Key players: QB Omar Clayton, Jr.; WR Ryan Wolfe, Sr.; LB Jason Beauchamp, Sr. Returning starters: 6 offense, 8 defense.
After winning two games in each of coach Mike Sanford’s first three seasons, the Rebels exploded for five victories last year. The Rebels were even in contention for a .500 finish and possibly a bowl game until they lost their final game to San Diego State — the Aztecs’ only conference victory. ... It was still progress for the Rebels, who won only one MWC game in each of Sanford’s first three years.
SAN DIEGO STATE: Key players: QB Ryan Lindley, So.; RB Atiyyah Henderson, Sr.; LB Luke Laolagi, Sr. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.
The Aztecs have a new coach in Brady Hoke, who took Ball State to consecutive bowl games in his last two seasons with the Cardinals. Ball State went 12-2 last season and didn’t lose a game until the Mid-American Conference championship against Buffalo. ... Hoke inherits a team that won just two games and averaged almost half as many points as the opposition in Chuck Long’s final year as coach. The Aztecs averaged 19 points last season and allowed an average of 37. ... San Diego State last had a winning record in 1998.
WYOMING: Key players: QB Karsten Sween, Sr.; QB Dax Crum, Jr.; LB Gabe Knapton, So.; S Chris Prosinski, Jr. Returning starters: 7 offense, 8 defense.
After helping lead Missouri to the Big 12 championship game the past two seasons, Dave Christensen will try to revive Wyoming. The Cowboys finished their last season under coach Joe Glenn at 4-8, just 1-7 in the conference to tie for last with San Diego State — the MWC team Wyoming beat last season. ... Christensen was Missouri coach Gary Pinkel’s offensive coordinator before taking the Wyoming job, which will be a challenge from the start. ... After opening the season against lower-division Weber State, the Cowboys host Texas and then visit Colorado.