Some of the finest minds in the land — the sporting media, of course — will gather in Salt Lake City next week for the annual Western Athletic Conference Football Media Preview.

In advance of the ritual exercise of determining the preseason WAC poll, which lays out the expected order of finish in the conference standings, we offer a glimpse of one man's ballot:

1. Boise State. It was a bad sign for the rest of the WAC when the Broncos went unbeaten in the conference last year with a freshman, Kellen Moore, at quarterback. If somebody doesn't knock off the Broncos early, say by the conclusion of business on Oct. 24 at Aloha Stadium, it looks they put their name on the championship trophy for the seventh time in eight years.

2. Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs won the WAC in their first season of membership (2001) and have barely been heard from since. This could be the year all that changes. Central to their hopes is whether they can win early to position themselves to make Boise State's Nov. 6 visit to Ruston a championship showdown.

3. Nevada. The Wolf Pack has the WAC's most explosive quarterback (Colin Kaepernick) and the best one-two running back punch of Vai Taua and Luke Lippincott. But, somehow, Nevada usually ends up being betrayed by its defense — or lack thereof.

4. Hawai'i. The key to the Warriors getting a higher finish this year is at least splitting on the road, with stops at Louisiana Tech, Nevada, San Jose State and Idaho, and not getting blindsided again at home.

5. Fresno State. This year the Bulldogs have zero Bowl Championship Series hype and no WAC title expectations to live up to. With head coach Pat Hill in the make-or-break year of his contract and motivated to open up the offense for a change, these 'Dogs could be dangerous.

6. San Jose State. The Spartans are the conference's wild-card team. Their fortunes could go either way depending upon whether a heretofore somnolent offense finally begins to stir.

7. Utah State. Was that 30-14 victory over the Warriors in Logan, Utah, last year a harbinger of nascent progress for the Aggies or merely a Wasatch Range mirage? The return of quarterback Diondre Borel gives the Aggies some hope and everybody else problems.

8. Idaho. Could this be the season the long-suffering Vandals escape the conference cellar? It will be if they can cut back on turnovers.

9. New Mexico State. Head coach Hal Mumme, quarterback Chase Holbrook, receivers Chris Williams and AJ Harris and the secondary are all gone. That doesn't leave many ways for the Aggies to win. And, they won't.