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TCU's Gary Patterson plopped into his seat at Mountain West Conference media day and professed how good it felt to still have a job in an age where football coaches sweat over security as much as they do the scoreboard.
As if he has anything to worry about.
The Horned Frogs are a bona fide power, finishing sixth in The Associated Press poll last season after a 12-1 season that was marred only by a loss to Boise State, a soon-to-be conference foe, in the Fiesta Bowl.
Returning another stacked team led by senior quarterback Andy Dalton, TCU will again have its sights set on not just the MWC crown but a national title.
First, though, the Frogs have to navigate a nonconference schedule that includes Oregon State in the opener and a conference docket that isn't exactly a cakewalk, especially with a visit to Utah on Nov. 6.
But they're clearly the favorite to win a second straight MWC crown.
After this season, TCU will be joined by its BCS busting brethren Boise State in the Mountain West. The Broncos are bolting from the Western Athletic Conference.
They'll essentially take the place of Utah as the Utes split for the conference that will be called the Pac-12.
''I'm sad to see Utah leave. We've had great games. It's been a great rivalry,'' Patterson said. ''I think they brought a lot to the conference.''
So, too, have the Broncos, a 26-1 squad over the last two seasons. They only elevate the profile of the conference, something that commissioner Craig Thompson is trying to do as the MWC laboriously lobbies for an automatic bid to the BCS.
The league is definitely making a compelling case, joining the Big Ten and SEC last season as the only conferences to have two teams in the top 12 in the final polls.
Even more, the conference has a 9-3 bowl mark against automatic-qualifying BCS teams since 2004.
These are all stats that Thompson likes to drop when promoting the league.
''We have no issue with the bowl system per se,'' Thompson said. ''Our issue is we think we're performing and playing at a level that is equal to and deserves a spot in one of the BCS bowls, along with the current six automatic qualifiers.''
TCU enters the season with a loaded defense that was the best in the nation for a second straight season. The Horned Frogs also return Dalton, the conference's offensive player of the year after throwing for a school-record 2,756 yards.
''Personally, I don't see how you can't choose TCU as the favorite,'' said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, whose squad was picked to finish second in the preseason conference media poll. ''What they accomplished last year and what they have coming back, that's a no-brainer.''
Utah remains a contender, BYU returns a solid nucleus after an 11-2 season and Air Force could be a factor as the Falcons return their entire backfield.
Still, TCU remains the unquestioned headliner. The Horned Frogs have a fire burning, too, especially after losing 17-10 to Boise State to deny them a perfect record.
''That, in itself, is motivation,'' Dalton said. ''That's been a lot of our drive, to want to get back to that game and win it this year. The way we worked this offseason and summer shows how hungry we are and how ready we are to get this season started.''
TCU - Key players: LB Tank Carder, QB Andy Dalton, DE Wayne Daniels, DB Tejay Johnson, WR Jeremy Kerley, OL Jake Kirkpatrick. Returning starters: 9 offense, 7 defense
Notes: Dalton is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks to step ever step under center at TCU, tying Sammy Baugh for most wins (29) in school history. He will lead the drive toward another shot at a national title. .. The team's biggest stumbling block early could be their first game against Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium.
Utah - Key players: RB Eddie Wide, OLs Caleb Schlauderaff and Zane Taylor, DB Brandon Burton. Returning starters: 8 offense, 4 defense.
Notes: The Utes will make one last stand in the conference before leaving for the Pac-12. Their 17-game home winning streak - second-longest in school history - will be put to the test as they host Pittsburgh, TCU and BYU. ... The team has a nine-game bowl win streak, the longest active streak in the country.
BYU - Key players: OL Matt Reynolds, DBs Andrew Rich and Brian Logan, RB JJ Di Luigi. Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: Since 2006, BYU has a 43-9 record, one of the top marks in the nation. ... The Cougars will have to replace the tandem of QB Max Hall and RB Harvey Unga. Hall threw for more than 3,000 yards and Unga ran topped the 1,000-yard mark in three straight seasons.
Air Force - Key players: FB Jared Tew, TB Asher Clark, QBs Connor Dietz and Tim Jefferson. Returning starters: 5 offense, 5 defense.
Notes: The Falcons are stacked on offense, returning their entire backfield. Tew led the team in rushing with 970 yards. ... Air Force has a formidable tandem at defensive back in Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright. They had 10 interceptions between them last year. ... The Falcons will play a rigorous schedule that includes a game at Oklahoma on Sept. 18.
Wyoming - Key players: DB Chris Prosinski, QB Austyn Carta-Samuels, RB Alvester Alexander. Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense.
Notes: Carta-Samuels threw for 1,953 yards last season, the third-best mark in league history for a freshman. ... The Cowboys went to their first bowl last season since 2004. The team beat Fresno State in two overtime, 35-28, in the New Mexico Bowl. ... Prosinski led Wyoming in tackles last year with 140, which ranked tied for 10th in the nation.
San Diego State - Key players: WRs Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson, QB Ryan Lindley. Returning starters: 9 offense, 8 defense.
Notes: Lindley has his two biggest targets back in Brown and Sampson. Brown had five 100-yard games last season before a thumb injury ended his season on Oct. 24 at Colorado State. ... The father of senior LB Marcus Yarbrough once played on the offensive line for the Aztecs from 1978-81.
Colorado State - Key players: LB Mychal Sisson, RBs Leonard Mason and John Mosure. Returning starters: 4 offense, 10 defense.
Notes: The Rams possess a deep backfield with Mason, the team's top rusher, Mosure and Lou Greenwood all returning. ... Freshmen Pete Thomas and Nico Ranieri are contending for the quarterback job. ... CSU went 3-9 in coach Steve Fairchild's second season at the helm. ... Sisson had six sacks and 15 1/2 tackles for loss last season.
UNLV - Key players: WR Phillip Payne, RB Channing Trotter, QB Omar Clayton. Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense.
Notes: Rebels coach Bobby Hauck takes over after spending the last seven seasons in charge of the University of Montana, a perennial power in the FCS. ... Payne will try to step in and fill the spot of Ryan Wolfe, who left as the conference's all-time leading receiver with 283 receptions. ... UNLV has four returning starters on the offensive line.
New Mexico - Key players: DL Johnathan Rainey, LB Carmen Messina, RB Desmond Dennis. Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: Messina led the nation in tackles last season with 162. He also had three sacks. ... Lobos coach Mike Locksley finished his inaugural season 1-11. He served a 10-day suspension during the year for his role in a physical altercation with an assistant. ... Dennis rushed for 427 yards and three TDs for the Lobos last season.
