Utah picked to win Mountain West Conference football title

HENDERSON, Nev. — Utah was picked to repeat as Mountain West Conference football champion in a poll of conference media members released Thursday.

The Utes return 17 starters from a team that went 10-2 last season, claiming the school's first MWC football title and a 17-0 victory over Southern Mississippi in the Liberty Bowl.

Utah got 15 of 16 first-place votes in the survey of reporters and broadcasters who cover the conference. The results were released to conference football media at the Ritz-Carlton hotel at Lake Las Vegas.

BYU was picked to finish fifth.

Colorado State was picked to finish second, after posting a 7-6 record last season and losing 35-21 to Boston College in the 2003 San Francisco Bowl. The Rams return 13 starters, but dropped from preseason favorite for the first time in four years.

Utah also dominated the 2004 preseason all-conference team with six picks, including quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Paris Warren and offensive guard Chris Kemoeatu.

San Diego State edged New Mexico for third place in the preseason ranking, marking the Aztecs' highest ranking in the MWC preseason poll. San Diego State has 16 starters returning from last year's 6-6 squad.

New Mexico has 12 starters back after finishing 8-5 in 2003 and making its second straight Las Vegas Bowl appearance — a 55-14 loss to Oregon State.

BYU and UNLV tied for fifth in the poll, followed by Air Force and Wyoming.

New Mexico had five all-conference picks, while Colorado State and San Diego State each had four, BYU had three, UNLV two and Wyoming one.

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2004 preseason football poll

    
            

        	
		
        
                
Rank (First-place votes)  Points
    
            

        	
		
        
                
1. UTAH             (15)   127
    
            

        	
		
        
                
2. Colorado State    (1)    98
    
            

        	
		
        
                
3. San Diego State          87
    
            

        	
		
        
                
4. New Mexico               86
    
            

        	
		
        
                
5. BYU                      54
    
            

        	
		
        
                
5. UNLV                     54
    
            

        	
		
        
                
7. Air Force                42
    
            

        	
		
        
                
8. Wyoming                  23