Media day highlights

HIGH EXPECTATIONS: TCU teammates Aaron Brown and Tommy Blake were named MWC preseason offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively.

FRESHMAN FANFARE: Colorado State linebacker Ricky Brewer is expected to be the league's top freshman. He was the top tackler in Colorado prep football last year.

HONORABLE POSITION: TCU topped all teams with seven preseason all-conference selections — four on offense, two on defense and one on special teams.

THE LOCAL ANGLE: BYU was picked second and Utah third. The Cougars and Utes, who each placed four players on the preseason all-conference team, joined TCU as the only teams to receive first-place votes. Utah kicker Louie Sakoda was named preseason special teams player of the year.

REPEAT PICK: TCU is the first team since Utah (2004-05) to top the MWC's preseason poll in back-to-back years. Colorado State holds the record with three consecutive first-place finishes from 2001-03.

GETTING IT RIGHT: The MWC's preseason poll hasn't been a very accurate gauge of who'll win the league. Since three teams shared the crown in 1999, only two teams — Colorado State (2002) and Utah (2004) — have actually wound up as champions.

TRIPLE-CAST: Versus announced Monday that it will televise the BYU-Utah game on Nov. 24. The contest will also be broadcast live on CSTV and The mtn.

SWEET 16: The preseason all-conference team includes 16 players who earned all-MWC recognition in 2006, including eight first-teamers.

NEW AGREEMENT: The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl has extended its deal with the MWC through 2009. The Pac-10 joins the mix in 2008 — sending its seventh-place team to the game that year and its sixth-place team the next season.