Boise State heavy WAC championship favorites

Tuning out preseason buzz should be getting easier for Boise State.

The Broncos are set to open another season as the Western Athletic Conference favorite and defending champion, again a potential BCS buster.

Boise State has won six of the last seven WAC titles, a run interrupted only by Hawaii's championship in 2007. Having gone 8-0 in the league again last year, the Broncos are the pick to win it again in 2009.

"I think you can bring a lot of undue pressure onto yourself. We just try to not hear all the noise that's out there," said coach Chris Petersen, who is 35-4 in three years at Boise State. "We have a lot of expectations for ourselves regardless of what other people say."

This is Boise State's ninth season in the conference. The Broncos have finished first six times and second twice.

As for reaching the Bowl Championship Series again, the Broncos' hopes for another shot at the big time could be dashed in the season opener when Boise State hosts Oregon on Sept. 3.

"You win enough they're going to pay attention to you," Petersen said. "You step out of your conference and play teams like that and you can get something done, you'll make more of a statement, without question."

The Broncos went 12-0 in the regular season last year, but it wasn't enough to earn a trip to the big-money postseason games.

"With the BCS and all those type of things, we've just taken the approach that we do with a lot of things. We don't have any control over that," Petersen said. "A few years ago they tweaked the system and it worked out good for us. I believe if we take care of our business it will still work out good for us."

A capsule look at the teams in predicted order of finish:

BOISE STATE — Key players: QB Kellen Moore, CB Kyle Wilson, DE Ryan Winterswyk, Jr. Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: Moore was a freshman last season but played like a veteran, passing for 3,486 yards and 25 touchdowns. ... Wilson was the preseason pick for WAC defensive player of the year after intercepting five passes as a junior, and he also returned three punts for touchdowns.

NEVADA — Key players: QB Colin Kaepernick, RB Vai Taua, RB Luke Lippincott, DE Kevin Basped. Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense.