WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR
Nov. 28: Fresno State at Boise State, Nov. 28
Pat Hill, the coach in "The Valley", has been banging at the door for years now. This could be the year he crashes through. The Bulldogs return nine starters from an offense that scored 33 ppg last season and high-profile contests at Rutgers and UCLA — plus a layin'-in-the-weeds special versus Wisconsin — could set them up for a Top 15 ranking by the time they step onto the smurf turf. If Fresno State has even just one loss coming into this game, it'll be huge.

NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR
Sept. 13: Wisconsin at Fresno State
Hill's fearless scheduling credo has long been "anyone, any time, any place", but rarely does the 12th-year coach expect a Top 20 team to visit Bulldog Stadium … in September, when temps can approach 100 degrees. The Badgers barely got by lowly UNLV in Vegas last September (20-13). Today they'll be in for a skirmish.

OTHER KEY NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
Aug. 30: Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech
Bulldogs versus Bulldogs, but the SEC Bulldogs have never paid a visit to Ruston before.

Sept. 1: Fresno State at Rutgers
Go East, young man. Pat Hill's bunch get themselves a nationally televised game — and some N.Y.-based media attention — versus another upstart program clad in red.

Sept. 6: Texas Tech at Nevada
The Wolf Pack have a potent offense, with WAC leading rusher Luke Lippincott and WAC frosh of year Colin Kaepernick, the QB, returning. But how will it stack up against Mike Leach's Red Raiders. It's been a long time (never?) since a ranked non-conference opponent visited Reno.

Sept. 20: Boise State at Oregon
As far as the Broncos have come in the past decade — and no one has come farther — they remain 0-12 outside of Boise versus BCS opponents. The Duck offense may still be getting its webbed feet under it when the Broncos visit Eugene.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Boise State
Ian Johnson is the active career leader in rushing TDs (45) and still married.

Fresno State
A.J. Jefferson led the nation with a 35.8 yard kickoff return average in '07.

Hawaii
Warriors, fresh off Sugar Bowl waxing by Georgia, return to deep South to open versus Florida and Heisman winner Tim Tebow in Gainesville.

Idaho
Vandals return 10 starters from last year's offense, including RB Deonte' Jackson (1,175 yards), nephew of NFL rusher Steven Jackson.

Louisiana Tech
Thanks to an academic loophole (and because of a coaching switch), Taylor Bennett, Georgia Tech's starting QB in '07, will suit up for the Bulldogs this fall.

Nevada
WAC's leading rusher of '07, Luke Lippincott (1,420 yards), returns for senior season.

New Mexico State
Aggies last played in a bowl in 1960, traveling all the way to El Paso (46 miles) to play in the Sun Bowl.

San Jose State
USC transfer Jeff Schweiger will anchor one defensive end position … wait a minute … who transfers from USC?

Utah State
Highway 101 runs through Logan: Aggies finished 101st in both scoring offense (20.6 ppg) and scoring defense (33.8 ppg) last year.

INDEPENDENTS
GAME OF THE YEAR
Dec. 6: Army vs. Navy at Philadelphia
Paul Johnson has left the sidelines in Annapolis for those of Georgia Tech, and the U.S. Army could not be more thrilled if Kim Jong-Il became a full-time movie critic. The Middies have taken six straight from the Cadets, the longest win streak either side has had in the series' 109-year history. And the sailors, who led the nation in rushing a year ago, return three of their top four rushers. No retreat, no surrender, Middies.

OTHER KEY GAMES
Sept. 6: New Hampshire at Army
The Cadets' best hope for a win comes early at Michie Stadium versus this FCS squad.

Sept 13: Michigan at Notre Dame
How much better are the Irish from last year's 38-0 debacle? How much worse are the Wolverines, who lost their QB, RB, WRs, coach and the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft (OT Jake Long)?

Oct. 4: Western Kentucky at Virginia Tech
It would be hilarious if this were a scheduling misunderstanding. Last September the Hilltoppers hilltopped West Virginia Tech 87-0. Will the Hokies avenge their quasi-namesakes in Blacksburg?

Oct. 18: Pittsburgh at Navy
Middies won a 2OT thriller at Heinz Field last October. Will Panthers exact revenge?

Nov. 15: Notre Dame vs. Navy at Baltimore
Irish hope to snap Middies' one-game stranglehold on this series; and it won't be easy as three of Navy's top four rushers return for offense that led the nation in rushing a year ago.

Nov. 20: Notre Dame at USC
Please, please make it interesting this year.

Season previews NBCSports.com is ready for the 2008-09 season. Check out our conference previews as part of our expanded coverage. Non-BCS teams, Ind. ACC Big East Big Ten Big 12 Pac-10 SEC

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Army
Reconnaissance expert/coach Stan Brock closed practice sessions to fans and media all spring.

Navy
Middies own 1-game win streak over Notre Dame; also, only team in nation to score more than 36 ppg and surrender more than 36 ppg.

Notre Dame
Domer fans: Irish last year never happened.

Western Kentucky
Hilltoppers, in second season of two-year transitional period to FBS before joining Sun Belt Conference, have had 12 straight winning seasons.

ALSO ON THIS STORY Special section: Notre Dame Central   Discuss: Sound off on college football message boards

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Get ready for mass exodus Trash Talk: SEC not all it’s cracked up to be Predictions 101: Ohio State to roll, N.D. to win squeaker Opinion: 10 bowl matchups that would be a treat Bowl Projections: Big Ten blows BCS spot CFT: ‘By the numbers’ — McCoy goes for record From Big 12 snub to possible BCS for TCU Idaho AD refuses to board Boise St.-themed plane SEC's season one of contenders and complaints   Vote: Which is the best conference? College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: