As much as Western Athletic Conference teams would prefer a guaranteed ticket to the BCS, the WAC is doing just fine getting there the hard way.

It’s good to be the WAC these days.

A WAC team has been in a Bowl Championship Series game each of the last two years and will be trying to beat the system and the big leagues again. The new national baseball champion (Fresno State) also hails from the WAC, leaving the conference on a high as football season approaches.

But football is the game WAC teams have established themselves as perennial pests to schools that have much higher profiles and bigger budgets.

“A lot of teams don’t respect the WAC for some reason. I don’t know why,” Fresno State tight end Bear Pascoe said. “We’ve got great teams. We’ve got great athletes.”

Pascoe’s classmates on the Fresno State baseball team backed his argument in June by winning the College World Series, upsetting Georgia — from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference — for the championship.

The Fresno State Bulldogs were picked by the WAC coaches as the preseason football favorite and Boise State was No. 1 in the media poll.

The goal is to win the league, then hope for an invitation to the BCS. Champions from the non-automatic qualifying leagues such as the WAC can earn automatic berths by it’s not easy. Only three teams have busted the BCS (Utah from the Mountain West was first in 2004) and in all three cases it took an unbeaten record to crack the lineup.

Hawaii went 12-0 during the regular season last year and went to the Sugar Bowl, where the Warriors were humbled in a 41-10 loss to Georgia. It was a setback for the WAC’s national image, but one that could easily be made up with another season like Boise State had two years ago.

The Broncos’ overtime over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl and assortment of trick plays to complete it affirmed Boise State — and the WAC — as legitimate threats to college football’s bluebloods.

“It’s closing the gap that everyone believes is there,” said Boise State running back Ian Johnson, who scored on the gutsy 2-point conversion call that beat the Sooners.

Sure, it was two years ago. But few have forgotten what the Broncos did and perhaps started with the Fiesta Bowl appearance.

If the WAC gets a third straight BCS berth, nobody will be able to say it’s because of a soft nonconference schedule. Fresno State opens at Rutgers and also faces Wisconsin and UCLA. And the Bulldogs have to close the regular season on the blue turf of Boise, where the Broncos haven’t lost a regular season game since 2001.

Boise State’s nonconference schedule includes visits to Oregon and Southern Miss as the Broncos try to quickly replace large chunks of their traditionally high-powered offense. Gone are quarterback Taylor Tharp and five other offensive starters, including left tackle Ryan Clady — the first Bronco to leave school early for the NFL. He was the 12th overall pick in the draft.

Coach Chris Petersen said Clady’s draft position is an indicator of how far the Broncos’ success — much like their preseason position as one of the favorites despite having a new quarterback and four new starters on the offensive line.

“I hate the polls. I’d like to be picked right about the middle of the pack, then we just go do our thing,” Petersen said. “Would I pick us second? Heck, I don’t know.”

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

1. Fresno State
Key players: QB Tom Brandstater, Sr.; TE Bear Pascoe, Sr.

Returning starters: 10 offense, 6 defense.

Notes: After going 4-8 in 2006 — coach Pat Hill’s first losing season since 1998 — Fresno State went 9-4 last fall and is looking to win the league for the first time since tying for the 1999 championship. If the Bulldogs make it through the nonconference season without a loss, they’ll be making a run for the BCS.

2. Boise State
Key players: RB Ian Johnson, Sr.; OT Andrew Woodruff, Sr.; K Kyle Brotzman, So.

Returning starters: 4 offense, 7 defense.

Notes: The Broncos slipped from the top of the WAC last year, but to No. 2. ... Johnson has rushed for 3,417 yards and scored 45 career touchdowns.

3. Nevada
Key players: QB Colin Kaepernick, So.; QB Nick Graziano, Jr.; RB Luke Lippincott, Sr.

Returning starters: 8 offense, 4 defense.

Notes: The Wolf Pack attack could have a diverse look behind Kaepernick and Graziano. Graziano was the starter a year ago, but a foot injury ended his season five games in and Kaepernick took over — playing well enough to be named WAC freshman of the year. At 6-foot-6, Kaepernick is 5 inches taller than Graziano, but still raw.

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