Here are my WAC football predictions for the 2011 season:

First Place: Nevada Wolf Pack

Despite the loss of record-setting quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Nevada has a good opportunity to win the WAC with Boise State now calling the Mountain West home. The Wolf Pack went 13-1 last season and shared the WAC title with Boise State and Hawaii. Even without Kaepernick, Chris Ault's Pistol offense will continue to cause major problems for opposing defenses. Last year, the Wolf Pack ranked No. 4 in the country with 519.1 yards per game. College football oddsmakers have grouped Nevada among the field at +1500 to win the BCS title.

Second Place: Hawaii Warriors

Before making the jump to the Mountain West, Hawaii would like to celebrate a conference championship in its final season in the WAC. That goal is certainly attainable. Quarterback Brian Moniz, who threw for over 5,040 yards with 39 touchdown strikes and 15 interceptions, helped Hawaii lead the entire country in passing offense last season. It will be difficult for him to duplicate those numbers, however, without wide receivers Kealoha Pilares and Greg Salas and with an offensive line that only brings back one starter.

Third Place: Fresno State Bulldogs 

 Pat Hill's last WAC title (1999) seems like an eternity ago. Off back-to-back 8-5 seasons, Hill is hopeful his Bulldogs can bring him another championship. Boise State leaving the conference helps his chances, but the Broncos are still on the schedule, as are Cal, Nebraska, Ole Miss and San Diego State. That challenging non-conference slate and games at Nevada and Hawaii will make it difficult for the Bulldogs to do any better than they've done the last two years.

Fourth Place: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Louisiana Tech nearly recovered from a 1-4 start to become bowl eligible in 2010. After a 5-7 season, a bowl game is an attainable goal, but it is no given. A defense which ranked 116th nationally (out of 120 FBS schools) with 462.1 yards allowed per game still has plenty of work to do.

Fifth Place: Idaho Vandals

Idaho's chances of playing in the postseason likely falls on the shoulders of quarterback Brian Reader, who performed well in limited snaps a year ago with 568 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. An offensive line which allowed the third-most sacks (45) in the nation last season will have to keep him off his backside.

Sixth Place: Utah State Aggies

Losing quarterback Diondre Borel certainly hurts, but the Aggies can still improve on their back-to-back 4-8 campaigns if running back Robert Turbin can recover from injury and rediscover the form that saw him rush for 1,296 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2009.

Seventh Place: San Jose State Spartans

The Spartans finished 0-8 in conference play last season, but I don't see them getting skunked again. Sixteen starters return, and four of their conference losses came by seven or fewer points.

Eighth Place: New Mexico State Aggies

The Aggies managed one conference victory in 2010, a 29-27 home win over San Jose State. They could come up empty handed this time around with this year's meeting at San Jose. Five of New Mexico State's WAC defeats came by 21 points or more a season ago.

Be sure to check out the rest of my 2011 college football predictions.