Four Tiny Tidbits On: The Mountain West

College football season is upon us, and to celebrate, we're going to get back into tiny tidbit mode and present four things you didn't know about each major conference. If you have a little-known fact about your team or conference, get it in quick, because there's only one day left. Mail to [email protected]. Today: The Mountain West Conference.

• 1. Speed, And Talking About Speed, Kills. The conference that gave us Fisher DeBerry would like to remind you that Air Force will likely continue to suffer for the remarks made by their coach last season. Oh, you remember: "(TCU) had a lot more Afro-American players than we did and they ran a lot faster than we did." The Falcons went 4-7, DeBerry's worst year since 1993 (4-8). Although the school let him keep his job, the record may even be worse in 2006.

• 2. Someone's In The Kitchen With Dinah .... There are a few heated rivalries in the Mountain West, but overall the conference enmity needs work. You do have the Border War (Colorado State vs. Wyoming), the Rocky Mountain Showdown (Colorado State vs. Colorado) and the Battle For Nevada (UNLV vs. Nevada ... the only two schools who would want it). Our favorite is the Battle For The Iron Skillet (TCU vs. SMU).

• 3. Oh, You Rebels. Well, only two Mountain West teams have winning records in bowl games,and one of those is undefeated. Can you guess? Utah is 8-3, and UNLV is a surprising 3-0.

• 4. Fun With Acronyms. In case you were wondering, among other meanings of the MWC acronym are Maritime Warfare Centre; Married White Couple; Married With Children; Mary Washington College; Medium Weight Coated (paper); Mennonite World Conference and Murder Was the Case (Dr. Dre and Ice Cube album title). (Acronyms from acronymfinder.com.) You weren't wondering? Well, then the Mountain West is the youngest of the Division 1-A conferences, opening shop in 1999.

Wednesday: The Sun Belt.