Naturally, I get through praising a team and they go out and lay an egg.

That's what No. 16 Fresno State did on Saturday, falling to Nevada, 38-35 as the Wolfpack earned a share of the Western Athletic Conference title with Boise State.

The Wolf Pack (8-3, 7-1) are done for the regular season and are awaiting a bowl invitation that is sure to come. Robert Hubbard rushed for146 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Wolf Pack to its best record since the 1996 season, when they went 9-3. It's also Nevada's first conference championship of any kind since the 1997 Big West title.

Nevada shares the WAC title with Boise State (9-3, 7-1), which finished its regular season with a 30-13 win over Louisiana Tech. It's the fourth straight year the Broncos have earned at least a share of the WAC crown, as Ian Johnson paced BSU with 103 yards rushing. Quarterback Jared Zabransky pitched in two touchdown passes.

San Jose State (3-8, 2-6) finished out the string with a 26-18 win over Idaho (2-9, 2-6), while Utah State snapped a six-game losing streak with a 24-21 win over New Mexico State (0-12, 0-8).

As reported earlier, Fresno State has already accepted a bowl invitation to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, and can still earn a share of the WAC title with a win over Louisiana Tech on Friday.

Akron (6-5, 5-3) won the East Division title with a 35-3 win over Kent State, as Brett Biggs rushed for 173 yards and two scores. The Golden Flashes (1-10, 0-8) were no match.

Akron won the East tiebreaker over Miami and Bowling Green because the Zips' opponents in the West Division had a better record than Miami's and Bowling Green's opponents, which is a pretty screwy way to break a tie, but then again, the MAC's been messed up all year.

In the East, Northern Illinois (7-4, 6-2) defeated Western Michigan, 42-7, to earn that division title. Garrett Wolfe rushed for 277 yards and five touchdowns in the victory. You can see the big matchup in this championship game, right?

The winner of Thursday's game will earn an automatic berth in the Motor City Bowl, also at Ford Field. Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Miami and Bowling Green are also bowl-eligible and awaiting possible bowl invitations.

In two week, UT-El Paso went from driver's seat to road kill, as the Miners (8-3, 5-3) lost to SMU (5-6, 3-4), 40-27. The win was SMU's third straight, and their most wins in eight seasons. The Miners committed seven turnovers in the game, and SMU quarterback Jerad Romo threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

Otherwise, Southern Miss (6-5, 5-3) defeated Tulane, 26-7, to get its sixth win and become bowl-eligible. Tulane (2-9, 1-7) ended its vagabond season, as Hurricane Katrina rendered the program homeless and it's played 11 games at 11 different stadiums.

Memphis also became bowl-eligible (6-5, 5-3) with a 26-3 win over Marshall. Running back DeAngelo Williams, a Doak Walker award finalist, rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns. It was also his 33^rd 100-yard rushing game, tying him with Tony Dorsett and Archie Griffin for the most career 100-yard rushing games in NCAA history.

The conference now has six bowl-eligible teams, but only five bowl ties. Memphis or Southern Miss would seem to be the odd team out.

And, East Carolina, under first-year head coach Skip Holtz, continued the family tradition of turning around programs by defeating UAB, 31-23, giving the Pirates their first five-win season in four years.

La.-Monroe collapsed down the stretch, losing their final two conference games to drop into a tie with ASU and La.-Lafayette. Arkansas State earned the bowl berth by virtue of being the only Sun Belt team that was bowl-eligible.

Also, Florida International smashed Florida Atlantic, 52-6, and Middle Tennessee beat Troy, 17-7.