Football media are picking TCU as the preseason favorite to win the 2009 Mountain West Conference.
The MWC said Tuesday the Horned Frogs drew 15 first-place votes and 207 overall points on the strength of a 7-1 conference mark last season and 11-2 overall record.
The 24 media members contributing to the poll picked BYU second, with 190 points, and undefeated 2008 MWC champion Utah third, with 179.
The preseason poll puts BYU senior quarterback Max Hall as the pick to be Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year.
TCU swept three other best-of categories, with senior defensive end Jerry Hughes projected Tuesday as defensive player of the year.
Hughes was a consensus All-American and MWC defensive player of the year in 2008.
TCU teammate Jeremy Kerley, a junior kick returner, is projected to be special teams player of the year, and TCU running back Ed Wesley is tabbed as preseason freshman of the year. Wesley is from MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas.
