Ranger College didn't even defend its Southwest Region title.

But don't try telling Jared Smith and his teammates that means they don't have a shot at capturing back-to-back men's national championships at this week's College National Finals Rodeo.

"Last year we went into it and everybody on our team was winners, and we thought we had just as good a chance as anybody, if not better, because everyone was in the PRCA and winning and making a living rodeoing," Smith said. "This year it's the same scenario."

It may feel the same, but Ranger will bring back just half of its six-man team from a year ago. Among the departed cowboys is Steven Dent, the 2007 men's all-around champion who is currently atop the professional rodeo standings in bareback bronc riding.

While Dent's departure didn't necessarily leave the team with a void in talent, it definitely cost Ranger some points early on this season and perhaps the team title as well, as Western Texas took the honor by less than 500 points.

"They started out a little slow in the region," Ranger coach Tom Reeves said. "We got a lot of talent on our team, but Steven Dent was really a team leader. I think finally a couple of guys picked up where Steven left off and that really helped."

Smith certainly could be lumped into that category.

He ran away with the Southwest Region men's all-around crown despite the fact that none of his team roping points counted in the first half of the season because his partner, Coy Burruel, transferred from region foe Vernon College.

"I didn't get to team rope all of first semester," Smith said. "And then we ended up winning two of the four or five rodeos in the team roping once we started.

"Everybody's doing really good right now. … I don't think it's going to be any problem. If we all just go up there and do what we do every day, we'll be fine."

That's the mentality that earned Ranger a team title last year in just its second year since returning to the college rodeo stage.

Perhaps taken lightly when the team came to the 2006 CNFR in Casper, the team enters its third year seeking back-to-back championships.

But the immediate success has set the bar high for Reeves and Ranger.

"You naturally put pressure on yourself, because winners normally put pressure on themselves and all the guys on our team are winners," Reeves said. "They're going to strive to win, and anytime you do that you're going to get a pressure situation."

That's just the way Smith likes it. He's the only one of six Ranger cowboys who will compete in two events - team roping and bareback riding - this week.

"I kind of thrive off pressure; I like a lot of pressure on me," Smith said. "But I don't feel there's any pressure on me to do any better than the other guys.

"Me being in one more event than them, I think I should get more points because I have another chance to, but I don't feel any pressure."

He and Burruel are joined by CNFR veterans Kory Bramwell (team roping) and Chase Miller (saddle bronc riding), and CNFR rookies Dylan Werner (bareback riding) and Dean Wadsworth (saddle bronc) as they all try to add to their local-celebrity status.

"Not much (has changed the last year) besides experience and everybody being a winner," Smith said. "Whenever you go and do something like that in such a short period of time, you're a little more known around the town and the counties."

And, region title or not, they've wasted no time becoming well-known in the national rodeo community.

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.

RANGER TRACKER

EYE ON THE PRIZE: This week, Ranger College's men's team - in just its third season back on the rodeo circuit - will try for its second consecutive national championship at the College National Finals Rodeo.

LINEUP: Returning champions Jared Smith, Kory Bramwell and Chase Miller will be joined by CNFR rookies Coy Burruel, Dylan Werner and Dean Wadsworth.

REGION ROCKS: Ranger College's team title in 2007 gave the Southwest Region its fourth national championship in five years.

HE SAID IT: If we all just go up there and do what we do every day, we'll be fine." - Smith.