The college football season is almost upon us. Football games will be played this Saturday for Week 0, meaning it’s time to rank the teams to enter the year. Take a look at this week’s MWCConnection Power Rankings, and let us know what you like and what you don’t. Feel free to drop your own rankings in the comments section.
It should be noted that preseason rankings are based almost exclusively on opinions and educated guesses, since no games have been played yet. It’s fair to say they don’t amount
to much, like most preseason content, but that’s no fun. That being said, expect these rankings to go through many changes week to week for the first month of the season. Since they are not games to go off of, each team will feature reasons why they could be successful and reasons why things go in an unwanted direction.
1) Boise State
The Broncos return a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. The offense should once again be dynamic behind a veteran offensive line and a solid group of running backs. Likewise, the pass-rush figures to get the job done once again. However, the passing game may struggle if a wide receiver doesn’t emerge since the opposition won’t be loading the box anymore. And the secondary has reportedly improved, but if it doesn’t, the defense may struggle. That all being said, they are the clear favorites in the conference.
2) San Jose State
The Spartans appeared to reload on offense and have a lot of star power on defense. Throw in a favorable schedule with a strong coaching staff, and San Jose State could find themselves with a clear path to the Mountain West Championship game. However, in order to get there, they will need to avoid the uneven quarterback play that plagued them last season, and the defense will need to find a way to consistently get stops instead of being boom or bust.
3) UNLV
The Rebels are a major wildcard in the Mountain West this year. On paper, they have one of, if not the, most talented roster in the conference. Add in a top-notch coaching staff and effective schemes and UNLV could challenge for the top spot in the MW this season. The glass-half-empty view would say the roster is thrown together with pieces that may not fit, and it will take a while for them to figure out how to play together. Regardless, it should make for a number of exciting games this season.
4) Air Force
The Falcon’s offensive system is too strong and disciplined to falter for too long, and the team did find their stride last November, so there’s a good chance it carries over to this season. They have talent at fullback, and the defense should be stout once again. Unfortunately, success is no sure thing for Air Force. Quarterback is still a big question mark, and it’s essential to run the infamous offense. If the offense isn’t dominating the time of possession, then the defense will be less effective as well.
5) Wyoming
The Cowboys appear to have found a reliable answer at quarterback, which will go a long way to making the offense acceptable or perhaps even good. They boast a great offensive line and a talented group of wide receivers poised to be dynamic. All of this should help their defense maximize their talent. On the other hand, Wyoming appears to be lacking a solid running game, so the offense may still be one-dimensional. And if the defense isn’t healthy or the transfers don’t work out as planned, they could still be on the field just as long as they were last season.
6) Colorado State
The Rams found success last season based on a balanced offense. For 2025, they return to a focus on the Air-Raid in hopes of taking their offense to the next level. With a veteran QB and a slew of talented wide receivers, the idea is that the offense can carry the load as the defense rounds into form over the course of the year. But if Colorado State’s offense is still missing the extra gear and they don’t take the next step at quarterback and if the major changes to the defense don’t bear fruit right away, the team may not reach their goals this season.
7) Utah State
The Aggies are hoping the Mendenhall effect pays immediate dividends, helping to make their offense more dynamic and their defense more formidable. Hype is high on building their offense around the strength of their dual-threat quarterback, and many defenders have experience in the Broncos’ system. The pessimistic view for Utah State would say their losses in the transfer portal are too much to overcome and the newcomers on the roster haven’t quite meshed together yet.
8) Hawaii
The Rainbow Warrior offense seems to have found their answer at quarterback, which will be the key to unlocking the high-flying run-and-shoot offense. Especially considering they have the best wide receiver tandem in the Mountain West. Their defense was surprisingly solid last year and returns a lot of talent this year. But if things aren’t going well, it’s probably because Hawaii’s offense is still stalling in the red zone without a reliable run game and the defense may have taken a step back in 2o25.
9) Fresno State
The Bulldogs are a bit of an unknown in the initial season with Matt Entz at the helm. There is still talent on the roster that went to a bowl game last year. Perhaps coaching stability is what they need for everything to come together. But Fresno State could just as easily falter out of the gate. They had to backdoor their way into a bowl game in 2024 and lost key players at the end of the season. Big things aren’t expected for the team this year.
10) San Diego State
The Aztecs are looking for a boost in Year 2 of the Lewis era. They will have a veteran QB commanding the offense and have surrounded him with an influx of receivers to spread the ball around to. Their defense features the preseason defensive player of the year and a top-flight secondary unit. That all being said, it’s no sure thing the San Diego State offense hits the ground running with so many new players. And even if they do, the defense returns most of last year’s starters and the unit still struggled, so if they don’t find their footing this year, the team could struggle to succeed.
11) Nevada
The Wolf Pack lost a significant number of one-score games last season, and are bound to improve if for no other reason than positive regression. They have more players who fit their system and aim to be more disciplined on both sides of the ball. However, it’s also likely that Nevada continues to struggle with penalties, fails to develop a competent passing game and and still struggles to close the talent gap against their opponents
12) New Mexico
With the transfer portal, anything can happen, right? Maybe things all come together for the new-look Lobos and the over-achieve thanks to seasoned FCS veterans. Or perhaps, the new roster struggles to compete at this level, and it becomes clear the rebuild in Albuquerque won’t be a one-year fix.
