The college football season is firing on all cylinders, and games are happening every weekend. The rankings are back for another week. Read on to see how this week’s slate of games affected each team’s status in the MWCConnection Mountain West rankings.
1) New Mexico (0)
The Lobos cemented themselves as the unquestioned top team in the Mountain West this weekend after beating North Dakota State. They controlled the game more than the final score suggests, mainly on the strength of their defense, which, once again,
was up to the task. For their troubles, New Mexico is close to being ranked in both polls. Imagine if they had their projected starting quarterback and the returning conference Defensive Player of the Year.
2) UNLV (+1)
BYE WEEK
3) North Dakota State (-1)
The Bison took the L against New Mexico. The put up a fight, but in the end, they were outmatched. Despite the loss, NDSU still looks like one of the best teams in the Mountain West. While they don’t quite have the depth to match their talent, it still looks like they can compete against most of the conference and succeed. North Dakota State still has a lot of season left and they can still win a spot in the championship game if they can finish strong. And earning a bowl berth in their first season in the FBS is a huge win.
4) Wyoming (+1)
The Cowboys have played well against the Falcons for years and this game was no different. Their offense has been completely different the past few weeks, and quarterback Tyler Huges is a big reason why. He has unlocked the 2025 version of himself and Wyoming finally has an offense that is capable of putting up big points. Beating Air Force has them one game away from going bowling, which was unthinking just a few weeks ago. They suddenly look like a top-four team in the Mountain West.
5) Air Force (-2)
The Falcons can’t seem to hold off the injury bug, as players keep going down. They are still a handful for any team left on their schedule, but the offense struggled and went down to quarterback number three. That being said, don’t count them out. If Air Force can get a bit healtheir, they should have a great finish to the regular season. And getting back to a bowl game after a few years is a nice accomplishment for 2026.
6) Nevada (+2)
The Wolf Pack came out looking strong this game, with yet another quarterback under center. This time it was Luke Duncan, and he looked very good. While they shouldn’t be mistaken for a good team by any means, they beat the Mountain West middle-of-the-road team in San Jose State. While not a marquee win, it’s a solid win for a team in need of them. Perhaps it means Nevada can end up somewhere around the middle of the road in the MW as well. They are an intriguing team, if nothing else.
7) San Jose State (-1)
The Spartans struggled, dropping a game against a team they should have beaten for the first time this season. Injuries have caught up with them, especially on the offensive end, which has hampered their progress. They are still in bowl contention, which would be a good goal for this program, but they will need to have a better showing than what was on display this past week. San Jose State has looked ordinary this season, but up until now, have won the games they should. Now, they may need to steal a victory or two to end this season on a high note.
8) Hawaii (-1)
The Rainbow Warriors rose a spot last week with a win, and now they are dropping a spot with a loss. In the unpredictable Mountain West, that is how it’s shaking out. Their win was against Northern Illinois, which isn’t saying much. It’s nice to see the offense execute as it was intended, but it’s been too rare in this lost season. The optomistic view is that Hawaii can build on this and salavage the season, but the pessimistic view is that we shouldn’t get used to this, as the program struggles against even moderate competition.
9) UTEP (0)
BYE WEEK
10) NIU (0)
The Huskies got blown out once again, this time to Hawaii. Sadly, it shows how wide the gap is between a bad team like the Rainbow Warriors and one of, if not the, worst team in the country in NIU. It’s sad, but they are outmatched this year. It’s hard to say something that hasn’t already been said, but it’s tough to see Northern Illinois getting in the win column this season. Hopefully they are gearing up for the last game of the year against UTEP.
