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) same
The Lobos struggled in this game, and they will have to make sure to address that this week. It could be because traveling to Hawaii is hard, it could be an emotional letdown with Jaxton Eck being out, or it could be because they weren’t focused. But
it was an undisciplined effort for New Mexico, with penalties and low point totals, both uncharacteristic for this team under Jason Eck. Despite all that, good teams find ways to win, and the Lobos did that this week.
2) North Dakota State (+1)
The Bison bounced back after their loss with a hard-fought but convincing win. Their offenses returned to the balanced attack they have been known for most of the season. And while their defense wasn’t lights out, they were very good, thanks to a pair of forced turnovers. Special teams was a huge factor, with a 100+ yard field goal return that is worth watching a few times. North Dakota State isn’t perfect, but they are one of the best teams in the Mountain West and continue to show it, earning a bowl berth with this win.
3) Air Force (+1)
The Falcons are suddenly playing their best football of the season, taking down the Rebels. They saw their best offensive player go down, and the offense continues to chug right along. It’s a true testament to their offensive system that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and shifting to running almost exclusively has proven effective. There are a slew of players capable of running effectively, and it’s on full display. Air Force’s defense will need to tighten up if it wants to reach the conference championship, but no team should be looking forward to playing them.
4) UNLV (-2)
The Rebels followed up their big win last week with a disappointing loss this week. The triple option is never fun to defend, but their defense didn’t seem up to the challenge, giving up over 400 yards on the ground. Their offense keeps them in most games, thanks to the dual-threat ability of Jackson Arnold. But the running back room has been lacking most of the season, and the defense is very inconsistent week to week. Despite all of that, UNLV is still in contention for a conference championship, but will need to shore up some of these areas.
5) Wyoming (0)
The Cowboys had an offensive explosion this week, putting up 41 points and over 500 yards of offense. It’s nice to see what they can do against an inferior opponent, and the hope is that they can build off of this against better teams. However, even if they don’t, it does show the gap between the middle and bottom of the conference this season. Wyoming has figured something out letting Tyler Hughes run loose, as he put up 183 rushing yards and 4 rushing TDs for the game. Perhaps they can find a second-half surge for the rest of the season.
6) San Jose State (0)
The Spartans keep doing what they have all season long: beat the teams they should beat and let the wins methodically pile up. They were impacted by injuries, starting a true freshman at quarterback and missing their starting running back, but it didn’t matter. The offense did scored a respectable amount of points and new players stepped up. Plus, the San Jose State defense kept the Miners off the scoreboard, holding them to a field goal most of the game until a touchdown in the fourth. They solidified their place in the middle of the MW.
7) Hawaii (+1)
Hawaii’s defense showed up to play in this contest against New Mexico, holding them to 21 points, under 100 yards passing, and forcing three turnovers. Unfortunately, the offensive woes that have plagued them all season persisted, as they had two turnovers of their own, got nothing in the run game, and once again had a shortage of explosive plays. It’s a lost season for the Rainbow Warriors and one that will need some issues addressed in the offseason.
8) Nevada (-1)
The Wolf Pack held their own against one of the best teams in the Mountain West for much of the game, but continued to display the type of undisciplined players and head-scratching coaching decisions that they have become known for over the years. The long field goal attempt that resulted in a return for a touchdown right before halftime should be critiqued, but so should the lack of a run game, which has been a key feature of their success in wins this year. Nevada wasn’t expected to win this game, but their development continues to be one step forward and two steps back.
9) UTEP (0)
The Miners are thankful for NIU, because otherwise this 1-6 team would be last in the rankings. They put up an impressive 462 yards on offense, but only managed 11 points due to some ill-timed sacks and poor third-down conversion rate (5 for 16). Raymond Moore III looks impressive at QB for another week, but many of the skill players around him need to step up. UTEP doesn’t have many potential wins remaining on their schedule, and it’s possible we could have already seen the high point of their season.
10) NIU (0)
The Huskies scored the second-most points in a game this season, which is good. They also gave up the second-highest amount of points they have all season, which is not good. The tough sledding gets tougher for the Huskies this year, as they fall to 0-6 after their offensive formula for success was executed about as well as anyone could hope. No one wants the season to be over as much as NIU.
