Week seven was nothing short of spectacular. We got a glimpse of how exciting the race to the Mountain West Championship is going to be with last second finishes and unexpected outcomes. Each Mountain West team has only played two or three conference games and only three teams remain unscathed. We have two teams that were favorites and an unexpected underdog vying for the top spot. With that being said, let’s take a look at how each Mountain West team fared in this edition of “The Good, the Bad,
the Ugly.”
The Good
Colorado State
I have to be honest, I did not see that one coming. Colorado State had its best performance of the year in a bludgeoning of Fresno State. The Rams were able to capitalize on Fresno State turnovers to the tune of 21 points and were able to control the game on the ground, only throwing the ball 18 times. If this team can carry this momentum into the rest of the season, they could be dangerous and climb back into the bowl picture. They face another tough test this weekend as they host a hot Hawaii team.
UNLV
I went back and forth on how to rate the Rebels’ performance. Giving up over 600 yards and 48 points to Air Force is a clear cause for concern. But the fact of the matter is, the Rebels find a way to win. They are 6-0 and are currently the number three group of five team according to the AP Poll. Anthony Colandrea has become, arguably, the top quarterback in the Mountain West and would probably be the Offensive Player of the Year if the season ended today. This team has an extremely good offense, but they have been playing with fire all season long. This was the fourth time in six games that UNLV has been out-gained by their opponent, a staggering statistic for a 6-0 team. The Rebels will now enter the toughest environment they will face this season as they travel to Boise to take on the Broncos.
Wyoming
It took a bit of luck and an injury to Walker Eget, but the Cowboys were able to pull off an epic comeback to get their first win in conference play. Things were looking bleak for Wyoming after falling behind 28-14 early in the second quarter. But the defense started to find its footing and was finally able to slow down transfer wide receiver Danny Scudero. An injury to Spartan quarterback Walker Eget also turned the tide in this game. The Cowboys’ offense finally started finding its groove in the fourth quarter, scoring three touchdowns in the final minutes to come away with the victory.
Boise State
This was a really weird football game. The Broncos were statistically dominant. They had the ball for over 40 minutes and out-gained the Lobos by 160 yards (a number that would have been much worse if it weren’t for a garbage-time touchdown). But there were also some concerning things that continue to plague Boise State. They surrendered a kickoff return for a touchdown, and an unsportsmanlike penalty by Jayden Virgin-Morgan after a third down stop allowed the Lobos to march down the field for a touchdown. Luckily for the Broncos, they were able to clean things up in the second half and get their run game going to jump out to a 41-17 lead before giving up a touchdown in the final minute. On the plus side, the defense has played elite football for the third consecutive week. The Broncos have a huge game this weekend, as they host UNLV with the winner claiming first place in the Mountain West.
San Diego State
Do you guys remember San Diego State’s week two loss where they were absolutely dominated by Washington State? Yeah, I forgot about it too. Since their loss to the Cougars, the Aztecs have looked like a completely different team and their defense is playing as good as anyone on the West Coast. Their elite play continued on Saturday night in Reno with a dominant win over a clearly inferior Nevada team. The Aztecs jumped out to a 44-0 lead and were able to use a dominant rushing attack to set up an effective passing attack. The rest of the conference better look out, because this team is a realistic contender.
Hawaii
This team is different than past Timmy Chang teams. They have found their identity in a revitalized run and shoot offense under the leadership of a talented freshman quarterback in Micah Alejado. Alejado had another terrific showing against Utah State on Saturday night, completing 34 of 54 passes for 413 yards and three touchdowns in Hawaii’s 44-26 win over the Aggies. The Aggies were able to use the pass to set up the run, averaging over five yards per carry. This team looks dangerous. Can they continue to gain momentum and become contenders for a spot in the Mountain West Championship game?
The Bad
Air Force
This was another what-if performance for a team with one of the most talented offenses in the country and, arguably, the worst defense in the country. Every Air Force game has felt the same this season: a high-scoring affair that ultimately comes down to this team’s inability to get a stop on the defensive side of the ball. Outside of their season opening win over FCS Bucknell, the Falcons have given up 34 or more points to every team they have faced, including an average of 47 points given up in their Mountain West games. This defense is bad, really bad, and it’s a shame because the offense is elite.
San Jose State
If this game taught us anything, it is how much this team relies on quarterback Walker Eget. Eget left the game early in the third quarter after taking a brutal hit and did not re-enter the game until the final drive. The Spartan offense stalled without Eget and an unproductive offense started to take a toll on the team’s defense. This allowed the Cowboys to storm back and score 21 points in the final quarter including a pass by Xavier Ward that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Hopefully, Eget’s injury is minor and the Spartans can find their footing this weekend against Utah State.
The Ugly
Fresno State
This game was a complete mess for the Bulldogs. Early turnovers and poor execution forced them into being a team they aren’t built to be. Three EJ Warner interceptions and a Warner fumble that was returned for a touchdown proved to be way too much to overcome. Fresno State head coach Matt Entz has made it perfectly clear that he wants to have a run-first team. Against Colorado State, they carried the ball 31 times for 119 yards. Meanwhile, Warner attempted 49 passes. Those numbers don’t favor the Bulldogs and are a clear indicator that they were playing from behind.
New Mexico
The final score doesn’t indicate how awful of an offensive performance this was for the Lobos. The Broncos shut down New Mexico’s rushing attacks, holding them to 50 rushing yards on 23 carries. The Broncos forced the Lobos and quarterback Jack Layne into being a passing team, and it did not work out for Layne who was under consistent pressure and taking a lot of hits. Layne managed only 115 yards and threw two interceptions. The Lobos had us excited a few weeks ago, but it’s clear they aren’t ready to contend for a conference championship quite yet.
Nevada
It doesn’t matter who plays quarterback, this team is just flat out bad. The Wolf Pack looked outclassed in every aspect of their 44-10 loss to San Diego State. Freshman quarterback Carter Jones struggled, completing only 16 of 32 passes for 171 yards and two interceptions. This team is awful in the trenches and until Jeff Choate’s team can get better where it matters most; they aren’t going to compete for many wins. It has to hurt for Nevada fans who are seeing improvement from programs like New Mexico and Hawaii while they gradually get worse. Can this once great program return to glory? Or will they continue to get left behind in the modern world of college football.
Utah State
Quarterback Bryson Barnes has been playing with fire all season long and it looks like it is finally catching up with him. The senior quarterback has been taking some brutal hits, and for the second time this year, he was forced to miss game time with an injury. He was able to return against Hawaii, but he did not seem like his normal self. Without an effective Barnes, the Utah State defense started to stall in the second half and two late turnovers proved to be costly. The Aggies’ defensive philosophy of giving Rainbow Warriors receiver cushion also proved to be effective as Hawaii’s passing attack was able to move the ball with relative ease. The Aggies are now in a must-win situation this weekend when they play host to San Jose State on Friday night.
Do you think San Diego State has a realistic chance at winning the Mountain West Championship? Can any of the teams with a loss rebound and get back in the championship picture? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
