Week five of the college football season is already here and the race to the Mountain West Championship is one week closer. This week, we will see more early season conference play, while others will be wrapping up their non-conference schedule. Let’s take a quick look at each game that features a Mountain West team. But first, let’s look at the current conference standings:
Boise State 1-0
Fresno State 1-0
Utah State 1-0
Hawaii 0-1
Air Force 0-2
Utah State @ Vanderbilt (10:45 MT)
TV: SEC Network
For the second time this season, the Aggies
will travel to SEC country to take on a ranked opponent. This will be a stiff test for Utah State, because Vanderbilt is playing really good football right now. If the Aggies can avoid turnovers and protect Bryson Barnes, they might have a puncher’s chance.
San Diego State @ Northern Illinois (1:30 MT)
TV: ESPN+
Entering this weekend, teams entering the PAC 12 are 4-0 against teams that will be in the Mountain West next season. The Aztecs are coming off of their best win of the Sean Lewis era after demolishing Cal last weekend. Will San Diego State be able to continue the momentum, or will they fall back to earth in Illinois?
New Mexico State @ New Mexico (2:00 MT)
TV: Mountain West Network
Rivalries always build intrigue and can lead to unexpected results. I expect Jason Eck’s squad will be ready for a game the Lobos have had circled on their schedule. Eck should have his team halfway to bowl eligibility with a win over their biggest rival.
Hawaii @ Air Force (2:10 MT)
TV: Fox Sports 1
Because of last week’s results, this game carries a lot of weight. If Air Force loses, they have no shot of playing for a conference championship (which is already unlikely). And if Hawaii loses, they will need a lot of help to play for a conference title. This is also a must-win game if either of these teams want to play for a conference title.
Who you should root for: If you aren’t an Air Force or Hawaii fan, pull for Air Force. That will put two teams at zero losses in conference play.
Washington State @ Colorado State (5:30 MT)
TV: CBS Sports Network
A look at a future conference game adds intrigue to what would otherwise be a meaningless non-conference game between two teams that are really struggling. After last week’s loss to UTSA, it feels like Jay Norvell’s seat is getting really warm in Fort Collins. A loss here and it will be downright hot.
San Jose State @ Stanford (5:30 MT)
TV: ACC Network
This game will be a good litmus test to see where the Spartans are headed this season. Stanford already has one Mountain West loss and has probably one of the worst Power Four programs in the country. If the Spartans lose this game, they could be in for a long season. This may be an out-of-conference game, but it feels like a must-win contest for San Jose State.
Appalachian State @ Boise State (5:30 MT)
TV: Fox Sports 1
Boise State brings in the top offense in the Mountain West against an Appalachian State squad that is coming off of a bye week. The Bronco defense needs to make a statement this week after an awful performance against Air Force. This is a big game for Boise State; if they lose, they are likely looking at a 2-3 record since they face Notre Dame next week.
Teams on a bye: Fresno State, UNLV, Nevada, Wyoming
