Last week brought some clarity to the championship picture with Boise State’s 56-31 win over UNLV. This week, there are four Mountain West games with four teams on a bye. Before we break down this week’s
games, let’s take a look at where things currently stand in the Mountain West.
Favorites
Boise State (3-0 in the MW, 5-2 overall)
San Diego State (2-0 in the MW, 5-1 overall)
Contenders
Hawaii (3-1 in the MW, 6-2 overall)
UNLV (2-1 in the MW, 6-1 overall)
Fresno State (2-1 in the MW, 5-2 overall)
Utah State (2-1 in the MW, 4-3 overall)
Long Shots
Wyoming (1-2 in the MW, 3-4 overall)
San Jose State (1-2 in the MW, 2-5 overall)
New Mexico (1-2 in the MW, 4-3 overall)
Colorado State (1-2 in the MW, 2-5 overall)
No Shot
Air Force (1-4 in the MW, 2-5 overall)
Nevada (0-3 in the MW, 1-6 overall)
Now…let’s take a look at this week’s games.
Boise State @ Nevada (Friday 8:00 MT)
TV: CBS Sports Network
The Broncos are riding high after a dominating win and the Wolf Pack will be looking for their first conference win of the season after a disappointing loss to New Mexico. This is a rivalry game and has extra meaning to Jeff Choate who has applied for the Boise State head coaching position on two different occasions and was once a member of the Bronco coaching squad. Nevada desperately needs a win, but they are big underdogs here.
Who you should root for: A Nevada upset win would create chaos in the conference standings. If you aren’t a Bronco fan, you should be pulling for the Wolf Pack.
Utah State @ New Mexico (1:00 MT)
TV: Mountain West Network
This game has the most intriguing storyline of the week. Bronco Mendenhall returns to New Mexico, where he spent last season as the head coach. This is the game Lobo fans have had circled on their schedule and they want to win this one badly. I was a little surprised to see that New Mexico is actually a slight favorite in this one. Can Jason Eck’s team slow down an electric Utah State offense? Too bad this game isn’t nationally televised.
Who you should root for: New Mexico. A Utah State loss would likely eliminate the Aggies from the title picture and get the Lobos one step closer to a bowl game.
San Diego State @ Fresno State (Saturday 1:30 MT)
TV: Fox Sports 1
From a standings perspective, this is the game of the week in the Mountain West. Both teams are coming off of a bye and have championship dreams on the line in this game. San Diego State has looked like a buzzsaw in recent weeks with an offense that is clicking and a defense that is statistically the best in the Mountain West. Fresno is coming off of a messy loss to Colorado State and desperately needs a win to get its season back on track.
Who you should root for: Hawaii fans should be pulling for Fresno State here. They’ve already lost to the Bulldogs and still play the Aztecs. Other contenders should be pulling for a Fresno State upset. A Fresno State win could create a five-way tie for second place in the Mountain West.
Colorado State @ Wyoming (Saturday 5:30 MT)
TV: CBS Sports Network
The Battle for the Bronze Boot might not have much impact on the title picture, but it will be a very intriguing game to watch. The Rams will be without head coach Jay Norvell who was fired on Sunday afternoon. Will this squad rally under their new head coach? The Cowboys desperately need a win if they have any hope to reach a bowl game. Plus, this game carries a lot of weight for two fan bases that despise each other.
Who you should root for: Wyoming. The Cowboys have a better chance to become bowl eligible, and it will be a good look for the Mountain West if they can get seven or eight teams to reach a bowl game.
Teams on a bye: UNLV, San Jose State, Air Force, Hawaii
Which game are you most interested in watching? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
