Each week, Nevada Sports Net’s Chris Murray will rank the Mountain West football teams. Here are this week’s rankings, with each team’s overall record, its ranking last week, its result last week, its next opponent and a brief comment.
1. San Diego State
Rank last week: 1
Record: 7-1, 4-0 MW
Last week: Beat Wyoming, 24-7
This week: at Hawaii, 8 p.m.
Comment: In a week that saw three of our top-four teams (Boise State, UNLV and Hawaii) lose, San Diego State took care of business with a comfortable win over Wyoming. Turns out, when you don’t give up points, you’re hard to beat. And the Aztecs rarely give up points, holding six of their eight opponents to 10 points or fewer. Keeping Hawaii’s offense in check on the road this week won’t be easy.
2. Boise State
Rank last week: 2
Record: 6-3, 4-1
Last week: Lost to Fresno State, 30-7
This week: Bye
Comment: Boise State saw its FBS-leading 16-game home winning streak snapped in a 23-point loss to Fresno State. It was the Broncos’ most lopsided home loss since 1996. (And that’s not even the worst thing that happened to the school this week as Boise State’s men’s basketball team lost its season opener to Division II Hawaii Pacific). On the football side, QB Maddux Madsen was injured early and backup Max Cutforth tossed two picks. Madsen’s right ankle is expected to keep him out “awhile.”
3. New Mexico
Rank last week: 5
Record: 6-3, 3-2
Last week: Beat Boise State
This week: Bye
Comment: New Mexico’s upset win over UNLV made the Lobos bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. The Lobos threw for 401 yards and forced three turnovers to beat the Rebels. Since committing six turnovers in a two-game stretch in early October, QB Jack Layne has accounted for 755 yards and four touchdowns with just one turnover in three straight wins over Nevada, Utah State and UNLV.
4. Fresno State
Rank last week: 6
Record: 6-3, 3-2
Last week: Beat Boise State, 30-7
This week: Bye
Comment: It’s not often a team is a 17.5-point road underdog, throws for 35 yards on 21 pass attempts and wins that game by 23 points. But that’s what Fresno State did at Boise State. The Bulldogs forced three turnovers, had two fourth-down stops and benefited from a Boise State missed field goal for their most lopsided win over the Broncos since 1996. Fresno State has three straight wins over Boise State.
5. UNLV
Rank last week: 3
Record: 6-2, 2-2
Last week: Lost to New Mexico, 40-35
This week: at Colorado State, 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
Comment: It’d be easy to blame UNLV’s defense for the loss to New Mexico as the Rebels allowed 532 yards. But UNLV also lost three fumbles to fall to a season-worst fifth in our rankings after back-to-back losses to Boise State and New Mexico. UNLV still has a pathway to 10 wins with remaining games against Colorado State, Utah State, Hawaii and Nevada, but a MW title game appearance looks like a longshot.
6. Hawaii
Rank last week: 4
Record: 6-3, 3-2
Last week: Lost to San Jose State, 45-38
This week: vs. San Diego State, 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
Comment: Hawaii trailed San Jose State, 31-14, at halftime and couldn’t complete the road comeback after allowing 630 total yards, including 458 through the air. The Rainbow Warriors allowed 9.3 yards per play, its highest figure, by far, this season. Hawaii must beat MW-leading San Diego State at home this weekend to stay in the conference title hunt, and that won’t be an easy task.
7. San Jose State
Rank last week: 10
Record: 3-5, 2-2
Last week: Beat Hawaii, 45-38
This week: vs. Air Force, 3 p.m. (FS1)
Comment: San Jose State played another close game, this time coming out victorious. Seven of the Spartans’ eight games have been decided by one possession. Against Hawaii, QB Walker Eget threw for 458 yards and two touchdowns with WR Danny Scudero (7/215/2) having another huge game. The Spartans are averaging 33.3 ppg in league and must keep outscoring teams given the defensive issues (32.8 ppg allowed in MW games).
8. Utah State
Rank last week: 8
Record: 4-4, 2-2
Last week: Bye
This week: vs. Nevada, 4:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Comment: Utah State exits its bye with a home game against Nevada. The home team has won the last seven games in this series with the Wolf Pack’s win at Logan in 2009, when both were in the WAC, marking the last road victory. This is a must win for Utah State if the Aggies are going to make a bowl considering the team’s final three games are against UNLV, Fresno State and Boise State.
9. Wyoming
Rank last week: 7
Record: 4-5, 2-3
Last week: Lost to San Diego State, 24-7
This week: Bye
Comment: Wyoming mustered 185 yards of offense and 2.98 yards per play in its loss to San Diego State. The Cowboys opened the game with an eight-play, 75-yard drive before logging just 110 yards on 54 plays on their last 14 series, none of which went longer than 27 yards. Wyoming now must win two of its final three games to reach a bowl, those coming against Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii.
10. Air Force
Rank last week: 9
Record: 2-6, 1-4
Last week: Lost to Army, 20-17
This week: at San Jose State, 3 p.m. (FS1)
Comment: Air Force lost to rival Army on a 27-yard field goal as time expired to drop both of its Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy games (the Falcons lost by three points to Army and Navy). Air Force outplayed Army but had three turnovers and missed a field goal. Barring a four-game win streak to end the year, Air Force will go back-to-back seasons without a bowl for just the second time in Troy Calhoun’s 19 seasons.
11. Colorado State
Rank last week: 11
Record: 2-6, 1-3
Last week: Bye
This week: vs. UNLV, 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
Comment: Colorado State had a bye to regroup after a shutout loss to Wyoming in its first game under interim head coach Tyson Summers. The Rams will have to score points to hang with UNLV this week with those teams facing off for the second time in the last six seasons (UNLV won the last matchup, 25-23, in 2023). It will be interesting to see who Colorado State hires to replace Jay Norvell with its strong facilities and budget but poor recent history of winning.
12. Nevada
Rank last week: 12
Record: 1-7, 0-4
Last week: Bye
This week: at Utah State, 4:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Comment: Nevada finishes the season against a series of defensively-challenged teams, starting this week with Utah State before remaining games with San Jose State and UNLV (Wyoming is also on the schedule, but the Cowboys play defense). The Wolf Pack is averaging just 13 ppg in MW play, which ranks last in the league (Fresno State is next at 18.8 ppg). Maybe that’s the spark Nevada’s offense needs.
Sports columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.