Frustration grows for Mullen, Florida

Boise State falls at home to Air Force

In the Southeastern Conference, the coach on the hot seat can change week to week. Welcome, Dan Mullen. Florida’s man had a lot of explaining to do Saturday after the 20th-ranked Gators lost to LSU and last week’s coach-in-big-trouble Ed Orgeron.

The Florida-LSU rivalry often bends toward the bizarre. In fact, it was last season’s game decided by a thrown shoe that seemed to start the precipitous drop in confidence among Gators fans with their fourth-year coach.

Off a two-game losing streak, LSU (4-3) pummeled the Gators on the ground. The Tigers ran for almost as many yards (321, including 287 by Tyrion DavisPrice) as they had in their three previous games combined (327).

Florida fans have been exasperated with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham for a while, but Mullen has stood by one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the country ($1.8 million per year).

“I don’t like to jump to conclusions,” Mullen told reporters when asked about the possibility of an in-season change. “I like to have facts.”

Starting with last season’s loss to a similarly damaged LSU team, Florida has gone 2-6 against Power Five teams. The victories are against Vanderbilt and Tennessee but it does include two competitive games against Alabama, one in the SEC championship.

Georgia’s ascent to juggernaut is not making life easier on Mullen.

Still, he is 33-13 at Florida with three appearances in New Year’s Six Bowls. Odds are high that even if the Gators (4-3) stumble to something like 7-5, Mullen will be safe.

The situation is way more muddled for two other coaches at program’s with national championship pedigree.

Just when it looked like Scott Frost had Nebraska moving in the right direction, the Cornhuskers (3-5) lost at Minnesota in yet another game that was there for the taking.

Mountain West

AIR FORCE 24, BOISE STATE 17: In Boise, Idaho, the Falcons rushed for 307 yards and the Air Force defense held the Broncos to just three second-half points.

Air Force (6-1, 3-1 MW) is now bowl eligible while perennial league title hopeful Boise State has losing overall (3-4) and league (1-2) records.

FRESNO STATE 17, WYOMING 0: In Laramie, Wyo., Evan Williams made two of Fresno State’s four interceptions and Wyoming turned the ball over five times as the Bulldogs (4-3, 1-2) earned their second shutout of the season. Wyoming (4-2, 0-2) was shut out for the first time since being blanked 45-0 by TCU in 2010.

NO. 24 SAN DIEGO STATE 19, SAN JOSE STATE 13, 2 OT: In San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Lucas Johnson threw TDs to Jesse Matthews in both overtime periods and SDSU (6-0, 2-0) overcame a rough offensive showing to beat the Spartans (3-4, 1-2).

State

NM HIGHLANDS 28, CSU PUEBLO 21: In Las Vegas, N.M., Cameron High ran for 73 yards and two TDs as the host Cowboys (2-5, 2-4) handed CSU Pueblo (4-3, 4-1) its first RMAC loss. NMHU held Pueblo on downs at the 18 with 29 seconds left to play.

TAMU COMMERCE 58, WNMU 0: In Commerce, Texas, the Mustangs (1-6, 0-5 Lone Star) were held to 157 yards of offense and gave up 520 in the loss to the Lions (4-3, 2-1).