UNBEATEN AIR FORCE REMAINS AT TOP OF MW
Last season, the Hotline published weekly Best of the West power ratings that considered not only Pac-12 teams but those in the Mountain West and Brigham Young. The exercise was so popular that we’re adding a MW-specific column to our array of offerings this season.
1. Air Force (8-0, 5-0)
Last week: 1
Result: Won at Colorado State 30-13
Next up: vs. Army (11:30 a.m. on CBS Sports Network)
Comment: Easy to envision some poor Power Five team that loses its conference championship game, then gets assigned to face the Falcons in the New Year’s Six and must deal with the triple option. In that situation, take the points.
2. Fresno State (7-1, 3-1)
Last week: 3
Result: Beat UNLV 31-24
Next up: vs. Boise State (7 p.m. on CBSSN)
Comment: Whatever Jeff Tedford told the Bulldogs at halftime, he should bottle it for future use. Down 17-7, they scored 24 points in the third quarter to beat back UNLV’s upset bid.
3. Boise State (4-4, 3-1) 4 Beat Wyoming
Last week: Result:
32-7
Next up: at Fresno State (7 p.m. on CBSSN)
Comment: If not for the defensive collapse at Colorado State — a collapse that culminated with CSU’s successful Hail Mary — the Broncos would be unbeaten in conference play entering the Saturday night showdown in The Valley.
4. Wyoming (5-3, 2-2) Last week :2
Result: Lost at Boise State 32-7
Next up: vs. Colorado State (Friday, 5 p.m. on CBSSN)
Comment: Craig Bohl’s case for Mountain West Coach of the Year started strong but is fading fast — and Wyoming ’s recent stumbles are only part of the explanation.
5. UNLV (6-2, 3-1)
Last week: 5
Result: Lost at Fresno State 31-24
Next up: at New Mexico (3 p.m. on MW Network)
Comment: Speaking of the MW Coach of the Year ... meet the heavy favorite. Barry Odom’s work in Las Vegas is off the charts. With one more victory, the Rebels will clinch their first winning season in a decade. And the last time they won eight games? Try the 2000 season.
6. San Jose State (4-5, 3-2)
Last week: 6
Result: Won at Hawaii 35-0
Next up: Idle
Comment: The benefits of playing (and losing to) USC back in Week Zero: SJSU now gets its second bye of the season and should be fresh to cause havoc down the stretch against Fresno State, San Diego State and UNLV.
7. Colorado State (3-5, 1-3) Last week: 7 Result: Lost to Air Force
30-13
Next up: at Wyoming (Friday, 5 p.m. on CBSSN)
Comment: The Rams are averaging more penalty yards per game (75.6) than rushing yards per game (74). That’s not easy. Congrats.
8. Utah State (3-5, 1-3)
Last week: 8
Result: Did not play
Next up: at San Diego State (4 p.m. on FS2)
Comment: Both teams
are coming off a bye, so there’s no competitive advantage either way. And with both teams sitting on three wins, the loser can basically forget about sneaking into the bowl season.
9. Nevada (2-6, 2-2)
Last week: 12
Result: Beat New Mexico 34-24
Next up: vs. Hawaii (1 p.m. on Spectrum Sports)
Comment: We never expected to elevate the Wolf Pack from the bottom tier of
the power ratings, but wins are wins and Nevada has two of them (in a row): New Mexico and San Diego State.
10. New Mexico (3-5, 1-3)
Last week: 9
Result: Lost at Nevada 34-24
Next up: vs. UNLV (3 p.m. on MW Network)
Comment: With UNLV, Boise State and Fresno State remaining on the schedule, the Lobos have no chance to reach .500 (much less clinch a winning season).
As a result, the Hotline anticipates a coaching vacancy in Albuquerque.
11. San Diego State (3-5, 1-3)
Last week: 10
Result: Did not play
Next up: vs. Utah State (4 p.m. on FS2)
Comment: What’s worse than bad? Bad and boring, and the Aztecs are both. With a new stadium and so many empty seats, the administration is facing a twofront question with Brady
Hoke: competitive and financial.
12. Hawaii (2-7, 0-4)
Last week: 11
Result: Lost to San Jose State 35-0
Next up: at Nevada (1 p.m. on Spectrum Sports)
Comment: Respectfully, we’ll decline comment. There are simply no words to describe what happened Saturday in Honolulu.