Boise State just keeps rolling through their schedule and have climbed to 14 in the polls. At this point in the season it looks like it’s going to be the Broncos and everyone else. Hawaii is a team to keep an eye on in the West and this week will be a good barometer to see where the Warriors are at.
This week in the Mountain West started on Friday night with New Mexico going to the Bay to take on San Jose State. San Jose State rolled over the Lobos without much resistance 32-21. Josh Love passed for 405 yards and two scores to lead the Spartans.
Utah State went to the Bayou to take on fifth ranked LSU at Death Valley. The Tigers spent a quarter feeling out the Aggies, but then Joe Burrow took over and did what he’s been doing all season. That’s torching defenses. Tigers roll 42-6. Boise State stayed unbeaten on the season after running up the score on UNLV. Seems to happen to the Rebels a bit.
Thinking about this.. last week UNLV opened their new football complex, the Fertitta Football Complex. For those that don’t know, the Fertitta’s are really rich people who own casinos and the UFC. Wondering how they’re feeling now that UNLV has dropped to 1-4, and none of their losses being within two scores. The Fertitta’s dumped a lot of money into firing Bobby Hauck and hiring their hand-chosen candidate in Tony Sanchez and in return have gotten a 17-36 record in that span. Have to imagine his seat is getting hot, but hard to tell how long the Fertitta’s patience is. Anyways, enough with that deviation.
Air Force went to Annapolis and faced a tough Navy team. The Falcons got themselves into a hole and couldn’t quite get dug out. Navy is one win away from winning this year’s Commander-in-Chief trophy. To wrap up the week San Diego State went to Fort Collins and put a beating on the Rams.
Coming up this week Colorado State and New Mexico will battle in this week’s pillow fight of the week in Albuquerque on Friday night on CBS SN. UNLV will head to Tennessee to take on Vanderbilt on the SEC Network. San Jose State will go to Reno to take on Nevada. Fresno State will go east to take on Air Force on CBS SN. Hawaii makes the trip back to the mainland to take on Boise State, perhaps a preview of the Mountain West championship game on ESPN2. In the night cap on CBS SN Wyoming will go to warmer climate to take on San Diego State.
Scores
New Mexico 21
San Jose State 32
Utah State 6
LSU 42
Boise State 38
UNLV 13
Air Force 25
Navy 34
San Diego State 24
Colorado State 10
Mountain West Player of the Week
This week’s Mountain West player of the week is San Jose State quarterback Josh Love. Love was 24/36 for 405 yards and two touchdowns as the Spartans took down New Mexico on Friday night.
Mountain West MVP Candidates
Hank Bachmeier, QB, Boise State – 19/30 for 299 yards and 2 TD
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State – 15/30 for 130 yards, 3 INT
Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii – Idle
Cedric Byrd, WR, Hawaii – Idle
Charles Williams, RB, UNLV – 11 rushes for 57 yards
Mountain West Power Rankings
Boise State
Utah State
Hawaii
Wyoming
Air Force
San Diego State
Fresno State
Colorado State
UNLV
Nevada
San Jose State
New Mexico
The Quad Shot
This will be a rare week for me. I’m not going to bag on San Jose State. I’m shocked, honestly. That win over Arkansas shot some Red Bull straight into their veins because they absolutely crushed New Mexico. Now, the Lobos are a very bad team. This game was never in question, especially after the Spartans jumped out to a 26-0 lead. But wow, that team is red hot, by SJSU standards, right now. Josh Love is playing very well this season, might be an underrated quarterback in the league. He’s completing 61% of his passes and averages 283 yards a game. Seven touchdowns vs one interception is also a good ratio. And oddly enough he’s outplaying the quarterback that Utah State is propping up as a Heisman candidate and by a considerable margin.
A little disappointed that Air Force couldn’t get past Navy this week. Thought the Falcons had a good chance of winning that game. Don’t see a scenario where they’ll win the CiC trophy this season. I’m thinking Navy will probably beat Army to take the trophy. Army doesn’t look like the same team as last season. That Army team was a lot of fun to watch, and was glad to see them finally unbury their program and take a big step forward. Always a fascinating rivalry series to watch. Seeing a game at West Point is very high on my list, what a great backdrop for some football.
Utah State, after being hyped in the pre-season as the team to beat in the Mountain West, sure did take a lickin’ at LSU this weekend. Jordan Love had just an awful game and LSU is so good. Joe Burrow is just a ridiculous quarterback. Thought the Aggies would be a bit tougher against the Tigers, despite the fact the game was in the toughest atmosphere in college football. Never thought they’d win, LSU is just so much better in every way and picked up a couple votes for the top spot in the AP poll. Also of note, after six weeks of college football there are still 14 unbeaten teams out there.
Going back to my second shot here.. if you’re reading this particular blog you’re more than likely a die-hard college football fan. We all have places we want to see football games. If you’re going to pick five places to see a college football game, what is your bucket list? How many of that bucket list have you knocked off? For me it’s The Swamp at Florida, Death Valley at LSU, MIchie Stadium at Army, Harvard/Yale in the Yale Bowl (though, wouldn’t complain about seeing it at Harvard either), and just because I want to tailgate with these people a game at Kidd Brewer Stadium at Appalachian State. If I happen to go to Boone for a game, send a rescue team, I’ll need it.
Game bucket list:
Notre Dame Stadium – Don’t care who they’re playing, I just want to see the atmosphere
The Big House for the Michigan vs. Ohio State game
The Rose Bowl
Michie for the Army/Navy game
Williams-Brice Stadium for the South Carolina vs. Clemson game
I draw a distinction between picking 5 “places” to see a game from picking 5 “games.” In no particular order, here are a few other great places I’d like to watch great college football:
1. Memorial Stadium – Lincoln, NE (372 consecutive sellouts, i.e., every home game since 1962, with an avg attendance ~77,000 — and the stadium now holds 90,000! — it’s worth seeing the Big Red Sea that actually applauds the opponent after every game, win or lose)
2. Husky Stadium – Seattle, WA (Just a beautiful setting in a great city for big time college football)
3. Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, LA (a.k.a. “Death Valley” — with one qualifier…that it be for a night game! Nothing like a day long Cajun tailgate party to jazz you up for one of the loudest stadium’s in the country. Geaux Tigers!)
4. Navy Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, MD (beautiful site that exudes honor to fan and opponent alike — it’s a bonus if you get to attend the AF v Navy game and watch the “prisoner exchange” of cadets and midshipmen participating in the exchange program — note, the season-ticket holder alums park in the gravel lot, where they leave their tailgates set up so the party can resume at halftime — that’s right, everyone is on their honor and nothing gets stolen or disturbed and the alums are allowed to exit and reenter for the 2nd half — It’s called RESPECT!)
5. Camp Randall Stadium – Madison, WI (C’mon! Beer and Brats and “Jump Around!!!” with the students between the 3rd and 4th quarters. That place is shakin’!)
Honorable mention (not mentioned elsewhere):
– Sanford Stadium, Georgia (“Between the Hedges” and UGA)
– Autzen Stadium, Oregon (NOISE!!!!)
– LA Memorial Coliseum (Iconic columns)
– Ohio Stadium (The Horseshoe)
– FargoDome, North Dakota (14 National Championships, including 6 of the last 7 FCS titles gives this lower division fan base the nod over Clemson and Alabama)