Wyoming vs. Colorado State preview: MW title hopes up for grabs in Border War

It's hard to believe anything could overshadow the Border War in college basketball, but that's how crazy college football's National Signing Day has recently become.

The rivalry game between Wyoming and Colorado State should make for a perfect nightcap for fans of Mountain West football recruiting, as it pits two of the top three teams in the conference against one another for its 223rd meeting.

The Pokes (18-4) edged the Rams 60-54 in their matchup earlier this season on Jan. 7 in Fort Collins. Wyoming's Larry Nance Jr. scored a team-best 15 points, while Jason McManamen's 3-pointer with 20 seconds left put the game out of reach for the Rams (19-3).

Expect CSU to be thirsty for a win, especially with the conference implications on the line. A Wyoming loss drops it to 7-3 in conference and creates a two-way tie for second place between the Pokes and Rams. It would also give San Diego State sole possession of first place in the standings.

If Wyoming has any advantage, it's how successful it has been against CSU in Arena-Auditorium. The Pokes are 75-35 against the Rams at home and lead the all-time series 130-92. However, they haven't had an in-season sweep of CSU since 2009.

Each team is receiving votes in the most recent polls, and whichever team earns the win should jump into the top 25 next week.

The win is also crucial for each team because they both play SDSU next week and will have a chance to take control of the conference title race heading into the final three weeks of Mountain West play.