The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Week Six

Week six of the college football season is behind us, and it definitely wasn’t the best week of the season for the Mountain West Conference. The top teams did not dominate like we expected, a few teams that had out of conference games struggled, and a third of the conference was on a bye. With that being said, let’s revisit the good, bad, and ugly moments of week six.

The Good:

San Diego State

This looked more like the Aztecs team we are used to seeing. They surrendered only 235 yards of total offense to the Rams and came away with a comfortable 24-10 victory. With that being said, there are still plenty of things the Aztecs need to work on. Their running game continued to struggle, even with the return of Juwan Washington. They accounted for only 91 yards rushing and 147 yards passing. This game definitely was not pretty, but that is how San Diego State gets it done.

San Jose State

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Spartans continued to show that they are an improved program with a 32-21 victory over New Mexico. The Spartans certainly need to get better at stopping the run, but their passing game has been potent for much of the year. Josh Love finished with over 400 yards passing and will likely be the offensive player of the week.

Boise State

I considered putting Boise State in the “Bad” category. But you can’t discredit any 25 point, conference, road victory. The Bronco defense was dominant, and the offense accounted for more than 500 yards of total offense. Khalil Shakir and John Hightower both had over 100 yards receiving, and Hank Bachmeier was a yard short of 300. A win is a win. But, the penalties were out of control, and the offense needs to finish drives and convert in short-yardage situations.

The Bad:

UNLV

Their defense played much better than expected, but the offense could not generate any points until the game was out of hand. Tony Sanchez and the Rebels fell to 1-4 and could be out of bowl contention sooner rather than later. It is hard to see any scenario where he is the head coach next season.

Air Force

The Falcons almost pulled off an amazing comeback. They struggled to move the ball for the majority of the game and were forced to take too many field goals. Forced turnovers and a few trips to the end zone gave the Falcons the lead late in the fourth quarter, but a late, Navy touchdown proved to be too much for the Falcons. This week, we will learn what kind of team Air Force is when they take on Fresno State.

The Ugly:

New Mexico

This was a game that New Mexico had to have. They struggled through the air, and their defense couldn’t slow down the Spartan passing attack. The Lobos take on Colorado State this week in a game that might be their last realistic opportunity for a victory this season.

Utah State

I knew the Aggies were going to give up a lot of points. In fact, this defense performed a little bit better than I expected. But, Jordan Love and the offense struggled mightily against an LSU defense that has been average, at best. Utah State managed only 159 yards of total offense, including only 19 yards on the ground. Jordan Love has now accounted for eight interceptions on the season, including six in his two games against Power 5 competition.

Colorado State

What can I say, their defense has looked improved the last two weeks, but their offense has taken a significant step back after the injury to Colin Hill. The Rams are a team without an identity. They will look to avoid the Mountain division cellar this Friday when they take on New Mexico.

That’s it for this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” What are some moments from week six that stuck out to you? What will you be watching for during week seven?