Power Rankings: Week 11

After another week of Mountain West football, check out the current MWCConnection power rankings. Read this list and then let me know why you don’t like it. Per usual, there’s a few teams and spots that can be flipped but this is what I’m going with.

1.5 Boise State

• This isn’t because they barely beat Wyoming in OT. Wyoming is a good team and a hard fought game wasn’t surprising. This is because Boise State plays with fire almost every game and it’s been hard to describe them as looking like a true #1 team in many games this season. They should beat New Mexico convincingly next week and be back to #1, but hard to justify it now after their last three games.

2. Air Force

• Very few people thought the Falcons belonged here last week, and they didn’t play this week, but here they stay following a poor effort from the team they were neck and neck with previously.

3. Wyoming

• A bowl team with a strong defense that has overcome lots of injuries to key players and doesn’t experience much of a drop-off. What’s not to like?

4. San Diego State

• Unfortunately, Rocky Long teams (and a few other teams in this conference) can be accused of playing to their level of competition. This weekend, that was true. They dropped a game not many expected them to lose and drop a spot in the rankings because of it.

5. Hawaii

• Hawaii outlasts the Spartans. They have two quarterbacks who are great in their system and though not quite a top tier team, they look strong more weeks than not.

6. Utah State

• In the battle of teams that needed to win to save their season, the Aggies prevailed. Their defense got big stops in big moments and at least for one week, were able to absorb the loss of Woodward.

7. Nevada

• Has any other team had such a dramatic rise and fall each week than the Wolf Pack? This week they move up a few spots, becoming bowl eligible after their big win over San Diego State.

8. San Jose State

• The Spartans lost a heartbreaker for the second week in a row. Their offense is one of the best in the conference but their defense is keeping the team from getting in the win column

8. Fresno State

• Hard to say either of these teams is better than the other right now. I really just want to see them go at it on the field.

10. Colorado State

• The Rams are on a bye and still a hot team, winning their last three games. However, the rest of the league looks stronger right now.

11. UNLV

• The Rebels had a bye, but the tagline remains the same: The biggest question remaining for the Rebels are whether they will fire their head coach now, at the end of the season, or delay the inevitable another year by keeping him? They are playing harder than their record but are still behind the rest of the conference.

12. New Mexico

• Not even going to change the write-up unless they win or somehow lose worst than expected: Lather, rinse, and repeat for the Lobos. It’s safe to admit at this point in the season there just isn’t enough there to compete with the majority of other teams on their schedule this season.
• They didn’t play this week due to a tragedy but it’s just delaying the inevitable at this point.