Well, we made it through another week (kind of). Only three Mountain West games were played, while the other three were cancelled due to COVID issues. We already know of one cancellation this week (Fresno State-San Diego State) and a few other games are up in the air. Let’s just be thankful for the games that have been played. Let’s look at the good, bad, and ugly performances from this past week.
The Good:
Air Force
I mean, it wasn’t the prettiest performance but it was a win. The Falcons had a convincing 28-0 over New Mexico this past Friday. Air Force was led by sophomore running back Brad Roberts who finished the game with 177 yards on 28 carries and found the end zone three times. The Falcons were finally able to take the field after battling issues with COVID the past few weeks.
Nevada
The Wolf Pack walked away with a win over a tough San Diego State squad in a nationally televised game. Nevada did just enough to win this game, but their offensive performance showed a few chinks in their armor. The running game was suspect, and it took the passing game a long time to find their groove. But winning is all that matters and Nevada looks like a team that is destined for the Mountain West Championship.
The Bad:
Boise State
In the second half, the Broncos looked like a team that spent six hours on a plane the day before. Yes, they came away with the victory, but there were plenty of teaching moments over the course of the game. Boise State was plagued with penalties, poor tackling, and exhaustion in the second half. If it wasn’t for the great special teams play of returner Avery Williams and kicker Jonah Dalmas, we might be talking about a shocking loss. The Bronco secondary will need to have a better showing against San Jose State’s potent passing attack, and the running game will be hoping to get a boost if George Holani can return to action.
Hawaii
The Rainbow Warriors deserve some credit. Many teams would have quit after falling behind 40-17 late in the third quarter, but the Warriors continued to play hard and made the game more competitive than it probably should have been. If it wasn’t for some questionable special teams decisions, the Warriors might have been able to pull off the upset.
San Diego State
What happened to San Diego State’s offense in the second half? The Aztecs were moving the ball at will in the first half and were held to single digit yards in the second half until their final possession. This one really falls on the coaches; they weren’t doing their quarterbacks any favors by playing musical chairs in the fourth quarter, and the play calls down the stretch were interesting to say the least. The Aztecs continue to have a quarterback problem.
The Ugly:
New Mexico
The Lobos were really starting to make some steps in the right direction, and I thought they had a chance against an Air Force squad that needed to shake off some rust. The Lobos looked as if they were the team that had not played in weeks and were a complete mess on the offensive side of the ball.
What stood out to you this past week? Do you think the Mountain West will make it through the entire season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.