We are now more than halfway through the regular season and it looks like there will be a new king in both the Mountain and West Divisions. The contenders and the pretenders are starting to seperate themselves, and the race for Offensive Player of the Year might already be over. Let’s take a look at the good, bad, and ugly performances of week seven.
The Good
Air Force
The Falcons did exactly what they needed to do to win their game against Boise State. They dominated time of possession, they played great defense, and they had the superior coaching staff. There weren’t a lot of explosive plays, but Air Force consistently had themselves in manageable downs and distances throughout the game. They did an excellent job of applying pressure on Bachmeier and forcing some difficult late down situations for Boise State.
Nevada
The Wolf Pack had a slow start on the defensive side of the ball as Hawaii was able to rip off some long runs. Quarterback Carson Strong was once again dominant passing for 395 yards and two touchdowns. Nevada looks like the most well rounded team in the conference at this point in the season.
Utah State
It wasn’t a thing of beauty for the Aggies, but they were able to pull it out with a late touchdown against UNLV. This team has regressed in recent weeks, but they did what they needed to do and left Las Vegas with a win. After Boise State’s loss this weekend, Utah State is in the unique position of controlling their own destiny.
Fresno State
The Bulldog offense really struggled this weekend, but lucky for them, the defense came ready to play. The Bulldogs were able to capitalize on five Wyoming turnovers and managed to turn some of them into points. Going into Laramie is never an easy task and Fresno State needed a bounceback performance this weekend.
Colorado State
The Rams seem to be finding their way. They are now 2-0 in conference play and in first place in the Mountain Division. The schedule is about to get real for Colorado State; even if they don’t win the conference, they are putting themselves in position for a possible bowl game if they can go 3-3 the rest of the way.
San Diego State
Friday night felt like the yearly head-scratching loss for the Aztecs. San Diego State was able to overcome a poor offensive performance to a double overtime victory over San Jose State. The Aztecs improved to 6-0 on the season and are currently tied with Nevada for the top spot in the West.
The Bad
San Jose State
The Spartans put up a valiant effort Friday night. They won most of the statistical categories in regulation, but some untimely penalties cost them the game. San Jose State is likely out of the picture for the conference title, but they have the ability to play spoiler this season.
UNLV
Marcus Arroyo and his staff have come close on multiple occasions this season, but they can’t seem to execute and come away with points late in games. This team has improved, but do their fans and school administration have the patience to see things through?
Hawaii
It looked like Hawaii was ready to pull off another huge upset early in the game. But ultimately, the loss of Chevan Cordeiro at quarterback proved costly. Cordeiro missed his second consecutive game and his backup, Brayden Schager, had four interceptions. This might have been a different game if Cordeiro was at the helm.
The Ugly
Boise State
I don’t know what to say. It looked like the Bronco coaching staff was in over their head, and they still had plenty of chances to win this game. The Broncos continue to make basic errors that shouldn’t be happening at this point in the season. Ten guys on the field in a fourth and goal situation...how does that happen? The Broncos are likely out of the title hunt; now it is time to show growth and let some of the young guys have their opportunity.
New Mexico
The Lobos are lost on offense and ultimately it wears their defense down. This team is bad and they have a long way to go before they can be a formidable opponent. It is hard to see New Mexico winning another game this season.
Wyoming
Sure, the Cowboys started the year 4-0, but they have proven what kind of football team they are the last few weeks. The same problems that have haunted Wyoming since Josh Allen left still exist. They can’t consistently move the ball through the air, and their run game isn’t as effective as it has been in years past.
That’s it for this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” What were some moments from week seven that stood out to you?