The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Week 10

It was an exciting weekend filled with rivalry games and games that could impact the championship game. The Milk Can and the Bronze Boot both ended up in unexpected hands and there were a few interesting out-of-conference games. Here are the good, bad, and ugly performances from the tenth week of the college football season.

The Good

Boise State

Boise State showed up with a perfect game plan to slow the most potent offense in the Mountain West down. The Broncos blitzed more than they typically do and were able to rush Haener, forcing him into some errant throws that resulted in three interceptions. The Broncos also had a balanced attack on offense that propelled them to an easy victory over a Bulldog squad that was favored.

Wyoming

The Cowboys have looked like a ghost of themselves since league play started. But rivalry games can bring out the best in teams, and Saturday afternoon was a perfect example of this. The Cowboy rushing attack finally had the breakout performance they had been looking for and it propelled them to a 31- 17 victory.

Utah State

The Aggies were able to overcome an awful first half to absolutely dominate the second half against a New Mexico State squad that isn’t in the same league as the Aggies. The Aggies needed to build some momentum, as they will have to travel to San Jose to take on the Spartans this weekend. This game might determine whether or not Utah State will play in the Mountain West Championship.

UNLV

The Rebels won a football game. I was questioning whether or not Marcus Arroyo would ever win a game as the head coach. The Rebels may be 1-8, but they have shown flashes this year. They may have struggled offensively in this game, but the defense was opportunistic and put the offense in a position where they could get some easy points on the board.

San Diego State

The Aztecs struggled for most of the game. Their offense was ineffective majority of the game, but the defense had a nice bounce back performance after struggling against Fresno State. The Aztecs have a huge game next weekend against the Wolf Pack; the winner will be in sole possession of first place in the West.

Nevada

Nevada needed 14 points from their defense, but the offense did just enough in the fourth quarter to come away with a 27-24 victory over visiting San Jose State. Carson Strong struggled through three quarters, but a clutch fourth quarter performance showed why NFL scouts love this guy.

The Bad

Air Force

It seems like Air Force always loses one of these games. Both teams played an excellent game on defense and were forced to rely on their quarterback. Ultimately, it game down to a little luck on a fumble recovery for Army to come away with the victory. The Falcons still have the possibility of a Mountain West Championship appearance, but they will need some help from Utah State if that is going to happen.

San Jose State

The Spartan defense put up a valiant effort against one of the best offenses in the league in Nevada. San Jose State had two costly turnovers that resulted in 14 points for the Wolf Pack and an exhausted defense gave way to a late field goal drive for Nevada. The Spartans need another win to reach bowl eligibility, but it won’t be easy as they will face Utah State and Fresno State.

Hawaii

The Rainbow Warriors have struggled to find their offensive identity this season, and it has ultimately kept them from being a good football team. Hawaii put up a valiant effort on the defensive side of the ball, holding the Aztecs to only 17 points. They had a chance to tie the game on a late drive, but they fell just short.

The Ugly

Fresno State

This looked nothing like the Fresno squad we are accustomed to seeing. Maybe the gauntlet of playing Nevada, San Diego State, and now Boise State finally caught up with them. The Bulldogs looked like the 4-4 team, while Boise State dominated in all three phases of the game. The race in the West just became more interesting.

Colorado State

The Rams looked like a beaten team against the Cowboys. The loss to Boise State took a physical toll on them the week prior, with multiple players leaving the game due to injury. Both of these teams rely on physicality to get wins, and the Cowboys were the more physical team in Laramie.

New Mexico

The Lobos lost to a football team that had not won a game since 2019. That is really all I should have to say. Turnovers absolutely killed the Lobos. Their defense only allowed one drive of more than 50 yards. If they would have taken care of the ball, they would have won this football game.

That’s it for this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” What were your thoughts from week 10? Let us know in the comments below.