MWCConnection Power Rankings: Week 2. Bulldogs rise, Warriors fall. What to make of the Aggies & Cowboys?

We are back at it. Every Mountain West team has now played at least two games this year, and 11 teams played this past weekend. Although it is still early, the outlook of teams is starting to take shape as they separate from one another a bit more.

Take a look at this week’s MWCConnection Power Rankings, and let us know what you like and what you don’t. Feel free to drop your own rankings in the comments section.

Week 2 Rankings

1) Nevada

Similar to last week, the Wolf Pack got off to a pretty slow start before kicking the offense in gear and beating Idaho State comfortably 49-10. Carson Strong and his group of receivers continue to look dangerous and it is near impossible to cover them

2) Fresno State

Fresno State jumps the idle Spartans and actually have a strong case to be the top team in the conference. They are getting it done on both sides of the ball and their quality loss against Oregon is looking even better after their win against Ohio State. The Bulldogs look legit and the rest of the Mountain West should be officially put on notice.

3) San Jose State

It’s not necessarily fair to them but they will lose a spot coming off a bye week. There is nothing wrong with how the Spartans look but the Bulldogs are hotter and playing better at the moment. SJSU is still a great team and can climb back up this upcoming week.

4) Boise State

The Broncos looked more like themselves, as they should against lesser competition. The offense was up-tempo and the play-calling was on point. The passing game was strong and the defense turned things up a notch forcing a plethora of turnovers. However, some issues still remain. They could not run the ball well at all and the defense still struggled to stop the run, as well as missing some tackles. Plus penalties need to be cleaned up before a tough game next week.

5) San Diego State

Not many teams looked as improved from from one week to the next as the Aztecs did. After needing a huge defensive surge in the second half against New Mexico State in their first game, they got off to a great start and dominated Arizona this past game. They ran, they played defense, and more importantly they passed the ball with little issue. Maybe SDSU woke up or maybe they are playing to their level of competition.

6) Utah State

The Aggies are 2-0 and that all that matters. They have had to come from behind in both games. Their offense is putting up points, especially in the second game. However, the real question is how good are they? It’s hard to tell when they haven’t really played any legitimate competition yet. They will run into a better defense next week. Still, the Aggies are 2-0 and that’s all that matters.

7) Air Force

The Falcons are clearly better than their ranking here but it’s tough to find a case for them to be higher, at least a spot or two. They pulled off a win against their rival Navy to jump-start their case for the CIC Trophy. However, the offense got off to a very slow start before finding their stride. The defense did not allow a touchdown at all.

8) Wyoming

The Cowboys are also 2-0 and like many teams, it’s hard to tell how good they actually are based on the teams they have played thus far. In one game, the defense looked awesome and the offense looked completely lost. In their other game, it was the complete opposite. The middle of the conference is probably the hardest to evaluate right now, as teams 5-8 may be able to be in any order right now. But this is how it shakes out this week.

9) New Mexico

The Lobos got a close but good win against their in-state rival. They have built nicely off of last season, with a renewed offense and a pretty good defense so far. They were competitive last year and are now translating that into wins this season through two games. The road will get harder but it’s important to win the games they should win at this point in the season.

10) Hawaii

The Rainbow Warriors have had the hardest schedule in the conference so far and get knocked for that in this week’s rankings. However, they didn’t show much out of the gate, although they did pick it up in the second half. The offense is pretty good but the defense has not been the best in all three games this season. Hawaii is just trending in the wrong direction early in the season.

11) Colorado State

In the Rams season could be summed up in one word, it would be: ugly. After being outmatched in week one, they were competitive in week two and just lost a close game. Still, it was more of the same issues. They didn’t have enough firepower on offense and after actually building a lead, the defense gave it back up in the second half. It seems like emotions are flying if the post-game press conference is any indication. Things may get worse before they get better here.

12) UNLV

To the surprise of no one, the Rebels got blown out against Arizona State. They actually had a lead in the first quarter and held it close in the first half before giving way to a better team in the second half. Rebuilding is not easy and it’s tough for UNLV right now, as they search search for weapons on offense and try to develop their defensive identity. Currently, it’s hard to see them being in any other spot this year.