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Week 3: How to Watch, Who Will Win, and Game Thread.

It’s game time!

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NCAA Football: Utah State at Washington State James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Mountain West football games are here! Nevada, SDSU, Fresno State, and Boise State all have big non-conference matchups, while New Mexico and UNLV will try to survive theirs. Meanwhile, there are some big conference games with Utah State and Air Force both coming in undefeated while San Jose State will venture to the islands to play Hawaii.

Saturday, September 18th

New Mexico vs Texas A&M (10:00 AM MT) | Coverage: SEC Network

Nevada vs Kansas State (12:05 PM MT) | Coverage: BIG12/ESPN+

Ball State vs Wyoming (2:00 PM MT) | Coverage:

Colorado State vs Toledo (2:00 PM MT) | Coverage: ESPNU

Utah vs San Diego State (5:00 PM MT) | Coverage: CBS Sports

Utah State vs Air Force (5:30 PM MT) | Coverage: FS2

Oklahoma State vs Boise State (7:00 PM MT) | Coverage: FS1

Iowa State vs UNLV (8:30 PM MT) | Coverage: CBS Sports

Fresno State vs UCLA (8:45 PM MT) | Coverage: PAC-12 Network

San Jose State vs Hawaii (10:30 PM MT) | Coverage: FS1

If you need a link to watch any of the games, especially the PAC12 Network, considering signing up for a free trial with fuboTV here. For the game on ESPN+, check out this link.

Game Previews:

What to Watch For:

  • New Mexico: The road gets really tough for the Lobos this weekend. This game will reveal if their offense can move the ball against good teams and if the defense is for real or not.
  • Nevada: Another bigger test for the Wolf Pack this week. Will their offense continue their slow starts and if so, will it come back to haunt them this week? Or can they fix this before it hurt them?
  • Wyoming: The Cowboys have been inconsistent so far this year and it’s also hard to tell what kind of them they are due to the level of competition. The latter won’t change this week, but Wyoming needs to demonstrate a complete and consistent game.
  • Colorado State: Can the Rams show any signs of life? This may be the best chance for them to turn the season around. Otherwise, that seat might to getting really hot for Addazio.
  • San Diego State: Played down to a not great team and then played up to to a PAC-12 team. What will they look like against Utah? Was the offensive outburst for real or a mirgage?
  • Utah State: Are the Aggies for real? Air Force will be their biggest test to date. This is the chance they have to show they are for real and get a big conference (and division win).
  • Air Force: Likewise for the Falcons, this will be the best team they have played so far this year. It will also be the biggest test for their defense, as the Aggie offense has looked explosive in bursts.
  • Boise State: The same questions remain for the Broncos. Can they run the ball at all and can the defensive line stop the run, create a pass rush, or do anything impactful? The competition goes up a notch with Oklahoma State.
  • UNLV: Things aren’t getting any easier for the Rebels. They will be facing a ranked team who is fresh off of a loss to their rival at home. The Cyclones will be out for blood. UNLV will need to execute a solid game plan to keep this one close.
  • Fresno State: The hottest team in the league has another big test. UCLA is very good, but the Bulldogs almost beat a very good Oregon team. Taking care of the ball will be essential for them to have a chance to pull out the upset. But it looks possible based on the past three weeks.
  • San Jose State: Fresh off of a bye, the Spartans should have no issue in this game. It will be worth noticing if they make any tweaks to their offense, as they were short on firepower against USC.
  • Hawaii: The Rainbow Warriors have had the toughest schedule in the conference this year and it won’t get any easier against the defending champs. Improving on defense is the name of the game for them and will be important to keep it close.

Who Will Win:

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 0%
    New Mexico
    (0 votes)
  • 100%
    Texas A&M
    (5 votes)
5 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 84%
    Nevada
    (11 votes)
  • 15%
    Kansas State
    (2 votes)
13 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 11%
    Ball State
    (2 votes)
  • 88%
    Wyoming
    (15 votes)
17 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 18%
    Colorado State
    (3 votes)
  • 81%
    Toledo
    (13 votes)
16 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 35%
    Utah
    (6 votes)
  • 64%
    San Diego State
    (11 votes)
17 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 22%
    Utah State
    (4 votes)
  • 77%
    Air Force
    (14 votes)
18 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 40%
    Oklahoma State
    (8 votes)
  • 60%
    Boise State
    (12 votes)
20 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 90%
    Iowa State
    (18 votes)
  • 10%
    UNLV
    (2 votes)
20 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 26%
    Fresno State
    (5 votes)
  • 73%
    UCLA
    (14 votes)
19 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Who will win?

This poll is closed

  • 83%
    San Jose State
    (15 votes)
  • 16%
    Hawaii
    (3 votes)
18 votes total Vote Now

Join the discussion before, during, and after the games by sharing your thoughts on these questions and more in the comments below.