The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Week Seven

With week seven concluded, each team in the Mountain West is at least halfway through their schedule. There were some key matchups this weekend, and some teams were able to get back on track headed into a key game next weekend. The conference race is still very much in the air. Let’s take a look at the good, bad, and ugly performances from week seven.

The Good

Utah State

The Aggies weren’t at their best, but they managed to defeat Colorado State 17-13 with their fourth string quarterback. The Aggies defense is good enough to keep them in most games. Elite play from the front seven has allowed them to win two consecutive games.

Fresno State

What a response by the Bulldgos and their defense. Fresno State’s season was teetering; a loss to San Jose State would crush their hopes of a Mountain West championship and would make a bowl game unlikely. The Fresno State defense was successful in getting to Spartan quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and limiting his mobility. Championship hopes are still in full effect for the Bulldogs.

Air Force

The Falcons were able to take advantage of a depleted UNLV squad. This game was dominance from beginning to end. This team is finally getting healthy at the right time. If Air Force can get the win over Boise State, they will once again have hope in the race for a spot in the championship game.

Hawaii

The Rainbow Warriors offense finally showed up on Saturday night. We finally got a glimpse of what Timmy Chang’s offense could look like in coming years with Hawaii’s victory over Nevada. Congratulations, Hawaii fans! Soak this one in!

The Bad

San Jose State

The Spartans have been able to rise to the occasion until this weekend. The pressure of playing on the road in a hostile environment and an effective pass rush resulted in the Spartans’ first loss in conference play. San Jose State went from being in the driver’s seat for a bid in the championship game to needing some help from Fresno State’s future opponents.

Colorado State

The Rams started a freshman, walk-on quarterback. The third string quarterback could not find a rhythm and the offense sputtered as a result. This was an excellent chance for the Rams to build a winning streak, but this team’s inability to find a consistent identity on offense has continued to plague them.

The Ugly

New Mexico

This was a perplexing result from the Lobos. Rivalry games often yield odd results, but this was a game the Lobos should have won. The offense continued to look inept for much of the game, and this team continues to regress on a weekly basis. Will Gonzales be on the hot seat soon?

UNLV

That fumble on the opening drive seemed to take all of the air out of the Rebels’ chance for an upset victory over Air Force. The Rebels need to find a way to gather themselves and get healthy in the next few weeks, or their hopes of a bowl bid might be gone. This team just isn’t the same without Brumfield.

Nevada

The Wolf Pack lost to Hawaii. That’s enough to land you in the “Ugly” category. Not only did they lose, they gave up 31 points. We all knew that Nevada was going to be in rebuilding mode, but this project might take years.

That’s it for this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” Which moments from this past weekend stood out to you?