The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: End of Season Predictions (Part I)

We are officially in the final month of the offseason and are just a few weeks away from week zero games. This season will be exciting with no clear cut favorite as fall camp begins. This week’s edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly” is going to key in on how I see this season finishing for the Mountain West.

The Good

A Mountain West Championship Game For the Ages

Boise State and Fresno State have quite a history. The two teams have faced each other three times for the conference championship, and this year is going to be the fourth time. Fresno State travels to Boise early in the season in a game that could prove to be critical in the conference standings. Boise is going to win the first showing, but the Bulldogs will get revenge in the championship game after coming away with a close victory.

The Mountain West Has Some Desirable Bowl Teams

Fresno State, San Diego State, Boise State, Air Force, and Utah State all have the talent to be ten-win teams this year. An impressive non-conference showing is going to leave these teams as hot commodities as bowls struggle to fill their spots. The Mountain West is going to have its best bowl matchups in years, and they will have an impressive bowl showing on top of it. This is a critical year for the Mountain West. With UCF, Houston, and Cincinnati heading to the Big 12, the Mountain West will want to position itself as the top Group of Five league heading into 2023.

The Bad

A Top Heavy Conference Causes the Mountain West to Fall Short...Again

We have written countless articles considering the lack of New Year’s Six bowl appearances by Mountain West teams. Unfortunately, that trend is going to continue this fall. The top teams in the Mountain West will all finish with impressive records. But the teams are going to cannibalize each other and nobody will finish with fewer than two losses. The Group of Five Representative will once again come from the AAC.

The Ugly

Craig Bohl Decides to Move On

Craig Bohl is a great college football coach, but it feels like the modern landscape of college football might be more than he is cut out for. With the attrition on their roster, the Cowboys may be in for a rough 2022 season. Bohl has done a really nice job in Laramie, especially considering that it is one of the toughest jobs in college football. I think he might call it quits after this season.

Realignment Talk Overshadows a Solid Season for the Conference

The race for the conference championship will come down to the last week for both divisions. Dedicated followers will enjoy a season of quality football with really good teams (Boise State, Utah State, Air Force, San Diego State, Fresno State). But rumors will continue to overshadow the quality of football, and it will be quite a shame.

What are your predictions for the upcoming season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.