The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Week Seven

Week seven was certainly something. Some fans are left flying high while others are still scratching their heads after puzzling losses. One thing is certain, the Mountain West has not lacked excitement this season. Let’s take a look back at the good, bad, and ugly performances from week seven.

The Good

Colorado State

The Rams looked overmatched during the majority of their contest against Boise State, but this team showed a ton of fight the last six minutes of the game. They were able to capitalize on some puzzling mistakes and a gassed Bronco defense to pull off one of the best upsets of the season.

Air Force

Wyoming and Air Force were two very evenly matched teams and it made for a great football team. The Falcons were able to overcome some late mistakes and capitalize on Wyoming’s issues in the kicking game to score a late touchdown to come away with the home victory. This win makes the Falcons a heavy favorite in the conference and has them in the rankings for the first time this season.

Fresno State

After what I saw from Logan Fife last season, I thought the Bulldog offense would struggle to put up points. However, Fife played a really good game against the Aggies and helped the Bulldogs get one step closer to bowl eligibility. With Mikey Keene out, the Bulldogs really emphasized establishing the run with Malik Sherrod, and it paid dividends and allowed them to open up the passing attack.

San Diego State

It wasn’t pretty and this Aztecs team has a ton of issues. But going to the islands and coming away with a win is no easy task regardless of how bad Hawaii is. From a yardage standpoint, you would think the Aztecs were the losing team, but they were able to capitalize on some big plays and come away with the victory.

San Jose State

The Spartans have looked like a team on the verge all season and they absolutely exploded in the second half. This team has a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball and that was on display against New Mexico. This was the most balanced I have seen the Spartans in a long time and it paid dividends on the scoreboard.

The Bad

Wyoming

The Cowboys looked like they were poised to pull off another big upset for the majority of this contest, but the defense’s inability to get off the field made it difficult for Wyoming’s offense to find any rhythm in the second half. Even with these issues, the Cowboys proably would have come away with the win if they didn’t miss a field goal and extra point late. This team is really good, but inconsistencies on the defensive side of the ball are preventing them from taking the next step.

Utah State

A big positive for the Aggies was that they didn’t dig themselves into a big hole in the first half. They played another really good game on the offensive side of the ball, and their ability to generate explosive plays can keep them in any game. However, this young defense needs to mature fast if they want to go bowling in December.

Hawaii

This team is on the cusp of figuring it out, and I respect the heck out of Timmy Chang for taking accountability at the end of the game. You could make a strong argument that the Rainbow Warriors outplayed the Aztecs, especially in the yardage category. However, costly turnovers hurt this team yet again. It might not feel like it right now, but this program is headed in the right direction.

The Ugly

Boise State

I have followed this football program for over twenty years, and this game makes a strong case for the most embarrassing loss in that time period. The Broncos had a commanding 30-10 lead with less than five minutes to go in the game and made every mistake imaginable in that period to lose the game. There are so many head-scratching decisions coming from this staff, including the usage of two quarterbacks. Both quarterbacks had awful performances Saturday night. Will the Broncos continue this charade? Or can the coaches turn this program around?

New Mexico

It might be time for Danny Gonzales to retract his bold prediction that the Lobos are bowl bound. This team is in rough shape, and a coach known for his defensive prowess has a squad that can’t stop opposing teams. It seems like New Mexico and Boise State have a lot of the same issues right now.

What stood out to you from week seven? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.