Power Rankings 2023 Week 6: Lots of movement after a few games.

We are back at it. Now that the college football season is a month old, the rankings have a large enough sample size to begin to solidify week to week. This week, not much has changed even though the conference had a great week overall. 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.

Here are last week’s rankings for reference.

1) Air Force

Bye week, write-up didn’t change

After moving to 5-0 in convincing fashion, the Falcons take over the top spot in the rankings. The defense has been strong or elite or dominating or whatever word you want to use all season long, living up to the hype. However, it’s the way the offense has improved each week that has allowed Air Force to emerge as a top team. Is this the year they find themselves in the conference championship? It’s a long season.

2) Wyoming

The Cowboys are for real, at least until further notice. They hosted ranked Fresno State and were in the driver’s seat for much of the game. Though the offense disappeared in the second half, Wyoming has shown the ability to score enough to complement their strong defensive unit. Their only loss was to Texas, and even that was a close contest. While they still have a tendency to play up or down to their level of competition, it’s hard to argue with the results.

3) Fresno State

The Bulldogs were seemingly in the driver’s seat for the NY6 Bowl as the highest-ranked mid-major team, boasting the second-longest win streak in the nation. But it all came crashing to a halt in Laramie. The dynamic offense was never really able to get going, especially after starting quarterback Mikey Keene left with an injury. Their defense rounded into shape in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback. Fresno State is still a very good team and the conference championship isn’t out of the question. They are just no longer in the driver’s seat.

4) UNLV

Bye week, write-up didn’t change

The Rebels keep winning. At this point, no one should question whether or not they are a good team, because they are. While their schedule may be on the lighter side, UNLV is doing all they can, controlling what they can control. And what they can control is their effective offense that doesn’t miss a beat no matter who is at quarterback, in large thanks to their rushing attack. Plus, their defense makes plays and competes each week. Their biggest tests will come at the end of the season.

5) Boise State

For the first half, it looked like the Broncos were going to plummet in the rankings while they were being outclassed by San Jose State in every facet of the game. But they somehow turned things at halftime and looked like a complete team for perhaps the first time all season. Of course, the obvious question is, was the second half a sign of things to come for Boise State or was this more of a rare occurrence? Regardless, this team continues to be just outside the realm of good Mountain West teams.

6) Utah State

If the Aggies could ever figure out how to get off to a fast start, they could easily be one of the best teams in the conference. But alas, they spotted Colorado State a 14-point lead before flipping the switch and outscoring them 41-7 over the final three quarters. Cooper Legas continued to show he can be a capable starting QB for the second game in a row and the wide receivers boasted three players with over 100 yards. Utah State continues to gain positive momentum as the season presses on.

7) Colorado State

Well, maybe they were due for a dud. Things fell apart for the Rams’ fun offense, as quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi tossed three interceptions and the Utah State defense kept Tory Horton and the other receivers in check for much of the game. On the other side of the ball, Mohamed Kamara continues to make a strong case for conference defensive player of the year with three more sacks in this game. Overall, it’s still been a positive season thus far for Colorado State. However, this past game shows how far they still have to go.

8) San Diego State

Bye week, write-up didn’t change

Things are unraveling very quickly for the Aztecs. The offense has potential, but comes and goes depending on the game and matchup. For years, everyone knew San Diego State’s defense was going to exert their will on the field, confuse the offense, and make the opposition adjust to them. That doesn’t appear to be the case anymore, as SDSU may have lost its identity. Jake Browning is one of the few bright sports.

9) San Jose State

The struggling season for San Jose State continues. They came out strong, executing their game plan on both sides of the ball and it looked like they were going take a big steps to reverse their fortunes However, the strong start faded in the second quarter and the wheels came off completely in the second half. The Spartans were shut out in the second half and the defense lost its mojo. At 1-5, its no longer just about their tough schedule, and because of that, they slide down the rankings.

10) New Mexico

Bye week, write-up didn’t change

The Lobos are a much better team this season compared to their 2022 version, although the record may not show it. It’s been far from pretty this season, but the losses have been closer and tougher fought. Moral victories in year four aren’t much of a consolation, but it’s important to state improvements have been made. Hopefully, the offense gets better each week and the defense can round into form. What New Mexico really needs to focus on is to avoid running out of gas in the second half of the season this year.

11) Hawaii

Bye week, write-up didn’t change

Things are not going well for the Rainbow Warriors in the win department. Their offense is keeping them in games and is usually exciting, possessing the ability to score in a hurry. On the other hand, their defense is not able to keep pace with the opposition. It’s a long, rough rebuild for Coach Chang and although there are bright spots, there is still a long way to go for Hawaii.

12) Nevada

Bye week, write-up didn’t change

At this point, it’s fair to question if Nevada is going to win a game this season. And that’s too bad, because their defense is actually doing a pretty good job at keeping them in games. Unfortunately, their offense is lackluster to say the least. For the second time in as many seasons, they have some uncertainty at quarterback. Plus, the running game they seemed to want to lean on hasn’t materialized in the way they wanted to. It could be a long season for the Wolf Pack.