Going into a bye week is always a bit tricky. There’s no game to play and no opponent to perform against. A team’s standing in the polls or power rankings can either improve or take a hit when their brand is out of the media’s visibility. For the Aztecs, being a non-Power conference team, it makes a big difference.
Pleased to say that after six games under their belts, the work that San Diego State has done so far is being appreciated. In fact, they’ve received several more Top-25 votes after this fantastic weekend of college football. Last week it was two, and now we are looking at seven votes.
The Aztecs now have leapfrogged teams like TCU (2), Boise State (4), and James Madison (6). However they do find themselves a great ways behind the next up on the list Navy (28), Houston (34), Tulane (37), Utah (40), and USC (97).
In order for the Aztecs to crack the official Top-25 in the AP, they’ll almost certainly need to push their four game win streak to six, or maybe even seven. Both of which are very doable with a game on the road at Fresno State and back home against Wyoming ahead on the schedule.
What the Aztecs have going for themselves is a wicked Top-10 ranked defense, an offense that is improving each week, and all the momentum inside the locker room. What they don’t have going for themselves are many National attention grabbing game opportunities against ranked opponents.
Either way it’s one game at a time, against who is on your schedule. So let’s move on and take a closer look at the Mountain West Conference and give our power rankings now that week-8 is done in college football and week-9 is upon us.
Boise State 5-2 (3-0)
Yes the Broncos got less Top-25 votes than SDSU, but let’s face it—If you want to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man. Boise State just put a whoopin’ on UNLV this past weekend 56-31.
It was a shoot out for the first half until the Broncos were just too much for the swiss cheese Rebels defense to contain. And that hurts the Mountain West this year. There’s never any shame losing to a tough, respectable Boise State program. But UNLV came into that game undefeated and needed to put forth a better showing against the Broncos. They did not do so.
Boise State travels next to the weakest team in the conference and then back home against rival Fresno State. If Boise can win both of those matchups, they’ll certainly continue to hold their top spot in these power rankings.
San Diego State 5-1 (2-0)
The Aztecs as mentioned had their 2nd and final bye week this past Saturday. But good things are happening around them to potentially set them up for a special season. Both the Aztecs and Bulldogs had bye week’s to prepare for each other’s rivalry game this week. It will go a long ways to what SDSU is trying to accomplish if they can win and hold onto the Old Oil Can trophy.
Coach Lewis and staff helped the team flip a switch after their 1st bye week this season, as they shut out CAL 34-0 at home. It will be interesting to see what game plan and extra levels/wrinkles the offense can achieve & execute with the same extra preparation time. Only difference is this time it’s on the road.
SDSU’s defense is banking their defense travels as usual and that a dominant offensive line can keep QB Jayden Denegal’s crisp white uniform free from any grass stains. Unless that is of course Denegal continues to flash his extra dimension of running out of the pocket. That element could really take SDSU where they want to go—further up the power rankings.
UNLV 6-1 (2-1)
The Rebels couldn’t answer the call. The last two seasons featured a Boise State vs UNLV Mountain West Championship game and both times the Broncos got the best of the Rebels. This past Saturday showed no different.
A new coach and a team riding high undefeated came into Boise and just couldn’t switch their fortunes for the better. Their defense is ranked dead last in the Mountain West allowing over 200 yards rushing per game. Though they lead the conference in interceptions (10) they still allow over 250 yards in the air per game.
The Rebels have been getting by with enough offense to cover up some big deficiencies on the defense. That went away when they played against an able defense like Boise. Which says a lot. The Rebels are good, just not top of the mountain good.
Hawai’i 6-2 (3-1)
Hawai’i continues to be such an interesting team this year. Head Coach Timmy Chang’s team has shown toughness with their defense and young QB Micah Elejado. They lost a nailbitter against Fresno State early at home. Since then they’ve rattled off three wins in a row—Air Froce, Utah State, and last week on the road at Colorado State.
Hawaii is naturally Top-2 passing offense given the nature of their scheme. But defensively is where they’ve really stepped it up. The Rainbow Warriors rank Top-4 rushing defense and Top-5 passing defense. Not to mention a kicker Kansei Matsuzawa who is on a hot streak similar to SDSU’s Gabriel Plascencia, kicking 20 of 20 just this season alone.
No matter how they do it, Hawai’i scores points. Up next they have a good tune-up road game against San Jose State before heading home to prepare for San Diego State. If they can come away with two victories there we will be looking at a Hawai’i team suddenly at the top of the race.
Fresno State 5-2 (2-1)
The Bulldogs are a bit of a head scratcher. After an opening season loss to Kansas on the road, Fresno State rebounded to go 5-1 since then. Until two weeks ago when they laid an absolute stinker against a desperate Colorado State Rams team in Fort Collins. It was just one game yes, but it also said maybe that the Bulldogs were not ready for the big time?
Look, Fresno State is a tough team. They rank Top-5 in both rushing and rush defense. They sit at #7 in passing, but they also #4 in pass defense. Their special teams aren’t particularly special and on either side of the ball, they just don’t appear to have any single playmakers that really stand out.
Perhaps despite all of this the Bulldogs should be higher on this power rankings. After Saturday vs San Diego State they will make their case known to the whole league just what quality they possess. But for now, just not seeing anything truly special to place them above this 5th spot.
New Mexico 4-3 (1-2)
The Land of Enchantment is certainly still riding high this season. Despite a couple setbacks against San Jose State and Boise State, Coach Eck’s team bounced back against Nevada to hold onto a 24-22 victory.
As much as I dislike New Mexico basketball, I somehow enjoy seeing a resurgent Lobos Football program. Maybe it’s the Rocky Long connection between our Aztecs and UNM, I want to see the fans there enjoy a reasonable amount of success in football.
But as much as my sentimental heart bleeds for the Lobos, they will probably just end up hovering back & forth of this six/seven spot on the mountain. They’re tough against the run, but don’t necessarily run it great themselves. They’re a bit mediocre stopping the pass and don’t throw the ball all over the yard themselves.
To be honest I really don’t know how or why New Mexico is all of a sudden a darling. Maybe their game against Utah State this week will make or break those feelings for me.
Utah State 4-3 (2-1)
The Aggies took down San Jose State on the road 30-25 on Friday night. Had they lost that game, we wouldn’t really be addressing the stowaways onto our Pac-12 train this much. There’s nothing I’d like to see more than an Aggie defeat at the hands of New Mexico. Plummet them further down the mountain and don’t let them climb any more.
Their offense is decent, but interestingly Bronco Mendenhall hasn’t gotten his defense up to his standards yet. It might be fool’s gold to see the Aggies do well these next two weeks against New Mexico this Saturday then Nevada after a bye week. But after that they end the year with at UNLV, at Fresno State and back home against Boise State. Yeah, they ain’t going anywhere.
Wyoming 3-4 (1-2)
Wyoming is stingy against the pass. That’s it. That’s the analysis. Their border war vs Colorado State will be fun to watch as always because they hate each other so much. But other than that, the Pokes ain’t goin nowhere either.
Air Force 2-5 (1-4)
For the love of God can’t wait to get away from this football program. Can’t believe they beat Wyoming last week. The Falcon are 2-5 and only other victory til last week was against Bucknell. If they had one more win in the season I would’ve put them above Wyoming. But I just don’t care.
Colorado State 2-5 (1-2)
The Rams have been an embarrassment and made an even bigger mockery of my dark-horse pick to win the whole damn thing this year. I hope they lose every game the rest of the way and after looking like world beaters against Fresno only to struggle at home against Hawai’i 31-19, I’m almost certain they will lose every game from here out.
San Jose State 2-5 (1-2)
This. Is. Sparta?
Nevada 1-6 (0-3)
Meh.
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