2024 Mountain West Basketball Tournament, Bracket, Schedule

2024 Mountain West Basketball Tournament, Bracket, Schedule Epic conference tournament is starting. Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Mountain West men’s basketball bracket, schedule The Moutnain West tournament tips off in Las Vegas this week and it …

2024 Mountain West Basketball Tournament, Bracket, Schedule


Epic conference tournament is starting. 


Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Mountain West men’s basketball bracket, schedule

The Moutnain West tournament tips off in Las Vegas this week and it should be amazing.

The conference is trying to earn six NCAA Tournament bids. If that is the case, there will be a team in the opening round games which by seeding is New Mexico.

This season the Mountain West has been possibly the best ever and this tournament, hopefully, follow suit this week.

The tournament start this Wednesday with the opening round games with late morning to early evening games.

These opening round games could have NCAA Tournament implications, but the quarterfinals and beyond definitely will.

FIRST ROUND, MARCH 13

All first round games streamed on Mountain West Network

  • (9) Fresno State vs. (8) Wyoming, 11 a.m. PT/noon MT
  • (10) San Jose State vs. (7) Colorado State, 1:30 p.m. PT/2:30 p.m. MT
  • (11) Air Force vs. (6) New Mexico, 4 p.m. PT/5 p.m. MT

QUARTERFINALS, MARCH 14

All quarterfinal games are all on CBS Sports Network or stream on FuboTV with a free trial.

  • (1) Utah State vs. Wyoming/Fresno State winner, noon PT/1 p.m. MT
  • (5) San Diego State vs. (4) UNLV, 2:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. MT
  • (2) Nevada vs. Colorado State/San Jose State winner, 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT
  • (3) Boise State vs. New Mexico/Air Force winner, 8:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. MT

SEMIFINALS, MARCH 15

All semifinal games are all on CBS Sports Network or stream on FuboTV with a free trial


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Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Air Force Falcons look to fly high once more in 2023 and take down the James Madison Dukes. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

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Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction


The Air Force Falcons look to fly high once more in 2023 and take down the James Madison Dukes. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

The cadets hope to extend a five-game bowl winning streak.

LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL: James Madison Dukes (11-1, 7-1 Sun Belt) vs. Air Force Falcons (8-4, 5-3 Mountain West)

WHEN: Saturday, December 23 — 1:30 PM MT/12:30 PM PT

WHERE: Amon G. Carter Stadium; Fort Worth, TX

WEATHER: Cloudy with a chance of showers, high of 67 degrees

TV: ABC

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes ABC, by following this link.

RADIO: The James Madison broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the Morris Insurance and Financial Services Broadcast Network, including flagship 550 AM and 92.1 FM (WSVA) in Harrisonburg. The Air Force broadcast can be found on 740 AM (KVOR) in Colorado Springs and 104.3 FM The Fan in Denver.

SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between James Madison and Air Force.

LAST GAME: James Madison defeated Coastal Carolina on the road, 56-14, while Air Force lost to Boise State on the road, 27-19.

WEBSITES: JMUSports.com, the official James Madison athletics website | GoAirForceFalcons.com, the official Air Force athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): James Madison | Air Force

ODDS: James Madison -1

SP+ PROJECTION: James Madison by 8.1

FEI PROJECTION: James Madison by 6.9

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: James Madison 58.99% win probability (28.29-21.61)

Darlings of the Group of Five for much of the 2023 season, James Madison, will try and earn their first Bowl win. Standing in the way of their potential 12th win and inaugural Bowl victory are the Air Force Fightin’ Falcons.

It’s truly been an impressive season for JMU, who just entered the FBS. Despite some frankly ridiculous NCAA policies which prevented them from playing for a Conference Championship in the Sun Belt (as a deemed probation year at the FBS level), which they were far and away the top team of, they still find themselves at the doorstep of a season complete with Bowl hardware and national ranking. Not too bad for a team that was competing at the FCS level just one year ago.

Air Force on the other hand was right up there with the Dukes atop the class of the Group of Five programs, right until the calendar turned to November. Even since that devastating loss to Army, which was their first of the season after starting 8-0, they have yet to win a game.

In fact, it’s fair to say the Air Force team that played the last four games of the season hardly resembled that which began the season with an eight-game surge. There are a number of reasons that wins have eluded the Falcons, many of which remain as they face off against a very formidable opponent in Fort Worth, Texas. But don’t assume JMU will just roll the Falcon’s as clear favorites in this matchup. Air Force is not going to be like any other team the Dukes have faced this year. And just ask their last four Bowl opponents what it’s like playing Air Force in December; Baylor, Louisville, Wazzu and South Alabama provide a cautionary tale.

Here’s how the Dukes and Falcons can find a path to victory to finish 2023.

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Three Keys to a James Madison Victory

1. Tackles For Loss

Nothing derails an Air Force drive quite like Tackles for Loss (TFL’s). The Falcon offense is designed for modest but consistent against, down after down. Coincidentally, the Air Force defense also thrived on this philosophy, because when their offense is sustaining long clock grinding drives, it limits possessions and opportunities for the opposition.

TFL’s happen to be the Dukes specialty though. No one has collected more tackles behind the line of scrimmage than JMU. They’ve gathered 45 sacks on the season as part of that collection. If they can carry that play behind the Air Force line of scrimmage, it will be a very long day for an offense that has had their share of struggles lately.

2. Splash Plays

It’s no secret that JMU likes to chuck the ball around, and their transfer quarterback-to-be, Jordan McLoud, is quite good at it. Stop me if you heard this one before, but Air Force is going to have their hands full with another talented transfer portal player.

McCloud threw 32 touchdowns this year, and his two favorite targets Reggie Brown and Elijah Sarratt both averaged over 80 receiving yards per game. Brown in particular averaged 19.8 yards per catch. Those are Jalen Robinette numbers for you throwback enthusiasts.

This is critical to point out because during the Falcon’s late season nose dive, they were surrendering far too many big plays. Granted, they were often times against All-American players such as Ricky White and Ashton Jeanty, but their opponent on Saturday is every bit as capable of gashing them for large chunks of yardage.

3. Early Lead

Similar to early down victories mentioned in the first key, forcing an Air Force offense that has become inconsistent to play from behind could help pave the path to victory. Even if Zac Larrier is able to go for the Falcons, the offense hasn’t shown the kind of punch their opponents have, in particular with an ability to get quick strike scores. Falling behind early would be a big problem against what’s been a very stingy defense. The fact that the Bolts have yet to win a game when entering the 3rd quarter behind is evidence this should be a concern.

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Three Keys to an Air Force Victory

1. Early Down Success 

The ability to move the ball on early down sets the tone for the entire Air Force gameplan. Not just the offense.

Early down success for this offense is a steady appetite of three or four yard gains. Three yards at a clip isn’t exactly eye popping in today’s game, but it’s exactly what this team feeds on. It has such a cumulative effect by building momentum, establishing confidence, wearing out the defense, and limiting the opposition’s offensive possessions.

I would take it a step further and say that early down success has to lead to early game points. As mentioned earlier, they are going to need touchdowns to beat James Madison. To quote the immortal John Kreese “Strike First. Strike Hard. No Mercy.”. Air Force is 5-0 when scoring first this season.

2. Protect the Ball

Awaiting the Falcons is a JMU team that is one of the best nationally in turnover margin, at +.75. And it’s no coincidence that the Air Force late season collapse coincides with a significant increase in turnovers.

To date, Air Force has put the ball on the ground 21 times, losing 11 of those fumbles. Even if recovered, those fumbles are usually resulting in significant damage to their drives by lost yardage. And the Dukes are well versed at helping other teams forfeit possessions, forcing 21 turnovers on the season.

3. Details

The thing Air Force prides itself on is being detail oriented. I mean how else could a team that is clearly disadvantaged when it comes to recruiting and player development be so successful if they don’t find other ways to get an edge.

The offensive scheme they run is based on timing, precision, and chemistry. That leaks into all three phases of their game. It’s in part why a team that has gone four deep at cornerback and two to three deep all over the field, including quarterback, are still able to reel off an eight-win season.

You can only play who is healthy and available, and one of the things they do better than anyone is prepare the parts so they are interchangeable (to an extent) and can be plugged in to keep the machine humming.

Blown coverage, poor mesh point on a handoff, or missed blocks can be game changers on Saturday. The details matter. Executing at an elite level will be required to win this game.

Prediction

It would be lazy to just point to the last month of Air Force football as reason to pack it in on the season. But the reality is there were a lot of warts revealed on a team that looked really good climbing up to 17th in the AP Polls at one point. That seems like a lifetime ago quite honestly.

Meanwhile, James Madison has kept piling on victories. They enter this game with the nation’s most stout run defense, giving up just 2 yards per carry, and around 60 total rush yards per game. Anything close to that kind of success against Air Force will not just guarantee victory, but likely a not-so competitive game.

What I would suggest though, look at the schedules of these two teams and the scores. As bad as losses to Army and Hawai’i looked, those two defeats at the hands of the Mountain West Championship teams, Boise State and UNLV aren’t quite so bad. I’m not sure JMU would have fared any better playing either team at the time Air Force did.

I expect both teams to have their hands full with the particular niche’ each’s opponent presents. The way the Dukes sling the ball all over the field poses a big problem in my opinion. And that is no indictment on the Air Force secondary that features the best defensive back in the country, Trey Taylor. JMU proved week in and week out, they can execute a passing scheme at an elite level.

I expect the Air Force offense to be the deciding factor in this game. There are so many unknowns with injury entering this game, it really can change the complexion of things. Whether it’s Larrier, Jensen Jones or John Busha, they need to play a clean game and rely on that veteran ‘Diesel’ offensive line.

The defense will step up and make plays through the game as they did all season, But if they expect to lean on them to keep this a single digit game to win, that is going to result in a disappointing trip home from the Lone Star State.

There are a lot of very proud players suiting up for the last time on both sidelines. For Air Force, it’s senior laden with players who elected and fulfilled their four plus year commitment to the United States Air Force Academy and see the mission through with their teammates. Combine that with the edge a veteran head coach like Troy Calhoun gives you, versus JMU who is breaking in the new head-man as Frank Cignetti heads to middle-America, and I actually expect an Air Force win.

The 8-0 Air Force team that started the year is still in that locker room and on that sideline. Even if impacted by health, it’s a team that’s better than many. That includes an 11-1 James Madison Dukes team.

Air Force 27, James Madison 24

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PODCAST: Week 2 Of Mountain West Bowl Previews

PODCAST: Week 2 Of Mountain West Bowl Previews There are four bowl games this week Contact/Follow @MWCwire Bowl season continues Jeremy and Josh get into the second wave of bowl games with four bowl games this week. A trio of games on Saturday …

PODCAST: Week 2 Of Mountain West Bowl Previews


There are four bowl games this week


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Bowl season continues

Jeremy and Josh get into the second wave of bowl games with four bowl games this week. A trio of games on Saturday featuring San Jose State, Utah State, and Air Force. Then a post Christmas bowl game with UNLV getting a challenge with Kansas.

You can find the Mountain West Wire podcast below or subscribe to the show via TuneInSpotifyiTunes, and more. Listen in, subscribe and rate it and let us know what you think!

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Armed Forces Bowl: First Look At The James Madison Dukes

The Air Force Falcons will get a chance to topple one of this season’s top Group of 5 teams. How did the Dukes get here? 

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Armed Forces Bowl: First Look At The James Madison Dukes


Air Force will get a chance to topple one of this season’s top Group of 5 teams. How did the Dukes get here? 


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Could JMU be undone in the bowl by their success?

The Air Force Falcons are making their seventh appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl, but their opponent in this year’s iteration of the game might be their toughest assignment yet.

That’s because, among the Mountain West’s seven bowl opponents, the James Madison Dukes are the only team currently ranked in the top 25 of a poll. On the other hand, Air Force’s bowl foe is currently undergoing the rapid transition that tends to befall peaking Group of 5 teams, so how much of the JMU we’ve seen all year will actually be accounted for when they take the field later in December?

Here’s what Air Force fans need to know about the James Madison Dukes.

2023 James Madison Dukes — Team Profile

Conference: Sun Belt

2023 Record: 11-1 (7-1 Sun Belt)

SP+ ranking: 18th

FEI ranking: 33rd

Sagarin rating: 40th

Head coach: Damien Wroblewski (interim)

2023 in a nutshell: The Dukes had a wildly successful FBS debut in 2022, then raised their game this fall to become arguably the best team in the Group of 5. It wasn’t without a number of close calls — JMU’s first four wins against FBS opponents came by a combined 18 points — but it all counts the same in the win column and they ultimately took down eight different bowl-eligible teams on their way to the #24 spot in the most recent Associated Press poll.

As is the case for any peaking Group of 5 team, though, success has come with a cost since the end of the regular season. Head coach Curt Cignetti was hired away by Indiana, and he’ll be replaced by Holy Cross’s Bob Chesney at season’s end. A multitude of key on-field contributors have also hit the exits through the transfer portal, an exodus that has been the most significant of any of the Mountain West’s bowl opponents this month. In other words, for as good as the Dukes have looked in 2023, there’s a chance they could look much different when they take the field in Fort Worth.

Best wins: at Troy (11-2), at Coastal Carolina (7-5), at Marshall (6-6)

Key Players

Jordan McCloud, QB

After previous stints at USF and Arizona, McCloud hit his stride with the Dukes and might have been the Group of 5’s best quarterback this year. He finished 11th among FBS signal-callers with a 68.9% completion rate, 14th with 3,400 passing yards, tied for 16th with nine yards per attempt, and fifth with 32 passing touchdowns. McCloud was also dangerous with his legs, accounting for 311 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, so it’s little wonder that he was named the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year.

Elijah Sarratt, WR

In 2022, Sarratt stood out at FCS Saint Francis as a freshman All-American and a first-team all-NEC wide receiver. After transferring to JMU, he became one half of one of the most potent pass-catching duos anywhere in the country. He was one of six Dukes to earn a spot on the all-Sun Belt first-team offense after leading the team with 74 catches for 1,076 yards, scoring six touchdowns while also, according to Pro Football Focus, pacing the conference with a 89.1 receiving grade.

Reggie Brown, WR

As you might have surmised, Brown is the other half of James Madison’s dynamic pass-catching tandem. Like Surratt, Brown also landed on the Sun Belt’s first-team offense after catching 51 passes for 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns. In 20 career games at the FBS level, Brown has averaged 18.8 yards per catch, so he has the capacity to do real damage down the field if the Falcons are caught napping.

Jamree Kromah, DE

Though JMU landed six different players on the all-conference first team, Kromah is the fourth and last of that cohort still expected to take the field in the bowl game. The redshirt senior had a monster season with ten sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss while also tying for the team lead with 41 stops, per PFF, so there’s a strong case he could be the single-best defender that Air Force’s offensive tackles have faced all year.

D’Angelo Ponds, CB

The Dukes secondary appears to be in good hands thanks to Ponds, who became the program’s first freshman All-American ever after making nine starts in which he made 50 tackles, broke up 13 passes, and made two interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, he also allowed a 46.5% completion rate on 71 targets, so Air Force may find it tough to stretch the field when the occasion calls for it.

Overview:

Offense

No matter how you slice it, the Dukes offense gave opponents plenty about which to worry this season, ranking 33rd in the country with an average of 2.68 points per drive and 52.1% of available yards earned per drive. The problem for the Armed Forces Bowl is that some significant contributors to an attack that averaged 6.28 yards per play are gone: McCloud will play in the bowl game before leaving through the transfer portal, but the top two running backs, Kaelon Black and Ty Son Newton, are gone, as are all-conference tight end Zach Horton, left guard Carter Miller, and three-year starting offensive lineman Tyler Stephens.

With Surratt and Brown in place, though, the passing game may be considered mostly intact, but senior Latrele Palmer is likely the next man up at running back. His time with the Dukes stretches back to 2019, and he’s averaged 4.8 yards per carry with 15 touchdowns on 425 career rushing attempts.

Others who might be in line for more snaps include wide receivers Phoenix Sproles (47 catches, 387 yards, three touchdowns) and Taji Hanson and tight end Kyi Wright. Sproles, at least, has seen the lion’s share of his playing time come from the slot (93.4% of snaps, per PFF), so chances are JMU won’t be shy about remaining a pass-first team.

Defense

The Dukes offense has taken some hits through the transfer portal, but a defense that ranked ninth nationally by percentage of available yards per drive allowed (35.4%) and points per drive allowed (1.41) and gave up an overall success rate of just 33% has been gutted. Jalen Green, the Sun Belt’s Defensive Player of the Year, was lost for the year to injury in early November. The team’s top three tacklers — Aidan Fisher, Jailin Walker, and Mikail Kamara — are gone to the transfer portal. So are veteran defensive tackle James Carpenter, a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy this season; linebacker Taurus Jones, a first-team all-conference player in 2022; and top cornerback Chauncey Logan.

Kromah remains, but other established quantities in this unit are rare. The good news is that young talents like Ponds might be prepared to pick up the slack. Redshirt freshman Tyrique Tucker made five starts this year and collected 4.5 tackles for loss, and sophomore safety Jacob Thomas held opponents to a completion rate under 50%, according to Pro Football Focus.

When matching up with Air Force, however, the major question is just how disruptive the JMU defense will remain against a Falcons offense that will run first, second, and third. CollegeFootballData.com tabs the Dukes with an 26% havoc rate and a 28% stuff rate (for comparison, Air Force had respective rates of 15.2% and 17%).

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out And Transfer Tracker

The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out and Transfer Tracker


The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Not all the stars will be out in December.

December marks perhaps the busiest time of college football season. Between the upcoming slate of bowl games, the official opening of the transfer portal, and buzz surrounding the game’s brightest stars and their standing in next year’s NFL Draft, players have plenty on their minds when deciding how to finish their season.

Not everyone will choose to stay on the field, though. Check back here throughout the month as we watch which athletes opt out of bowl season, both among the Mountain West’s seven bowl teams and their opponents.

Note: Significant contributors among opponents will be noted in italics.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Air Force

  • Aidan Behymer, TE
  • Caden Blum, DL
  • Mason Carlan, OL
  • John Lee Eldridge III, RB
  • Jonah Jensen, QB
  • Brady Phillips, DL
  • Caleb Rillos, TE
  • Jarius Stewart, QB
  • Anthony Wenson, WR

James Madison

  • Brent Austin, DB
  • Kaelon Black, RB — team-high 594 rushing yards, 23 catches, 220 receiving yards in 2023
  • James Carpenter, DL — FCS Freshman All-American in 2021; two-time all-Sun Belt
  • Aiden Fisher, LB — third-team all-Sun Belt, 91 tackles, seven passes defended, six tackles for loss in 2023
  • Desmond Green, WR
  • Zach Horton, TE — first-team all-Sun Belt, 26 catches, 266 yards, six touchdowns in 2023
  • Taurus Jones, LB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 82 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss in 2022
  • Mikail Kamara, DL — second-team all-Sun Belt, 18.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks in 2023
  • Wayne Knight, RB
  • Ty Son Lawton, RB — 742 all-purpose yards, six total touchdowns in 2023
  • Chauncey Logan, DB — 42 tackles, four tackles for loss, six passes defended in 2023
  • Carter Miller, OL — redshirt freshman, nine starts, 639 snaps at left guard in 2023
  • Abi Nwabuoku-Okonji, DL
  • Tyler Stephens, OL — 30 career starts; four starts each at left guard, right tackle, left tackle in 2023
  • Jailin Walker, LB — 30 career starts; 55 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended in 2023
  • Tyshawn Wyatt, OL

Starco Brands LA Bowl, Hosted By Gronk

Boise State 

  • Taylen Green, QB
  • Eric McAlister, WR
  • Keenan McCaddy, DB
  • Kivon Wright, DL

UCLA

  • Kam Brown, WR
  • Keegan Jones, WR
  • Laiatu Latu, DL — Ted Hendricks Award winner, Lombardi Award winner, Pac-12 defensive player of the year in 2023
  • Dante Moore, QB — five-star true freshman, five starts in 2023
  • William Nimmo Jr., DB
  • Kamari Ramsey, DB — redshirt freshman safety, 11 starts in 2023
  • Carsen Ryan, TE
  • Jake Wiley, OL

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Fresno State

  • Tanner Blount, LB
  • Logan Fife, QB
  • Chrishawn Gordon, DB
  • Abraham Montaño, K
  • Hayden Pulis, OL
  • Raymond Scott, LB

New Mexico State

  • Reggie Akles, WR
  • Ta’ir Brooks, WR
  • Jamari Buddin, LB
  • Tyler Devera, TE
  • Trent Hudson, WR — 36 catches, 571 yards, team-high ten touchdowns in 2023
  • PJ Johnson, WR
  • Malachi McLean, DB
  • Jordin Parker, WR
  • Tyriece Thomas, DL

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

San Jose State

  • Branden Alvarez, WR
  • Fernando Carmona Jr., OL
  • Blake Davis, DB
  • Charlie Leota, DL
  • Anthony Madrigal, OL
  • Dominick Mazotti, TE
  • Elijah Wood, LB

Coastal Carolina

  • CJ Beasley, RB — team-high 717 rushing yards in 2022; 262 rushing yards, two touchdowns in 2023
  • Mason Bowers, OL
  • Jahmar Brown, DB
  • Jared Brown, WR — 2022 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year; 108 career receptions, 1,534 career receiving yards, 11 career touchdowns
  • Bailey Carraway, LB
  • Evan Crenshaw, P — sophomore; 83 career punts, 39.7 career yards per punt
  • Aaron Diggs, DB
  • Jarrett Guest, QB — two starts in 2023 following injury to Grayson McCall
  • Eli Hillman, DB
  • Kaleb Hutchinson, DB
  • Tavyn Jackson, DB
  • JT Killen, LB — 25 career starts; 65 tackles, three tackles for loss in 2023
  • Derrick Maxey, DB
  • Grayson McCall, QB — three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year
  • Tyson Mobley, WR
  • Tre Pinkney, LB
  • Jacob Proche, DB
  • Chris Rhone, WR
  • Braylon Ryan, DL — 38 career games, 21 career starts; 24 tackles, two tackles for loss in 2023
  • Laurence Sullivan, DB
  • Bryson Summers, OL
  • Dami’on Thompson, WR
  • Donnell Wilson, OL

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

UNLV

  • Jordan Jakes, WR
  • Jordyn Morgan, DB

Kansas

  • Will Huggins, TE
  • Reece Thomas, WR

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Utah State

  • William Testa, K
  • Josh Williams, LB

Georgia State

  • KZ Adams, RB
  • Rico Arnold, WR
  • Bryquice Brown, DB — 42 career games; 35 tackles, six passes defended in nine games
  • Marcus Carroll, RB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 1,350 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns
  • Montavious Cunningham, OL — redshirt sophomore, 15 career starts, 737 snaps at right tackle in 2023
  • Jaquon Dixon, RB
  • Cameron Dye, OL
  • Evan Graham, LB
  • JayT Jackson, DB
  • Jordan Jones, LB
  • Robert Lewis, WR — led team with 70 catches, 877 yards, five receiving touchdowns
  • Tony McCray, DB
  • Jalen Tate, DB

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Wyoming

  • DQ James, RB
  • Kolbey Taylor, DB

Toledo

  • Dequan Finn, QB — three-time all-MAC, 2023 MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award winner (conference MVP)
  • Jaret Frantz, WR
  • Micah Kelly, RB
  • Brad Ling, K
  • Vinny Sciury, OL — first-team all-MAC in 2023, 836 snaps at left guard
  • Ty Thomas, DL

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Air Force Football: Falcons To Face James Madison In Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

The Falcons will head to Texas for a duel with the Dukes, hoping to end 2023 on a high note.

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Air Force Football: Falcons To Face James Madison In Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl


The Falcons will head to Texas for a duel with the Dukes, hoping to end 2023 on a high note.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

The cadets hope to bounce back.

The Air Force Falcons ended the regular season on a four-game losing streak, but the program’s four-game winning streak in bowl games is still intact and will be on the line when they face the Sun Belt’s James Madison Dukes in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.

Troy Calhoun’s cadets rode high for most of the 2023 season, starting the year with an 8-0 record that included wins over rivals Navy and Colorado State. However, injuries caught up with the team as the year progressed and the Falcons first fell to Army and then finished the regular season with three more losses. Despite the disappointing finish, though, Air Force is in a bowl game for the third straight year, the third such streak in Calhoun’s tenure as head coach.

James Madison had a similar surge, rising as high as #18 in the AP poll before suffering a three-point loss to Appalachian State in the penultimate game of the season. Nonetheless, the Dukes finished 11-1 in their second season of FBS action, though they will head into their first bowl season without head coach Curt Cignetti, who was hired by the Indiana Hoosiers earlier this week.

This year’s Armed Forces Bowl is set for Saturday, December 23. It will be broadcast on ESPN, kicking off at 1:30 PM Mountain/12:30 PM Pacific.

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Week 13 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 13 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Seven teams in a bowl game Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Regular season is in the books The Mountain West regular season is in the books and there are going to be seven bowl eligible teams. It …

Week 13 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Seven teams in a bowl game


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Regular season is in the books

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The Mountain West regular season is in the books and there are going to be seven bowl eligible teams. It was close to being eight had Colorado State been able to defeat Hawaii on the road late Saturday night.

Now, it must be said that the conference has five bowl tie-ins, but every Mountain West team that is bowl eligible will get to the post season.

Now where is still up for question with championship weekend upcoming this Saturday.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12

Week 12 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 12 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Eight teams in a bowl game Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire A few more can be bowl eligible There are currently six teams that are bowl eligible but it could be up to eight if Colorado State can …

Week 12 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Eight teams in a bowl game


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

A few more can be bowl eligible

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There are currently six teams that are bowl eligible but it could be up to eight if Colorado State can defeat Hawaii on the islands and if Utah State can defeat New Mexico they are going to the post season.

Both teams are favored and have a real good chance to become bowl eligible. While the Mountain West has five bowl tie-ins, there are other bowl games that have at-large options.

If the Utah State and Colorado State win there is a very good chance they will make it to the post season.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11

Week 8 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 8 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections UNLV is bowl eligible! Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Three teams are bowl eligible Fresno State, Air Force, and UNLV are the first three teams to become bowl eligible within the Mountain West. …

Week 8 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


UNLV is bowl eligible!


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Three teams are bowl eligible

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Fresno State, Air Force, and UNLV are the first three teams to become bowl eligible within the Mountain West. The Rebels are bowl eligible for the the first time since 2013 when they finished with a 6-6 regular season record and went to the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The Wyoming Cowboys should be the next team to get to bowl eligibility. They are 5-1 but have a tough matchup this week at Boise State. The Cowboys will get there relatively soon, if not this week.

Then there are a slow of three win teams with Boise State, San Jose State, Utah State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and New Mexico.

According to ESPN’s FPI, here are the chances of these teams getting to the needed six wins.

  • Wyoming 99.8%
  • Boise State at 62.5%
  • Utah State at 54.3%
  • San Jose State at 48.2%
  • Colorado State at 34.2 %
  • New Mexico at 13%
  • San Diego State at 9.7%

History has had seven Mountain West teams go bowling, so by going by that matrix that means the Broncos, Aggies, Spartans and Rams will be in the postseason to make it an extra one and go with eight teams.

The Aztecs 6-0 loss to Nevada gives very, very little confidence they can figure things out and get to a bowl game. The Lobos chances are slim due to the schedule.

They go to Nevada, host UNLV, go to Boise State and then Fresno State, with a finale hosting the Aggies. That is a tough go for a bowl game but getting to four wins would double last year’s win total.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7

Week 7 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 7 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Air Force is now the clear frontrunner Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Eight teams a possibility? Not yet Unless something wild happens, Air Force is in the frontrunner seat to earn a New Year’s …

Week 7 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Air Force is now the clear frontrunner


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Eight teams a possibility? Not yet

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Unless something wild happens, Air Force is in the frontrunner seat to earn a New Year’s Six bid. They are ahead of Tulane in the rankings and will very likely remain there with zero losses. The official College Football Playoff rankings are still a few weeks off to know for sure.

The Falcons do take on rival Navy this weekend and will do so without starting quarterback Zac Larrier for this week and maybe more. That is the one big thing in the way of them staying undefeated.

For now, Air Force is pegged to the Fiesta Bowl and will be a pain in the butt matchup for some team like Oregon, Texas or Penn State.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6