Mountain West Football: Players Of The Month For August/September

With the first several chapters of the 2023 season in the books, who have been Mountain West football’s biggest standouts so far?

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Mountain West Football: Players of the Month For August/September

With the first several chapters of the 2023 season in the books, who have been Mountain West football’s biggest standouts so far?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

The small-sample elite.

Note: Players below are presented in alphabetical order.

Offensive Players of the Month

1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, New Mexico

The Lobos’ lead running back has a strong case as the biggest individual surprise of the young season, posting 420 rushing yards at 6.77 yards per carry with seven touchdowns in five games. According to Pro Football Focus, he also ranks second among Mountain West running backs with 26 missed tackles forced on just 62 attempts and first with a 92.1 overall grade. He’s a definite keeper.

2. Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State

Horton has picked up where he left off last season in a big way, leading the nation with 11.3 receptions and 135 receiving yards per game through four contests. He’s also scored six times in the last three games and posted an overall PFF grade of 90.0, second among conference pass catchers, helping establish the Rams’ offensive potency with a new quarterback and emerging playmakers in tow.

3. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Perhaps no player in the conference has meant as much to his offense as the sophomore Texan means to the Broncos. He currently leads the Mountain West with 165.3 all-purpose yards per game and the entire FBS with 12 total touchdowns in just five games, so while Boise State clearly has a number of issues to sort out, getting the ball to #2 should remain a priority while they do so.

4. Zac Larrier, QB, Air Force

Through five games, Larrier has achieved a rare combination of efficiency and explosiveness, especially among Falcons quarterbacks of recent vintage. His 362 rushing yards currently rank fifth among all players in the Mountain West and first among FBS QBs, but he’s also connected on 14-of-19 throws for 410 yards, a staggering 21.6 yards per attempt, and accounted for six total touchdowns (three rushing, three passing). It’s little wonder, then, that PFF has given him the highest grade among all Mountain West quarterbacks to date at 82.6.

Who would be your pick for Mountain West football's offensive player of the month for August and September? #mwfb

— Mountain West Wire (@MWCwire) October 2, 2023

Defensive Players of the Month

1. Mohamed Kamara, DE, Colorado State

Kamara entered 2023 as arguably the conference’s premier pass rusher and nothing he’s done in four games has dissuaded anyone of that notion. Besides leading the Mountain West with 6.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss and forcing two fumbles, PFF credits Kamara with 13 quarterback hurries (third in the conference) and 12 stops for good measure.

2. Ike Larsen, S, Utah State

Larsen has continued to be a man of impeccable timing in the young season. His 36 total tackles put him in a tie for second among Mountain West defensive backs, but it’s the highlight plays — the pick-six against Idaho State and the two blocked kicks, including the game-saving play in a Week 5 road win over UConn — that have made him one of the most valuable defenders anywhere in the conference from day one.

3. Bo Richter, DE, Air Force

The Mountain West’s best defense has shined on every front thus far, but few individuals have stood out like Richter. Though he’s tallied 14 total tackles, PFF credits the senior with 16 quarterback hurries, seventh among all FBS defenders, and only one missed fumble to go along with his 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

4. Noah Tumblin, CB, San Diego State

The Aztecs secondary has been busy throughout 2023 to date, so you might be forgiven for not noticing that Tumblin is in the midst of a breakout season. Not only does he lead all Mountain West defensive backs with a 85.5 overall PFF grade and a 88.7 grade in coverage, Tumblin currently paces the conference with ten passes defended (eight pass breakups, two interceptions) and has only missed one tackle in six games.

Who would be your pick for Mountain West football's defensive player of the month for August and September? #mwfb

— Mountain West Wire (@MWCwire) October 2, 2023

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PODCAST: Week 0 Mountain West Football Recap

PODCAST: Week 0 Mountain West Football Recap 1-2 is not as bad as it seems Contact/Follow @MWCwire Week 0 is in the books Jeremy is back solo once again to recap the three Mountain West games in Week 0. The result was 1-2 for these games but there …

PODCAST: Week 0 Mountain West Football Recap

1-2 is not as bad as it seems

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

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Week 0 is in the books

Jeremy is back solo once again to recap the three Mountain West games in Week 0. The result was 1-2 for these games but there is plenty of optimistic for the teams that loss with San Jose State who was doubled up against USC but still scored 28 points. Hawaii came from behind to hang and nearly beat Vanderbilt on the road.

San Diego State won but it seems like the same old Aztecs which isn’t a bad thing. They do need a better running game and that would go a long way in helping the offense. It is early but winning over Ohio to start 1-0 is good way to start.

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

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San Diego State Uses Fourth Quarter to Beat Ohio in Season Opener

Recap of SDSU vs. Ohio.

San Diego State Uses Fourth Quarter to Beat Ohio in Season Opener

Defensive Battle For The Aztecs

Contact/Follow @michaelbraydaly & @MWCwire

Recap of the game

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San Diego State edged out Ohio, 20-13, on Saturday evening at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. This was San Diego State’s first season-opening win since 2021.

It was a defensive game that saw the Aztecs outlast the Bobcats. The Bobcats attempted to erase a 14-point deficit in the final three minutes of the game. The Aztecs needed its defense to stand tall with an interception that capped off the win.

San Diego State and Ohio traded field goals in the first quarter. Ohio kicker Gianni Spetic put the Bobcats ahead, 6-3, with a 40-yard field goal at the 4:44 mark in the second quarter.

The Bobcats earned another offensive possession before halftime, but San Diego State’s defense closed the door on another scoring opportunity for Ohio. Ohio quarterback CJ Harris threw an interception to San Diego State safety Cedarious Barfield.

The interception set up an offensive drive for Jalen Mayden and the Aztecs. San Diego State tight end Mark Redman caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mayden in the final seconds of the first half. San Diego State entered the intermission with a 10-6 lead.

In the first half, Ohio’s offense received a significant blow after quarterback Kurtis Rourke left the game with an injury. Ohio’s offense struggled to garner any traction in Rourke’s absence.

After a scoreless third quarter, San Diego State orchestrated a drive that culminated in Redman’s second receiving touchdown in the red zone with 5:39 left in the game. San Diego State led Ohio by two touchdowns, 20-6. The Bobcats scored its first touchdown of the game when Harris connected with Miles Cross in the red zone in the final two minutes.

Mayden finished the evening with 164 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. San Diego State registered 309 yards of total offense.

The Aztecs return to action against Idaho State next Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT.

Week 0 2023 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

Football season is finally here! The wait is over and we can bet on CFB again. Here’s what you should be looking in MW week zero action.

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Week 0 2023 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

A look at the Mountain West betting odds for Week 0

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

What are the oddsmakers saying about these match ups?

Late in the week we will look at odds and recent lines and make our best picks and bets. Odds courtesy of Vegas Insider.

It’s time for College Football to start again. We’ve reached week zero and it’s time to get your wallets ready. There are three Mountain West games to look at this week and let’s see if we can get off to a good start this year.

Ohio @ San Diego State (-3, O/U 48.5)

Ohio is looking to make an impact in the MAC. San Diego State looks to have found a QB in Jalen Mayden, but it remains to be seen what they can do. Ohio is coming off a 10-4 season, while San Diego State is coming off a 7-6 year. Teams change every year, but I’m sticking with my pick this week and going with Ohio to win outright.

Pick: Ohio ML

Hawai’i @ Vanderbilt (-17.5, O/U 55.5)

The spread feels like a trap game for college football bettors. Last year’s line of 9.5 was obliterated as Vanderbilt won 63-10. Hawai’i head coach Timmy Chang got the Warriors to calm down as the year went on, but they could go either direction this year. The Commodores lose a decent amount of experience, so the over feels the safe bet here.

Pick: Over

San Jose State @ USC (-30.5, O/U 66.5)

This spread seems almost insulting to the Spartans. Yes, the Trojans has transfer talent coming in, but San Jose State isn’t a team to look past. They’ve put a scare into a few teams these past few years. The Spartans aren’t going to win this game, but a backdoor cover against the Trojans backups isn’t out of the question.

Pick: San Jose State +30.5

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Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores Warriors make a big trip out to Nashville Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire What can be expected from Vanderbilt? Hawaii opens on the road to take on an SEC team in Vanderbilt and the hope for …

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores

Warriors make a big trip out to Nashville

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

What can be expected from Vanderbilt?

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Hawaii opens on the road to take on an SEC team in Vanderbilt and the hope for the Warriors that the game is much more competitive than the 63-10 drubbing from last year.

To get to know the Commodores we reached to an expert with Tom Stephenson at Anchor of Gold to answer some questions about this Vanderbilt team.

1. What was the biggest take away from fall camp?

Vanderbilt’s a lot deeper than it’s been in a while, particularly in the trenches. Having a starting defensive end out for the season opener (Darren Agu) would have been a massive hit in the recent past and instead it’s barely a blip, because the underrated thing about having Barton Simmons running your recruiting operation is that he’s been able to find a lot of guys who will be functional depth in a way that Vanderbilt hasn’t had. There are still question marks with the top-end talent, but it’s no longer a situation where the second string is going to be a massive downgrade.

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Game Preview, How To Watch, Stream, Odds

2. What are the lingering concerns heading into the opener?

Vanderbilt needs some playmakers to step up on offense. Will Sheppard is a good start at wide receiver, but 1000-yard rusher Ray Davis transferred to Kentucky and Vanderbilt doesn’t have a clear-cut replacement for him.

Quarterback AJ Swann has good arm talent but after a strong debut against Northern Illinois, his performance wasn’t anything special as a true freshman and Vanderbilt’s two SEC wins both came with backup Mike Wright (who’s now at Mississippi State) playing. Cole Spence was expected to be a playmaking tight end, but instead he’s out for the season with a torn ACL.

3. Hawaii uses the run-n-shoot offense and will pass quite a bit, what is an assessment of Vanderbilt’s secondary?

Whew, buddy. Vanderbilt’s pass defense last season was… not good, and that was with Jeremy Lucien, who’s probably going to make an NFL roster. Incumbent cornerbacks BJ Anderson and Tyson Russell struggled at times, and the hope is that true freshman Martel Hight and redshirt freshman Trudell Berry will make an impact because they both have a ton of talent. Starting safety Jaylen Mahoney has been a consistent presence for four years but doesn’t have a ton of upside.

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4. Who are a few players that Hawaii should be aware of?

Will Sheppard is easily Vanderbilt’s most proven player on offense after having a breakout year as a junior last season. On the other side of the ball, CJ Taylor, who plays the “Anchor” position (basically a hybrid safety/linebacker), is good for blowing up one or two plays per game.

5. How do you see this game playing out?

Well, I don’t expect Vanderbilt to win 63-10 again. This year’s Hawaii team isn’t coming off the Todd Graham experience, so they’ll probably be more competitive — but I think Vanderbilt has superior talent and depth and will win something like 45-21.

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USC vs. San Jose State: Get To Know The Trojans

USC vs. San Jose State: Get To Know The Trojans Can the Spartans upset the Trojans Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire … ok maybe keep it close San Jose State travels down the California coast to take on the USC Trojans in a Week 0 matchup that …

USC vs. San Jose State: Get To Know The Trojans

Can the Spartans upset the Trojans

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

… ok maybe keep it close

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San Jose State travels down the California coast to take on the USC Trojans in a Week 0 matchup that will be a very challenging game for San Jose State.

The Spartans are a 31-point underdogs so a win will be a sizable upset.

To get to know this 2023 USC football team, we chatted with Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire to get the inside scoop.

1. What was the biggest take away from fall camp?

Frankly, the main thing from camp is that the team is healthy (although one of its defensive linemen, Solomon Tuliaupupu, was lost for the season with an injury). USC had a number of players injured last season, which cut into the team’s already-limited depth. If those players are able to play and play well this year, USC gains crucial dimensions of depth on defense and can be a much better overall team.

2. What are the lingering concerns heading into the opener?

The lingering concerns are all on the defensive side of the ball. As long as Caleb Williams and center Justin Dedich are healthy the whole season, the offense should roar. The offense should score at least 30 in every game this season. You’re probably not going to see a 17-point clunker akin to last year at Oregon State. This is a complete offense with a generational talent at quarterback and an elite play-caller at the controls on the sideline.

It’s all about Alex Grinch’s defense. Grinch’s one really good season as a defensive coordinator at Oklahoma was in 2020, the pandemic year. We all know that was a weird year in terms of what teams and coaching staffs were able to do. Grinch benefited from other teams’ lack of practice and preparation. He simply has to deliver the goods, or he should be gone. We will see if USC can get 3-and-outs instead of relying on turnovers the way it did last year. It’s prove-it time in Los Angeles.

Get a free trial with FuboTV to Pac-12 Net to watch SJSU vs. USC

3. The defense took a lot of shots last year, how will Alex Grinch improve that side of the ball?

The attempt to improve the defense begins on the defensive line. The Trojans were bad against the run. They didn’t stuff the run up the middle and were therefore vulnerable to virtually everything else opposing offenses tried to do. Bear Alexander and Kyon Barrs are the two new additions to the interior of the defensive line.

They are the merchants of muscle USC lacked in the middle of the D-line last season. If they prove to be as good as advertised, this defense should take the significant leap toward competence. The prevailing thought at USC, among fans and analysts, is that if this defense is a top-50 scoring defense, that will probably be enough to make the College Football Playoff with this offense.

The key point, though, is that while the average number of points allowed is important, it’s more about not having a catastrophic individual game such as the two Utah games. Can USC go through a full season without allowing 40 points in any single game? That might be the most important question of all. I am inclined to think the Trojans will give up at least 40 in one game, maybe two.

USC football depth chart released before season opener — lots of interesting notes

4. Who are a few players not named Caleb Williams that San Jose State should be aware of?

Dorian Singer, the transfer wide receiver from Arizona, is the Jordan Addison replacement. He will enable the wide receiver room to remain elite this season. MarShawn Lloyd is the new RB1 this year. Travis Dye held that role last year before getting injured in November. Lloyd is bigger and more powerful than Dye, while Dye was versatile and could be deployed in all sorts of ways. Lloyd is more of a sledgehammer than anyone on the roster was in 2022. USC is deeper at running back this year than it was last year. Dye got almost all the carries before his injury. This year, the Trojans should be able to spread the workload around.

On defense, linebacker Mason Cobb, the transfer from Oklahoma State, is expected to significantly improve the quality of tackling on a defense which did not tackle well at all in 2022. Calen Bullock is the starting safety and the man widely regarded as USC’s best defensive player. Anthony Lucas is a transfer from Texas A&M who will try to become this team’s best pass rusher. Eric Gentry, the transfer from Arizona State who got injured midway through the 2022 season, has put on close to 20 pounds in an attempt to get stronger. Let’s see if he can be more physical at the point of attack at linebacker.

5. How do you see this game playing out?

San Jose State will probably make some big plays early in the game. It could be a wild and crazy first quarter. USC’s defense might finally settle in midway through the second quarter, and the Trojans could begin to pull away after halftime. USC’s offense is simply not going to be stopped by San Jose State or any other opponent without a truly elite defense. USC 59, SJSU 21.

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How To Watch Week 0 Of Mountain West Football

How To Watch Week 0 Of Mountain West Football Three games this week Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Game schedule!!! Ohio at San Diego State (-3), 8 p.m. ET, FS1 or stream with a free trial on FuboTV | Preview Keys to the game. When you go …

How To Watch Week 0 Of Mountain West Football

Three games this week

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Game schedule!!!

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Ohio at San Diego State (-3), 8 p.m. ET, FS1 or stream with a free trial on FuboTV | Preview

Keys to the game.

When you go against a team with a high-scoring offense, you must run the ball well to keep that offense off the field. With three returning offensive linemen, San Diego State must run the ball successfully. Several options earned a handful of carries in 2022, including Kenan Christon (71 rushes, 261 yards), Jaylon Armstead (52 rushes, 213 yards), and Cam Davis (46 rushes, 151 yards).

Hawaii at Vanderbilt (-17), 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network or stream with a free trial on FuboTV | Preview

Keys to the game

Hawaii will look to capitalize on an unproven Commodore secondary when they unveil Coach Timmy Chang’s version of the Run and Shoot. The Warriors started the transition to the beloved offense midway through last season and spent the offseason fine tuning the playbook and getting the quarterbacks and receivers on the same page. As Hawaii fans know, in this scheme, the offense goes where the quarterback goes and Junior Bray den Schager will get the nod for the Bows.

San Jose State at No. 6 USC (-31), 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network or stream with a free trial on FuboTV | Preview

Keys to the game

San Jose State will be in for a long day. The Spartans likely and should make some plays early on and give USC a bit of a wake up call with a few big plays.

The Spartans need to do their best to keep momentum on offense and hope a bit that defensive coordinator Alex Grinch does not figure out. If — a big one — the Trojans defense gives up yards and thus points then this game could be fun.

The real key beyond the offense trying to go toe-to-toe with future No. 1 pick in USC QB Caleb Williams, and that is the defense forcing enough pressure. San Jose State lost key defenders so it is mostly a new bunch and they will need to play over their heads to get to the backfield to make Williams uncomfortable. It will be tough but this is the way that San Jose State can maybe hang with USC.

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Week 0 Mountain West Football Odds, Picks, Predictions

Week 0 Mountain West Football Odds, Picks, Predictions Staff picks for the opener Contact/Follow @MWCwire Who are we taking this week College football is back with a mini-slate of games with Week 0 kicking off this Saturday. There are three Mountain …

Week 0 Mountain West Football Odds, Picks, Predictions

Staff picks for the opener

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Who are we taking this week

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College football is back with a mini-slate of games with Week 0 kicking off this Saturday. There are three Mountain West games this week.

Mountain West Football: The Top 50 Players Of 2023

Ohio at San Diego State (-3), 8 p.m. ET, FS1 or stream with a free trial on FuboTV

Jeremy: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

Matt K: ATS: Ohio | SU: Ohio

Ted: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

LaMarr: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

TJ: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

Phil: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

Josh F: ATS: Ohio | SU: Ohio

Erik: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

Sean: : ATS: Ohio | SU: Ohio

Roger: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

Michael: ATS: San Diego State | SU: San Diego State

Brandon: ATS: Ohio | SU: Ohio

Hawaii at Vanderbilt (-17), 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network or stream with a free trial on FuboTV

Jeremy: ATS: Hawaii | SU: Vanderbilt

Matt K: ATS: Vanderbilt | SU: Vanderbilt

Ted: ATS: Hawaii | SU: Vanderbilt

LaMarr: ATS: Vanderbilt SU: Vanderbilt

TJ: ATS: Hawaii SU: Vanderbilt

Phil: ATS: Vanderbilt | SU: Vanderbilt

Josh F: ATS: Vanderbilt | SU: Vanderbilt

Erik: ATS: Hawaii | SU: Vanderbilt

Sean: : ATS: Vanderbilt | SU: Vanderbilt

Roger: : ATS: Hawaii | SU: Vanderbilt

Michael: ATS: Vanderbilt | SU: Vanderbilt

Brandon: ATS: Vanderbilt | SU: Vanderbilt

San Jose State at No. 6 USC (-31), 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network or stream with a free trial on FuboTV

Jeremy: ATS: San Jose State | SU: USC

Matt K: ATS: USC | SU: USC

Ted: ATS: USC | SU: USC

LaMarr: ATS: San Jose State SU: USC

TJ: ATS : San Jose State SU: USC

Phil: ATS: San Jose State | SU: USC

Josh F: ATS: San Jose State | SU: USC

Erik: ATS: San Jose State | SU: USC

Sean: ATS: USC | SU: USC

Roger: ATS: San Jose State | SU: USC

Michael: ATS: USC | SU: USC

Brandon: ATS: USC | SU: USC

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Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Game Preview, How To Watch, Stream, Odds

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Game Preview, How To Watch, Stream, Odds Warriors travel to the SEC Contact/Follow @MWCwire Can’t be worse than last year. On August 8th the town of Lahaina, Maui was destroyed by the most devastating and deadly wildfire in …

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Game Preview, How To Watch, Stream, Odds

Warriors travel to the SEC

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Can’t be worse than last year.

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On August 8th the town of Lahaina, Maui was destroyed by the most devastating and deadly wildfire in American history. As of today there have been 115 confirmed deaths with over 1000 people still unaccounted for. The typical jovial island vibes have been replaced with a heavy feeling of sorrow, frustration and at times helplessness.

We’ve seen the rest of the state rally, show the true meaning of Aloha and come together to help the West Maui community. It is an inspiring and beautiful result of a terrible disaster but there is still so much that needs to be done. We have our rivalries here in the Mountain West, but I would consider us friendly rivals and this is bigger than football.

If you find it in your heart to help the people of Maui, here are some links to trusted fundraising efforts that will actually get the funds into the hands of the people who need it the most. Mahalo for your consideration. #KeepLahainaLandsInLahainaHands

You can donate to Maui Strong or the Hawaiian Way Fund

You can also donate directly to families affected through this verified instagram @Lahaina_Ohana_Venmo or donate to Ilima-Lei McFarlane’s (Bellator MMA fighter) foundation @ilimanator

Last season, the Vanderbilt Commodores rolled into Manoa and spoiled the debut of Head Coach Timmy Chang on their way to a dominant 63-10 victory. This year, the Warriors hit the road and head to Nashville to open the 2023 season. The Bows look to improve on a 3-10 season and one bright spot to the 2022 record is that four of the losses were one score games.

A couple more third downs converted, a few less tackles missed and maybe a couple more games go their way. The Warriors return an experienced and aggressive defense, but the buzz around town is the return of the Run and Shoot offense. There aren’t too many people on this planet that know this offense better than Coach Chang and he’ll be calling the plays this season. I expect the offense to take a big step forward.

GAME INFO

Game: Hawaii at Vanderbilt
Where: Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California
TV: SEC Network, 7:30 p.m. ET
Streaming: Fubo TV with a free trial
Radio: Hawaii ESPN 1420
Series record: 1-0 Vanderbilt Leads
Websites: goaztecs.com | ohiobobcats.com
Game Notes: Hawaii | Vanderbilt
Odds: Vanderbuilt -17

Vanderbilt Offense vs Hawaii Defense

In last year’s season opening blowout, it was the Mike Wright show leading the Commodores offensive attack. The Quarterback threw for two touchdowns and ran for 163 yards and two more scores on the ground. Wright has since transferred to Mississippi State after losing the job midseason to AJ Swann. Swann took the reins of the offense last season and ended the year with 1274 yards, 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions with a 58% completion percentage. Although he went 1-7 as a starter, it is important to note that four of those losses were against top ten teams (Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Ole Miss).

Swann is not the runner that Wright was, but the strength of this year’s Commodore offense will be the passing game. Senior wide receiver Will Sheppard is poised to have a huge year after a breakout junior year where he posted 60 catches, 776 yards and 9 touchdowns. Reports say he’s been unguardable throughout camp.

He’ll be complemented out wide by Junior Quincy Skinner Jr. and speedy sophomore Jayden McGowan will start in the slot. Both have starting experience and showed enough flashes where the position group as a whole is seen as the strength of the team. Last year’s starting running back Ray Davis transferred to Kentucky after a solid year and it seems like the Commodores will take a committee approach to replacing him.

Watch college football all season long on ESPN+

Patrick Smith, who had a promising freshman season in 2021 before being suspended for four games during the 2022 season is listed as the starter, but Chase Gillespie and Sedrick Alexander should also see touches. The Commodores return four out of five starters on an improving offensive line. One thing that stands out about them is their SEC size. The Warriors also have Stanford and Oregon on the schedule so this will be the first test to see how they will handle the physicality of the Power 5 up front.

📍 Nashville #BRADDAHHOOD x #GoBows pic.twitter.com/GRMVnWb5JL

— Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) August 24, 2023

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San Diego State vs. Ohio: Game Preview, How To Watch, Stream, Odds

The college football season is finally, with the San Diego State Aztecs taking on the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC conference in Week 0.

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The college football season is finally here with the San Diego State Aztecs taking on the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC conference in Week 0.

Ohio and San Diego State have played once before in the 2018 Frisco Bowl when the Bobcats shut out the Aztecs 27-0. Both head coaches have changed since, but a handful of players remain on both rosters.

It’s game week!

🎟️: https://t.co/vCsAIlW2am pic.twitter.com/4YcCfVlNjL

— San Diego State Football (@AztecFB) August 21, 2023

Game: Ohio at San Diego State
Where: Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California
TV: FS1, 7 p.m. ET
Streaming: Fox Sports Go or Fubo TV with a free trial
Radio: San Diego Sports 760
Series record: 1-0 Ohio Leads
Websites: goaztecs.com | ohiobobcats.com
Game Notes: San Diego State | Ohio
Odds: San Diego State -2.5

Players to Watch

Jalen Mayden

Mayden came on strong last year as quarterback for the Aztecs. He threw for 2.030 yards, 12 touchdowns, and ten interceptions last year for San Diego State. Mayden is athletic and rushed for 231 yards last season, along with three touchdowns. With Ryan Lindley as offensive coordinator, Mayden should be ready to take the next step.

Cody Moon

Moon was a transfer from New Mexico last season; he had 105 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, and 4.5 sacks. Moon brings toughness and a good football IQ to the San Deigo State defense. He is also a quick runner who will help the Aztecs’ linebacker core.

Kurtis Rourke

Rourke led the Ohio offense to 31.8 points per game last year. Rourke won MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors last season, despite an ACL injury in November that ended his season after 11 games. He was the MAC’s leading passer at the time of the injury, as he threw for 25 touchdowns, 3,257 yards, and completed 69% of his passes. Rourke is also a dual threat, as he rushed for four touchdowns and compiled 245 rushing yards.

Keys to the Game

The Aztecs’ defensive line needs to play well

Along with Rourke, Ohio possesses a good rushing attack with reigning MAC Freshman of the Year in Sieh Bangura, who ranked fourth in the conference in rushing yards (1,078) and third in rushing touchdowns (13) in his first season. When you’re against a team that can run and pass well, your defensive line must show up and dominate in the trenches.

Newcomer Samuela Tuihalamaka, a defensive tackle, must lead the defensive line and get penetration in the Ohio backfield to slow down the Bobcats’ offense. The best way to beat a good offense is to pressure the quarterback and stop the run.

Run the ball

Play-action passing

If San Deigo State can run the ball well, it will open up the play-action passing attack. But the Aztecs ranked 116th in the nation in passing yards last season under Ryan Lindley as offensive coordinator; look for that number to go up, especially in Week 0. Mayden will have a chance to make plays down the field with his arm, and San Diego State must hit those big plays.

The game will be back and forth game, but San Diego State’s defense will get a couple of key stops, and Mayden will be able to make plays with his legs and arm to give the Aztecs a narrow victory.

San Diego State 31, Ohio 27

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