Category: Wyoming

Wyoming vs. Colorado State: 3 Keys to Cowboys Victory

Wyoming vs. Colorado State: 3 Keys to a Cowboys Victory Will the Rams ever win the Bronze Boot again? Do they even remember what it is? Contact/Follow @jessetachiquin & @MWCwire Cowboys vs Rams WEEK 13: Wyoming Cowboys (6-4, 3-3 MW) vs Colorado …

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Wyoming vs. Colorado State: 3 Keys to a Cowboys Victory

Will the Rams ever win the Bronze Boot again? Do they even remember what it is?

Contact/Follow @jessetachiquin & @MWCwire

Cowboys vs Rams

WEEK 13: Wyoming Cowboys (6-4, 3-3 MW) vs Colorado State Rams (4-6, 3-3 MW)

WHEN: Friday, November 22— 7:30 PM MT

WHERE: War Memorial Stadium; Laramie, WY (29,131)

TV: ESPN2

STREAM: fuboTV

RADIO: Wyoming | Colorado State

SERIES RECORD: Colorado State leads 58-47-5 all-time

Wyoming leads Bronze Boot series 27-24

WEBSITES: Wyoming | Colorado State

ODDS (via OddsShark): Wyoming -6.5

FEI Projection: Wyoming by 15

According to ancient Colorado State lore, the Rams were once the proud holder of the Bronze Boot. While historians continue to argue the validity of that claim, current Buffalo Bills quarterback and former Wyoming standout Josh Allen chimed in with his thoughts on “Sheep Week”.

Colorado State is well aware of the history they will make if they are able to win the big game at War Memorial Stadium. Rams coach Mike Bobo reminded the team, the citizens of Fort Collins, and all of the communities along the Front Range of how the last three meetings against the Pokes have ended during practice this week.

All jokes aside, a very dangerous and hungry squad will be making their way up from Fort Collins for the game on Friday night. An explosive offense led by QB Patrick O’Brien and WR Warren Jackson combined with a must-win game from their perspective will ensure the Pokes get the best the Rams have to offer.

Three Keys to a Wyoming Win

Contain Warren Jackson

There is no way around it, this guy is a physical specimen. His “worst” game of the season was 4 rec-53 yards-1 TD against Arkansas. Pro Football Focus has Jackson ranked as the top G5 receiver. Wyoming’s defense gave up a lot through the air last week against Utah State so slowing the Rams passing game could be a challenge. Tyler Hall has been one of the better corners in the Mountain West but he will be at a huge size advantage against the Rams standout. Limiting Jackson’s production will be key in Wyoming keeping the Boot.

Reintroduce A Quarterback Running Threat

The Cowboys offense has looked really bad without a quarterback who can run the ball and Tyler Vander Waal had a tough game last week when he was asked to throw a lot more passes than the Pokes usually attempt. Last week, the Cowboys called some direct snaps to Valladay and attempted to get Austin Conway the ball on the perimeter. The reality is that Wyoming is going to struggle to expose the Rams defense if the plan is to run a knicked up Valladay up the gut for 25 attempts. Whether it’s calling more gimmick formations, more runs for Vander Waal, or inserting Levi Williams, the Cowboys need more out of that position than they have had the last 2 weeks.

Match Colorado State’s Intensity

The Rams have everything on the line in this one. At 4-6, they are still alive for a bowl bid if they can beat Wyoming and Boise State to close the season. While those odds are not great, with the way they have played during the second half of the season, they have shown that they haven’t given up. The seat is red hot for Mike Bobo and he may need wins against the Cowboys and Broncos to keep his job.

Wyoming also has a lot on the line. With a win, the Cowboys eliminate Colorado State, ensure their senior class never takes an L against the Rams, and earn the critical 7th win that should lock them into a bowl game.

Oh, and it’s for the Bronze Boot!

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Mountain West Basketball Recruiting Round Up: Early Signing Period Edition

A Look At Recruiting Classes From Around The Mountain West Plenty of prospects signed early this year. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The Runnin’ Rebels have the highest ranked recruiting class in the Mountain West. We have created this …

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A Look At Recruiting Classes From Around The Mountain West

Plenty of prospects signed early this year.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

The Runnin’ Rebels have the highest ranked recruiting class in the Mountain West.  

We have created this list of players signed by coaching staffs in the early signing period so far for next season. Below is a list of each team and their signed players so far, with some info on that player and excerpts from head coaches on that signee.

Coaches aren’t allowed to comment on players who commit to a program throughout the year until they have received a signed National Letter of Intent from that prospect. Prospects can commit at anytime they want during the year and have two periods in which they can sign a letter of intent to play for that school.

The “early” signing period is a week long and started Nov. 13th and extended out to Nov. 20th. Most guys signed within the first two days of the week with only UNLV getting commitments and letters of intent signed after. The second signing period of the 2019-2020 season begins April 15th, 2020 and ends on May 20th, 2020.

Things To Note:

  • UNLV and first year head coach TJ Otzelberger have the largest signed group in the conference and the highest ranked. Otzelberger was able to keep a promise when it came to recruiting by getting local guys to sign with the Runnin’ Rebels. Half of his recruiting class is either from Nevada or have played high school basketball in Nevada.
  • Several teams have signed more prospects than they have seniors scheduled to leave, that means some current players will be expected to transfer.
  • Wyoming was the lone team without a commit or signee in the early signing period.
  • Air Force has 12 commits for the 2020 class per Verbal Commits. But with a complex system that includes possibly enrolling at Prep School and no confirmation of these commitments on the team’s website, they were excluded.

Boise State: 3 Signed

Bukre Smith 6-11 215 C Trinity Episcopal School-Glen Allen, VA

“Burke is extremely skilled for his size and his age,” Rice said. “Our program has always looked for skilled bigs to play our style and he does three things at a really advanced level that fit that mold: he shoots with range; he puts the ball on the floor, and he’s a very good passer. With his love for the game and outstanding work ethic he has a bright future at Boise State.” – Coach Rice

Kasean Pryor 6-9 179 SG Link Year Prep-Branson, MO

“Kasean is a long, athletic wing with huge upside,” Rice said. “He has a great combination of skill and feels not often seen in players his size. His game and body type is in the mold of James Webb and Derrick Alston, and he will be a tremendous fit in our system.” – Coach Rice

Jace Whiting 6-1 165 PG Burley HS-Burley ID 

“Jace has a great feel for the game and brings a tremendous amount of skill to the combo guard position,” Rice said. “It’s always important to keep the best players in the state at home and we’re excited to have Jace in our program.” – Coach Rice

Colorado State: 2 Signed

Isaiah Rivera 6-5 190 SF Geneseo High School-Geneseo, IL 

Jacob Jenniseen 6-1 205 C Sauk Centre Secondary-Sauk Centre, MN

Fresno State: 3 Signed

Braxton Meah 7-0 230 C San Joaquin Memorial HS-Fresno,CA

“Braxton is a 7-foot athlete, who can protect the rim and finish above the rim with the best of them,” Hutson said of Meah.  “He’s a local product and has been very well coached and developed. We are glad to be able to keep him home and our community will really enjoy watching him play.” -Coach Hutson

Leonardo Colimerio 6-7 180 SF Wasatch Academy-Mount Pleasant,UT

“Leo is a versatile, positionless basketball player,” Hutson said of Colimerio.  “Incoming from Brazil, he has an international feel for the game with great athleticism.  We look forward to him playing all over the floor.” – Coach Hutson

Destin Whitaker 6-5 185 SG Romeroville HS-Romeoville, IL

“Destin can really shoot it,” Hutson said.  “He comes from a basketball family and has been coached really well.  Destin has a high basketball IQ, and while his strength is shooting, he is very versatile.” -Coach Hutson

Nevada: 4 Signed

Tre Coleman 6-7 185 SF Jeffersonville HS-Jeffersonville, IN

“Tre is a big athletic wing who can defend all over the court.  He gives us a ton of versatility. A high-level athlete who will bring energy on both sides of the ball.” – Coach Alford 

Alem Huseinovic 6-3 180 SG PHHoenix Prep-Scottsdale, AZ

“Alem is a tough, heady shooting guard.  He really knows how to create and make shots.  A fierce competitor who really knows how to play.” – Coach Alford 

DeAndre Henry 6-7 225 PF PHHoenix Prep-Phoenix, AZ 

“Dre has a tremendous ceiling as a basketball player.  He is a strong and athletic player who loves to compete at both ends of the floor.  He will improve daily due to how hard he works.” – Coach Alford 

Jelani Clark 6-2 180 SG Archbishop Riordan HS-San Francisco, CA

“Je’Lani is a high energy, high motor player.  He has a very high basketball IQ and is committed to being a great player.  He has the ability to lead a team and program.” – Coach Alford 

Daniel Foster 6-6 185 PG Golden State Preparatory School (CA)-Melbourne, AUS

“Daniel is a versatile guard who can play a variety of positions.  A tough-minded competitor who knows how to play the game. We’ve had tremendous success with Australian born players.” – Coach Alford 

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Detroit Mercy at Wyoming: Where to watch and prediction

Wyoming looking for a win

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Cowboys need to build something positive in this home-stand

WHO: Detroit Mercy (0-2) vs. Wyoming (1-3)

WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7pm (MST)

WHERE: Laramie, WY • Arena-Auditorium (11,612)

TV: MW Network

Live Broadcast: Live Audio

SERIES RECORD: Detroit Mercy leads the series 2-1.

ODDS: Detroit Mercy -1

Preview

In the second of a three-game home stand, the Cowboys will continue to look for the positives as they’ve struggled to find consistency in three straight losses.

Wyoming is currently last in a few categories in the Mountain West Conference. They are scoring the least amount of points (50.5 pg), on the lowest shooting percentage (38.8%), and averaging the fewest rebounds (28). However, they are in the top three for defensive scoring, allowing 62 points a game.

The Cowboys will have another challenge when the Titans head to the AA, as Detroit Mercy has lost its two openers against strong ACC teams.

Here are three keys to a Wyoming win tonight in the Double-A:

Stop Davis

Antoine Davis has played lights out despite the two losses for the Titans. He scored 28 points in the opener against NC State and followed that up with 26 against Clemson.

The sophomore standout is following up his first year after beating Steph Curry‘s 3-point record as a freshman after making 132 from deep.

The Cowboys, most likely senior guard A.J. Banks, will have a tall task ahead of him to stop the Titans most potent weapon.

Who’s It Gonna Be?

The Cowboys haven’t had a No. 2 scorer break out to support the output that Hunter Maldonado has had. The sophomore guard is averaging 18 points a game.

Jake Hendricks, who was anticipated to be the leading scorer in the preseason, is only averaging six points a game as the second leading scorer. He’s hitting 28 percent from beyond the arc.

The Cowboys will need someone else to produce in order to pull out a win.

Complete Game

Against Oregon State on Saturday night the Cowboys started off strong, only down by seven at the half after the Beavers hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer. They shot 44 percent in the first half and held Oregon State to 41 percent. However, Wyoming had their characteristically long scoreless streaks in the second half and let their opponent get hot. The Beavers shot 55 percent after the break.

The Cowboys will need a complete two halves in order to compete against the Titans.

Prediction:

Detroit Mercy 65, Wyoming 60

Future Hoops Foes: Week Two Recap of Week Three’s Opponents

Taking a Look At Week Three’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Two Each Mountain West Team’s opponents in Week 3 Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week. …

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Taking a Look At Week Three’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Two
Each Mountain West Team’s opponents in Week 3

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week.

Future Foes Week One Recap:

Air Force Falcons 2-1

Mon, Nov. 18th

Texas Christian Horned Frogs:

Jamie Dixon‘s horned frogs didn’t play much this week, and are 2-0 on the season. Their lone division one win was against Louisiana-Lafayette where they outscored the Ragin Cajuns by 33 points to win the game. TCU is still hard to read with only two games under their belt, but they appear to have a dynamic scorer in senior guard Desmond Bane (25.5 PPG) and four other players averaging double digits so far.

Thurs, Nov. 21st

Loyola Marymount Lions: 

Loyola Marymount is 1-2 on the season and have yet to win a game against a division one opponent. Their two losses came at the hands of fellow Mountain West members Nevada and Colorado State. The Lions will be looking for that first win of the season and they may get it Thursday against the Falcons. Look out for junior guard Eli Scott who has had two very solid performances (17 PPG, 5.0 APG and 4.5 RPG against MW teams) on the year so far.

Fri, Nov. 22nd

Duquesne Dukes: 

The Falcon’s will take on a Duke’s team who is currently undefeated at 3-0 with their most impressive win being a 27 point win at home against Princeton. Duquesne who is coached by Lebron James’ high school coach Keith Dambrot is led by sophomore guard Sincere Carry who is averaging 15.0 PPG in three contests. The Dukes haven’t faceed anyone ranked inside the top 200 per Kenpom yet, so Air Force will be their highest rated competition at 178th.

Sun, Nov. 24th

Indiana State Sycamores:

 Larry Bird‘s alma mater is still win less going into week three of the season and could come away with a few wins this week. Their losses have been to pretty solid teams in Louisville and Dayton. And junior guard Tyreke Key is averaging 17.3 PPG and had his best games so far against those big opponents. Watch out for the Sycamores this Sunday Air Force Fans.

Boise State 1-2

Wed, Nov. 20th

Brigham Young Cougars:

The Cougars are 3-1 on the year after a nail biting win against Houston on the road where senior guard TJ Haws shocked the other Cougars (of Houston) on a last second fade away jumper that bounced off of the rim and then dropped in to win the game. With Yoeli Childs still fulfilling that nine game suspension, first year head coach Mark Pope is relying on transfer guards Jake Toolson (15.3 PPG) and Alex Barcello (13.0 PPG) to keep the ship afloat until his return.

Sat, Nov. 23rd

Pacific Tigers:

Damon Stoudamire‘s Tiger squad is 4-2 on the year with two very close losses to South Dakota and Hawaii. They’re not getting it done in a flashy way but playing defense and just outscoring their opponents. Their leading scorer junior guard Justin Moore is averaging just 11.3 PPG. Also watch out for senior guard Jahlil Tripp and big man Amari McCray (6-9 304) who will give Boise State’s front court a challenge.

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Utah State outlast Wyoming in ugly Bridger’s Battle game

Ags retain the rifle and keep MWC title hopes alive in bruising win over feisty Pokes

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

USU’s conference title hopes remain alive

The phrase “cardiac kids” comes to mind with this Utah State team.

Much like the Aggies of 2011, this group of players has been hanging tough in numerous one-score games. Unlike the 2011 team, this Aggie team has had significantly better luck in close contests. USU has gone a solid 3-1 this year when the game is on the line in the closing minutes. No thanks to untimely penalties, Wyoming shot themselves in the foot just one time too many to reclaim the rifle.

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The game started out extremely poorly for both teams. USU failed to gain any offensive rhythm and turned the ball over in the first minute of the game on a batted and intercepted pass from Jordan Love. This felt like a “here we go again” type moment for USU as Love’s struggles with ball security reared their head yet again.

Unfortunately for Wyoming, newly minted starting QB Tyler Vander Waal showed some serious jitters. After easily getting his offense inside USU’s 15-yard line, a blitz off the edge sent Vander Waal scrambling backwards. Vander Waal then promptly lost the ball after tripping on the turf and USU recovered it around the 35-yard line.

This game would overall be a battle of defenses as neither team scored anything in the first quarter. Wyoming’s star LB Logan Wilson then made his presence felt beginning the second quarter as he picked off another batted Jordan Love pass and took it 10 yards for an easy score. Already at two turnovers on the afternoon, it felt like this game could get out of hand quickly for USU.

A few minutes later after USU’s defense forced a punt, Jordan Love shook off his funk and tossed a dart to Siaosi Mariner for an 80-yard touchdown pass. It would signal the start of a strong second quarter as Love threw a TD to Gerold Bright on a busted coverage in Wyoming’s questionable secondary. Now the Aggies had rhythm and Wyoming would have to keep up.

For Wyo’s RB Xazavian Valladay, this would prove to be no issue. The rusher bullied his way down the field on a strong drive, aided by a couple of sloppy penalties on USU’s defense. It then set up Vander Waal for a leap into the endzone, tying the game up.

Before the half ended, USU kicked a couple of field goals to go up 20-14. One of the kicks was set up after Shaq Bond intercepted a tipped pass from Vander Waal. USU had a chance to go up more before half, but USU got caught with an ineligible player penalty that wiped away an endzone bomb from Love to Thompkins.

In the second half, the defensive war was in full effect.

USU forced the Cowboys to punt after sacking Vander Waal to end an extended drive. USU then went on an extended drive themselves and made it all the way inside Wyoming’s five-yard line. Jordan Love took a nasty hit on a scramble and then USU was unable to finish the drive with a touchdown. On a frustratingly predictable play call, they turned the ball over on downs.

These defenses continued hitting each others’ offenses in the mouth. USU was able to squeeze out one more field goal apiece from Dominik Eberle per remaining quarter to take a 26-14 lead with 11:11 to go in the fourth. But Wyoming wasn’t going away by a long-shot.

The Cowboys ate up over four minutes of the clock and scored on a touchdown drive to bring the game to 26-21. USU QB Henry Colombi, filling in for the possibly injured Love, was then unable to respond with a score of his own in two drive attempts and USU had to punt. Not only was the game getting too close for comfort, it looked like an ending we’d all seen before.

Not known for their passing prowess, Wyoming would need to rely on Tyler Vander Waal’s arm to win the game. Walk-on LB Eric Munoz for the Aggies had other plans though.

Vander Waal got his offense moving and the Cowboys inside the Aggie 40-yard line. Sure heartbreak felt like an inevitability as the Aggies struggled all afternoon with the QB’s ability to scramble. Some late pressure came from USU’s defense and got the QB rushed. He threw across his body right into the arms of the waiting Munoz.

Ecstasy and relief in one fell swoop for the Aggies. They avoided the upset and preserved their conference title hopes, even with the status of Jordan Love unknown. Wyoming suffered their second consecutive heartbreaking loss and was left to wonder what might have been. But oh what a game!

The Last Stand

Utah State, despite some big ups and downs this season, is right where they want to be. With two games remaining in the regular season, they have a chance to at least tie for first in the loaded Mountain Division. Another loss from Air Force and then an Aggie win over the Broncos would launch USU into the MWC title game.

Boise State comes to Logan with QB uncertainty of their own, as well as some other question marks. Despite their strong 9-1 record and national ranking, the Broncos have looked inconsistent and downright ugly at times on offense. They struggled to put away Wyoming on the blue turf and had to go to overtime to finish the job. They also had to survive a shootout on the road against upstart San Jose State, a team with a less than stellar defense.

While team depth is still better for the Broncos, the potential loss of Curtis Weaver from their defensive line could make the upcoming game a suddenly fair fight. It could be Boise’s backup QB vs USU’s backup QB.

USU’s offensive line has gelled better in recent weeks and if RB Jaylen Warren continues to heal up, the Ags may finally have the offensive balance they need to take on the Broncos. With or without Love at the helm, the receivers have stepped up big in recent weeks to help secure the close wins.

This is the moment we’ve been waiting for since 2013, Aggie fans: show up this weekend and support our boys! They’ve battled through significant hardship and they still have a shot to accomplish all their team goals on November 23rd (coupled with an Air Force loss somewhere).

A win validates the program culture, possibly for good. A loss would be painful, but we would still have gone bowling in eight of the last nine seasons. All things considered, that is no small feat for a program that is only a decade removed from its dark ages.

I believe. Do you?

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Wyoming’s Four Turnovers Lead to 26-21 Defeat vs. Utah State

Wyoming’s backup quarterback Tyler Vander Wall had too many errors in the loss to Utah State.

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Bridger’s Rifle will spend one more year in Utah

Wyoming’s 4 turnovers were too much to overcome

Contact/Follow @jessetachiquin & @MWCwire

The Cowboys played hard but were unable to overcome 4 turnovers included a critical interception with the Pokes driving for the potential winning score. Xazavian Valladay put in another blue-collar effort with 114 yards on 25 carries. Aside from the 3 interceptions, the Cowboys had one of their best showings throwing the ball this season led by Josh Harshman’s 6 catches for 76 yards and Austin Conway’s 5 catches for 64 yards.

There were stretches during the game where Utah State quarterback Jordan Love torched Wyoming’s pass defense but the Cowboys forced 2 turnovers and did a good job of forcing field goals instead of touchdowns. Given the number of turnovers from the Pokes offense, the fact that Wyoming even had a chance late in the game is a testament to how well Logan Wilson and the rest of the defense performed.

It’s time to meet Levi Williams

After the Boise State game, I wrote that the Cowboys were going to be fine with Tyler Vander Waal at quarterback down the stretch. That was until I saw the turnover party he threw in Logan on Saturday. The fumble in the red zone and the final interception to seal the loss could be chalked up to trying to do too much. The other 2 interceptions are hard to make an excuse for. Given the way the door closed on him last season with Sean Chambers taking over, I can see how he might have been in a situation where he was just “trying too hard”. 

At this point in Vander Waal’s career, I think we know what we can expect from him this season. He has been an excellent teammate but the reality is that the offense really struggles to move the ball when he’s under center. We’ve seen this throughout two seasons. Vander Waal is certainly not the one to blame as Josh Allen, Nick Smith, and Chambers have also struggled in this offense but Allen and Chambers ability to run the ball made the offense effective.  It’s not time to write him off but it is time to see what else the Cowboys have. 

Levi Williams is a true freshman from Texas who was recruited by TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Houston. A coaching change at Houston presented Wyoming with a chance to bring him in. He’s listed as a pocket passer but he accounted for 1,230 rushing yards with 16 rushing TD’s in his senior season. The Cowboys have a very young team with a bright future but the team is out of contention for the conference title and needs to find one more win to ensure a bowl birth. With the new redshirt rules, what’s it hurt to see what he can do? Perhaps Williams will even show enough to give Chambers a run for his money next season. If anything, it gets a young player meaningful game experience with no consequence of losing a year of eligibility.

The Offense Wasn’t A One Man Show

I’ve been waiting for Conway to have a huge game in his final season and he was a big part of the game plan against the Aggies. In addition to his six catches, he had 2 rushing attempts and looked great on punt returns. He is far too talented to be as underutilized as he has been this season. Brett Brenton took advantage of his opportunity adding 22 yards on four carries and a catch for 5 yards. Valladay even got an opportunity to run out of the Wildcat on the first drive of the game. While the overhaul to the offense wasn’t as comprehensive as many would like, it’s clear that Vigen and his group were attempting to add new wrinkles.

Mountain West Officiating Leaves Much To Be Desired

The Cowboys didn’t lose because of poor officiating but it’s becoming to be a glaring problem for the league. Utah State was called for a phantom pass interference early when the defensive back used the sideline perfectly.  Tyler Hall was penalized twice for pass interference on plays where he was guilty of running the Utah State receiver’s route better than the Utah State player, Essias Gandy was called on a late hit out of bounds in a play where he didn’t hit the returner and a relatively weak holding call was enforced on a long punt return from Austin Conway that took great field position from the Pokes on their final drive. It’s easy to hate the officials because nobody recognized when they do a good job but these inexcusable mistakes keep piling up with no consequences.

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Mountain West Football: Week 12 Winners and Losers

Eric Munoz, Tyler Vander Waal, Luq Barcoo and Tony Sanchez are among the weekend’s biggest winners and losers in Mountain West football.

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Mountain West Football: Week 12 Winners and Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired in Week 12 of Mountain West football?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Some encouragement and some letdowns from the week that was.

That’s how you do a rivalry week, yeah? Friday and Saturday brought a lot of twists and turns all across the Mountain West but as always, for every winner there has to be a loser.

Here’s who stepped up and disappointed in Week 12.

Winners

1. Utah State linebacker Eric Munoz. Life isn’t always easy for a walk-on athlete, so when you crush your chance to shine, you have to make the winners list. In his first career start, Munoz led the Aggies with 13 tackles and came away with two interceptions, too, including the one that sealed the victory over Wyoming late in the fourth quarter. Considering his winding path to this moment, we’ll definitely be on the lookout for more production down the stretch.

2. Air Force linebacker Jake Ksiazek. Speaking of players you probably didn’t know about until yesterday, the Falcons got a big time performance from its front seven and no one was better than the senior from Tucson. He had three of Air Force’s eight sacks against Colorado State and forced two fumbles while recovering one himself to help secure the Ram-Falcon Trophy.

3. San Diego State cornerback Luq Barcoo. In a crucial game for the Aztecs’ division title hopes, Barcoo continued to play at what’s almost certain to be an all-conference level. He had two interceptions in a tight win over Fresno State, one of which shut down a fourth-quarter scoring threat, which makes him one of three FBS defenders at the moment with at least seven INTs on the year.

Losers

1. Wyoming quarterback Tyler Vander Waal. The Cowboys needed to get more out of their passing game on Saturday against Utah State and didn’t get it. Vander Waal’s final stat line — 20-of-36 for 185 yards and three interceptions — belies the fact that it took a late rally to get that many yards through the air. His four giveaways also killed two scoring chances and led directly to two Dominik Eberle field goals that ultimately made the difference in the battle for the Bridger Rifle.

2. UNLV’s offense. Against a Hawaii defense that had given up at least seven yards per play in each of its last four games, the Rebels had perhaps their worst overall performance of the year. They averaged just 4.8 yards per play, went 2-for-11 on third downs, threw two interceptions (one of which was a pick six), and put a little more heat under head coach Tony Sanchez’s ever-warmer seat.

3. New Mexico’s running game. You can’t blame the Lobos for leaning on Ahmari Davis and Bryson Carroll, but it didn’t help when both running backs got hurt early and their replacements were mostly ineffective in their blowout loss to Boise State. In the first quarter, New Mexico ran the ball 16 times for just 45 yards, getting stuffed on a third-and-one, third-and-two, fourth-and-one while the Broncos raced out to a 28-0 lead that put the game out of reach.

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 12

Find out where the Mountain West team are projected to go bowling this week.

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 12

Two more teams are bowl eligible this week.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Utah State, Hawaii are now bowl eligible

Two more Mountain West teams became bowl eligible over the weekend when Hawaii outlasted UNLV, 21-7, and Utah State survived Wyoming, 26-21, while also losing quarterback Jordan Love to an injury.

This now gives the league seven bowl-eligible teams and there are three teams at 4-6 in Fresno State, San Jose State, and Colorado State. Only two have a chance at six wins since the Spartans and Bulldogs play each other. The Rams are likely out as they would have to defeat Wyoming and Boise State to get to six.

With seven bowl-eligible teams, there still could be one or teams left out. There are five official Mountain West bowl spots. BYU has officially accepted an invitation to the Hawaii Bowl. Technically, the other half of the bowl goes to an AAC team but Hawaii is also an option.

It would make a whole lot of sense for the Hawaii Bowl to have is hometown Warriors play a former rival in BYU. The only way the Warriors are passed over is if the American has a ranked team available. There is a real possibility of three AAC teams being ranked at the end of the year; some combination of SMU, Memphis, Navy, and Cincinnati.

It all depends on the bowl and how many tickets they want to sell or if they want a good matchup. Hawaii vs. BYU could be both but it also would be attractive for the bowl game to have BYU vs. a team ranked in the 20s over the Warriors.

In this reincarnation of the Hawaii Bowl which dates back to 2002, the game has never had a ranked team in its game and that might be hard to pass up.

There is also some bowl shuffling going on with the Big Ten and SEC having more teams in the New Year’s Six and playoff to not allow enough teams to fill its required spots, and that is how the Mountain West could find space for all seven bowl-eligible teams.

There is an itch to just put Boise State in the Cotton Bowl but with the AAC having a fairly deciding edge that will have to wait until things look more realistic for the Broncos.

With some bowl swapping, we welcome the Frisco Bowl to our bowl projections.

A few notes about the bowl lineups. Starting with the Hawaii Bowl. The game has a vaguely worded tie-in which is a combination between BYU, Hawaii or an AAC team. The Warriors have a 13-game schedule and must have seven wins to secure a bowl berth. Technically, BYU takes the Mountain West spot but a Cougars vs. Warriors matchup would be a classic WAC rivalry renewal.

There is a new bowl this year and it’s a Power Five opponent from the Big Ten in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Overall, the league has six guaranteed bowl berths and is a backup for the Cheez-It Bowl if the Pac-12 or Big 12 does not have enough teams eligible. As always, there can be trades for the best matchups.

Finally, if the Mountain West is the highest-rated team in the College Football Playoff then a New Year’s Six Bowl game is an option at either the Cotton or Orange Bowl.

1. Las Vegas vs. Pac-12

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. MAC
– Gildan New Mexico Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Hawai’i Bowl vs. BYU or American
– NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Cheez-It Bowl Conditional for MW if bowl can’t fill a spot.

Previous projections: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11

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Wyoming at Utah State: Three keys for a Cowboys win

Forget Boise State, Vander Waal ready for rematch

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Forget the past, Aggies in front of Cowboys for future success

WEEK 12:  Wyoming (6-3) vs Utah State (5-4)

WHEN: Saturday, November 16 — 12:00 PM PT/1:00 PM MT

WHERE: Maverick Stadium; Logan, Utah (25,100)

TV: ESPNU

RADIO: The University of Wyoming broadcast can be found in and around Cheyenne, Wyoming on KFSB, 1240 AM. It can also be found on 26 affiliate radio stations around the state.

LAST WEEK: Wyoming lost in overtime to Boise State, 20-17.

SERIES RECORD: This is the 70th meeting between the two conference squads. Wyoming is behind in the series, 26-39-4.

WEBSITES: gowyo.com, the official University of Wyoming athletics website | utahstateaggies.com, the official New Mexico athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Wyoming | New Mexico

ODDS (via OddsShark): Utah State – 5

SP+ PROJECTION: Utah State by 2.2 (55% win probability)

One team that was projected to be competing for a Mountain West title and another that was supposed to be somewhere near the bottom. Despite just one loss in conference, Utah State seems to be under-achieving with projected NFL first-rounder Jordan Love not living up to the Heisman-hype and Wyoming is surprising others after a tough loss to Boise State last week.

One thing that both teams have in common for Saturday’s contest, is there is still a lot on the line. The Cowboys might be bowl-eligible, but six wins guarantee nothing like last year’s missing bowl invite shows. Meanwhile, the Aggies are one win away from technically being in that same boat with the next two contests being the biggest of the season playing the top-tier teams of the Mountain Division in back-to-back weeks.

Here’s a look at three keys to a Cowboys win:

Three Keys to a Wyoming Victory

1. Forget the last game

Cooper Rothe‘s missed field goal in overtime still stings, but it’s time to move on from Boise State to see if the Cowboys can build on a strong conference showing against the Broncos.

Wyoming has a lot of positives to build on from last week as most aspects of the Cowboys game plan was solid and produced results against a top-25 team. Xazavian Valladay proved can be consistent as the work-horse (37-124 yds) back and the defense held the Broncos to well over 100 yards less than their average.

So despite the loss, Wyoming is still on track to possibly surpass it’s projected win total of 7 wins at the start of the season with three games left.

2. TVW Revenge

Tyler Vander Waal‘s last start of the 2018 season was against the Aggies. He had an abysmal 38 yards in the air prior to being pulled for Sean Chambers. He even had a chance to come back late in the game with a chance to at least tie after Chambers led the team to that point. It didn’t happen and the Cowboys fell by eight points.

So, this game has Vander Waal’s name all over it with a chance to redeem that performance after a year of growth and a new mindset that has produced results.

The sophomore quarterback had 160 yards against Boise State and ran in for a score. More important than the numbers was his presence. He made throws consistently (15-23) and showed a versatile confidence from short to long passes.

3. Contain Love

In comparison to 2018, Love is not having a great year. But that’s just perspective because the junior quarterback still has over 2,000 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. A far cry from his 32 scores a year ago.

Wyoming will have to at the least contain the highly-profiled slinger if they want to bring home the Bridger Rifle. Stopping Love will be tricky as the Cowboys have been prone to give up the big plays, but the secondary has shown strides in recent weeks.

One thing that Wyoming did well at the beginning of the season was force turnovers and Love has actually thrown one more interception this year than a touchdown, so there’s that. Senior defensive backs Tyler Hall and Alijah Halliburton should get ready for the pick to help their cause.

Prediction

This game could be considered a toss-up, but the scale definitely leans toward the Cowboys as the big-deficit losses mount up for the Aggies. These next two weeks will be huge for both teams, but Wyoming just might have the advantage all-around in Saturday’s game. The Cowboys defense might give up yards, but they’ll also make the big plays when they count.

Wyoming 30, Utah State 28

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Mountain West Predictions, Game Previews, Lines, TV: Week 12

Check out all the fearless predictions, game previews, lines and TV listings for Week 12 of the Mountain West season.

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Check out all the fearless predictions, game previews, lines and TV listings for Week 12 of the Mountain West season.

How are the Mountain West predictions so far?
Straight Up: 52-20, ATS 29-29-2, o/u: 35-25

Click on each game for game preview & prediction  

Friday, November 15

Fresno State at San Diego State

Prediction: San Diego State 23, Fresno State 20
BetMGM Line: San Diego State -3, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: San Diego State 17, Fresno State 7

Saturday, November 16

Hawaii at UNLV

4:00 Facebook | Get Tickets
BetMGM Line: Hawaii -7, o/u: 74
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)

Wyoming at Utah State

4:00 ESPNU | Get Tickets
BetMGM Line: Utah State -5, o/u: 50
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)

Air Force at Colorado State

7:00 ESPN2 | Get Tickets
BetMGM Line: Air Force -10.5, o/u: 63.5
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)

New Mexico at Boise State

10:15 ESPN2 | Get Tickets
BetMGM Line: Boise State -28, o/u: 59
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)

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