Utah State vs. Alabama: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

It’ll be a battle between conference champs when the Aggies and Crimson Tide clash on Saturday. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Utah State vs. Alabama: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

It’ll be a battle between conference champs when the Aggies and Crimson Tide clash on Saturday. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

A huge challenge awaits.

WEEK 1: Utah State Aggies (1-0) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

WHEN: Saturday, September 3 — 5:30 PM MT/4:30 PM MT

WHERE: Bryant-Denny Stadium; Tuscaloosa, AL

WEATHER: 70% chance of rain, possible thunderstorms, high of 88 degrees

TV: SEC Network

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes SECN, by following this link. You can also find the Utah State radio feed online via the Tunein app.

RADIO: The Utah State broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the Aggie Sports Network, which includes flagship 1280 AM/97.5 FM (KZNS) out of Salt Lake City. The game will also be broadcast on satellite radio, on Sirius XM channel 381, and it can be streamed live via KSL Sports.

SERIES RECORD: Alabama leads the all-time series, 2-0. In the last meeting on October 29, 2005, the Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies, 35-3, in Tuscaloosa.

WEBSITES: UtahStateAggies.com, the official Utah State athletics website | RollTide.com, the official Alabama athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Utah State | Alabama

ODDS: Alabama -41.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Alabama by 36.6

FEI PROJECTION: Alabama by 29.5

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Alabama 99.78% win probability (43.16-3.61)

GAME 2️⃣ | at #1 Alabama

🏟 Bryant–Denny Stadium
⌚️ Saturday | 5:30 PM MT
📺 @SECNetwork

Notes ➡️ https://t.co/QUanTPjj7C #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/85MUfVnSF3

— USU Football (@USUFootball) August 29, 2022

The Utah State Aggies got their season off to a solid, if unspectacular, start against the UConn Huskies last weekend, but now the proverbial difficulty level gets kicked up to Insanity this Saturday when they hit the road to face the Alabama Crimson Tide.

After falling just short of another national title in January, Nick Saban’s Tide are the odds-on favorite to finish on top once again and the Aggies might be little more than a modest speed bump on the way to Inglewood this winter. Long odds are better than no odds, though, so here’s what Utah State has to do to accomplish the unthinkable and mount an upset bid.

Three Keys to a Utah State Victory

1. Win inside the 20-yard line.

It may not shock you to learn Alabama has been one of the nation’s most proficient teams when it comes to getting points in the red zone, posting a 92.65% conversion rate that ranked fifth last year after finishing eighth in 2020. They turned 46 of their 68 opportunities into touchdowns, a 67.65% rate that ranked 25th overall, and that is a far cry from what Utah State’s offense did during the same season: The Aggies ranked 100th in overall red zone conversion rate and 107th in touchdown conversion rate inside the 20.

Bryce Young, in particular, was aces in the red zone. The Heisman Trophy winner completed 49-of-80 passes with 25 touchdowns and two interceptions, so while he’ll be working with a mostly new cohort of pass catchers in 2022, making stops when the chips are down will be necessary for any Utah State upset.

2. Don’t let Logan Bonner take a beating.

Linebacker Will Anderson is considered by many to be the best college football player in the country, full stop, but the reality is that the Crimson Tide owned the nation’s best overall sack rate last year, 11.2%, because the entire defense is littered with elite talent. Phidarian Mathis and Christian Harris might be in the NFL now, but the other five Alabama defenders who posted at least two sacks in 2021 — Anderson, Dallas Turner, Henry To’oTo’o, DJ Dale, and Byron Young — are back.

Utah State fans aren’t likely to dispute that Bonner got hit way too often last year and will probably concede that Alabama will get to him at least a few times on Saturday, which might explain why running back Calvin Tyler Jr. had more rushing attempts than the star quarterback had passes. A more balanced offense might keep the Tide off balance for a little while, but sooner or later they’ll need to connect on the explosive plays that made the Aggies offense so dangerous throughout their championship run.

Utah State Football: First Look At The Alabama Crimson Tide

3. Don’t get stuck in third-and-long.

One element of the game that Utah State overcame throughout last season was being only average on first downs. Tyler Jr., for instance, improved his yards per carry from first to second to third down in 2021, while the passing offense completed just 58.8% of its 182 first-down attempts (though the Aggies did average a healthy 8.7 yards per attempt in those situations).

Long story short, it’s incredibly unlikely that Utah State will be able to make up ground as consistently if the Tide stuff them for short gains, or worse, on early downs. Staying on schedule as often as possible will go a long way.

Prediction

Utah State’s performance against UConn wasn’t as extreme as the naysayers would have you believe, but any slow start on the road against the College Football Playoff runners-up will not fly. The margin for error is nil, and while the Aggies should still be okay in the long run, they have not proven yet that they can play a full sixty minutes with zero mistakes.

The good news? In Tuscaloosa, at least, that will make them just like everyone else who tries their hand at turning back the Tide.

Alabama 48, Utah State 14

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Western Kentucky vs. Hawaii: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Hawaii Warriors will host the explosive Western Kentucky Hilltoppers late on Saturday. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

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Western Kentucky vs. Hawaii: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Warriors look to rebound after a season-opening loss.

Contact/Follow @Nachbeazy and @MWCwire

The defense better be ready.

WEEK 1: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1-0) vs. Hawaii Warriors (0-1)

WHEN: Saturday, September 3 — 6:00 PM HT/9:00 PM PT/10:00 PM MT

WHERE: Clarence T.C. Ching Complex; Honolulu, HI

WEATHER: Scattered showers and breezy, high of 90 degrees

TV: Spectrum Pay-Per-View

STREAMING: For fans on the mainland, the game can only be streamed using the Team1Sports application, which is available for download on Android and Apple devices and over-the-top platforms like Roku and Amazon Fire. Please note that the game will not be available on desktops or laptops.

RADIO: You can stream the Hawaii radio broadcast on ESPNHonolulu.com & Sideline Hawaii app (Google | Apple)

SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between Western Kentucky and Hawaii.

LAST WEEK: Western Kentucky defeated Austin Peay at home, 38-27, Hawaii lost at home to Vanderbilt, 63-10.

WEBSITES: Western Kentucky | Hawaii

GAME NOTES (PDF): Western Kentucky | Hawaii

ODDS: Western Kentucky -16

SP+ PROJECTION: Western Kentucky by 18.9

FEI PROJECTION: Western Kentucky by 18.0

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Western Kentucky 94.84% win probability (51.25-28.60)

Short memory with more to prove!#BRADDAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/44K8yZ4IjP

— Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) August 30, 2022

Debut of the Braddahhood…

The 2022 season got off to an exciting start when Dedrick Parson capped off an efficient eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 37-yard touchdown run. The drive was a glimpse at what could be in the Timmy Chang era, but the rest of the game was a reminder of how much work needs to be done to rebuild the program.

Besides a couple of unfortunate bounces, the Warriors held their own in the first half and it felt like the game was closer than the 21-10 score showed. The third quarter was a different story as the Commodores came out of the half strong and used a dominant running game to wear down the Warriors in the second half. The Commodores finished with 404 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, led by quarterback Mike Wright who ran for 163 yards and two scores on 13 carries.

With the exception of the opening drive, the Warriors struggled to move the ball. Brayden Schager and Joey Yellen combined to throw for 250 yards while completing 28 out of 55 attempts. The struggles through the air were not all on the quarterbacks as the receivers did not often create much separation to help the new signal callers. While they didn’t throw any interceptions, offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker is definitely looking for more production out of the position, especially as it was reported this week that Cammon Cooper has re-entered the ongoing quarterback competition.

Parson scored Hawaii’s only touchdown on Saturday, but based on his post-game press conference, he is more concerned about the two fumbles that went the other way for touchdowns. As a fan, I appreciate his maturity, taking accountability and making no excuses about the matter. Look for him to have a bounce back game against Western Kentucky.

One bright spot for the Warriors offense was the play of senior wide receiver Jonah Panoke. Panoke snagged seven balls for 101 yards and showed that he can be a reliable target on the outside. The Bows will need Panoke to continue to step up, especially if Zion Bowens is sidelined with his injury for an extended amount of time.

Western Kentucky Game Preview

This Saturday, the Warriors will host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers out of the Conference USA. WKU opened their 2022 season by beating Austin Peay in a tightly contested game and although a score like that against a FCS opponent may not be impressive, the Hilltoppers should not be overlooked. Last season, led by quarterback Bailey Zappe, the Hilltoppers had the number two offense in the nation. Zappe just made the Patriots 53-man roster and offensive coordinator Zach Kittley is now at Texas Tech, but by promoting wide receivers coach Josh Crawford and quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle to co-coordinator duties, they will keep a similar scheme and play style.

Replacing Zappe at quarterback is West Florida transfer Austin Reed. Reed led West Florida to a NCAA Division II championship in 2021, throwing for 4,089 yards and 40 touchdowns. Last week against Austin Peay, Reed went 20-of-34 for 279 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He showed great touch on his throws with the ability to layer the ball into open space and also demonstrated some pretty good arm strength driving the ball on passes outside the numbers. Reed is a much better passer than Vanderbilt’s Mike Wright and though he’s a decent runner, he’s not the same caliber athlete as Wright.

Austin Reed unleashes a BOMB to extend Western Kentucky’s lead 💣💥 pic.twitter.com/GeIdGBMCgG

— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) August 27, 2022

The Hilltoppers lost their top two receivers from last season, however that doesn’t mean that they aren’t returning production and talent. Malachi Corley had 73 catches for 691 yards and seven touchdowns and is a threat with the ball in his hands after the catch and picked up right where he left off last Saturday, scoring three times in the victory. Daewood Davis scored eight touchdowns in 2021 and led the team in the opener with six catches for 124 yards and one touchdown.

Defensively, keep an eye on linebacker JaQues Evans. Last week, Evans accounted for 13 tackles (9 solo) and 2.5 sacks. Up front, the Hilltoppers are led by defensive end Juwuan Jones, who totaled 10 tackles a week ago, and defensive tackle Lorenzo Hernandez who accounted for half a sack and two quarterback hurries.

The secondary last season was opportunistic, coming up with 21 interceptions. This season they are off to a good start as cornerback Upton Stout and safety AJ Brathwaite both had interceptions against Austin Peay. Brathwaite returns after totaling 64 tackles last season. Wyoming transfer Rome Weber was named to the PFF preseason All-CUSA second team defense, too, and looks to finish his career strong.

Hawaii Football: First Look At The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

QB1 needs to step up…

I know Chang and Shoemaker wanted to be secretive about naming a Week 0 starter and maybe even wanted to wait and see who would emerge and become the guy, but here we are going into Week 1 and now it is back to a three-man quarterback competition. Schager and Yellen each had their moments, but neither were consistent enough to win the job.

Shoemaker has talked about wanting a dual threat quarterback in the past and Cammon Cooper offers a little more mobility at the position. The Warriors need to find their guy as soon as possible so whoever it ends up being can get reps and develop some timing with the receivers.

Feed Dedrick…

Parson had two costly fumbles against Vanderbilt and, for a lot of guys, that could lead to the dog house, but it’s obvious that he is one of the best playmakers on the team. Besides the two fumbles, Parson had a good game in averaging 6.3 yards on 13 carries. I think he needs to see close to 20 carries per game this season and a few touches in the passing game on top of that. This week, it will be especially important to get the ground game going as it will not only relieve some pressure from the quarterback, but also keep the explosive Hilltoppers offense off the field.

Communicate on Defense…

Have you ever watched a game on TV and one team’s offense makes the field seem so much bigger with so much open space on it? That’s the feeling I get when I watch Western Kentucky.

They spread you out both horizontally and vertically and make you defend every inch of grass. Obviously, that is a tough task for any defense, and for a defense breaking in this many new starters it could be trouble.

Communication in the secondary will be vital in trying to defend the speedy Hilltoppers pass catchers. They use pre-snap motion, drag routes across the field, and threaten the seams with the tight ends or slots. Reed will challenge this secondary with his arm and it will be important for the defensive front to help the secondary by creating pressure. Last week, the Warriors recorded no sacks or quarterback hurries. We’ve talked highly about the edge rushers all off-season and I’m hoping we start to see some production from that group.

Western Kentucky will present a different set of problems for the Hawaii defense to solve. This week, it should be the secondary that gets tested. The Hilltoppers have a lot of speed on the outside and a scheme that utilizes it well. I think the secondary may struggle if the defensive front isn’t able to create pressure and gives Reed too much time to throw.

On the other side of the ball, it will be important for Hawaii to establish the run game. Vanderbilt had good team speed on defense and swarmed to the ball. I don’t think Western Kentucky will be on that same level and Austin Peay was able to find success on the ground. I think the ‘Bows have a chance to get Parson involved early and often and use play-action to open up the passing game.

The receivers need to create more separation and if they can’t do that, then it might be time to use the physicality of both Jonah Panoke and tight end Jordan Murray to win using their frames on the outside. This is a tough non-conference schedule with a trip to the Big House still looming. The positive is this will help to get the Warriors ready for Mountain West conference play.

As always, let’s go ‘Bows!

Final score prediction, from Matt Kenerly: Western Kentucky 42, Hawaii 27

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CFN Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team, Top 30 Players: Preview 2022

Who are the best players in the Mountain West going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West team and top 30 players.

Who are the best players in the Mountain West going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West team and top 30 players.

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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews

2022 Preseason CFN Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year

QB Jake Haener, Sr. Fresno State

The superstar recruit started out at Washington, went to Fresno State, was expected to join head coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington, changed his mind, and now he’s back with the Bulldogs – current head man Jeff Tedford knows a thing or two about how to coach up quarterbacks.

Haener threw for over 4,000 yards last season with 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions, but he can do so much more – like win lead the program to the Mountain West title.

2022 Preseason CFN Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year

LB Vince Sanford, Sr. Air Force

Take your pick of at least ten linebackers or ten more safeties or ten more pass rushers to be the Preseason Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, and you might not be wrong. Sanford gets the nod because of all he can do, coming off a breakthrough season with 59 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles. He broke up three passes, too.

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West Team: Offense

QB Jake Haener, Sr. Fresno State

RB Brad Roberts, Sr. Air Force

WR Jalen Cropper, Sr. Fresno State

RB Titus Swen, Sr. Wyoming

WR Jesse Matthews, Sr. San Diego State

TE Treyton Welch, Sr. Wyoming

OT Aaron Frost, Sr. Nevada

OG Gray Davis, Sr. Colorado State

C Alama Uluave, Sr. San Diego State

OG Micah Vanterpool, Sr. Hawaii

OT John Ojukwu, Sr. Boise State

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West Team: Defense

DE Keshawn Banks, Sr. San Diego State

DT Scott Matlock, Sr. Boise State

DT Jonah Tavai, Sr. San Diego State

DE Cade Hall, Sr. San Jose State

LB Cam’Ron Carter, Sr. Colorado State

LB Easton Gibbs, Soph. Wyoming

LB Caden McDonald, Sr. San Diego State

CB Cam Lockridge, CB Jr. Fresno State

S Patrick McMorris, Sr. San Diego State

S JL Skinner, Sr. Boise State

CB Nehemiah Shelton, Sr. San Jose State

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Mountain West Team: Special Teams

PK Jonah Dalmas, Jr. Boise State

P Aaron Rodriguez, Jr. New Mexico

KR/PR Jordan Byrd, Sr. San Diego State

College Football News 2022 Preseason Top 30 Mountain West Players

30. David Perales, DE Sr. Fresno State

29. Ilm Manning, OT, Sr. Hawai

28. Jesse Matthews, WR Sr. San Diego State

27. Haaziq Daniels, QB Sr. Air Force

26. Tavian Combs, S, Jr. New Mexico

25. Viliami Fehoko, DE Sr. San Jose State

24. Trey Taylor, S Jr. Air Force

23. Hunter Reynolds, S Sr. Utah State

22. Harrison Bailey, QB Soph. UNLV

21. Jerrick Reed, S Sr. New Mexico

20. Easton Gibbs, LB Soph. Wyoming

19. Jalen Cropper, WR Sr. Fresno State

18. Brad Roberts, RB Sr. Air Force

17. Patrick McMorris, S Sr. San Diego State

16. Cam’Ron Carter, LB Sr. Colorado State

15. Hank Bachmeier, QB Sr. Boise State

14. Evan Williams, S Sr. Fresno State

13. JL Skinner, S Sr. Boise State

12. Dom Peterson, DT Sr. Nevada

11. Patrick McMorris, S Sr. San Diego State

10. Aaron Frost, OT Sr. Nevada

9. Scott Matlock, DT Sr. Boise State

8. Keshawn Banks, DE Sr. San Diego State

7. John Ojukwu, OT Sr. Boise State

6. Jonah Tavai, DT Sr. San Diego State

5. Cade Hall, DE Sr. San Jose State

4. Caden McDonald, LB Sr. San Diego State

3. Logan Bonner, QB Sr. Utah State

2. Vince Sanford, LB Sr. Air Force

1. Jake Haener, QB Sr. Fresno State

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Arizona vs. San Diego State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The San Diego State Aztecs open their 2022 season at new Snapdragon Stadium against the Wildcats. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Arizona vs. San Diego State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Can the Aztecs beat Arizona to go 8-2 against PAC-12 since 2016?

Contact/Follow @tedmcgovern & @MWCwire

A new era of Aztecs football begins on Saturday as SDSU opens its 100th season with the debut of Snapdragon Stadium.

WEEK 1: Arizona Wildcats vs. San Diego State Aztecs

WHEN: Saturday, September 3rd — 12:00 p.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. MST

WHERE: Snapdragon Stadium; Mission Valley, San Diego, CA (35,000)

WEATHER: Sunny, high of 88 degrees

TV: CBS

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

RADIO: 101.5 KGB / XTRA 1360 / iHeart Radio App / SiriusXM ch. 383

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 17th matchup between these two schools. Arizona leads SDSU, 10-6.

LAST MEETING: SDSU defeated the Wildcats in Arizona, 38-14, on September 11, 2021.

WEBSITES: ArizonaWildcats.com, the official Arizona Athletics website | GoAztecs.com, the official San Diego State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Arizona | San Diego State

ODDS: San Diego State -6

OVER/UNDER: 46

SP+ PROJECTION: San Diego State by 16.3

FEI PROJECTION: San Diego State by 11.2

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: San Diego State 72.38% win probability (27.60 to 19.34)

San Diego, CA- The Aztecs kick off their 100th season on Saturday, September 3rd, at the amazing new Snapdragon Stadium. It is SDSU’s first true home game since 2019, and in many respects it is SDSU’s long-awaited return to a dedicated Aztecs football venue in fifty-plus years. Home field advantage is an understatement.

Jedd Fisch‘s Arizona Wildcats are rebounding from a 1-11 season, with their sole win coming against a Cal team hamstrung by COVID-related protocols. The Wildcats fell from grace under former coach Kevin Sumlin and Fisch was brought in to turn the program around. He previously served as the New England Patriots’ quarterbacks coach in 2020 and his hire was considered baffling by many. In his first season, Arizona lost by an average of two touchdowns per game. By all measures, Fisch missed the mark all season.

Headed into year two, though, the Wildcats compiled the third-best recruiting class in the Pac-12, with five four-star prospects. Some fans have faith that the Wildcats will be back on solid footing soon enough, but others are skeptical.

The transfer portal is the wild card this season, and Arizona has upgraded vital pieces of their program. Former Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura will be connecting with former UTEP wide receiver Jacob Cowing and the Wildcats could find a new gear with this dynamic duo.

WHY THE WILDCATS WILL WIN

There are just three words that might adequately explain an Arizona win:

THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

The transfer portal can be an accelerator, a kingmaker, for universities willing to expend the resources and convince disenfranchised players that the program is amassing the next plug-and-play football dynasty. Not convinced? Just ask Utah State or Western Kentucky fans.

In Tucson, de Laura and Cowing are expected to be the Wildcats’ new stars, but other transfer portal arrivals like defensive end Hunter Echols, running back DJ Williams, and linebacker Jeremy Mercier could all be key role players in the fight against San Diego State, as well.

The Wildcats do return eight starters, as well, including nose tackle Kyon Barrs and cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace. With decent size up front, the Arizona defense could be Power 5-ready. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the Aztecs are also Power 5-caliber on that side of the ball.

San Diego State Football: First Look At The Arizona Wildcats

WHY THE AZTECS WILL WIN

Aztecs defense is stellar. Last year the Aztecs ranked 12th in total defense (324.4 ypg) and 17th in scoring defense (19.8 ppg). In addition to the great scoring defense, the Aztecs secondary, including first-team All-Mountain West safety Patrick McMorris is just deep and formidable. McMorris led last season with four picks to help the Aztecs reach a conference high 17 interceptions. SDSU is flush with talented safeties and cornerbacks, and Arizona will find themselves harassed and harried by SDSU’s persistent pic-six perniciousness.

On offense, the Aztecs will complement their rock solid ground game with a better-than-expected air game, compliments of quarterback duo Braxton Burmeister and Will Haskell. Wide receivers Jesse Matthews, Tyrell Shavers, and Brionne Penny will be looking to show tailbacks Chance Bell, Jordan Byrd and USC transfer Kenan Christon that Running Back University is upgrading its air force.

Also notable: Arizona isn’t the only beneficiary of the transfer portal. The Aztecs have picked up some talented new additions themselves…

WHAT WILL HAPPEN

Journeyman coach Jedd Fisch will likely end up with a better season in 2022 than 2021, having assembled a talented squad. Yet, despite the Wildcats’ transfer portal gems, the Aztecs are prepared to enter this game with the skill to handle their opponents. The momentum of a stellar 2021 season, a 100th anniversary and a brand new football cathedral will all produce a mighty tailwind. The Aztecs are going to decisively defeat Arizona, and further reinforce that they are highly PAC-12 worthy.

Final Score: San Diego State 33, Arizona 17

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Cal Poly vs. Fresno State: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Bulldogs begin their 2022 football season at home against the Big Sky’s Mustangs. Here’s how to tune in and what to watch for.

Cal Poly vs. Fresno State: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Bulldogs begin their 2022 football season at home against the Big Sky’s Mustangs. Here’s how to tune in and what to watch for.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

The Bulldogs get their season going.

WEEK 1: Cal Poly Mustangs vs. Fresno State Bulldogs

WHEN: Thursday, September 1 — 7:30 PM PT/8:30 PM MT

WHERE: Valley Children’s Stadium; Fresno, CA

WEATHER: Sunny, high of 105 degrees

TV: FS1

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes FS1, by following this link.

RADIO: Fox Sports AM 1340

SERIES RECORD: Fresno State leads the all-time series, 33-10-2. In the last meeting on September 11, 2021, the Bulldogs defeated the Mustangs, 63-10, in Fresno.

WEBSITES: GoPoly.com, the official Cal Poly athletics website | GoBulldogs.com, the official Fresno State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Cal Poly | Fresno State

ODDS: Fresno State -33.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Fresno State by 47.2

FEI PROJECTION: N/A

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: N/A

This is #ForTheV‼️

It all starts this week. It’s game week in The Valley. #GoDogs | @FSAthletics pic.twitter.com/KeRswcDrg3

— Fresno State Football 🧸 (@FresnoStateFB) August 29, 2022

The excitement about Fresno State football’s 2022 season has been palpable all summer and now gameday is finally here, as the Bulldogs will host the Cal Poly Mustangs to kick off the campaign on Thursday night.

It’s going to be a scorcher at Bulldog Stadium, with the kickoff temperature likely to be in the triple digits, but a similar heat wave didn’t prevent the ‘Dogs from shutting out UConn in their season opener a year ago. Cal Poly has aspirations of making some headway in a competitive Big Sky Conference, but here’s what the home team can do to ensure the Mustangs will need to wait another week before that truly gets underway.

Coach Tedford and the Bulldogs are back for the 101st year of Fresno State Football. The last time we saw this team in action the Bulldogs had just brought back Jeff Tedford as Head Coach, Jake Haener withdrew his name from the transfer portal, and the Bulldogs beat the UTEP Miners in the New Mexico Bowl.

Now looking into the 2022 season for the Bulldogs the hype is real around this team. With nearly 15 starters coming back including star players like Jake Haener, Jalen Cropper, Josh Kelly, Jordan Mims, David Perales, Levelle Bailey, and Evan Williams the Bulldogs look to accomplish something that they couldn’t quite do last season and that is to win a Mountain West Championship. The expectations are as high as it has ever been at Fresno State with eyes on a potential New Year’s Six Bowl game. The road to that path isn’t going to come easy as the Dogs face Oregon State at home, USC and Boise State on the Road, and have a matchup with the San Diego State Aztecs at home late in the season. But first comes the Cal Poly Mustangs Thursday night.

Fresno State Football: First Look At The Cal Poly Mustangs

Key 1: Take care of Business

Cal Poly is coming off a (2-9) season and one of those 9 losses came at Fresno State last year in a 63-10 loss. The Mustangs are predicted to finish 10th in both the media and coach’s Big sky preseason poll. So for the Bulldogs, they have to come out and put this game away fast! This game is on National TV and a lot of eyes will be on Fresno State. If the Bulldogs can create some early turnovers and don’t hurt themselves then this game should be over by halftime.

Key 2: Bulldog Depth

A lot of this ties into a key one. This game will give us a good glimpse of how deep the Bulldogs are and a little QB battle for the backup job. It will be interesting to see the depth of the Bulldog’s D-line and the depth of the running back group.

Key 3: A Focus Group

This is a good time to watch how the Dogs can stay locked into one game at a time. We all know Cal Poly shouldn’t be any problem for Fresno State but we do know it could be easy to overlook your opponent and look ahead. After the Mustangs the Bulldogs host the Oregon State Beavers, one of the more appealing games on the Bulldog’s schedule. Going back to my first key if the Bulldogs Take Care of Business then they will get an extra couple of days to look at that week 2 matchup.

Prediction:

Football is back in the Valley! A lot of high expectations for this group. I believe the Bulldogs know how talented this team is and how much is at stake this season. Newly named Valley Children’s Stadium will see a hungry and energized team. The Bulldogs put this game away early

Score: Cal Poly 10, Bulldogs 52

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Mountain West Football: Key Newcomers Atop Each Week 1 Depth Chart

All but one Mountain West team will play in Week 1. These new names atop the depth charts could be most crucial.

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Mountain West Football: Key Newcomers Atop Each Week 1 Depth Chart

All but one Mountain West team will play in Week 1. These new names atop the depth charts could be most crucial.

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Which unfamiliar names are worth following?

Fresno State — Morice Norris Jr., NB

After it came out last week that Justin Houston would be ineligible to play for the first six games of the season, the Bulldogs’ veteran depth at a key position looked like it had taken a hit. Instead, Norris Jr. beat out sophomore Emari Pait to claim the starting job for himself and looks to provide all the depth they’ll need.

Norris Jr. spent two seasons at Orange Coast College before the COVID pandemic erased a potential 2020 campaign, after which he walked on to the Fresno State roster and took a redshirt in 2021. He isn’t the only person in the Mountain West set to log a lot of snaps after a long layoff, UNLV’s Jerrae Williams snapped a similar game-action drought last Saturday, but considering the team’s lofty expectations in 2022, Norris Jr. won’t have much of a learning curve

San Jose State — Fernando Carmona Jr., OT

The Spartans will feature four new starters on the offensive line, but Carmona Jr. is the one tasked with protecting Chevan Cordeiro on his blind side, replacing Jack Snyder at left tackle. Relative to just about every other projected starter at the position in the Mountain West, he’s a little smaller physically (6-foot-5, 265 pounds), so it’ll be interesting to see if he holds up against defenders who may be roughly as bigger but perhaps a step quicker.

Nevada — Maurice Wilmer, LB

The Wolf Pack had plenty of mysteries headed into fall camp, but the biggest one of all concerned who would step up in a linebacker unit that would be nearly new from top to bottom. Wilmer, who made his first career tackle in last December’s Quick Lane Bowl, has answered the bell and did his part in the dominant defensive performance over New Mexico State with two total tackles and a tackle for loss.

Colorado State — Brian Crespo-Jaquez, OT

The Rams restocked their roster through the transfer portal, but Crespo-Jaquez winning the left tackle job is perhaps the most under-the-radar ascension anywhere on the two-deep. Like Carmona Jr., the Fort Collins native will be responsible for protecting Clay Millen’s blindside and has a very tough task ahead against what should be a very good Michigan Wolverines defensive front. If he can help the redshirt freshman quarterback survive that, Fort Air Raid should find much smoother sailing in future weeks.

Air Force — Wyatt Wilson, WR

Assuming that there haven’t been many changes since last month’s media days, Wilson is one of the few new names we’re likely to see often in the Falcons’ opener against Northern Iowa. What kind of role will he play, though?

For one, he’s a much different player physically than Micah Davis, the explosive pass catcher who left the program during the off-season, standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. If you’re inclined to think he’ll be counted upon to stretch the field vertically rather than by attacking the edges on the ground as Davis did, there’s plenty of reason to believe it.

San Diego State — Josh Simmons, OT

The Aztecs’ projected lineup doesn’t contain too many surprises, but Simmons’s ascension is one that’s been hotly anticipated by many on the Mesa. The lone four-star recruit in San Diego State’s 2021 class, Simmons is listed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, exactly the kind of athlete that the Aztecs have come to expect to have along their grinding offensive line.

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 1 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by each of the Mountain West’s 11 Week 1 opponents?

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 1 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by each of the Mountain West’s 11 Week 1 opponents?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What to keep in mind before kickoff.

Cal Poly (link to game notes, depth chart on page 11)

What stands out: The Mustangs have a couple of solid defensive pieces, most notably defensive end Eljiah Ponder, and they’ll hope that sophomore Robbie Greer can bookend Ponder’s production at the other edge spot.

Why that could be important: Cal Poly’s pass rush wasn’t a particularly strong one in 2021, as the team had just 22 sacks, tied for tenth among teams in the Big Sky. Ponder had eight by himself, so the 6-foot-6, 250 pound Greer, who got his first taste of action as a true freshman in the spring season last year but redshirted during the fall, will be expected to do his part in taking down Jake Haener.

Portland State (link to game notes, depth chart on page 13)

What stands out: Dante Chachere is tasked with replacing Davis Alexander, one of the best quarterbacks in Portland State football history.

Why that could be important: Alexander had a lot of moxie and, more importantly, knew how to produce, doing so to the tune of 294.5 yards of total offense per game last year. The sophomore Chachere, after winning the competition over Jaden Casey, is a Fresno native who has earned a lot of praise throughout the offense for his growth as a potential dual-threat quarterback. His homecoming will be a test of how true that is.

Texas State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: As the Bobcats already return more than half of last year’s starters on both sides of the ball, there weren’t a ton of roles for players to step up and claim but nickelback Jarron Morris, who’s actually reclaiming a spot, could be the rare exception.

Why that could be important: Texas State’s secondary got picked on quite a bit last year, allowing a completion rate of 65.4% while interceptions just three passes all season. It could be in part because they missed Morris, a second-team all-Sun Belt defender who played in only one full game before a hip injury cost him the entire season. If he’s back in form, the Bobcats will be that much better for it.

Michigan (link to discussion of depth chart)

What stands out: The Wolverines will have work to do in replacing Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, but one surprising entry that will be part of the cohort to do so is true freshman Mason Graham.

Why that could be important: A two-way player who also wrestled at California’s Servite High School, Graham won’t have to do everything by himself with veterans like Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins back, as well. At 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds, though, Graham could disrupt Colorado State’s best laid plans from the point of attack if the Rams aren’t ready.

Northern Iowa (link to overview of team depth)

What stands out: The Panthers found themselves having to replace a first-round NFL Draft pick this summer, but Matthew Vanderslice emerged as Trevor Penning’s successor throughout the off-season.

Why that could be important: Vanderslice isn’t completely new to the starting lineup, having made two starts in 2019, three in spring 2020 and three last fall, but you could make a reasonable case that no one else mentioned in this article has bigger shoes to fill.

The upside? Vanderslice is a pretty big dude himself, listed at 6-foot-8 and 318 pounds on the UNI roster. If he can protect Theo Day’s blind side half as well as Penning did, Air Force could be in for a much tougher fight than expected.

Arizona (link to depth chart)

What stands out: The Wildcats aren’t wasting any time throwing true freshman Tetairoa McMillan into the mix, starting opposite UTEP transfer Jacob Cowing and sophomore Dorian Singer.

Why that could be important: McMillan is the highest-ranked recruit that Arizona has ever landed, a five-star prospect according to some sites, and at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, it’s not hard to see why. We know that Cowing is one of the nation’s premier deep threats, but it’ll be interesting to see what kind of role Jedd Fisch carves out for his off-season’s biggest prize.

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Portland State vs. San Jose State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The San Jose State Spartans will open 2022 at home against the Big Sky’s Vikings. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Portland State vs. San Jose State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Spartans will open 2022 at home against the Big Sky’s Vikings. Here’s how to tune in and what to watch for.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

SJSU looks to come out strong.

WEEK 1: Portland State Vikings vs. San Jose State Spartans

WHEN: Thursday, September 1 — 7:30 PM PT/8:30 PM MT

WHERE: CEFCU Stadium; San Jose, CA

WEATHER: Sunny, high of 90 degrees

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area

STREAMING: Mountain West Network

The Mountain West Network should also be available for streaming on a handful of smart TV platforms, as well as through the mobile app available on Apple and Android. You can learn more about how to access all of those at this link.

RADIO: The San Jose State broadcast can be found in the South Bay on 860 AM The Answer (KTRB).

SERIES RECORD: San Jose State leads the all-time series, 1-0. In the lone previous meeting on September 10, 2016, the Spartans defeated the Vikings, 66-35, in San Jose.

WEBSITES: GoViks.com, the official Portland State athletics website | SJSUSpartans.com, the official San Jose State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Portland State | San Jose State

ODDS: no line

SP+ PROJECTION: to be determined

FEI PROJECTION: N/A

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: N/A

🎥| @CoachBrennan previews week 1⃣ against Portland State Thursday night‼️

🏟 CEFCU Stadium
⏰ Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
🎟️ https://t.co/FMdrcO66Li
🅿️ https://t.co/WbR0mFXznA
📺 @NBCSAuthentic
📻 KTRB 860 AM (https://t.co/jisis0jsGT)#AllSpartans pic.twitter.com/FMpldgEZaZ

— San José State Football (@SanJoseStateFB) August 29, 2022

After a disappointing 2021 season, the San Jose State Spartans are ready to prove their championship run the previous year was no fluke and that journey will begin at home against the Portland State Vikings.

Bruce Barnum’s Viks might not be the favorites in a very top-heavy Big Sky Conference, but they have talent on both sides of the ball that could keep the game much closer than expected should the Spartans get off to a slow start. Here’s how San Jose State can keep that from happening and come away with a Week 1 win.

Three Keys to a San Jose State Victory

1. Get Chevan Cordeiro into an early groove.

The Spartans invested heavily in revamping a passing game that fell off last season, so it stands to reason that Cordeiro will be a focal point of the new-look offense and shoulder a big workload. One potential problem with that? The new San Jose State quarterback has never been particularly sharp early in games.

In his career, Cordeiro has 179 first-quarter pass attempts, but he’s only managed a completion rate of 58.1%, 6.7 yards per attempt, and has nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Greater efficiency at the onset, like the kind the Spartans got from Nick Starkel back in 2020, could go a long way toward helping the home team keep the upset-minded Viks at arm’s length.

2. Find a strong performance within the defensive line.

Another thing that regressed some from the Spartans’ championship run was their ability to get to the quarterback. Despite the presence of both Viliami Fehoko and Cade Hall, San Jose State’s overall sack rate fell from 8.2% to 6.3%, fine but not great. If they can be great again, it’ll start against a Portland State offensive line that allowed 22 sacks in 2021 and will now feature two new starters, Sebastian Sias and Richard Estrella, at both tackle positions. Should the two all-conference defenders play as well as we know they can, the Spartans could put the Viks away emphatically.

San Jose State Football: First Look At The Portland State Vikings

3. Take care of the football.

Perhaps this is an obvious point of emphasis, but only Hawaii had more than San Jose State’s 24 giveaways last year among Mountain West offenses. They only had one game in 2021 with zero turnovers, compared to nine with two or more, which was another far cry from their championship season: Until their personnel was depleted in the Arizona Bowl that year, they had five turnovers in seven games.

Prediction

The Spartans tumbled down the standings last year, but they have done just about as much as they can to re-establish themselves as potential contenders this off-season. Beating a Portland State that figures to be solid, if not spectacular, like they should will be the first strike that puts the rest of the conference back on notice.

San Jose State 35, Portland State 21

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Mountain West Football: Week 0 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired in the Mountain West after the first Saturday of college football action?

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Mountain West Football: Week 0 Winners And Losers

We take a look at the Mountain West’s winners and losers from the first weekend of college football.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the off-season that was.

College football is back and it feels so good. Week 0 wasn’t so kind to every Mountain West team that played, however, so who came out ahead and who disappointed in the first Saturday of the season?

Winners

1. UNLV quarterback Doug Brumfield

You can say “it was only Idaho State” all you like, but the fact remains it’s been a good long time since any Rebels quarterback looked as sharp as Brumfield did on Saturday afternoon.

In one half of play, Brumfield completed 21-of-25 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns, the first UNLV player to throw for that many yards since Max Gilliam in 2018. It was impressive enough that head coach Marcus Arroyo cemented him as the starter going forward, so while tougher assignments lie ahead, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic right now that the Rebels have at least figured a few things out.

2. Nevada co-defensive coordinators Kwame Agyeman and Mike Bethea

While the Nevada Wolf Pack have plenty of kinks to work out following their road win over New Mexico State, the rebuilt defense led the way on Saturday night.

Though the Pack was actually outgained by NMSU in terms of total yardage, 303 to 273, they allowed a respectable 5.1 yards per play, allowed only 5-of-12 third down conversions, and created five turnovers that turned into 17 crucial points. The secondary, in particular, made life miserable for Aggies quarterbacks Diego Pavia and Gavin Frakes with four interceptions, including two by Isaiah Essissima, so Agyeman and Bethea should feel good that the early returns on what was expected to be a strength look promising.

3. Utah State running back Calvin Tyler Jr.

The Aggies’ victory over UConn had more than a few shades of many of their early wins in 2021, namely that it took them a while to get going, but Tyler Jr. made sure that Utah State wouldn’t suffer a shocking fate. He handled a career-high 33 carries and ran for 162 yards, chipping in two receptions for 33 yards, as well, with a first-half fumble being the only real blemish in his overall performance. Maybe it was an up-and-down performance, but USU may have figured out they can win in more than one way this year.

Losers

1. Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley

Illinois looked like a team that could be much improved in the Big Ten West division after their romp over the Cowboys, but Wyoming looked similarly overmatched because Peasley never came close to getting on track. He overthrew a handful of receivers early, wouldn’t complete his first pass until early in the second quarter, and finished just 5-of-20 for 30 yards with an interception.

Things don’t get much easier for the Pokes from here, so they’ll have to figure out what’s wrong under center yet again if they hope to surprise some people later in the fall.

2. Hawaii’s defense

The braddahhood took one on the chin to start the Timmy Chang era, allowing Vanderbilt to rack up 601 yards of total offense at 8.3 yards per play in the Warriors’ most lopsided loss since 2016. What looked particularly troubling is that the Commodores often had little trouble creating explosive plays with its ground game — four different players had at least one run of 30 yards, but 12 explosive running plays added up to a whopping 302 yards — and Hawaii, in turn, offered little resistance with zero tackles for loss.

3. The clarity of Nevada’s quarterback situation

For as well as the defense played, neither of Shane Illingworth and Nate Cox offered much to suggest they deserved a longer look as Nevada’s starting quarterback. Illingworth got the start and finished 7-of-12 for 51 yards, while Cox came on in relief and completed 7-of-11 passes for 27 yards. The upside, at least, is that neither had any turnovers, but it’d be a shock if next week’s home opener against Texas State wasn’t utilized as another proving ground for both.

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Nevada Football: Shane Illingworth Named Starting Quarterback Vs. New Mexico State

Shane Illingworth will take the first snaps under center for the Wolf Pack in their season opener against the New Mexico State Aggies.

Nevada Football: Shane Illingworth Named Starting Quarterback vs. New Mexico State

Illingworth will take the first snaps under center for the Wolf Pack in their season opener against the NMSU Aggies.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

A big decision finally made.

The Ken Wilson era of Nevada Wolf Pack football is about to get underway on Saturday night against the New Mexico State Aggies, and one of the last big mysteries on a roster full of them headed into 2022 was finally answered when Shane Illingworth earned the starting quarterback job.

First reported by Alex Marguiles of Nevada Sports Net, Illingworth, the former Oklahoma State quarterback who committed to the Wolf Pack in February as a transfer portal entrant, earned the QB1 role ahead of incumbent Nate Cox after a hotly contested fall camp battle. The 6-foot-6 Norco, California native is a former four-star recruit who saw a fair amount of playing time for the Cowboys as a true freshman and sophomore across the 2020 and 2021 seasons, compiling a 3-0 record as a starter while coming on in relief for Spencer Sanders on other occasions.

In six games at OSU, Illingworth posted a completion rate of 57.5% and threw for 939 yards, 7.8 yards per attempt, with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Now, he’ll be tasked with replacing Carson Strong, the two-time Mountain West offensive player of the year who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent earlier this year.

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