Tag: New Mexico Football

Michigan State football to host elite New Mexico RB transfer

Eli Sanders rushed for over 1,000 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt in 2024. On Monday, he will be officially visiting Michigan State

Michigan State football offered New Mexico running back transfer Eli Sanders on Saturday, and now, there will be a quick turnaround to get the prospect on campus.

Sanders will be officially visiting Michigan State from Dec. 9 to 10.

In 2024, Sanders had an elite year with the Lobos, rushing the ball for 1,063 yards and 9 touchdowns on 142 carries, a 7.2 yards per attempt average.

Prior to New Mexico, Sanders spent his first three seasons at Iowa State where he had 158 rushing attempts for 703 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Michigan State recently found a new need at running back, losing Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams to graduation and Nate Carter declaring for the NFL draft.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner

Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs. New Mexico

Will a deeper dive into the tale of the tape show New Mexico has a higher chance of dropping Auburn to 1-2 than the experts believe?

The Auburn Tigers (1-1) go to battle against Mountain West opponent New Mexico (0-2) on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn comes into the matchup with about as many question marks as its had under head coach Hugh Freeze, while New Mexico is equally looking for answers after an 0-2 start to the 2024 season under first-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

Payton Thorne and the Auburn offense struggled mightily in week two against Cal, while the story for New Mexico has been centered around the Lobos putrid defense that has allowed nearly 100 points in two weeks. With vastly different play styles and team archetypes, this matchup, while intriguing, favors the Tigers heavily.

Auburn is currently favored by exactly 4 touchdowns on BetMGM, and ESPN FPI likes the Tigers chances of getting back of .500 as well. The system gives Hugh Freeze’s squad a 93.5% chance to right the ship and earn a victory on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare.

Will a deeper dive into the tale of the tape show New Mexico has a higher chance of dropping Auburn to 1-2 than the experts believe? As always, we’ll start by analyzing the quarterbacks.

After lighting the world on fire in Auburn’s week one win against Alabama A&M, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne put himself in the “hot seat” after a four-interception performance in week two against California. Head coach Hugh Freeze has continued to employ confidence in his senior quarterback, but a season-plus of inconsistent play has raised the concerns of most Tiger fans. On the season, Thorne has thrown for 487 yards, five touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. The former Spartan has also battled his way through 92 yards on the ground, adding 2 more scores with his legs.

As for New Mexico’s signal-caller, sophomore quarterback Devon Dampier is not the reason his team has two losses to open up the season. In fact, he is far, far, from it. The Tucson, Arizona native is coming off an electric 390 all-purpose yard and 5-touchdown performance against No. 18 ranked Arizona. On the season, Dampier has thrown for 432 yards, rushed for 164 more, and scored 7 total touchdowns. Dampier’s numbers are eerily similar to that of Payton Thore, but considering the sophomore has turned the ball over two less times against tougher competition in both games, he gets the slight edge.

Auburn’s true edge on the offensive side of the ball in games against smaller schools normally comes from the “big boys” up front in the trenches, but that is not the case against the Lobos. New Mexico’s entire starting offensive line features transfers with plenty of experience in college football. Tevin Shaw (Houston) and Baraka Beckett (UCLA) bring Power Four experience protecting Devon Dampier’s blindside, while right guard Richard Pearce (East Carolina) and right tackle Wallace Unamba (FAU) are both 320-plus pound run blockers on the other side.

Auburn’s starting offensive line still holds up well in a pound-for-pound breakdown, but it’s closer than a game with a 28-point spread would suggest. The Tigers get the slight edge due to the pure talent of sophomore center Connor Lew and guards Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright.

The Tigers’ real edge on offense comes in the skill player department, where Hugh Freeze’s recruiting and transfer portal prowess comes to fruition. Jarquez Hunter, Cam Coleman, Robert Lewis, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Rivaldo Fairweather, Perry Thompson, or Malcolm Simmons would easily be the number one option on the Lobos offense. While New Mexico’s No. 1 receiver Luke Wysong is having himself a great start to the season (14 receptions, 224 yards, 1 touchdown), his numbers say more about Devon Dampier’s talent than his own.

At the end of the day, Auburn is favored by 4 touchdowns in Saturday’s game because of the grotesque gap on the defensive side of the ball. New Mexico’s defense allowed 35 points to an FCS program, albeit a good one, in week one. The Lobos then followed it up by showing virtually no resistance against a very good Arizona team in a “rivalry” game. If the Lobos defense was just average head coach Bronco Mendenhall would have at least his first win in the red and silver under his belt. Instead, he is coaching a defense that has allowed the third most points per game (48.00) in the entire FBS.

While Auburn’s defense has not received nearly the same amount of buzz it did a season ago, the unit is still lightyears ahead of New Mexico. The Tigers did surrender 21 points against Cal a week ago, but it could have been much worse considering the offense turned the ball over five times. Eugene Asante and the Auburn defense gave Payton Thorne’s offense every opportunity to win last weekend. They should do the same in week three.

After taking a look at the tale of the tape, it’s clear Auburn has an advantage in this contest, but it may be closer than most people believe. If Payton Thorne and the Tigers offense struggle to take advantage of a horrendous Lobos resistance, New Mexico can score enough to make this game interesting.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Mountain West Football’s Updated 2024 Matchups Released

Mountain West Football’s Updated 2024 Matchups Released The Mountain West revised its college football schedule to include games against wayward Oregon State and Washington State. Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire What’s new? The vagaries of …

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Mountain West Football’s Updated 2024 Matchups Released

The Mountain West revised its college football schedule to include games against wayward Oregon State and Washington State.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What’s new?

The vagaries of college football realignment didn’t directly impact the Mountain West Conference over the last calendar year, but the shockwaves of moves across the country resulted today in a revised slate of matchups that includes the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars, the two Pac-12 programs left behind by their conference mates’ exodus.

When it was announced that the conference would do away with the Mountain and West divisions in 2022, the conference announced a rotation that would protect two games for each team and extend through the 2025 season. A multitude of Power 5 programs had other plans, however, and when the Big 12, Big Ten, and ACC raided the Pac-12 for ten of its teams throughout 2023, it left Oregon State and Washington State standing alone.

Here are the home and away games that the Mountain West had previously unveiled for 2024:

Air Force, Nevada, and San Diego State will host the Beavers while Boise State, Fresno State, and New Mexico will do the same for the Cougars. Conversely, Colorado State, San Jose State, and UNLV will travel to Corvallis; Hawaii, Utah State, and Wyoming will head to Pullman. None of the games will count as part of the conference standings, however, meaning that each Mountain West team will have seven conference games rather than the usual eight.

The changes, as you might expect, have differing impacts on every Mountain West team’s pre-existing schedule. Air Force, for instance, will get to face Oregon State at home instead of Hawaii, but Colorado State now travels to Oregon State and Nevada rather than Boise and San Diego. As DNVR Sports’s Justin Michael noted, it will be the first time since 2010 that the Rams and Broncos do not face each other. Similarly, Wyoming will now host San Diego State and Utah State rather than Nevada and UNLV.

One interesting twist is that the two teams who played in the Mountain West championship game this month, Boise State and UNLV, are now set to square off at Allegiant Stadium rather than Albertsons Stadium next year. Exact dates for the Mountain West schedule will be released at a later time, but next year’s title game is slated for Saturday, December 7, 2024.

Air Force

Home – Colorado State, Fresno State, San Jose State, Oregon State
Away – Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, Wyoming

Boise State

Home – Nevada, San Diego State, Utah State, Washington State
Away – Hawaii, San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming

Colorado State

Home – New Mexico, San Jose State, Utah State, Wyoming
Away – Air Force, Fresno State, Nevada, Oregon State

Fresno State

Home – Colorado State, Hawaii, San Jose State, Washington State
Away – Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV

Hawaii

Home – Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV
Away – Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, Washington State

Nevada

Home – Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State
Away – Boise State, Hawaii, San Jose State, UNLV

New Mexico

Home – Air Force, Fresno State, Wyoming, Washington State
Away – Colorado State, Hawai‘i, San Diego State, Utah State

San Diego State

Home – Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon State
Away – Boise State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming

San Jose State

Home – Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, Wyoming
Away – Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State

UNLV

Home – Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Diego State
Away – Hawaii, San Jose State, Utah State, Oregon State

Utah State

Home – Hawaii, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV
Away – Boise State, Colorado State, Wyoming, Washington State

Wyoming

Home – Air Force, Boise State, San Diego State, Utah State
Away – Colorado State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Washington State

Oregon State

Home – Colorado State, San Jose State, UNLV
Away – Air Force, Nevada, San Diego State

Washington State

Home – Hawaii, Utah State, Wyoming
Away – Boise State, Fresno State, New Mexico

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Mountain West Wire’s 2023 Postseason All-Conference Football Team

Who did our staff pick as the best of the best in Mountain West football this season?

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Mountain West Wire Presents Its 2023 Postseason All-Mountain West Football Teams

Our staff has made its selections for the best of Mountain West football as we close out the 2023 season.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Only the best of the best make the cut.

Mountain West Wire’s 2023 postseason honors:

All-Conference Teams | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Special Teams Player of the Year | Freshman of the Year | Newcomer of the Year | Coach of the Year | Coordinator of the Year

With the Mountain West’s regular season in the books and the conference championship game just one day away, our staff here at Mountain West Wire has once again put its collective heads together to create our fifth annual postseason all-Mountain West football team.

If you’re interested in seeing how these selections stack up against our preseason picks, click here. Alternatively, you can click the following links to find our postseason honorees from 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.

As always, our all-conference roster goes four deep and attempts to best reflect the variety of offenses and defenses we see week in and week out throughout the conference:

  • We vote for a Defensive Flex player to better reflect that some units — like Boise State, San Diego State, and Wyoming — often operate with five defensive backs or a nickelback/linebacker hybrid in their 3-3-5 or 4-2-5.
  • We split our linebacker selections into two, inside and outside, as we’d previously differentiated between centers, guards, and tackles on the offensive lines and between interior linemen and edge rushers on defense.
  • We vote for three wide receivers instead of two.

If you disagree with our choices, feel free to let us know what you’d have done differently on Twitter or Facebook.

First Team

Offense

QB – Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
RB – Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
RB – Jacory Croskey-Merritt, New Mexico
RB – Kairee Robinson, San Jose State
WR – Tory Horton, Colorado State
WR – Ricky White, UNLV
WR – Jalen Royals, Utah State
TE – Dallin Holker, Colorado State
C – Thor Paglialong, Air Force
G – Mark Hiestand, Air Force
G – Wesley Ndago, Air Force
T – Adam Karas, Air Force
T – Cade Beresford, Boise State

Defense

DT – Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming
DT – Payton Zdroik, Air Force
DE – Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
DE – Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State
OLB – Jackson Woodard, UNLV
OLB – Bo Richter, Air Force
ILB – Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
ILB – MJ Tafisi, Utah State
CB – Cameron Oliver, UNLV
CB – Jay’Vion Cole, San Jose State
CB – Carlton Johnson, Fresno State
S – Ike Larsen, Utah State
S – Wyatt Ekeler, Wyoming
FLEX – Morice Norris Jr., Fresno State

Special Teams

K – Jose Pizano, UNLV
P – James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
KR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV
PR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV

Second Team

Offense

QB – Jayden Maiava, UNLV
RB – Malik Sherrod, Fresno State
RB – Emmanuel Michel, Air Force
WR – Steven McBride, Hawaii
WR – Terrell Vaughn, Utah State
WR – Pofele Ashlock, Hawaii
TE – Mark Redman, San Diego State
C – Jacob Gardner, Colorado State
G – Mose Vavao, Fresno State
G – Wes King, Wyoming
T – Frank Crum, Wyoming
T – Kage Casey, Boise State

Defense

DT – Soane Toia, San Jose State
DT – Cole Godbout, Wyoming
DE – P.J. Ramsey, Air Force
DE – Tre Smith, San Jose State
OLB – Levelle Bailey, Fresno State
OLB – Andrew Simpson, Boise State
ILB – Alec Mock, Air Force
ILB – Bryun Parham, San Jose State
CB – Noah Tumblin, San Diego State
CB – Donte Martin, New Mexico
S – Trey Taylor, Air Force
S – Jack Howell, Colorado State
FLEX – Seyi Oladipo, Boise State

Special Teams

K – Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
P – Marshall Nichols, UNLV
KR – Jaelen Gill, Fresno State
PR – Tory Horton, Colorado State

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Postseason All-Conference Team, Individual Honors Announced

The regular season is in the books. Here are the all-Mountain West teams, players of the year, and coach of the year.

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Postseason All-Conference Team, Individual Honors Announced

The regular season is in the books. Here are the all-Mountain West teams, players of the year, and coach of the year.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Only the best of the best.

The Mountain West football season is nearly complete, but before Saturday’s championship tilt between Boise State and UNLV and bowl games after that, the conference media announced its selections for the all-Mountain West two-deep and individual awards.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty earned the nod as the Mountain West’s offensive player of the year, becoming the first sophomore to do so since Nevada’s Carson Strong in 2020. Though he was limited to just ten games because of injury, the Broncos’ super sophomore led the conference with 110.9 rushing yards per game and 164.6 all-purpose yards per game and finished second with 18 total touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Jeanty’s 92.4 overall grade also led the Mountain West and ranked third among all FBS running backs.

Colorado State’s Mohamed Kamara was tabbed as the Mountain West’s defensive player of the year, the first Ram to be decorated as such since Shaquil Barrett in 2013. His 13 sacks and 17 tackles for loss both paced the conference, as did the 35 quarterback hurries for which he was credited by PFF, while his 83.2 overall grade is third-best among all Mountain West defenders.

Meanwhile, UNLV kicker Jose Pizano stepped up to win the conference’s special teams player of the year award. After transferring in from Missouri State, Pizano led the Mountain West in connecting on 23-of-25 field goals, including a perfect 16-of-16 inside of 40 yards, and finished second overall with 119 total points. That made him just the second Rebel to crack the century mark dating back to 2009.

UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava was named the conference’s freshman of the year, becoming the fourth Rebel in the last seven seasons to earn the honor. He stepped into a difficult situation when incumbent starter Doug Brumfield was sidelined by injury in September, but the Vegas native stepped up and finished the regular season with a 64.1% completion rate, 2,626 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and a 2.1% interception rate. More than any of the other individual awards, this one may have been a foregone conclusion after Maiava had already earned freshman of the week five times throughout 2023, a conference first.

Lastly, UNLV’s Barry Odom became the first Rebels head coach since John Robinson in 2000 to be named the Mountain West’s coach of the year. After taking over from Marcus Arroyo, Odom shepherded the Rebels to a 9-3 record, the team’s highest single-season win total since 1984, engineering an offense that led the conference with 35.5 points per game and a defense that tied for first with 22 total giveaways and led the way in allowing a 34.6% third-down conversion rate.

As for the all-conference teams, every program has at least one player on this year’s postseason honor roll. UNLV leads the way with six first-team selections, while three players — Wyoming’s Easton Gibbs and Colorado State’s Jack Howell and Tory Horton — each earned their second postseason first-team appearance.

2023 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB – Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
WR – Tory Horton, Colorado State
WR – Ricky White, UNLV
WR – Jalen Royals, Utah State
RB – Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
RB – Kairee Robinson, San Jose State
TE – Dallin Holker, Colorado State
OL – Thor Paglialong, Air Force
OL – Cade Beresford, Boise State
OL – JC Davis, New Mexico
OL – Tiger Shanks, UNLV
OL – Frank Crum, Wyoming
PK – Jose Pizano, UNLV
KR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV

Defense

DL – PJ Ramsey, Air Force
DL – Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State
DL – Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
DL – Tre Smith, San Jose State
LB – Bo Richter, Air Force
LB – Jackson Woodard, UNLV
LB – MJ Tafisi, Utah State
LB – Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
DB – Trey Taylor, Air Force
DB – Jack Howell, Colorado State
DB – Emany Johnson, Nevada
DB – Ike Larsen, Utah State
P – James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
PR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV

2023 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB – Jayden Maiava, UNLV
WR – Steven McBride, Hawaii
WR – Nick Nash, San Jose State
WR – Terrell Vaughn, Utah State
RB – Emmanuel Michel, Air Force
RB – Jacory Croskey-Merritt, New Mexico
TE – Mark Redman, San Diego State
OL – Adam Karas, Air Force
OL – Kage Casey, Boise State
OL – Jacob Gardner, Colorado State
OL – Mose Vavao, Fresno State
OL – Cade Barnett, San Diego State
PK – Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
KR – Terrell Vaughn, Utah State

Defense

DL – Jalen Dixon, UNLV
DL – Devo Bridges, Fresno State
DL – Soane Toia, San Jose State
DL – Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming
LB – Alec Mock, Air Force
LB – Andrew Simpson, Boise State
LB – Chase Wilson, Colorado State
LB – Levelle Bailey, Fresno State
DB – Carlton Johnson, Fresno State
DB – Morice Norris Jr., Fresno State
DB – Noah Tumblin, San Diego State
DB – Cameron Oliver, UNLV
P – Jack Browning, San Diego State
PR – Tory Horton, Colorado State

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Mountain West Football: 2023-24 Transfer Tracker

Mountain West Football: 2022-23 Transfer Tracker College football’s transfer is open for business in the new academic year. We’ll keep track of who’s leaving and who’s coming to the Mountain West. Contact/Follow @MWCwire Who is the league losing and …

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Mountain West Football: 2022-23 Transfer Tracker

College football’s transfer is open for business in the new academic year. We’ll keep track of who’s leaving and who’s coming to the Mountain West.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Who is the league losing and adding?

College football’s regular season is underway, but transfer portal season is never really over.

Since the new year officially began on August 1, football players from the Mountain West and beyond have announced their intention to find new places to play. Check back here periodically as we keep an eye on who is arriving and who’s heading out from the conference in the days, weeks, and months to come.

Leaving the Mountain West

Air Force

Boise State 

Colorado State

Fresno State

Hawaii

Nevada

New Mexico

San Diego State

San Jose State

UNLV

Utah State

Wyoming

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Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Wins Second Straight, 34-24 Over New Mexico

Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Wins Second Straight, 34-24 Over New Mexico A very good defense, offensive and special teams performance propel Nevada to its second straight victory over New Mexico Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire Wolf Pack …

Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Wins Second Straight, 34-24 Over New Mexico

A very good defense, offensive and special teams performance propel Nevada to its second straight victory over New Mexico

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

Wolf Pack Defeat Lobos To Win Their Second Straight Game

After losing 16 straight games, the Nevada Wolf Pack have won back to back contests for the first time in more than a year. That last sentence was something I did not think would happen this season but here we are.

The Wolf Pack turned in a very good performance on defense, offense and special teams to secure a 34-24 victory over New Mexico on Saturday night.  It was one of the rare times during the Ken Wilson era that Nevada played well in all three facets of the game. The Wolf Pack at the half had shut out the Lobos  23-0 and the 23 points were the most points scored under Coach Wilson.

The Nevada defense that held the Aztec offense to zero points last week, didn’t shut out New Mexico for the whole game. But the Wolf Pack defense played great in the first half forcing three turnovers and played well enough in the second half to hold off the Lobos comeback push and secure the victory. 

The win over New Mexico is the most complete game Nevada has played in a long time. While the defense continued its great play, the offense played well as they scored 27 points in the win. The Wolf Pack offense has been inconsistently bad for most of the season but they turned in a good performance as they were aided by the strong play of the Nevada defense.  

It was an offensive performance that Nevada needed in order to win their second straight game. Nevada did not come away from the New Mexico game injury free however. The Wolf Pack had two offensive linemen who were injured during the game and QB Brendon Lewis ( 8 for 16 passing, 92 yards, 11 rushes 64 yards ) left the game due to an injury. 

Freshman QB AJ Bianco stepped in and played well and helped extend the Wolf Pack lead late in the game. Overall, a very good effort for Nevada on a cold night in Reno.

The action in the game started in the first quarter where Nevada got on the scoreboard first when Brandon Talton connected on a 34 yard field goal. The score put Nevada up 3-0 early in the game. 

On New Mexico’s next offensive series, the Lobos went for it on fourth down and QB Dylan Hopkins had his pass intercepted by Nevada linebacker Jonathan Maldonado. Maldonado, the LB who recovered the fumble to secure the win against SDSU last week, turned in another big play this week. Nevada converted that Lobo mistake into three points on another Talton field goal to put Nevada up 6-0 in the second quarter.

New Mexico turned the ball over again on their next offensive possession when Hopkins had his pass picked off by DB Richard Toney Jr., Toney Jr., returned the ball 43 yards to the endzone and the Talton PAT put Nevada up 13-0.

Nevada was up 16-0 on New Mexico when Hopkins threw his third interception of the night. This time it was DB Michael Coats Jr., who recorded the interception. 

After that Lobo turnover, the Nevada offense was able to convert that into an offensive touchdown (Don’t adjust your screens, I did type that). WR/RB Jamaal Bell (11 rushes, 76 yards, 1 touchdown 2 receptions, 2 yards ) scored on a nine yard touchdown run and Brendon Lewis scored on a two point conversion to put Nevada up 24-0 at the end of the first half. 

In the second half, the Lobos began to cut into the Wolf Pack lead. First, New Mexico got on the board when PK Luke Drzewiecki connected on a 46 yard field goal to make it 24-3 Nevada. 

Then Nevada was forced to punt and gave the ball back to the New Mexico offense. Once they had the ball, the Lobos offense scored quickly. Hopkins (18 for 34 271 yards, 1 TD 3 INTs) connected with WR Jeremiah Hixson on a 59 yard touchdown pass. The point after cut Nevada’s lead to 24-10 midway through the third quarter.

Nevada’s offense seemed to be on the ropes especially after Brendon Lewis went out of the game due to injury. With the Lobos chopping away at the Wolf Pack lead, the Nevada offense showed up at the right time. Nevada’s offense went on an 11 play, 81 yard drive that took more than seven minutes off of the clock in the third quarter. 

That long offensive drive, led by freshman QB AJ Bianco did not yield a touchdown but it did yield three points. Brandon Talton’s 22 yard field goal (his fourth of the game) extended the Wolf Pack lead to 27-10 going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, after the Wolf Pack defense forced New Mexico to punt. Nevada’s offense went to work and capped off an eight play, 32 yard drive with a two yard touchdown run by Jacques Bardalato-Birdsell. That touchdown run and the PAT further extended Nevada’s lead to 34-10.

New Mexico did score twice late in the fourth quarter. Their first score was when Lobos QB Devin Dampier  scored on a four yard touchdown run and combined with the converted two point conversion, made the score 34-18 Nevada. And the Lobos final score was when RB Jacory Crosky Merritt scored on a two yard touchdown run to make the final score 34-24 Nevada.

There are some things to work on and improve upon but Nevada turned in a very good performance in the win over New Mexico. With Brendon Lewis out due to injury, AJ Bianco stepped in and did a solid job leading the offense. The defense forced turnovers and put the offense in a position to put points on the board either through touchdowns or field goals. 

Now Nevada must continue to play well and improve on those weak areas in order to continue this winning streak. Nevada will be back in action next week in Reno against Hawaii. 

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Mountain West Football: Week 8 Winners And Losers

UNLV’s special teams, Jermarius Lewis, and San Diego State are among Mountain West football’s biggest winners and losers from Week 8.

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Mountain West Football: Week 8 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired across the Mountain West in Week 8 of the college football season?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the week that was.

Regardless of what you wanted on Saturday, Mountain West football delivered: Shocking upsets. Late game drama. Hotly contested rivalries and memorable highlights. For every joy, though, there’s just as much heartache.

Here are the winners and losers from Week 8.

Winners

1. UNLV’s special teams

A lot had to go right for the Rebels to rally from a 13-3 deficit and beat Colorado State by a 25-23 margin, but Jose Pizano’s 28-yard field goal to win the game as time expired was just one example of UNLV’s specialists leading the way on Saturday.

For starters, that game-winner was one of Pizano’s six field goals, a half-dozen successes that included kicks of 42, 43, and 46 yards. Meanwhile, Marshall Nichols averaged 53 yards per punt, doing his part to make the Rams work for two scoring drives in the first half, and Jacob De Jesus averaged 25.8 yards per kick return and 20 yards on two punt returns (and this doesn’t even include his team-high 120 receiving yards, as well). It hasn’t been talked about enough, but the work that coordinator James Shibest has done this fall has been one of the most significant reasons why the program is now bowling for the first time since 2013. This group has earned the right to be considered one of the best units anywhere in the Mountain West.

2. New Mexico safety Jermarius Lewis

The Lobos put Hawaii in a world of hurt throughout a 42-21 victory, capped by a standout performance from their sophomore safety. The Summit, Mississippi native had seven tackles, two pass breakups, a fourth-down sack to erase a Warriors red zone threat at the end of the third quarter, and two fourth-quarter interceptions, all of which provided a much-needed bright spot for a defense that has often been challenged in 2023.

3. Air Force linebacker Bo Richter

It was a good day in Annapolis for the Falcons, opening their defense of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with a 17-6 win over Navy, and the senior edge rusher Richter had a particularly productive day with seven total tackles, four tackles for loss, and a sack. It was his fourth game of the season with multiple TFLs and the latest evidence for his case as the Mountain West’s defensive player of the year.

Losers

1. San Diego State offensive coordinator Ryan Lindley

How? The Aztecs have had some offensive clunkers over the years, but getting shut out 6-0 by the previously winless Nevada Wolf Pack may have been a new low.

The obvious failings were plentiful — 3.8 yards per play on offense, 0-for-10 on third downs, a missed 34-yard field goal, two failed fourth downs inside the Nevada 40-yard line, four drops by SDSU pass catchers (according to Pro Football Focus), two fumbles (one of which was lost on their final drive), and a 32% success rate — but the overall sloppiness is something that can’t be easily quantified and it falls on a coaching staff that has struggled to consistently generate points this season. Unless they can snap out of a funk that has seen them score ten or fewer points in four of the last six games, more change may be needed on the Mesa.

2. Utah State quarterback McCae Hillstead

Hillstead’s first start after missing two games with a concussion wasn’t what he or Aggies fans hoped for, as San Jose State held Utah State’s explosive passing game in check throughout a 42-21 defeat. He completed 17-of-29 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions and managed just two plays of 20 or more yards. It didn’t help that, per PFF, he also had to withstand five quarterback hits and 12 pressures, though it was the third straight game in which he threw multiple interceptions.

Hillstead now holds a 5.9% interception rate on 119 attempts, so if he’s to be the long-term solution under center in Logan, he must become more disciplined in taking care of the football.

3. Hawaii

Not much went right for the Warriors in a 41-21 road loss to New Mexico. The defense allowed touchdown drives of at least 55 yards on five of the Lobos’ first six possessions and gave up 6.7 yards per play. And though the offense scored three touchdowns on four trips to the red zone and averaged six yards per play, Hawaii also finished 1-of-10 on third downs and turned the ball over four times.

With a tough November schedule on the horizon, the pressure is on Timmy Chang and his coaching staff to demonstrate their team can play with more consistency in order to steal at least one win down the stretch.

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Week 8 2023 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

Step right and place your bets! The Mountain West heads into week 8 and we look at where you should put your money this week.

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Week 8 2023 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

A look at the Mountain West betting odds for Week 8

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.

We went 2-4 in week seven and are 35-27-1 on the year. Another week below .500. At this point, just take the opposite of what I do.

#22 Air Force @ Navy (+10, O/U 33.5)

Air Force has been dominant all season. They got tested against Wyoming, but have taken care of business against everyone else. Navy is in that everyone else category. Usually service academy matchups are close, but the Midshipmen haven’t been at that level the past few years. Take the Falcons to cover.

Pick: Air Force -10

Hawai’i @ New Mexico (+2.5, O/U 60.5)

The Warriors are looking for their first road win of the Timmy Chang era. The run-and-shoot offense is start to gain a foothold. The Lobos looked to be turning a corner on offense, but backslid against San Jose State. Look for that to continue against Hawai’i.

Pick: Hawai’i -2.5

Colorado State @ UNLV (-7.5, O/U 61.5)

It’s a shootout in Vegas this week. The Rebels and Rams both have horrible defenses and it probably won’t change this week unless something drastic happens. Look for this to get close to 70-75 points.

Pick: Over

Utah State @ San Jose State (-4.5, O/U 66.5)

This is the Mountain West trap game of the week. San Jose State broke out of their funk against New Mexico. The Aggies had a chance to beat Fresno State. This has the makings of an offensive slugfest. I still don’t trust the Spartans and the Aggies have shown something these past couple of weeks.

Pick: Utah State +4

Nevada @ San Diego state (-11.5, O/U 47.5)

Look Nevada is bad and has a chance to go winless this year. The Aztecs aren’t that good of a team either, but they’ve managed to make enough plays to get three wins this year. This could be another shootout, but I doubt it with how bad these offenses are. Take the under.

Pick: Under

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Mountain West Football: Week 7 Winners And Losers

Air Force, UNLV, and Timmy Chang headline the week’s winners and losers in Mountain West football.

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Mountain West Football: Week 7 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired across the Mountain West in Week 7 of the college football season?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the week that was.

Conference play was in full swing on Friday night and Saturday and who knew that college football and spooky season would have so much in common? Six Mountain West clashes begat four results decided by eight or fewer points, leaving just about everyone on the edge of their seats all weekend long.

Who’s living with the horrors in the aftermath, though? Here are the winners and losers from Week 7 of Mountain West football.

Winners

1. Air Force

If any questions existed about whether the Falcons were the class of the Mountain West, they were silenced until further notice on Saturday with a hard-fought 34-27 victory at home against Wyoming.

The Cowboys had been widely considered Air Force’s toughest opponent to date and they did jump out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but after the Falcons went three-and-out on their first possession, they would score on five straight drives and later overcome two fumbles in a row to get their biggest play of the game when they needed it most, a 58-yard John Lee Eldridge III touchdown to give the Falcons a lead they wouldn’t relinquish with about two minutes left in the game.

Now one of only two undefeated teams in Mountain West play, Air Force controls its destiny headed into the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy round-robin next Saturday. Perhaps it’s fitting for a team that already plays its home games a mile above sea level, but the sky is now the limit for Troy Calhoun’s cadets.

2. UNLV

For a college athlete, few things must feel better than pasting a bitter rival on their home field. That’s exactly what the Rebels did on Saturday in a 45-27 pasting of the Nevada Wolf Pack, just the second time since 2005 that the program has won back-to-back contests in the Silver State clash.

Though UNLV has made huge strides throughout the season thanks to a deep stable of running backs, Week 7 was Donovyn Lester’s time to shine with touchdown runs of one, 16, and 66 yards on just ten carries. Freshman quarterback Jayden Maiava also had the best overall game of his young career by completing 20-of-25 throws for 257 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense generated three sacks, five three-and-outs and three takeaways. It was a total team effort for the team’s biggest Fremont Cannon victory in nearly two decades, and they aren’t done yet.

3. Colorado State

When Dallin Holker scooped the tip drill into his hands mere inches above the end zone turf to seal the Rams’ stunning 31-30 comeback victory over Boise State, the program’s first-ever win against the Broncos exorcised a wealth of demons.

While the furious fourth-quarter rally deservedly received attention in the aftermath, it took the entire second half to erase deficits of 17-0 and 30-10 and seal the deal. The defense stiffened, forcing two key three-and-outs and limiting the Broncos to 4.3 yards per play after giving up 7.0 YPP in the first two quarters. The offense, meanwhile, came to life and managed 7.2 YPP in the last 30 minutes after wasting three first-half Boise State turnovers.

Does this mean the program has finally turned a corner under head coach Jay Norvell? It’s hard to say, but perhaps they’re learning to play more effectively under pressure since CSU is now 2-1 on the year in games decided by eight or fewer points. Regardless of what happens from here, fans in Fort Collins are going to remember this one for a long time.

Losers

1. Boise State

Then again, you might say the same of the blue and orange faithful for the opposite reason. The two-quarterback gambit didn’t work as effectively as it did against San Jose State in Week 6 because Maddux Madsen and Taylen Green combined to finish 16-of-25 for 140 yards with two interceptions. Ashton Jeanty had another Herculean performance (254 all-purpose yards, three touchdowns), but the Broncos offense doesn’t appear to have any consistently reliable options outside of him and Jonah Dalmas.

The defense, though. After holding Colorado State to five three-and-outs on their first six offensive possessions, they had few answers for Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi down the stretch: He finished the game by completing 11 of his last 17 attempts, including four explosive pass plays totaling 116 yards, and three touchdowns in the last six minutes. It was the latest evidence of something systemic we haven’t seen before in Boise, evidenced by another ten missed tackles (according to Pro Football Focus), and it may not be the kind of thing this coaching staff can solve in time to salvage the 2023 campaign.

2. Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang

Facing a ten-point deficit at your opponent’s 30-yard line with one minute left in the game, do you push for the end zone or settle for three points and hope for a lucky bounce? In Chang’s case, he opted for the latter; while Matthew Shipley was true from 47 yards, Hawaii never got the ball back and suffered a 41-34 at home to San Diego State.

Chang was apologetic about the decision-making during his post-game press conference, but social media reactions were divided about whether he needed to be. Making the decision on second down rather than rolling the dice, especially after quarterback Brayden Schager had completed back-to-back 17- and 21-yard passes, didn’t sit well with many fans, serving as a reminder that the role of head coach can often be a very difficult one.

3. New Mexico defensive coordinator Troy Reffett

It was always going to be a tall order replacing both Rocky Long and the defensive talent that left the program through the transfer portal last off-season, but the Lobos appear to be regressing badly here after a 52-24 shellacking by San Jose State.

The Spartans mustered 10.8 yards per play, the highest average by a New Mexico opponent since 2016, thanks to 15 explosive plays that added up to a whopping 472 yards. Two defensive holding and two pass interference calls didn’t help matters, either, so unless they can find some answers quickly, the bounceback hoped for by UNM supporters may not materialize this fall.

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