Tag: Wyoming Football

Wyoming Cowboys vs. UNLV Rebels: How the Cowboys will win

A face-off between two bowl-eligible teams in a premiere Mountain West matchup between Wyoming and UNLV. How do the Cowboys win?

Wyoming Cowboys vs. UNLV Rebels: How the Cowboys will win

A face-off between two bowl-eligible teams in a premiere Mountain West matchup between the Wyoming Cowboys and the UNLV Rebels.

Contact/Follow @KayceeClark and @MWCwire

[mm-video type=playlist id=01g1kx1m9c8rz2mjgq player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

WEEK 11: Wyoming Cowboys (6-3, 3-2 MW) vs. UNLV Rebels (7-2, 4-1 MW)

WHEN: Friday, November 10 — 6:45 PM PT

WHERE: Allegiant Stadium (65,000)

TV: FS1

STREAMING: Get a free trial with FuboTV

RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network

SERIES RECORD: Wyoming 14-11

LAST MATCHUP: Wyoming won 45-14 on Nov. 27, 2020 in Las Vegas

WEBSITES: GoWyo.com, the official Wyoming athletics website; UNLVRebels.com, the official UNLV athletics website.

GAME NOTES: Wyoming | UNLV

ODDS: UNLV -5.5

OVER/UNDER: 50.5 points

Of the 25 games between the Wyoming Cowboys (6-3, 3-2 MW) and the UNLV Rebels (7-2, 4-1 MW), 14 were decided by one possession, and nine of those came in the Sin City. The Rebels have a slight advantage in those nine games, winning five of them over the Pokes, most recently in the triple overtime bout in 2016.

Both squads have overcome expectations for the season, as Wyoming was projected to finish sixth in the conference, and UNLV was projected ninth. However, the Rebels are now in their first bowl-eligible season in the past decade.

“Our opponent is playing, I think, maybe the best in the Mountain West right now,” Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl said in his weekly press conference.

Led by a heavy rushing attack, totaling 28 touchdowns, and an explosive wide receiver on the Biletnikoff watchlist, the Rebels are having one of their best seasons in recent memory. It is the first time UNLV has won seven of their first nine games since 1984, when the team’s quarterback was Randall Cunningham.

The Rebels’ Ricky White is closing in on 1,000 yards for the season, currently sitting at 884 with six touchdowns. Additionally, the trio of Vincent Davis Jr., Jai’Den Thomas and Donavyn Lester combined for 1,293 rushing yards.

UNLV also dominated in their game last weekend against New Mexico, 56-14. With three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter and a 28-point lead by halftime, the Rebels secured their seventh victory.

On the other sideline, it has been a tale of two stories for the Cowboys, as the team is 6-0 at home but 0-3 when traveling. While facing one of the top teams of the Mountain West, the Pokes are 2-2 in games this season against teams with a winning record.

A bright side of Wyoming’s play has been transfer running back Harrison Waylee, who has rushed for 686 yards this season in only six games. Quarterback Andrew Peasley has also found himself in the best season of his collegiate career. He has thrown for 1,195 yards and 15 touchdowns, with only four interceptions.

The Pokes’ defense has been another key to their success. From the numbers, it would look like Wyoming is a losing team. They allow more points than they score and give up 375 yards of offense a game, but one reason they have totaled six wins is a top turnover-forcing team in the country. Wyoming has snagged seven interceptions and forced nine fumbles, leading to a +8-turnover margin, tied for 10th best in the country.

 

Last week, Wyoming overcame Colorado State’s effort to win the Bronze Boot, 24-15.

As underdogs, Wyoming will have to overcome the odds, play its hand and ensure it doesn’t fall to the house.

Wyoming will win if…

As with any game, winning the turnover battle is extremely helpful for a victory. However, as Wyoming is tied for 10th in the country for its turnover margin, UNLV is tied for sixth with +9. The Rebels have contributed 19 turnovers this season and haven’t had a game without forcing one.

The Cowboys won the turnover battle in six games, including losses at Air Force and Boise State. Against the Rams last Friday, Wyoming forced three turnovers, including a 61-yard scoop and dash for defensive end Tyce Westland and the linebacker duo of Easton Gibbs and Shae Suiaunoa snatching the ball out of the air.

The only conference loss UNLV has suffered this season came to Fresno State, where the Rebels gave the ball away four times. But UNLV knows how to get the ball back as well as Jaxen Turner is tied for first in the Mountain West with four interceptions.

Between two teams that don’t dominate the margin of turnovers, Wyoming must force more than the Rebels, Peasley must maintain his efficiency and keep the ball away from the UNLV defenders, and the Cowboys must continue their trend of not fumbling the football. The last time a Wyoming fumble occurred was Sept. 30 against New Mexico.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball for Wyoming, the Go-Go offense that UNLV runs allows a re-introduction to the option play for the Cowboy defense. Wyoming got killed against the option offense of Air Force last month as the Falcons ran for 356 yards and three touchdowns.

Wyoming will get another crack at shutting down an offense that will operate out of the option. This season, the Pokes have been able to shut down the run in particular games, with only allowing 93 yards to Texas Tech, 90 to Portland State, 38 to Fresno State, and 51 to Colorado State. However, in addition to the Air Force game, Wyoming has given up 217 yards to Appalachian State, 225 to New Mexico, and 227 to Boise State.

Flipping to the Wyoming offense, the team must score early and often. In several games this season, the Cowboys have gotten solid leads in the first half but fallen short later in the game. While needing to finish out the game, scoring early and often puts pressure on the UNLV offense to match the Pokes. If UNLV is falling behind several scores, the team may abandon the rushing attack altogether, a plus for Wyoming.

 

To get a sizeable lead, the Cowboys must utilize Waylee. Wyoming’s leading rusher is one of the school’s impact players when healthy. He averages 93.4 yards per game on the ground, and when he rushes for 100 yards, which he has done four times this season, the Pokes are 3-1. Cut that down to at least 83 yards, and it becomes 4-1. When Waylee wins, Wyoming will win.

UNLV’s defense has held teams to only 125 yards rushing per game, which raises a problem for Wyoming. Although, UNLV has only played two teams who currently have a winning record, and both games were losses for the Rebels.

The combined record of UNLV’s opponents is 37-47. In contrast, Wyoming’s opponent’s records are 47-32. Specifically looking at this, Wyoming has had a tougher schedule thus far and only lost one game more than the Rebels. According to Sports Reference, Wyoming’s schedule is ranked 70th in the country compared to UNLV’s at 121st.

In what will be another close game in the series, Wyoming will prove to be the superior team and leave Sin City victorious.

Wyoming 34 – UNLV 30

Advertisement [lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV vs. Wyoming

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV vs. Wyoming The NCAA 14 Video Game Says Wyoming drops the Reb’s 31-14 Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA Sports …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09p3bf720d8rg02 player_id=none image=]

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV vs. Wyoming

The NCAA 14 Video Game Says Wyoming drops the Reb’s 31-14

Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire

For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA Sports NCAA14, with updated 2024 rosters. There is no user impact, just a computer simulation of the given teams.

Last week our simulation favored Fresno State of Boise State by a score of 21-20. While Saturday’s game played out to a different score on the field, the end result matched our sim for the first time over the past five weeks!

In this Friday’s matchup between UNLV and Wyoming, both teams are going to hope for better redzone results than were experienced in this weeks simulation. Despite scoring 31 points, Wyoming scored on just one of their five trips to the red zone. No better, UNLV scored twice on their seven trips inside the 20. The result was a 31-14 victory for the visiting Cowboys.

With no turnovers on either side and very comparable passing numbers, the final score is a little headscratching. While Andrew Peasley had a solid game throwing the ball, Harrison Waylee was the real difference maker, accruing over 100 yards on the ground for the Pokes. The Reb’s weren’t able to must 70 on the ground as a team.

The biggest difference was in special teams, and that was despite just one field goal attempt all game. Punt returns and field position are what really helped propel Wyoming in this one.

These are two good Mountain West teams meeting on Friday night. Let’s see if the outcome on the field resembles the simulation this week!

If you have a strong opinion on who should be our featured simulation next week, let us hear about it @MWCwire. 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Mountain West Football: Week 10 Winners And Losers

Malik Sherrod, Gunner Gentry, and Boise State were among the weekend’s biggest winners and losers from across Mountain West football.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Mountain West Football: Week 10 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired across the Mountain West in Week 10 of the college football season?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the week that was.

With a fresh batch of rivalry games and a dash of desperation on the docket, Mountain West football’s first weekend of November action didn’t disappoint. Here are the winners and losers from Week 10.

Winners

1. Fresno State running back Malik Sherrod

The clash for the Milk Can was as advertised, but Sherrod’s contributions helped ensured the rivalry trophy would stay in Fresno following a 37-30 win against Boise State. He ran for a career-high 132 yards on 21 carries, though it was his 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that proved to be one of the Bulldogs’ biggest plays of the night. In all, Sherrod managed 255 all-purpose yards, the tenth-most in a single game in program history, and provided the Red Wave with memories they’ll talk about for a long time in the Central Valley.

2. UNLV wide receiver Ricky White

White has come alive over the past month and more than did his part on Saturday to help the Rebels keep pace in the conference title chase in a 56-14 victory over New Mexico. He had eight catches on nine targets for 165 yards and two touchdowns, the third time in four weeks he’s topped 150 receiving yards and scored multiple times.

3. Wyoming wide receiver Gunner Gentry

Sometimes, it’s not about the stats. In Gentry’s case, the nine-yard touchdown reception he hauled in during the second quarter of the Cowboys’ 24-15 win against Colorado State was his first since October 24, 2020. Knee injuries had kept him sidelined for the past two seasons, so he serves as a useful reminder that college football can often be a ground for perseverance and inspiration, to demonstrate what’s possible to others.

Losers

1. Air Force

Among the six Mountain West games last weekend, no result was more shocking than the Falcons’ litany of errors in a 23-3 defeat to Army at the Commander’s Classic. Not only did the Black Knights hold Air Force’s rushing attack to 3.9 yards per carry, they also forced six fumbles and recovered five of them, turning those opportunities into 13 points.

Quarterback Zac Larrier also had his worst game of the year at a very inopportune time, throwing two interceptions and taking two sacks while completing just 9-of-22 passes for 93 yards. The defense, meanwhile, limited Army to 4.2 yards per carry as a team but weren’t as disruptive as usual with just three tackles for loss and zero takeaways. While the Falcons still hold the inside track to hosting the conference championship, letting one of their annual goals slip away in such lopsided fashion may sting for a while.

2. Boise State

The Broncos are in the wilderness.

Little about the program is working like it did during its phenomenal run of success over two decades and the team’s 37-30 defeat against Fresno State provided plenty of evidence. Quarterbacks Maddux Madsen and Taylen Green each threw an interception, but Madsen was also just 22-of-42 for 258 yards and a touchdown and, according to Pro Football Focus, had four different turnover-worthy plays against the Bulldogs defense. Running back George Holani continued to play well following his recent return from injury, racking up 140 all-purpose yards, but he also had just three touches in the fourth quarter.

The defense, meanwhile, continued to flounder by allowing Fresno State to gain 6.4 yards per play and generating only one sack to go along with four quarterback hurries (per PFF) on 37 dropbacks. Effectively eliminated from the conference championship hunt and staring down the very real possibility of not even bowling in December, the Broncos must now move forward without top wide receiver Eric McAlister, as well, who elected to enter the transfer portal this morning. It’s a brave new world in Treasure Valley; the question is whether the blue and orange faithful are ready for it.

3. San Diego State

Speaking of less-than-ideal situations, the Aztecs’ 32-24 double-overtime loss to Utah State marked the team’s sixth defeat in their last seven games. While some individual performances stood out despite the result — linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu had three sacks, for instance, while quarterback Jalen Mayden had arguably his best overall performance of the season — many of the same problems persisted: They averaged 4.2 yards per carry, but Lucky Sutton’s 62-yard run accounted for 48.8% of the team’s rushing yardage on the game. The defense coughed up 288 yards’ worth of chunk plays and has now given up 44 plays of 20-plus yards on the season; that may not sound like much, but San Diego State gave up 48 such plays during their most recent run to the conference championship game just two years ago.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

Advertisement

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Colorado State vs Wyoming: How The Rams Can Win, How to Watch, Odds, Predicition

The Rams head north to Wyoming to face the Cowboys in the Border War. Here’s how the Rams can reclaim the Bronze Boot trophy

[jwplayer tJPh0k22-sNi3MVSU]

Colorado State vs Wyoming: How The Rams Can Win, How to Watch, Odds, Predicition

The Rams head to Wyoming to face the Cowboys

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Can the Rams get rivalry victory?

WEEK 10: Colorado State Rams (3-5, 1-3 MW) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (5-3, 2-3 MW)

WHEN: Friday, November 3rd — 6:00 p.m. MST / 5:00 p.m. PST

WHERE: Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium; Laramie, WY (29,181)

WEATHER: Partly Cloudy, high of 41 degrees

TV: CBS Sports Network (Stream CBS Sports on Fubo and click the link here for a free trial)

RADIO: K99-FM 99.1 / ESPN 1600 AM (Colorado)

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 115th all time matchup between the two schools. CSU leads 58-50-5 (Wyoming says it’s 59-50-5, CSU doesn’t count the first matchup due to a forfeit).

LAST MEETING: Wyoming won 14-13 in Fort Collins last season.

WEBSITES: CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website | GoWyo.com, the official Wyoming athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Colorado State | Wyoming

ODDS: Wyoming -5.5

OVER/UNDER: 41.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Wyoming by 8

FEI PROJECTION: Wyoming by 9.6

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Wyoming 72.47% win probability (30.53 to 22.62)

Colorado State heads to Laramie, Wyoming to face the Wyoming Cowboys in the Border War. CSU is coming off a loss to the Air Force Falcons in a blizzard.

Wyoming is led by Craig Bohl in his tenth season in charge. Andrew Peasley is the man under center. Harrison Waylee is the Cowboys leading rusher and Wyatt Wieland is the Cowboys leading receiver. The Wyoming defense is led by LB Easton Gibbs and DB Wyett Ekeler.

Now onto some keys to victory for the Rams.

Three Keys to a colorado state victory

1. Everyone Needs to Step Up

We saw Hidetora Hanada gets his first action of the year. Nuer Gatkuoth was the Rams leading tackler against Air Force. And Justus Ross-Simmons was the Rams leading receiver last week. All three stepped up when called upon. Ross got a deep shot early. Hanada was asked to use his Sumo skills. And Gatkuoth was asked to play out of position.

The Rams will be potentially be missing a few starters and others need to step up the way these three did last week. Two weren’t completely unexpected, but if the Rams are missing starters others need to be ready to take their place. They don’t have to be perfect, but they need to make the Cowboys respect them.

2. Complete 60 minute game

The weather definitely played an impact, but the Rams once again failed to play a complete game. They went into halftime tied 13-13 with the Falcons and couldn’t take advantage in the second half. This has become the story of the year for the Rams and now they have to change it.

The Rams haven’t been on the same page in all three phases of the game in any game this season. If they want the Bronze Boot to come back home, they’ll need to make sure everyone does their job until the clock hits zeroes.

3. Take Your Shots

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi played in his first snow game ever and it become clear that the weather was having an impact. He started sailing throws in the second half and looking at his hand. Some of those throws were shots that would’ve put the Rams in good position.

This week, Fowler-Nicolosi needs to put that behind him and just play the game in front of him. With Tory Horton a game-time decision, other receivers need to be ready when their number is called. The Rams can take shots because they trust their receivers and those receivers need to repay that trust.

what will happen

It’s Border War time! No one knows what’s really going to happen in these game. Last year was a one score game and this year could be similar. The Cowboys have been up and down this year and Wyoming will be up for this game. It’s going to be a knockdown, drag-out type of game, but the Rams come out on top.

Final Score: Colorado State 24, Wyoming 20

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1369]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: Fresno State vs. Boise State

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: Fresno State vs. Boise State The NCAA 14 Video Game Says Fresno State tops Boise 21-20 Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire For those new to our simulations, we use the C ollege Football Revamped version …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09p3bf720d8rg02 player_id=none image=]

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: Fresno State vs. Boise State

The NCAA 14 Video Game Says Fresno State tops Boise 21-20

Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire

For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA Sports NCAA14, with updated 2024 rosters. There is no user impact, just a computer simulation of the given teams.

Last week saw UNLV eek one out over Fresno State in our simulation. However, when the two actually met on the gridiron, it was Fresno coming away with the win in a thriller.

For the second week in a row, the losing team of the prior weeks simulated matchup gets a shot at redemption. This time, it’s the Fresno State Bulldogs who are coming off a loss in our simulation to UNLV, to now face Boise State. And it was sweet victory the second time around for the Bulldogs! Mikey Keene outdueled Taylen Green, tossing three tuddies to help secure the victory.

The simulation didn’t implore a quarterback rotation like you’ll probably see from Boise this week, it was Taylen Green the whole way. Ironically, Green was pretty effective throwing the ball for nearly 300 yards, but had two costly turnovers.

Just as surprising was the ability of Fresno State to outgain the Broncos on the ground. I’m not sure many would expect that assuming Ashton Jeanty is in the lineup, but that’s why we love the simulations- expect the unexpected!

This marks the fourth consecutive week that our simulation winner has lost the matchup on the field. With the exception of our sim reflecting Air Force being blown out by Wyoming, every game has been close. Each of these games have also played out similarly on the field, with all four games being coming down to a single score difference.

If you have a strong opinion on who should be our featured simulation next week, let us hear about it @MWCwire. 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Mountain West Football: Week 9 Winners And Losers

Emmanuel Michael, Senika McKie, and Wyoming are among Mountain West football’s biggest winners and losers from Week 9.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Mountain West Football: Week 9 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired across the Mountain West in Week 9 of the college football season?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the week that was.

You might as well have called last weekend in Mountain West football “Statement Saturday.”

While there wasn’t a lot of high drama (though they had that covered in the Central Valley almost single-handedly), everyone got a chance to send a message to the rest of the conference: It’s Air Force and it’s everyone else. Boise State isn’t dead yet and neither is Fresno State. Nevada may have found some footing after all.

Because some of those statements were less encouraging than others, however, here are the winners and losers from Week 9.

Winners

1. Air Force running back Emmanuel Michel

The battle for the Ram-Falcon Trophy may have turned out to be tougher and snowier than expected for the Mountain-West leading cadets, but Michel’s performance in the second half of Air Force’s 30-13 win over Colorado State helped ensure the road team would hang on rivalry bragging rights. He picked up 113 of his 130 rushing yards after halftime, including a key 53-yard scamper in the third quarter that flipped the field and helped to set the Falcons up with a ten-point lead, and capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

2. Fresno State linebacker Levelle Bailey

The Bulldogs’ senior star has developed a knack for being in the right place at the right time, killing UNLV’s last-gasp rally with a game-sealing interception to secure a 31-24 win over the Rebels.

Most people will immediately point out that isn’t even Bailey’s first game-sealing pick of the season — he did the same thing to Eastern Washington back in September — but it’s also worth mentioning he tied for the team high with eight total tackles, broke up a second pass in the first quarter and, per Pro Football Focus, allowed just 25 total yards on the five times he was targeted in coverage.

3. Nevada cornerback Michael Coats Jr.

Sometimes, it’s just your day. That certainly appeared to be the case for the former East Central Community College transfer on Saturday in a 34-24 win over New Mexico, as the Lobos tested him early and often but, according to PFF, would be repeatedly denied: His second quarter interception would set up a short scoring drive that extended the Wolf Pack lead to 24-0 at that point, but he also broke up two passes and allowed just three receptions on a team-high ten targets. For a team sorely lacking in bright spots in the first half of the season, Coats Jr.’s performance came at just the right time for the Nevada faithful to think things might be headed in the right direction after all.

Losers

1. UNLV wide receiver Senika McKie

Catching a football is sometimes harder than it looks. It’s important to remember that when someone lets a well-placed goal-line fade — far from the easiest play to make on a route tree under most circumstances — slip through their fingers like McKie did on Saturday night in a 31-24 loss to Fresno State.

PFF notes it was the only pass dropped by a Rebels receiver against the Bulldogs, though McKie now has twice as many dropped passes (six) as anyone else on the roster on just 34 targets this season. For the moment, that 27.3% drop rate is the highest among all qualifying Mountain West players; the latest misfortune just happened to come at a moment that many UNLV folks will probably be thinking about for a long time.

2. Wyoming

Cowboy football’s remaining skeptics came away with plenty to talk about on Saturday in the wreckage of a 32-7 defeat on the road to Boise State. The offense was dead on arrival, averaging 2.5 yards per play, finishing 1-of-11 on third downs, and crossing midfield only because Stefan Cobbs muffed a punt return late in the first quarter. On defense, Jay Sawvel’s secondary was simply overmatched by Eric McAlister and couldn’t capitalize on Ashton Jeanty’s limited availability, allowing Maddux Madsen to move through the air seemingly at will while George Holani’s return from injury allowed the Broncos to survive on the ground.

Now effectively eliminated from the Mountain West title chase, the Cowboys are sitting at 5-3 with a -20 point differential after eight games. They were also 5-3 after games in 2022, but the difference is that this was supposed to be the year in which their returning production advantage might finally put them over the top. The more things change, though, the more they seem to stay the same in Laramie.

3. Hawaii

Are Timmy Chang’s Warriors regressing before our eyes? It’s not what you hoped to see on the back half of his second year in charge, but a 35-0 shutout to San Jose State marked the third time in four conference games that Hawaii has lost by at least three touchdowns. Quarterback Brayden Schager never got going, finishing 17-of-29 for 132 yards and one interception before being relieved in the fourth quarter, while punter/kicker Matthew Shipley ended up as the team’s leading rusher with a 17-yard run on a third-quarter fake.

The more serious concern is that the defense has stagnated even more, allowing the Spartans to average 6.9 yards per play through the first three quarters. Perhaps no one is more emblematic of the team’s growing pains than sophomore linebacker Jalen Smith, who collected two of his three tackles for loss on SJSU’s second possession but also picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that enabled to Spartans to extend the drive and, eventually, collect their first points of the game. Patience is probably still a virtue here, but you can’t blame fans for feeling a little angst at blowout after blowout.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

Advertisement

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV at Fresno State

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV at Fresno State The NCAA 14 Video Game Says UNLV defeats Fresno State 28-13 Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire UNLV got a mulligan after being featured in last weeks simulation, where they lost to …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09p3bf720d8rg02 player_id=none image=]

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV at Fresno State

The NCAA 14 Video Game Says UNLV defeats Fresno State 28-13

Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire

UNLV got a mulligan after being featured in last weeks simulation, where they lost to Colorado State 31-21. For the second week in a row, UNLV is center stage playing a top Mountain West opponent in week nine. This Saturday, the UNLV Rebels travel West to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs at Valley Children’s Stadium.

With their second crack at a simulation victory, UNLV came away with a W by defeating the Bulldogs 28-13. Mikey Keane and the Fresno offense left much to be desired coming away empty handed on half of their redzone appearances (2/4) and barely clearing 240 yards of total offense. Keane in particular was just 14/32 for 161 yards. Not what the Bulldog faithful have come to expect from this offense.

The Reb’s were able to get a good balance between the rushing attack and pass game. Courtney Reese cleared 100 yards on the ground with two tudd’s, while Doug Brumfield (who started in this simulation) chipped in just under 190 through the air. The UNLV defense did their part, forcing the games lone turnover courtesy of Cam Oliver, and largely limiting Fresno’s offense.

It will be interesting to see how this one really plays out Saturday, as this matchup could have serious implications on who will be playing in the Mountain West Championship game.

If you  have a strong opinion on who should be our featured simulation next week, let us hear about it @MWCwire. 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

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.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd4pnb49trk727 player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

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

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

Week 7 2023 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

The Mountain West rolls on and we once again look at where you should place your money this week.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd4pnb49trk727 player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Week 7 2023 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

A look at the Mountain West betting odds for Week 7

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 1-2 in week six and are 33-23-1 on the year. Another week below .500. At this point, just take the opposite of what I do.

Fresno State @ Utah state (+5.5, O/U 54.5)

Fresno State’s defense is allowing less than 300 yards a game. Utah State hasn’t really faced good defenses this year outside of Air Force and Iowa. The Bulldogs offense is going to drive this scoreline. If they can finish drives, they’ll cover easy. If they can’t, it will be a close one.

Pick: Fresno State -5.5

UNLV @ Nevada (+7.5, O/U 53.5)

Rivalry games usually mean you throw the stats out of the window. However, this year’s Nevada team is the exception to the rule. They are next to last in almost all categories. UNLV on the other hand is one of this years surprises. Barry Odom has this team on the verge of bowl eligibility in year one. The Rebels offense is still finding an identity but they execute well.

Pick: UNLV -7.5

San Jose State @ New Mexico (+7.5, O/U 55.5)

The Spartans are not the team anyone thought they were going to be this year. They are really struggling on offense. New Mexico has been a surprise. They have somewhat of an offense and seem to be trending in the right direction. I think they’ll surprise people in this game and cover, if not outright win.

Pick: New Mexico +7.5

Wyoming @ Air Force (-11.5, O/U 42.5)

Yeah, no idea what to really go with here. Craig Bohl has a winning record against Air Force. This is Air Force’s first real test of the year. This seems like the perfect time for a ball control classic from Troy Calhoun. Expect the Falcons to slog it out one play at a time and take 10 minutes per drive.

Pick: Under

Boise State @ Colorado state (+8.5, O/U 60.5)

Slam the over right now! I’m comfortable taking the over up to 69.5. I feel it could go 80+, but you never know. Both defenses have been horrible and both offenses have shown they can light it up at times. The Rams are on homecoming and coming off an embarrassing loss, so lets see what happens.

Pick: Over

San Diego State @ Hawai’i (+6, O/U 52.5)

Umm, yeah. What to really do here. Hawai’i seems like they can cover here. They have a decent defense against a horrid Aztecs offense. The really battle will come down to whether or not the Warriors can move the ball. They’ve struggled at times this year, but the Aztecs aren’t the defense we’ve known them to be this season.

Pick: Hawai’i +6

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

Wyoming Cowboys vs. Air Force: How the Cowboys will win

After upsetting Fresno State, what will it take for the Wyoming Cowboys to beat the Air Force Falcons?

Wyoming Cowboys vs. Air Force: How the Cowboys will win

Once again, the Cowboys find themselves in a must-win game against another top dog of the conference, the Air Force Falcons

Contact/Follow @KayceeClark and @MWCwire

WEEK 7: Wyoming Cowboys (5-1, 2-0 MW) vs. Air Force Falcons (5-0, 3-0 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, October 14 — 5 PM MST

WHERE: Falcon Stadium (37,655)

TV: CBS Sports Network

STREAMING: Get a free trial with FuboTV

RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network

SERIES RECORD: Air Force leads all-time series 30-27-3

LAST MATCHUP: Wyoming won 17-14 in Laramie

WEBSITES: GoWyo.com, the official Wyoming athletics website; GoAirForceFalcons.com, the official Fresno State athletics website.

GAME NOTES: Wyoming | Air Force

ODDS: Air Force -10.5

OVER/UNDER: 42.5 points

[mm-video type=playlist id=01g1kx1m9c8rz2mjgq player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Another week, another Wyoming Cowboy showdown with immense implications for the Mountain West Conference (MWC). Air Force is the only team in the conference that remains with zero losses, and both teams sit just outside of the AP Poll Top 25 and Coaches Polls, with the Pokes at 27 and Falcons at 28. A victory would nearly guarantee a top-25 ranking. For the Cowboys, the last time the team reached the AP Top 25 was 1998.

This 5-1 Pokes team has re-introduced Laramie and Wyoming football fans back to a hopeful season. In the preseason, MWC media predicted Wyoming to finish sixth in the conference. Now halfway through the season, Wyoming is one win away from becoming bowl-eligible.

On Saturday, the Pokes travel to Colorado Springs to take on the Falcons. As Air Force is a double-digit favorite, how does Wyoming escape with a victory?

Wyoming will return to the Gem City 6-1 if…

First, the triple option offense that Air Force operates out of has been extremely explosive. This season is once again a hot start for the Falcons on the ground as they lead the country in rushing yards per game with 329.8 yards. Air Force has led the nation in rushing yards per game for the last three seasons. A Cowboy victory comes from slowing down the rushing attack. It is easier said than done to stop the run, but this is a must for the Cowboys.

Pokes’ defensive front must be prepared to put extreme pressure on the Falcons’ rushers. Between quarterback Zac Larrier, fullback Emmanuel Michel and running back John Lee Eldridge III, the combo has totaled 1,040 yards on the ground through five games. The Wyoming defense will most likely have the return of defensive end Sebastian Harsh, which will be a benefit.

Mountain West Football: 2023 Midseason Team Grades

The Cowboys are going to be stacking the box to pressure the Falcons to run game with linebackers and safeties. Potential pressure may come from linebacker Shae Suiaunoa and safety Wyett Ekeler. Against New Mexico on Sept. 30, Ekeler recorded his first career sacks and led the team with four tackles for loss.

This defense has also held typically good offenses under their season averages, holding the Texas Longhorns to 316 total yards when the team averages 486 yards, and Fresno State only put up 324 yards on a 424-yard average.

Flipping to the other side, while Wyoming has been helped with a productive run game, converting big plays with the pass will be essential for the Cowboy offense. The Air Force defense only allows 70.6 rushing yards and 153.2 passing yards per game. Converting in one area is vital, and it is more likely that Wyoming gets a passing game going.

In recent weeks, quarterback Andrew Peasley has appeared to become more healthy following a shoulder injury that prevented his appearance in the Pokes only loss at No. 4 Texas. In Wyoming’s two MWC games, Peasley has 377 passing yards, four touchdowns, 59 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

The first half of last week’s game against Fresno State was nearly perfect for the offense. Every first-half drive for the Cowboys ended in points, with three touchdowns and a field goal. Peasley was 16-for-20 with 144 yards and three touchdowns by the half. However, the second half saw Peasley go 3-for-7 and 39 yards. For a whole game, replicating that first half would be extremely helpful for a Pokes victory.

The passing game finding success also showed the Cowboy pass-catchers such as wide receiver Wyatt Wieland and tight end Treyton Welch made their names known last Saturday.

Another key to the Wyoming offense’s success is ensuring the offensive line is creating the gaps for the run game, which it has done thus far, but also guarding Peasley from taking significant hits and losses. The Air Force defense features the third and tied-for-fourth-ranked sack leaders of the MWC in PJ Ramsey and Bo Richter, with 3.5 and 3, respectively.

Wyoming has only given up eight sacks through six games, but the Air Force defense averages 2.4 sacks per game. Winning the battle at the line is key for Wyoming to keep their offense on the field and prevent the Falcons from eating up the clock.

In what will be another emotional game for the Cowboys, some might say the fourth of the season, a victory can be difficult. Typically, teams fall short after repetitive attempts in high-energy games. However, this won’t be the case for the Cowboys this weekend.

Wyoming 31 – Air Force 30

Advertisement [lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]