Tag: Wyoming Football

Mountain West Football: Bowl Season Winners and Losers

We look at the biggest winners and losers from the Mountain West’s seven bowl games.

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Mountain West Football: Bowl Season Winners and Losers

We look back to take stock of the biggest winners and losers from the Mountain West’s seven bowl games.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Some encouragement and some letdowns from the postseason that was.

Well, it had to end sometime.

The Mountain West wrapped up bowl season with a 4-3 record and certainly brought with it a great deal of excitement. While it’s naive to tease out a lot of meaning from what amounts to seven exhibitions, we can still look back one last time to see who stood out and who might be thinking a lot about what might have been in the long off-season.

Here are Mountain West bowl season’s winners and losers.

Winners

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl – Utah State wide receiver Siaosi Mariner. He didn’t get all that much attention in the vacuum to replace all of last year’s pass-catching star power, but Mariner’s bowl performance — seven catches, 113 yards, two touchdowns — helped to put a bow on what was arguably the best season by an Aggie wide receiver in the last ten years.

New Mexico Bowl – San Diego State running back Jordan Byrd. The Aztecs thumping Central Michigan was easily the most surprising result of the Mountain West’s bowl season, but the most pleasant part of that surprise was the surge from a running game that often scuffled in 2019.

Byrd, making a return home to his native New Mexico, finally put up the kind of numbers (17 carries, 139 yards and a touchdown) we’d been accustomed to seeing from San Diego State in years past, providing a glimmer of encouragement that, along with a young receiving corp, the pieces are in place to make a leap forward next fall.

Mitsubishi Las Vegas Bowl – Boise State defensive end Chase Hatada.  A lot of things weren’t pretty in the desert, but the senior Hatada finished his collegiate career with perhaps his finest effort. While Curtis Weaver was relatively quiet against Washington, Hatada finished with six tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.

SoFi Hawaii Bowl – Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald. Despite being briefly benched for some reason, McDonald put on an aerial show that rivaled some of the best performances of Hawaii quarterbacks past. In the process, he set the new Mountain West record for passing yards in a bowl game by throwing for 493 yards and four touchdowns on 28-of-46 pass attempts. It seems almost certain, then, that something will have to give in the Warriors’ ongoing quarterback shuffle, but we’ll probably have to wait until summer to learn more.

Cheez-It Bowl – Air Force running back Kadin Remsberg. Tailbacks in the Falcons offense don’t often receive a typical RB1 workload, but if anyone doubted that Remsberg had played at an all-conference level for two straight years before Air Force’s win over Washington State, consider that doubt removed.

Remsberg’s 26 carries were both a career high and the most by a Falcons runner this year and he made them count, rushing for 178 yards and a late touchdown that sealed the deal against the Cougars.

Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl – Wyoming running back Xazavian Valladay. Well, this one is an easy call. Any time someone accounts for nearly 300 yards of total offense like Valladay did against Georgia State (204 yards rushing and 7.8 yards per attempt, 91 receiving yards on three receptions, and two touchdowns), that someone is definitely a winner.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – Nevada wide receiver Elijah Cooks. Like Mariner, Cooks quietly put together a strong 2019 and saved the best for last. While the Wolf Pack may have come up short against Ohio, you can’t place too much blame on the junior wide receiver, who finished with 14 catches, 197 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets.

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2020 New Year’s Resolution For The Mountain West

J 2020 New Year’s Resolution For The Mountain West What goals do you want to see for your team in 2020? Contact/Follow @MWCwire Resolution time. Now that 2019 has come and gone, we have asked our staff to hand out some resoultions for their team and …

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2020 New Year’s Resolution For The Mountain West

What goals do you want to see for your team in 2020?

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Resolution time.

Now that 2019 has come and gone, we have asked our staff to hand out some resoultions for their team and the league as a whole. If you have any of your own respond to this embeded tweet below.

Mountain West

Raj: Boise State is the Mountain West and jokes aside; the MWC better find a way to campaign more for the Broncos to get into future NY6 games along with finding a way to get the Broncos in better bowl matchups. And yes, go get the standard bearer of the conference the money we deserve in this new TV deal.

Jeremy: Gotta agree with Raj, the league needs to promote itself better for whatever team is in position for a New Year’s Six Bowl or when it comes to the NCAA selection committee which could see the Mountain West have a top-three seed in San Diego State and maybe three teams overall in Utah State and New Mexico.

Be more vocal and don’t just spew that the stats speak for themselves. No need to go full Mike Aresco but speak up for the league more often and accept more media interviews.

Tron: The Mountain West needs to find a way to be more competitive as a conference, in both football and basketball. In football they need to find a way to campaign for better bowl games whenever possible. In basketball they need to find a way to get more teams to the tourney consistently, possibly by adding a round robin tournament into the schedule the way other mid majors are considering, in order to give your best teams more quad 1-2 competition. Adding a good basketball only school (like they tried with Gonzaga) could help a lot too, in terms of getting more teams into the tourney, which generates more money for the conference and the teams in it. 

Roger: The MWC must continue to schedule big games on National TV, do what they can to get more national exposure to generate both respect on the national stage and of course generate more  income. They can start by doing a top to bottom upgrade to their web site that was good 10 years ago but must keep up with the times, web site is clunky, maybe do push notifications on favorite teams and when they play games Take a look at the SEC website for some tips. Something much more media & social media emphasis.

Josh F: Craig Thompson needs to find his voice. We make fun of the AAC a lot, but he constantly puts his conference out there in national discussions. Meanwhile, Thompson sits in his office drinking coffee doing nothing. 

Ted M.:  The Mountain West needs a successor for Commissioner Craig Thompson. In charge since its inception, he held the conference together years ago when TCU, Utah and BYU left. But that was nearly 10 years ago. In sports, one must regularly prove one’s mettle. It has been a very long time since Thompson has made notable progress. He did not recognize the value of integrating Wichita State whose Final Four caliber basketball program wanted to join the Mountain West in a big way.

Thompson openly blew off the Shockers.  For a conference with just eleven basketball teams it was a missed chance. He recently muffed a potential Gonzaga integration, and turned a private discussion about BYU’s return into the Mountain West – very public. No progress was made. Today, the conference is misrepresented and under-recognized. Games are hard to watch due to late airings, and being poorly televised- if at all.  The Mountain West is grossly underrated. Until change is made it will remain so. Looking at the the American Athletic Conference, which has demanded Power 6 status, it’s clear that with strong leadership so much more can be realized by a strong G5 like the Mountain West.  

Larry: Basketball for the conference as a whole seems to be in a better place than they were last year, I know that sounds crazy with Musselman in Arkansas and Neemias Queta injured on the bench but hear me out. The middle of the pack looks stronger and you can see guys like Medvid, Alford and Hutson building programs at their respective schools (slowly but still doing so) and recruiting on a higher level than before. I would love to see this continued momentum and a respect for the conference nationally, which has been hard to obtain in recent years. The conference is on the up and up and with San Diego State and New Mexico returning to past form that helps. But to return to 3+ big league living in the shadow of the infamous 2013 season some changes need to be made. Scheduling for most of the conference has improved with games against Auburn, Florida, LSU, Duke and more helping team’s national profile. It’s hard living in mid-major land and to find that aforementioned national respect you need to be dominant, and Utah State and San Diego State are doing just that. We can use more as a conference but the improvement isn’t going unnoticed. 

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MWwire’s 2010s All-Decade Mountain West Football Team

Who were the best Mountain West football players of the 2010s? We make our picks.

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Mountain West Wire’s 2010s All-Decade Mountain West Football Team

Who were the best Mountain West football players of the 2010s? We make our picks.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

The best of the best from a memorable decade.

The decade in Mountain West football began with an upset. Unranked Utah defeated #15 Pittsburgh at home on September 2, 2010, and in doing so set the tone for the ten years that followed. One Rose Bowl, one Fiesta Bowl, and seven All-Americans later, the conference has a lot to live up to at it heads into its third decade of existence.

As the 2010s come to a close, we wanted to look back to highlight the best players from the decade. If you disagree with our choices, of course, feel free to let us know what you’d have done differently on Twitter or Facebook.

First Team

Offense

QB – Brett Rypien, Boise State
RB – Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State
RB – Jay Ajayi, Boise State
WR – Rashard Higgins, Colorado State
WR – Davante Adams, Fresno State
TE – Gavin Escobar, San Diego State
C – Keith Ismael, San Diego State
G – Nico Siragusa, San Diego State
G – Chase Roullier, Wyoming
T – Ezra Cleveland, Boise State
T – Austin Wentworth, Fresno State

Defense

DL – Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State
DL – Eddie Yarbrough, Wyoming
DL – Malik Reed, Nevada
DL – Curtis Weaver, Boise State
LB – Tank Carder, TCU
LB – Miles Burris, San Diego State
LB – Logan Wilson, Wyoming
CB – Leon McFadden, San Diego State
CB – Damontae Kazee, San Diego State
S – Weston Steelhammer, Air Force
S – Andrew Wingard, Wyoming

Special Teams

K – Dominik Eberle, Utah State
P – Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State
KR – Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
PR – Avery Williams, Boise State

Second Team

Offense

QB – Derek Carr, Fresno State
RB – Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State
RB – Brian Hill, Wyoming
WR – Michael Gallup, Colorado State
WR – Keesean Johnson, Fresno State
TE – Crockett Gillmore, Colorado State
C – Weston Richburg, Colorado State
G – A.J. Wallerstein, Air Force
G – John Molchon, Boise State
T – Nate Potter, Boise State
T – Marcus Cannon, TCU

Defense

DL – Alex Barrett, San Diego State
DL – Tyeler Davison, Fresno State
DL – Brock Hekking, Nevada
DL – Stansly Maponga, TCU
LB – Zach Vigil, Utah State
LB – Cory James, Colorado State
LB – Carmen Messina, New Mexico
CB – Donte Deayon, Boise State
CB – Jalen Davis, Utah State
S – Darian Thompson, Boise State
S – Derron Smith, Fresno State

Special Teams

K – John Baron II, San Diego State
P – Brian Stahovich, San Diego State
KR – Savon Scarver, Utah State
PR – Jojo Natson, Utah State

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Arizona Bowl, Wyoming vs. Georgia State: Game Preview, TV, Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

Arizona Bowl, Wyoming vs. Georgia State: Game Preview, TV, Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More Wyoming is looking to end its season on a high note. Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Strength vs. Strength? Wyoming is taking the field for the …

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Arizona Bowl, Wyoming vs. Georgia State: Game Preview, TV, Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

Wyoming is looking to end its season on a high note.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Strength vs. Strength?

Wyoming is taking the field for the first time since Nov. 30, gotta love the bowl layoffs, right? The Cowboys will be facing off against Georgia State who finished is 7-5 and hails from the Sun Belt.

The biggest and most odd scenario with this bowl game is the Wyoming quarterback situation. Sean Chambers has been out for a while with an injury but Tyler Vander Wall has entered the transfer portal but is still part of the team, or sort of is.

The ultimate decision ended with head coach Craig Bohl going with Williams and one has to think Bohl went that way since he will be back in 2020.

“We’ve had a great competition both with him and Tyler, and they’re both team players,” Bohl said. “We’ll see how the game unfolds, but we’ve made the determination going into this game that Levi is going to give us the best opportunity to win. Both of those two guys have played a lot of football, and we’ll utilize that. But right now, we’re going with Levi.”

This should not come as a surprise since Williams had been getting a lot more reps and slowly took over Vander Waal’s snaps and that is also what likely land to him entering the transfer portal.

With Williams at quarterback look back to the Air Force game where he earned most of the carries and was just so-so passing the ball by going 6 of 11 with a pick. His legs powered him to 79 yards with a long of 39.

Williams’ play is more closer to Chambers with the ground game being more successful than the air game, so that keeps the playbook inline with what the Cowboys have done all year.

WHO: Wyoming vs. Georgia State (Sun Belt)
WHERE: Arizona Stadium; Tucson, Arizona
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
STREAMING: FuboTV – Get a seven-day free trial
RADIO: Wyoming | Georgia State
GAME NOTES: Wyoming | Georgia State

Georgia State’s Key Players

1. QB Dan Ellington

The Panthers offense runs through Ellington, especially when he has good games. There is a correlation with Georgia State wins and Ellington’s ability to play well. This game could prove to be on the bad side since this Cowboys defense will be the toughest Georgia State will have played all year.

Part of the struggles are that early in the year, Ellington injured his knee and it was thought to be a torn ACL. The knee was injured but not to that exact, however, that ailment has limited Ellington’s running ability and has just -5 rushing yards on 21 attempts. The lack of running ability has made this offense go stale. Post-injury the Panthers are averaging just 21.7 points per game compared to the 36 points a game before. His passing game has taken a dip as well by not being able to put his full force of power behind his throws.

2. RB Tra Barnett

This is where the game might be won or lost for Georgia State. Barnett is the best running back in Panther’s history and depending on what he does in the bowl game will lead the Sun Belt in rushing yards. However, this defense will be one of the most difficult he has faced all year.

He is extremely fast and has averaged at least five yards per carry in nine games this season, including three games above 6.5 yards a carry. So, he is a player that the Cowboys defense will need to focus on if they want to get a win.

3. LB Trajan Stephens-McQueen

The Georgia State defense isn’t great but Stephens-McQueen is their star player. He had 100 tackles, seven for a loss, a sacks and had two interceptions. The Sun Belt was deep in that position and he missed the cut from being named all-league.

Against Army, Stephens-McQueen recorded 20 tackles and reached double-digit tackles four times this season. He is the leader of this defense as injuries took out linebacker Ed Curney and safety Remy Lazarus earlier this year.

 

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PODCAST: 2019 Mountain West Bowl Show Part 2

Get caught up with the latest Mountain West bowl news.

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PODCAST: 2019 Mountain West Bowl Show Part 2

A pair of recaps and a preview.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Air Force, Hawaii come away with wins.

Jeremy flies solo once again to recap the Cheeze It and Hawaii Bowl, plus he previews the Arizona Bowl between Georgia State and Wyoming. In the bowl recaps it starts with Hawaii earning a 38-34 victory over BYU. The Warriors offense had a huge game throwing the ball from Cole McDonald who was turnover-free in the game.

The Warriors defense also stood out with three turnovers of their own. There was some technology issues in the game that could have made things a bit different but the bowl game was lacking the proper tech.

Air Force vs. Washington State lived up to the hype with the Falcons running at will and the Cougars offense slinging the ball quite well. Air Force had a classic 20-play, 12-plus minute drive that went over the first and second quarters for a touchdown. The Falcons defense also made a few big plays by stopping Washington State on multiple fourth downs.

We also preview the Arizona Bowl between Wyoming and Georgia State which will feature strength vs. strength with the Cowboys defense vs. the Panthers offense and vice versa with weakness vs. weakness. Also, there is some confusing information regarding Wyoming’s starting quarterback.

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

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2019 Arizona Bowl Expert Picks

Picks from across the internet for the Arizona Bowl between Georgia State and Wyoming.

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2019 Arizona Bowl Expert Picks

Find out who likes who between Georgia State and Wyoming

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Bowl game picks

The Arizona Bowl is a day time Tuesday afternoon game between Georgia State and Wyoming. The Cowboys are a seven-point favorite and below are picks from our staff and across the Internet.

Staff Picks

Arizona Bowl: Wyoming (-7) vs. Georgia State 

 

Jeremy: SU: Wyoming | ATS: Georgia State | Score: Wyoming 20, Georgia State 16

Josh F: SU: Georgia State | ATS: Georgia State | Score: Georgia State 27, Wyoming 14

Matt K.: SU: Wyoming | ATS: Georgia State | Score: Wyoming 24, Georgia State 13

Ted M: SU: Georgia State | ATS: Georgia State | Score: Georgia St. 30, Wyoming 21

Brandon T: SU/ATS: Wyoming 28 Georgia St 14

Roger Wyoming 24 Georgia State 18

Erik: SU/ATS: Georgia State

Sean: SU: Wyoming| ATS: Wyoming | Score: Georgia St. 13, Wyoming 24

USA TODAY

Five of the six go with Wyoming as the outright winner

Los Angeles Times

Wyoming 21, Georgia State 19

The Action Cookbook

Funding hadn’t been pulled, of course. The upper echelons of the government, the ones with say over those sorts of things, they’d never known about the program in the first place. The scientist had gotten cold feet. He’d seen inside a football coach’s mind. He knew it was too much, even for a weapon of war. There was no glimmer of humanity. He told his superiors that the experiments had failed. He’d stayed on, worried that they hadn’t.

CBS Sports

ESPN

Both teams have wins against SEC opponents, as Wyoming beat Missouri and Georgia State stunned Tennessee in Knoxville. Wyoming has a clear edge on defense and at the line of scrimmage, ranking sixth nationally in rushing yards allowed and 27th in rushing offense. Craig Bohl’s team gets a lift from 1,000-yard rusher Xazavian Valladay against the nation’s 116th-ranked run defense. Wyoming’s defense contains quarterback Dan Ellington in the win.

Prediction: Wyoming 37, Georgia State 20

Athlon Sports

All three go with Wyoming.


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Arizona Bowl: A Georgia State Q&A With Scott Watkins

We learn more about the Wyoming Cowboys’ bowl opponent, the Georgia State Panthers, with Scott Watkins of Forgotten5.

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Arizona Bowl: A Georgia State Q&A With Scott Watkins

We learn more about the Wyoming Cowboys’ bowl opponent, the Georgia State Panthers, with Scott Watkins of Forgotten5.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

A quietly even bowl game.

College football’s bowl season is nearing its January stretch run and the Mountain West’s seven-game slate heads into its penultimate game when the Wyoming Cowboys and Georgia State Panthers face off in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Tuesday, December 31.

Amid the buzz of the College Football Playoff, you might be tempted to overlook this matchup. The Arizona Bowl has always tended to be a fun one, however, and both teams have shown a propensity to surprise this fall.

To learn more about the Panthers, we reached out to Scott Watkins of Forgotten5.

Mountain West Wire: One of the year’s biggest stories was Georgia State going to Neyland Stadium and defeating Tennessee back in Week 1, but can you describe the Panthers’ overall season after that?

Scott Watkins: Georgia State’s season was a long, winding road that was ultimately a success, though I don’t think the team will tell you that. Following the program-defining win over Tennessee, the Panthers quickly hit a crossroad after getting pummeled by Western Michigan and taking an overtime loss to Texas State.

They responded by rattling off four straight wins that included victories over Arkansas State and Army. Act III of the year began in Monroe with trap-game loss against the Warhawks. The Panthers would lose three of their last four games.

Most people who put out any prediction on GSU’s season had the Panthers losing a lot more than winning. The offense had some firepower but the defense was still a major work in progress, making GSU a longshot for a bowl game coming off a 2-10 season.

Yet, here they are. Bowling in Arizona.

MWwire: The Panthers definitely look like a team led by its offense and no one had a bigger impact than running back Tra Barnett. What strengths does he bring to the GSU backfield?

Watkins: It is very safe to say that Barnett is the best running back in GSU history. The senior broke pretty much every rushing record in the young Panther record book this year. Barnett also needs just under 100 yards in this game to become GSU’s first ever Sun Belt rushing champ.

Barnett has been a dangerous weapon because of his versatility. He’s strong for his size and work his way in between the tackles and has enough breakaway speed to reach the third level before the second level can react.

Most importantly, though, Barnett is consistent. Elliott has used anywhere from one to three different backs and Barnett is always heavily involved and producing at a high level. The back has averaged at least five yards per carry in nine games this season, including three games above 6.5 yards a carry.

MWwire: It certainly seems like the effectiveness of quarterback Dan Ellington has had a huge impact on the team’s fortunes, as well, with a 13% difference in completion rate and a 50-point difference in passer rating between wins and losses. What would you say has generally helped Ellington to perform at his best?

Watkins: The win/loss split is certainly eye-opening, but there is much more relevant split to take note of here: pre and post-injury Ellington. Act III began with perhaps the biggest story of the Panthers’ season. In the first half of the game at Louisiana-Monroe, Ellington left the contest with a leg injury. It was later revealed that he had torn his ACL and would be done for the year.

He’s not done. To everyone’s surprise, Ellington started the next game against Appalachian State. While an admirable effort and the most incredible display of toughness and heart I’ve ever seen in person, the full-powered Ellington just wasn’t there. The offense was limited because Ellington’s dual threat capabilities were non-existent and he lacked zip on his throws toward the sideline. Against the Mountaineers, he completed just 44 percent of his passes and tossed two picks.

In Ellington’s three starts since the injury, he has -5 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Without his running ability, the offense is susceptible to going stagnant. Post-injury Ellington’s Panthers are averaging just 21.7 points per game compared to the 36 points a game before. That’s a fairly large swing.

MWwire: I noticed that every GSU athlete named to the all-Sun Belt postseason three-deep played on offense, which I suspect means there have been some issues on defense. What has been the Panthers’ most persistent issue there and who do you think could have a big bowl game to fix it?

Watkins: Defense, as mentioned, has big a pesky thorn in the Panthers’ side for some time now. The unit bottomed out last year and, while it has shown flashed in 2019, is still a big problem.

It didn’t help that GSU lost its two best players on that side of the ball in linebacker Ed Curney and safety Remy Lazarus during the year, either. The Panthers are giving up 5.3 yards a pop on the ground (9th in SBC) and 8.5 yards an attempt through the air (10th) making it a two-pronged problem that has yet to be solved.

The no-doubt star of the defense now is linebacker Trajan Stephens-McQueen. The only reason he didn’t nab an All-Conference bid is because the Sun Belt is stacked at that position. The junior was one of eight players in the league to reach 100 tackles and added two interceptions, as well.

GSU will need a big performance out of Stephens-McQueen against Wyoming, which he is more than capable of doing. Against Army, Stephens-McQueen recorded 20 tackles and reached double-digit tackles four times this season.

MWwire: The Arizona Bowl has already built a reputation for hotly contested games in its short history. Do you believe this year’s iteration will be more of the same? How do you see the game generally unfolding?

Watkins: Bowl games are extremely difficult to predict and this one is no different. On paper, one would assume Wyoming has a clear edge with the phenomenal defense the Cowboys have been playing lined against a struggling Panther offense. I expect Elliott to come out with a few wrinkles to try and jump start the offense in different spots throughout the game. The biggest key is for the defense to simply keep GSU within striking distance, though. GSU is down, but if I’ve learned one thing about the Panthers this year, it’s that they certainly aren’t out.

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Mountain West Bowl Picks and Prediction

Find out what the best picks are?

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Mountain West Bowl Picks and Predictions

Bowl season is close to being underway.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Bowl picking time!

Don’t let anyone tell you that the college football bowl season has too many games. There is a finite number of these contests and we must cherish them all so more bowl games the better.

Plus, it gives us another opportunity to make some bowl picks for Mountain West games since odds for the bowl games have been updated after being out for a few weeks.

Frisco Bowl: Utah State vs. Kent State (+5)

This one is a bit interesting since Utah State had a few players get in trouble with law enforcement as Jordan Love, Gerold Bright and Sean L. Carter were charged with possession of marijuana. There is no work on them not playing this game on Friday but if they play the Aggies should be able to top Kent State since Utah State has the better overall talent on the field.

Pick against the spread: Utah State

New Mexico Bowl: San Diego State vs Central Michigan (+3.5)

San Diego State is going to be led by its defense, no surprise there, but the really good news is that quarterback Ryan Agnew is expected to be healthy and ready to go in the bowl game this weekend against Central Michigan.

This is going to be a battle of the strengths as the Aztecs are allowing just 12.8 points per game and the Chips are putting up 31.9 points per game. Usually, the Aztec defense can slow down any attack and look for that to be the same.

Pick against the spread: San Diego State

Las Vegas Bowl: Boise State vs. Washington (-3.5) 

Washington head coach Chris Petersen is not happy his final game is against his former team. The Huskies were a preseason top 20 team but now that distinction belongs to the Broncos. The big question for Boise State is who will play at quarterback. Redshirt senior Jaylon Henderson was the third quarterback to start the year but he is now the starter and is 4-0 as a starter.

This Huskies team might be the best Henderson has faced and the Washington defense just might be able to find a way to slow down Henderson with a few weeks to prepare. Even with that time, the Boise State defense should be able to slow down a Washington offense that is 61st in yards per play.

Pick against the spread: Boise State

Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii vs. BYU (-1.5)

This one could go a lot of different ways because Hawaii sometimes plays to the level of competition, and BYU has been up and down but mostly up as of late. The Warriors have won low-scoring games like the 14-11 victory over San Diego State and have won shootouts like the 42-40 shootout vs. San Jose State.

BYU recently played San Diego State and managed just three points but that was against a really good Aztecs defense. Expect this game to have a decent amount of points as the Cougar offense has shown this year to put together some solid drives.

Pick against the spread: Hawaii

Cheez-It Bowl: Air Force vs. Washington State (+3)

This game is going to be one of the most interesting of all of the bowl seasons. The contrast of styles makes it a must-watch with the Falcons run-option attack vs. Mike Leach’s “air raid” attack. The Air Force defense will give up points and yards but its offense will counter that behind QB Donald Hammond III by controlling the time of possession.

Pick against the spread: Air Force

Arizona Bowl: Wyoming vs. Georgia State (+7.5)

Wyoming has an issue at quarterback as they are down to only Levi Williams as starter Sean Chambers is out and Tyler Vander Waal announced his intention to transfer. The Cowboys defense will keep them in any game and will do so against Georgia State. The Panthers do have an offense that will make it tough on the Cowboys with QB Dan Ellingtion who has a modest 21 touchdowns to seven picks, and also its running back Tra Barnnett who has 12 rushing touchdowns on 1,389 yards.

Pick against the spread: Georgia State

Idaho Potato Bowl: Nevada vs. Ohio (-7.5)

The Nevada Wolf Pack have been all over the board this year with multiple major blowouts or close games. It seems there is no real in-between. What will make this game difficult to win is that the Wolf Pack are down four starters who were involved in the altercation vs. UNLV in the season finale.

The Mountain West determined that defensive backs Austin Arnold and Daniel Brown, defensive lineman Hausia Sekona, and linebacker Gabriel Sewell were all in violation of the conference’s sportsmanship rule.

Arnold earned a two-game suspension, Brown and Sekona were each handed one-game suspensions, and Sewell will be suspended for one half.

Pick against the spread: Ohio

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Mountain West Football: Every 2019 Bowl Gift Package, Ranked

Bowl games are important, but the swag for every player matters just as much. Which gifts are the best among the seven Mountain West bowls?

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Mountain West Football: Every 2019 Bowl Gift Package, Ranked

Bowl games are important, but the swag for every player matters just as much. Which gifts are the best among the seven Mountain West bowls?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

If you won’t give the players money, at least make it worth their while.

It’s a well-established fact that every bowl game is precious (even if some games are a little more precious than others), but it is also true that this does not necessarily hold for the customary gift packages given to players instead of, you know, just paying them cash for their labor.

Sports Business Daily has the full rundown of what every single bowl is giving to its participants and what becomes readily clear is that the big time games give the best stuff. This makes it especially important for the lower-tier bowls to make their decisions count and, this year, some did a lot better than others.

Here are the indisputable swag rankings for this year’s slate of bowl games.

7. Mitsubishi Las Vegas Bowl

The swag: Gift suite; socks; beanie; portable charger

Do you remember the “Christmas Party” episode of “The Office” where, before Michael Scott suggests a game of Yankee Swap, Creed forgets to get Jim a gift for Secret Santa and just throws a dirty and too-small button-up in a plastic bag for him? That’s what this set of swag is. You should expect more from the conference’s premier bowl and hope next year’s replacement, the new bowl in Los Angeles, is taking notes.

6. Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl

The swag: Gift suite; Herschel Supply Co. Chapter travel kit; New Era insulated beanie

This is a fairly modest package overall, but it is worth noting it’s miles better than socks (seriously, don’t give socks as a gift during the holidays). One has to wonder, though, whether the travel kit is filled with even smaller travel swag. If so, then this ranking is perhaps a spot too low.

5. SoFi Hawaii Bowl

The swag: Gift suite; Kahala aloha shirt; Oakley backpack and sunglasses; performance T-shirt; beach towel; surf trunks

As usual, the participants here get a load of swag with the local flavor, which you might describe every year as a “high floor” gift package.

4. Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

The swag: Gift suite; Justin cowboy hat; football; college football 150th anniversary coin; lapel pin; Blingware cup; beanie

The Frisco Bowl gets points for originality, especially with regards to swag that is unique to the locale. Whether everyone actually looks good in a cowboy hat is another question entirely, but outside of the purview of this thought exercise.

Blingware’s merchandise actually looks pretty neat, too, the kind of stuff you might consider giving to the diehards in your family for Christmas. A solid overall effort from the folks in Texas.

3. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

The swag: Gift suite; Thule Achiever computer backpack; Herschel Supply Co. hip pack; beanie; coin

Computer backpacks are underrated, almost like a solid center for your offensive line, so Spuddy Buddy and his friends get props for recognizing that niche value. The package as a whole is also uniquely suited to the climate, so recipients will get immediate use out of everything right away and thereafter.

2. New Mexico Bowl

The swag: Gift suite; Oakley Holbrook sunglasses; Oakley Gearbox backpack; beanie; water bottle

The sunglasses and backpack are an impressive investment, and the latter gift gets extra points for being the kind of gift that has both utility and durability. Everyone else seems pretty nondescript, but this is a clear win for San Diego State and Central Michigan.

1. Cheez-It Bowl

The swag: GoPro Hero 7 with accessories and carrying case; Fossil watch; Oakley sunglasses; Ogio Shuttle Pack backpack; “History of The Bowls: Celebrating the Good of The Game” book; Ice Shaker insulated bottle; Branded Bills cap and travel case

The Cheez-It Bowl just gets it. Everyone else could learn something here.

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Mountain West Football: All-Star Bowl Tracker

After bowl season ends, some from the Mountain West will take aim at the NFL. We track who will be at each showcase game.

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Mountain West Football: All-Star Bowl Tracker

After bowl season ends, some from the Mountain West will take aim at the NFL. We track who will be at each showcase game.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

The next step on the road to the pros.

When bowl season ends, the real work will begin for some players across the Mountain West.

The 2020 NFL Draft won’t take place until late April but, before the league’s big gathering in Las Vegas, the first step for many hopefuls will take place in Honolulu, St. Petersburg, Mobile, or Pasadena. The offseason’s all-star exhibitions are where dreams are dashed or bolstered and the conference will certainly have a presence in all four games, so keep it locked here as names are added.

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, January 18 — Pasadena, California

Hawaii CB Rojesterman Farris II
Utah State LB/DE Tipa Galeai
Air Force OT Scott Hattok
New Mexico OL Javon Mosley
UNLV LB Javin White

East-West Shrine Bowl, January 18 — St. Petersburg, Florida

San Diego State G Daishawn Dixon
Utah State K Dominik Eberle
San Diego State TE Parker Houston
San Diego State LB Kyahva Tezino
Fresno State LB Mykal Walker

Reese’s Senior Bowl, January 25 — Mobile, Alabama

Wyoming LB Logan Wilson

Hula Bowl, January 26 — Honolulu, Hawaii

Note: All players listed below have been invited, at a minimum, unless otherwise noted.

San Diego State CB Luq Barcoo
Utah State RB Gerold Bright
Hawaii WR Cedric Byrd
Air Force DT Mosese Fifita
Hawaii RB Dayton Furuta (accepted invitation)
Boise State WR John Hightower
San Jose State QB Josh Love
Boise State DT David Moa
Boise State G John Molchon
Hawaii DE Kaimana Padello
UNLV OL Justin Polu
Fresno State TE Jared Rice
Hawaii WR Jojo Ward

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