It is amazing just what two weeks can do to a program. San Diego State went from undefeated and #1 in the poll to unranked with two straight losses. The most recent loss was a complete drubbing at the hands of Fresno State, our newest member of the rankings. Along with Fresno State hitting the top 10, we have a season-high 20 teams receiving votes in this week's poll.
Others Receiving Votes: San Diego State 11, Troy 6, Arkansas State 6, SMU, 5, Appalachian State 4, Florida International 4, Florida Atlantic 3, Houston 2, Army 1, Ohio 3. Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @The_DailyDragon, @HerdNation.
After one of the wildest weekends of college football that we have seen in a very long time, we have a new #1 along with two new entries to the top 10. In total, 19 different teams received votes among the 11 members that took part in the weekly poll. That is a jump from 17 teams receiving votes last week.
Let's take a look at the Post Week Seven Top 10.
Others Receiving Votes: Appalachian State 12, Houston 8, Fresno State 5, Army 4, Troy 3, Ohio 3, North Texas 1, Arkansas State 1, SMU 1. Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @warriorboutit, @HerdNation.
By Sean Hobson - http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanhobson/4247269000/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12530200
This week, we have three tiers forming in the top ten poll. First, SDSU, USF, and UCF have pulled away as the big three of the poll. UCF, in third, leads fourth-place Navy by 27 points which is a higher total than teams eight, nine, and ten.
Tier two includes teams four through seven with Navy, Troy, Houston, and Memphis all within 18 points of one another and 20+ points ahead of the next tier of the poll.
Finally, the bottom three teams of the top ten are a long way from moving up the poll. It is nice to see NIU actually get into the top ten, albeit only two voters chose the Huskies on the ballot. We are still looking for more voters, specifically from the north and west to get the MAC and MW represented more in the future. Contact me (@cfoutpost) on Twitter if you are interested.
Let's get to this week's poll.
Others Receiving Votes: Marshall 10, Western Michigan 10, Boise State 6, Appalachian State 5, UTSA 3, SMU 1, Fresno State 1.
By Pmlydon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7936316
While everyone was excited heading into the opening weekend of college football, the opening weekend of games was not the greatest slate ever. Other than a tough to rate Hawaii win over UMass, it was blowout city in feeling if not fully on the scoreboard. In total, six teams from G5 conferences kicked off their seasons on Saturday.
Rice 7, Stanford 62
This one was even uglier than everyone expected. The Owls made the trip from Texas to Australia to get their doors ripped off by an unproven yet talented Stanford squad. The Cardinal was on point in the first half, taking a total of 23 plays to score four touchdowns and race away for a dominant win.
The Good: Despite nearly giving up a first down on a third and 27, the Owls bowed up and forced an incompletion with 7:31 left in the first half to preserve their 28-0 deficit. That defensive stop was the only series in which Rice held the Stanford starting offense off the board.
The Bad: 656 yards of total offense and 62 points allowed. If Rice is to be competitive in CUSA this season, it will be from good play on the defensive side of the ball. This defensive group was completely dominated by a more physical Stanford team and has to prove that this was more of an aberration than how the 2017 season will go.
The Ugly: Making it home. It has been tough for the Owls to make it back to Houston due to Hurricane Harvey. They are currently forced to relocate to TCU until they are able to make the trip back home. Talk about adding insult to injury. Let’s hope the Owls make it home soon.
#19 South Florida 42, San Jose State 22
For a quarter, the Bulls faithful were certain that the curse of Charlie Strong was in the process of wrecking their program in the very first game. SJSU jumped to a 16-0 lead and looked like a team prepared to slow down the vaunted USF offense. 28 second quarter points later, the Bulls cruised to a 20-point win.
What South Florida did well: Controlled the game from the defensive side of the ball. The USF offense was expected to garner headlines, but a solid defensive effort that included three interceptions and only 2.9 yards allowed per rush gave the Bull a chance to recover from a dreadful start to the game.
What San Jose State did well: A quick start to the game. The Spartans special teams were dominant in the opening moments of the game, forcing a 19-yard punt and blocking another in route to a 16-0 lead. The three scoring drives were a total of 58 yards and gave the MWC program hope that they could pull an upset. During that time, the Spartans held USF to a total of 18 first quarter yards. While South Florida rolled in the final three quarters, it was an impressive first 15 minutes to the season.
How does South Florida look moving forward? The Bulls are still in great shape despite looking like they forgot how to play football in the opening quarter. They took care of a tricky cross country season opener and have FCS program Stony Brook waiting in the wings before a trip to a very much rebuilding UConn on September 9. This game will serve as a wakeup call that they cannot take any game lightly this season.
How does San Jose State look moving forward? Better than expected. It was an up and down game for sophomore quarterback Josh Love. He struggled with making bad decisions in the passing game, but that is expected for such a young starter. All eyes have to be on fellow sophomore Bailey Gaither. After catching only four passes in 2016, he caught six for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The Spartans will have a tough time getting to a bowl, but this team showed signs of life.
Colorado State 58, Oregon State 27
In arguably the most dominant performance of the young season, the Rams scored 34 points in the second half in route to a win over the Pac-12. Nick Stevens was impressive with 334 yards and three passing touchdowns, the run game looked dominant at times, and Michael Gallup beat constant double coverage for 11 catches and 134 yards. The storyline of the game was a CSU defense that took a dramatic step forward in the second half and totaled five takeaways on the day.
The Good: A great mix on offense. Passing 39 times and rushing 43 allowed the Rams to keep Oregon State on their heels for a majority of the game. Dawkins and Boddie looked like a very solid duo with multiple other players getting experience in the backfield. Including Stevens, five different players had carries for the Rams. Eight different players caught passes, led by Gallup’s game-high 11.
The Bad: Multiple personalities on defense. Is Colorado State the defense that completely shut down the Beavers in the second half or the one that was lucky to only give up 20 points in the first half? There were signs that the defense figure things out in the second half, but the next few weeks will determine just how good the CSU defense can be this fall.
The Ugly: Seven turnovers. Look, we know that with no preseason slate, the season opener for most teams tends to be a bit of a mess. This game was a mess with Oregon State turning it over five times and Colorado State adding two of their own. The two CSU turnovers resulted in 10 points while Colorado earned 27 points from turnover, including a 44-yard pick-six by Tre Thomas.
Hawaii 38, UMass 35:
While Colorado State had the best performance of the day and South Florida was the most talented team on Saturday, it was Hawaii and UMass that put on the best show. UMass looked at times like they were ready to pull away, but the Rainbow Warriors kept within striking range before pulling out the three point win.
What Hawaii did well: Found a #1 receiver. Sophomore John Ursua had a solid first season in 2016 with 652 yards receiving on 53 catches. He proceeded to catch 12 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown in the win. Those stats accounted for 22.6% of his catches and 41.7% of his receiving yards from last season. That, my friends, is a breakout game.
What UMass did well: Stuck with a balanced offense. The Minutemen never tried to get into an aerial shootout with Hawaii, doing a great job of keeping the Warrior defense honest. Junior Marquis Young will not earn any headlines but earned a key 83 yards on 20 carries to give UMass a shot at the win. In the end, getting outscored 17-7 in the final quarter was the downfall of a more than capable UMass team. Hopefully, this is the start of something good for this program.
How does Hawaii look moving forward? Hopeful. This schedule, with a streak that includes UCLA, Wyoming, Colorado State, and Nevada, needed a season opening win to keep bowl hopes alive. Now that they only need five more wins, there is a bit more relaxation on the island with Western Carolina headed into town for Labor Day weekend.
How does UMass look moving forward? Frustrated. This was a game that the Minutemen faithful will look back at and wonder “what if?” They held a 14-point lead in the third quarter with the Warriors having lost their last 58 games in that situation. Expect lots of work on the punt return game after a muffed punt allowed Hawaii to tie the game at 28 just a few moments into the fourth quarter. A win over new FBS program Coastal Carolina is essential as they will not be in a winnable situation again until October 21 versus Georgia Southern.
Stats Central:
Passer: Dru Brown, Hawaii: 25-35, 391, 3TD
Rusher: D’Ernest Johnson, South Florida: 22/99/2TD
Receiver: John Ursua, Hawaii: 12/272/1TD
Tackler: Ethan Aguayo, San Jose State: 14 tackles
Sacker: Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii: 2.0 sacks
Interceptions: 8 players tied with 1 interception
Field Goals: Two kickers tied with 1-1 FG attempts.
Punting: Michael Carrizosa, San Jose State: 44.5 average
Always full of compelling matchups including both the G5 and P5, the MWC knows how to schedule. Of course, Boise State leads this list with three mentions, but there are several others quality games like New Mexico-Tulsa and UNLV-Idaho that will keep the masses entertained. If you are willing to stay up late or catch a Friday night matchup, you will not be disappointed.
Boise State at BYU (October 6): An annual series since the 2012 season, the Cougars and Broncos are destined to put on a show. Even if it is a 7-6 final like in 2012, it is a fun game that is worth the watch. Last season was a wild show with Boise State doing everything possible to give BYU the win before coming up with a blocked kick to hold on for the win. That turned into BYU’s only loss in their final nine games. The Cougars lost four games by a combined EIGHT points last fall. This is another battle of star quarterbacks as Rypien matches up with Tanner Mangum.
Virginia at Boise State (September 22): This game just jumps out as one that must be watched. Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall is looking to turn the program around after the first season that saw them lose to a terrible UConn squad and Richmond of the FCS. He is quite familiar with the Broncos from his time as head coach of BYU. Boise State is coming off of a year that seemed one step off in every possible way. They blew multiple chances to win the MWC and eventually played right out of a chance at winning their division. Despite Virginia being much improved from 2016, this should be a game the Broncos control throughout and win convincingly.
Toledo at Nevada (September 9): What this game could have been if James Butler decided to stay with the Wolfpack. The star running back took advantage of the graduate transfer rule and headed to Iowa in the offseason. Instead of Butler, the Wolfpack will likely rely upon Alabama quarterback transfer David Cornwall to light up the Rockets defense. Toledo has players to replace (especially at running back and tight end), but there are players on the roster to fill the gaps. I can’t see anyone handling wide receiver Cody Thompson in man coverage. Expect the Rockets to roll.
Troy at Boise State (September 2): The first matchup of two historically excellent G5 programs, this game should be a treat. The Trojans are stacked on offense with the Sun Belt’s top two returning receivers, an excellent running back, and arguably the best quarterback in the conference. The battle of Brandon Silvers and Brett Rypien is easily worth the viewing. Boise State head coach Brian Harsin is very familiar with the Trojans from his time at Arkansas State.
Colorado vs. Colorado State (September 1): Typically a close matchup with nine of the last 15 meetings settled by a touchdown or less, this is always a game to watch. We finally get both teams on the upswing at the same time, keeping us from falling prey to another 44-7 drubbing. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Rams head into Denver and make this a compelling game, but I do not think they have the weapons to pull out a win.
UNLV at Idaho (September 9): In a magical 2016 season that saw the Vandals return to a bowl game, it was this game that seemingly turned the corner. Idaho pulled out an overtime win in the third of three straight road non-conferences games before Sun Belt play. UNLV was all over the place last season, losing to San Jose State while beating Hawaii and Wyoming. The Rebels have a ton of promise but have to take a step forward this season.
Oregon at Wyoming (September 16): Last season saw these two teams head in completely different directions. Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl entered the season on the hot seat and nearly won the MWC to retain his job. He has who some are calling the eventual #1 pick of the NFL Draft under center and some weapons ready to replace the losses from last season. Oregon has a new head coach in Willie Taggart. They have a lot of work to do to fix the multiple issues that resulted in a disappointing 4-8 season.
Stanford at San Diego State (September 16): Despite lacking the 5-star commits of USC or the exotic schemes of Washington State, all Stanford does is win. The Cardinal is coming off of another 10 win season last fall, but lose a game changer at running back for this season. The Aztecs feel their pain as they attempt life after Pumphrey. Luckily, they have a more than capable replacement in Rashaad Penny. It is on defense where SDSU is capable of being exposed this fall.
Oregon State at Colorado State (September 23): Has it really been 42 years since these two teams met previously? Colorado State is coming off of a season that started terribly but found its groove once the offense started humming. The Beavers had a tough 2016 season under Mike Riley, but are hedging their bets on Idaho quarterback castoff Jake Luton to fix their offensive woes. Luton has the physical tools and could blossom into a star under the right coaching.
New Mexico at Tulsa (September 23): Love them or hate them, you have to give credit to Tulsa. They are happy to play any G5 team as evidenced by a non-conference slate that includes Louisiana (Sun Belt), New Mexico (MWC), and Toledo (MAC). The Golden Hurricane sport a bruising running game that includes three potential first team All-AAC offensive linemen. The Lobos are no stranger to the run game with head coach Bob Davie leading an option attack. If you love the run game and points scored, this is the game for you.
Others to watch: Hawaii at UMass, USF at SJSU, Wyoming at Iowa, Nevada at Northwestern, Boise State at Washington State, NMSU at New Mexico, SDSU at Arizona State, Utah State at Wake Forest, NIU at SDSU, Air Force at Navy, Army at Air Force.
Others to watch: Charles Williams UNLV (141/763/3TD), Izzy Matthews CSU (153/734/13TD), Timothy McVey Air Force (83/708/10TD), Dontel James FRESNO STATE (208/697/5TD), Richard McQuarley UNM (143/656/18TD), Lexington Thomas UNLV (124/642/8TD).
As much as Conference USA loves to light it up in the air, the MWC is all about the ground and pound. It has to be considering two teams run the option. While the MWC will again put together a great season on the ground, it will be with a new set of faces. Gone are Pumphrey, Hill, McNichols, Butler, and Gipson. Tyrone Owens is the top returning rusher and his finished sixth in the conference last season with 1,097 yards, nearly 200 less than teammate Teriyon Gipson.
The name to watch is Aztec running back Rashaad Penny. He broke the 1,000-yard mark as a backup last fall and is poised to have an outstanding season with an increased workload.
Others to watch: Christian Chapman SDSU (1,994/20TD), Nick Stevens CSU (1,936/19TD), Ty Gangi NEVADA (1,301/8TD), David Cornwall NEVADA (Transfer), Lamar Jordan UNM, Arion Worthman AIR FORCE.
While the overall class is not that outstanding, the cream of the crop behind center is among the nation’s best. Between Rypien and Allen, you are looking at two potential first round picks, with Allen’s name thrown around as a possible #1 overall pick. Don’t sleep on Dru Brown and the invigorated Hawaii offense. Brown was outstanding in his first year as a starter and could put up some monster numbers this fall.
A name to pay attention to is David Cornwall at Nevada. He is looking to break a string of Alabama quarterback transfer misses but will have his hands full holding off Gangi for the starting job.
Receiving:
Michael Gallup, Colorado State: 76/1,272/14TD
Cedrick Wilson, Boise State: 56/1,129/11TD
Keesean Johnson, Fresno State: 66/773/6TD
Devonte Boyd, UNLV: 45/746/4TD
Jamire Jordan, Fresno State: 45/713/2TD
Others to watch: Wyatt Demps NEVADA (53/686/9TD), John Ursua HAWAII (53/652/3TD), Justin Holmes SJSU (36/613/3TD), Olabisi Johnson CSU (28/613/4TD), Ron’quavion Tarver UTAH STATE (46/602/3TD), Mikah Holder SDSU (27/581/5TD), Tre Hartley SJSU (33/572/4TD).
Simply put, the MWC is not a pass happy league like CUSA or the Big 12. No one in the conference puts up astounding numbers, although a few have been able to break the glass ceiling. Michael Gallup is one of the few receivers that would look just as at home on WKU’s roster as Colorado State. He is explosive and talented and should put up great numbers in the Ram’s offense.
I have been on the Devonte Boyd wagon for what seems like forever. For a variety of reasons, he has yet to take a step into the elite receiver category that I pegged him years ago. Here is his one last chance to take the conference by storm and he will have to do so with a redshirt freshman quarterback.
Next week, we will take a look at defense and special teams for the Mountain West Conference before rolling out conference previews.
Another week is in the books for the 2015 college
football season with the Mountain West Conference going 5-7. Conference play kicked
into gear with four MWC games played. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and
ugly of week five Independent football action.
Another week is in the books for the 2015 college
football season with the Mountain West Conference going 6-4 with two conference
games taking place (New Mexico-Wyoming, Fresno State-San Jose State). Let's
take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week four MWC football action.
Week four of the college football season get
underway tomorrow with Cincinnati and Memphis getting a seat on the big stage.
Mountain West action kicks into gear with the Boise State-Virginia on Friday
night.
Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with Mountain West going 2-10 with no conference games taking place. Let's take a look at
the good, bad, and ugly of week three Mountain West football action.
Week Three Scoreboard:
Boise State 52, Idaho State 0
Arizona State 34, New Mexico 10
Michigan 28, UNLV 7
Michigan State 35, Air Force 21
Texas A&M 44, Nevada 27
Washington 31, Utah State 17
Colorado 27, Colorado State 24 (OT)
Oregon State 35, San Jose State 21
South Alabama 34, San Diego State 27 (OT)
Washington State 31, Wyoming 14
Utah 45, Fresno State 24
Hawaii 47, UC Davis 27
Who/What Looked Good:
Brian Hill, Wyoming: The sophomore running back has been one of the few
bright spots for a Cowboys team that is 0-3. In the last two games, Hill has
carried the ball 41 times for 381 yards and two touchdowns.
Rashard Wiggin’s Health: After missing the loss to Minnesota due to
injury, Wiggins was again his impressive self with eight catches for 125 yards
and a touchdown versus Colorado. The Rams might easily be 3-0 if not for his
injury.
Hawaii: Say what you will about the win over UC Davis, but Hawaii is
2-1 with a win over a team that beat UMass and Colorado State. Max Wittek (43-86/541/5TD)
bounced back from a poor showing at Ohio State with his second 200+ yard
passing game of the season.
Who/What Looked Bad:
Non-conference Woes: The MWC went 2-10 in non-conference play during
week three and has no non-conference wins over FBS competition since week one.
For a conference expected to be among the best in the G5, the start to this
season has been disastrous.
San Diego State’s Defense: The biggest question mark for the Aztecs was
on offense heading into the season. Instead, the vaunted defense was the one to
disappoint in week three, with South Alabama racking up over 500 yards of total
offense. SDSU is playing on a razor’s edge with a bad offense and cannot afford
to play like that one defense.
Utah State’s Offense: The Aggies are struggling badly with only 14.3
points per game, under 300 yards of total offense per game. Injuries have
played a major role, but this could get ugly before the season ends.
I have 13 games this week in which a G5 and P5 team square off with the legitimate shot of an upset. Do you agree or do you think I am way off base in seeing these games as upset opportunities? **Note: I am not picking all of the games as upsets, I only see them as distinct possibilities.**
With 12 games being played by Mountain West teams to start the 2015 season, Week One should be a very good start to the season as I have all but two teams winning their season opener.
