Finishing Up with the Mountain West

This week we have taken a look at the Mountain West conference.It is exciting football that they play if you enjoy lots of scoring. By now, we should have an idea of how each team will finish. Let us take a look at the standings.

Mountain Division

1. Boise State 9-3, 6-2*

2. Wyoming 9-3, 6-2

3. New Mexico 8-4, 5-3

4. Air Force 8-4, 5-3

5. Colorado State 4-8, 2-6

6. Utah State 4-8, 2-6

Boise State makes a trip to the conference championship as they defeat Wyoming. Wyoming is our biggest mover as they go from 2-6 to 6-2. New Mexico rounds out the top three as they stay par to last year's record.

West Division

1. San Diego State 10-2, 6-2*

2. San Jose State 7-5, 6-2

3. Nevada 9-3, 6-2

4. UNLV 4-8, 2-6

5. Fresno State 2-10, 1-7

6. Hawaii 3-10, 0-8

You don't know the struggle of going through all of the tiebreaker rules for a three team tie in the Mountain West Conference. Once you go through all of the stipulations, the final one is the College Football Playoff poll. Given that San Diego State has a 10-2 record, I feel like they might be the only one ranked at season's end. San Jose State finishes second because they beat Nevada in the regular season. San Diego State falls to Boise State in the conference championship knocking them out of any consideration for the playoff. 

Bowl Eligible Teams

San Diego State

Nevada

Boise State

Air Force

Wyoming

New Mexico

San Jose State

Conference Player of the Year (Offense)

Brett Rypien, Boise State Quarterback

Conference Player of the Year (Defense)

Dakota Cox, New Mexico Linebacker

Conference Coach of the Year

Craig Bohl, Wyoming

College Football Preview: Wyoming

Wyoming Cowboys

2015 Results: 2-10 (2-6, 6th in Mountain)

Returning Starters: 9 OFF, 8 DEF, 1 SP

2016 Schedule

September

3rd NORTHERN ILLINOIS

10th at Nebraska

17th UC DAVIS

24th at Eastern Michigan

October

1st at Colorado State

8th AIR FORCE

22nd at Nevada

29th BOISE STATE

November

5th UTAH STATE

12 at UNLV

19th SAN DIEGO STATE

26th at New Mexico

The Cowboys had a rough go at it last year. The young team took their lumps as they are the only team in the conference who lost to an FCS team. However, this team could be the best they've had in years. If their young talent can learn how to win, this team could have one of the better turnarounds of any team in the nation. 

Sophomore Josh Allen will take over the offense. Coach Craig Bohl said that Allen has the strongest arm of anyone in the Mountain West, but that he didn't know where the ball would be when it got to where it was going. Junior tailback Brian Hill returns and will be a force for the Cowboys on offense. All receivers returning will be seniors this year so Allen will have plenty of experience to throw at. The offensive line returns four and should have an easy time blocking for Hill.

The defense is young. They will need to be tested before it is clear how much they have improved. The defense will start six sophomores and a freshman. The early part of the schedule will give them plenty of in-game experience for the second half of the season in conference. Free safety Andrew Wingard returns for his sophomore season after making the freshman All-American team last year. 

Player to Watch: Brian Hill

Hill is a monster. Last season, he rushed for 1,631 yards as a sophomore. For him to do nearly as much damage, the passing game will have to hit the ground running. Hill was a former safety in high school before Bohl talked him into coming to Wyoming to play running back. Hill is now one of the top running backs in the conference, and will pick up right where he left off last year.

If you only watch them once, watch:

9/10 at Nebraska

This early season match-up will give fans an idea of where the team is. It will also give Wyoming a television spot in the midwest that will bolster their recruiting in the area.

What to Expect

The schedule works out for the Cowboys. They have top teams from the conference at home (Air Force, Boise State, and San Diego State). The Cowboys could also have a season that they remember for a long time. If the young team can hit the ground running, other teams will have a hard time stopping them.

Prediction

9-3 (6-2, MWC)

-Dug

@chansm1th