The Utes face their toughest challenge of the season, traveling to Colorado Springs to play the Air Force Falcons. How will Utah fare against a team in the top half of the conference? Here are four things to look for in this week's game:
Utah stops the option
Air Force runs the triple option to perfection, ranking first in the nation in rushing offense. Despite these gaudy numbers, the Falcons have struggled offensively ever since they lost FB Jared Tew. With Tew out of the lineup, Utah will focus on containing QB Tim Jefferson and HB Asher Allen, and rely on the defensive tackles to take away the FB dive.
Big day on the ground
The Falcons have struggled with the run in conference play, allowing a minimum of 175 yards per contest. The Ute offensive line will take advantage of the smaller Air Force defense, and open huge holes for RB's Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide.
Minimal turnovers
The Utes fumbled the ball 8 times in last season's overtime win against the Falcons. These turnovers killed several drives, and almost cost the Utes the game. Coach Kyle Whittingham has not forgotten about this, and has coached the Utes to secure the football.
Offense opens up the playbook
Given the magnitude of this game, the Utah offense will open things up to prevent the Falcons from putting eight on nine defenders in the box to stop the run. Look for offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick to involve many different receivers in the game plan, and use some "trickeration".
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Mountain West Week 9 Preview
Week 9 will answer many questions that remain about the Mountain West Conference. How will Utah play against the top half of the conference? Can San Diego State win a tough conference game on the road? Which teams toward the bottom of the conference will step forward, and claim a bowl? Here is what to expect this week:
Utah at Air Force - The top game of the week pits Utah (7-0, 4-0) against Air Force (5-3, 3-2). The Utes want to win this game to dispel the notion that they can only beat weak teams. For Air Force, this game presents a chance to snap a two game losing streak, and earn a better bowl game.
Utah averages 47.7 points per game, ranking third in the nation. The Utes will start out running the ball, looking to capitalize on the size differential between the offensive line, and the smaller Falcon defenders. Air Force has struggled against the run all season, and will move more defenders into the box. The Falcons will slow down the run with the extra defenders, and limit the Ute passing game with stellar play from CB's Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright.
Air Force ranks first in the nation in rushing, and will continue to use its vaunted triple-option attack. Despite the outstanding numbers, the Falcon offense has struggled since losing FB Jared Tew to injury. Without Tew, teams do not respect FB dive, and concentrate on shutting down the outside threat posed QB Tim Jefferson, and HB Asher Allen. Utah's front seven will stop the option, and force the Falcons to the air. QB Tim Jefferson will struggle against the aggressive play of the Ute secondary.
While the Falcons will play well, they do not have enough talent to play with the Utes. Utah will pull away late in the game, adding an impressive road win to an otherwise weak BCS resume.
TCU at UNLV - TCU (8-0, 4-0) travels to Las Vegas to face the UNLV Rebels (1-6, 1-2). The Horned Frogs enter the game ranked #4 in the BCS, and need an impressive victory to remain in that slot. A win over TCU would provide the Rebels with some much-needed confidence, and could turnaround a miserable season.
TCU has one of the most explosive offenses in the country, averaging almost 40 points per game. RB's Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker will lead the ground attack against a UNLV defense that allows 5.3 yards per carry. QB Andy Dalton will also take a few shots down the field, looking to get the ball to one of his big-play wide receivers. While UNLV will make adjustments, they do not have the talent to stop the powerful Horned Frog attack.
UNLV scores points when they run the ball effectively. They will run the ball from the outset, and look to take the pressure off QB Omar Clayton. TCU will dominate the line of scrimmage, forcing the Rebels to the air. The Rebels will move the pocket to avoid the speedy TCU pass rush.
TCU wins this game big, and heads into next week's showdown with Utah undefeated.
San Diego State at Wyoming - San Diego State (5-2, 2-1) plays Wyoming (2-6, 0-4) in a critical conference game for each team. The Aztecs still control their own destiny in conference play, and must win this game to keep their title hopes alive. If the Cowboys want to return to a bowl for the second consecutive season, they need to win out for the rest of the season.
San Diego State relies on a balanced offense, with a 50-50 run/pass ratio. The Aztecs may turn to the passing game early with standout RB Ronnie Hillman slowed by a hip pointer. QB Ryan Lindley will throw deep to DeMarco Sampson and Vincent Brown. Wyoming will play "bend but don't break defense", giving up yards, but not surrendering points.
The Wyoming offense has struggled to find its rhythm all season long, averaging just over 200 yards per game. The Cowboys will mix it on up on offense, trying to score some points. Much like the Wyoming defense, SDSU does not play flashy defense, but gets the job done. The Aztec D will take away the run, and force Wyoming to beat them deep.
San Diego State has struggled on the road this season, with its only victories coming over New Mexico (0-7), and New Mexico State (1-7). On the other hand, Wyoming has played well at home, despite the brutal schedule that they have played. The Cowboys pull off the upset at home, and remain in contention for a bowl game.
New Mexico at Colorado State - New Mexico plays Colorado State to round out the Mountain West schedule for Week 9. The Lobos (0-7, 0-3) have played better in recent weeks, and have their best chance for a win this season. Colorado State (2-6, 1-3) looks to avenge last season's loss to the Lobos, and remain in the hunt for a bowl bid.
New Mexico played much better on offense last week with QB BR Holbrook returning from injury. The Lobos will play without leading rusher Demond Dennis, dismissed from the team on Tuesday. Despite the loss of Dennis, New Mexico will attempt to remain balanced against an attacking CSU defense. The Rams have 16 QB sacks this season, and will blitz Holbrook frequently.
Colorado State will run the ball to set up the passing game. While head coach Steve Fairchild has yet to announce this week's starter, the Rams have three tailbacks capable of gaining yards against the Lobo defense. New Mexico will contain Colorado State's ground game, but they will not have an answer for QB Pete Bell, who will toast the Lobo secondary.
Colorado State wins big, keeping its bowl hopes alive.
Utah at Air Force - The top game of the week pits Utah (7-0, 4-0) against Air Force (5-3, 3-2). The Utes want to win this game to dispel the notion that they can only beat weak teams. For Air Force, this game presents a chance to snap a two game losing streak, and earn a better bowl game.
Utah averages 47.7 points per game, ranking third in the nation. The Utes will start out running the ball, looking to capitalize on the size differential between the offensive line, and the smaller Falcon defenders. Air Force has struggled against the run all season, and will move more defenders into the box. The Falcons will slow down the run with the extra defenders, and limit the Ute passing game with stellar play from CB's Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright.
Air Force ranks first in the nation in rushing, and will continue to use its vaunted triple-option attack. Despite the outstanding numbers, the Falcon offense has struggled since losing FB Jared Tew to injury. Without Tew, teams do not respect FB dive, and concentrate on shutting down the outside threat posed QB Tim Jefferson, and HB Asher Allen. Utah's front seven will stop the option, and force the Falcons to the air. QB Tim Jefferson will struggle against the aggressive play of the Ute secondary.
While the Falcons will play well, they do not have enough talent to play with the Utes. Utah will pull away late in the game, adding an impressive road win to an otherwise weak BCS resume.
TCU at UNLV - TCU (8-0, 4-0) travels to Las Vegas to face the UNLV Rebels (1-6, 1-2). The Horned Frogs enter the game ranked #4 in the BCS, and need an impressive victory to remain in that slot. A win over TCU would provide the Rebels with some much-needed confidence, and could turnaround a miserable season.
TCU has one of the most explosive offenses in the country, averaging almost 40 points per game. RB's Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker will lead the ground attack against a UNLV defense that allows 5.3 yards per carry. QB Andy Dalton will also take a few shots down the field, looking to get the ball to one of his big-play wide receivers. While UNLV will make adjustments, they do not have the talent to stop the powerful Horned Frog attack.
UNLV scores points when they run the ball effectively. They will run the ball from the outset, and look to take the pressure off QB Omar Clayton. TCU will dominate the line of scrimmage, forcing the Rebels to the air. The Rebels will move the pocket to avoid the speedy TCU pass rush.
TCU wins this game big, and heads into next week's showdown with Utah undefeated.
San Diego State at Wyoming - San Diego State (5-2, 2-1) plays Wyoming (2-6, 0-4) in a critical conference game for each team. The Aztecs still control their own destiny in conference play, and must win this game to keep their title hopes alive. If the Cowboys want to return to a bowl for the second consecutive season, they need to win out for the rest of the season.
San Diego State relies on a balanced offense, with a 50-50 run/pass ratio. The Aztecs may turn to the passing game early with standout RB Ronnie Hillman slowed by a hip pointer. QB Ryan Lindley will throw deep to DeMarco Sampson and Vincent Brown. Wyoming will play "bend but don't break defense", giving up yards, but not surrendering points.
The Wyoming offense has struggled to find its rhythm all season long, averaging just over 200 yards per game. The Cowboys will mix it on up on offense, trying to score some points. Much like the Wyoming defense, SDSU does not play flashy defense, but gets the job done. The Aztec D will take away the run, and force Wyoming to beat them deep.
San Diego State has struggled on the road this season, with its only victories coming over New Mexico (0-7), and New Mexico State (1-7). On the other hand, Wyoming has played well at home, despite the brutal schedule that they have played. The Cowboys pull off the upset at home, and remain in contention for a bowl game.
New Mexico at Colorado State - New Mexico plays Colorado State to round out the Mountain West schedule for Week 9. The Lobos (0-7, 0-3) have played better in recent weeks, and have their best chance for a win this season. Colorado State (2-6, 1-3) looks to avenge last season's loss to the Lobos, and remain in the hunt for a bowl bid.
New Mexico played much better on offense last week with QB BR Holbrook returning from injury. The Lobos will play without leading rusher Demond Dennis, dismissed from the team on Tuesday. Despite the loss of Dennis, New Mexico will attempt to remain balanced against an attacking CSU defense. The Rams have 16 QB sacks this season, and will blitz Holbrook frequently.
Colorado State will run the ball to set up the passing game. While head coach Steve Fairchild has yet to announce this week's starter, the Rams have three tailbacks capable of gaining yards against the Lobo defense. New Mexico will contain Colorado State's ground game, but they will not have an answer for QB Pete Bell, who will toast the Lobo secondary.
Colorado State wins big, keeping its bowl hopes alive.
Monday, October 25, 2010
College Football Power Rankings
Here is how I rank the Top 10 teams in the country, based on what they have done so far:
| Rank | Team | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn | After beating LSU, Auburn has justified the #1 ranking this week. | |
| 2 | Michigan State | The Spartans have beaten Wisconsin, Michigan, and a better-than-advertised Illinois team. | |
| 3 | Oregon | The Ducks are at #3 this week, but a win over USC could move them up. | |
| 4 | Boise | Strength of schedule hurts the Broncos. | |
| 5 | TCU | The Horned Frogs have dominated their Mountain West Conference brethren. | |
| 6 | Missouri | Which is the real Missouri; The team that defeated Oklahoma this weekend, or the team that nearly lost to San Diego State? | |
| 7 | Utah | The Utes continue to dominate lesser competition, but defeated Iowa State 68-27. | |
| 8 | LSU | The Tigers get the nod by playing a tougher schedule than Alabama to date. | |
| 9 | Alabama | The Tide might be the best one-loss team in the country. | |
| 10 | Wisconsin | The Badgers have beaten back-to-back ranked teams, and should end up in a BCS bowl. |
Mountain West Power Rankings
Heading into Week 9, I rank the Mountain West teams in the following order:
| Rank | Team | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCU | TCU dominated Air Force this weekend, remaining the conference favorite. | |
| 2 | Utah | The Utes continue to roll against lesser competition. | |
| 3 | San Diego State | Despite a lackluster performance against New Mexico, SDSU controls its own destiny. | |
| 4 | Air Force | The Falcons look to rebound against Utah this weekend. | |
| 5 | BYU | The Cougars remain in the hunt for a bowl by edging Wyoming. | |
| 6 | Wyoming | Has anyone played a more brutal schedule than the Cowboys? | |
| 7 | Colorado State | The Rams should contend for the title next season. | |
| 8 | UNLV | At least they beat New Mexico! | |
| 9 | New Mexico | The Lobos showed signs of life against San Diego State, but will finish the season winless. |
CFN Update
A number of you have asked why you have not seen my Mountain West posts on College Football News. Honestly, I do not know why not. I know that the people at CFN doing a great job covering the games, so I can only assume that they are super busy.
I will continue to write articles for submission, and post them out here. Thank you for reading - without all of you, there would be no reason to write.
I will continue to write articles for submission, and post them out here. Thank you for reading - without all of you, there would be no reason to write.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Utah Utes Week 8 Preview
Latest News
The Utes debuted in the initial BCS standings at number 9. With a Top 12 ranking, the Utes would qualify for an at-large bid to a BCS game.
The Utes have outscored their opponents 117-7 in the second quarter this season.
LB JJ Williams (foot) and TE Brad Clifford (hand) will likely sit out against CSU.
Utah will wear special uniforms for the TCU game, in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. To see photos of these uniforms, click here.
Week 8 Preview
Utah continued its winning ways last week by defeating Wyoming 30-6. Colorado State enters this game with a lot of confidence after demolishing UNLV 43-10. Here are 5 things to look for in this week’s game:
Turnover margin
After the Wyoming game, Coach Whittingham was very angry about Utah’s turnover margin. The Utes turned the ball over three times against the Cowboys, without producing any turnovers of their own. If the Utes continue to turn the ball at such an alarming rate, it will definitely come back to haunt them against stronger competition.
The Utes worked all week in practice with an emphasis on forcing turnovers. Expect Utah’s defense to force a couple of turnovers in this game.
Big day on the ground
The Utes will run the ball effectively against the Rams. CSU has struggled against the run this season, allowing almost 5 yards per carry. RB Matt Asiata will rush for 100 yards again this week.
Stuff the run
In both of its wins this season, Colorado State has run the ball effectively to set up the passing game. Utah’s defense has limited teams to 2.6 yards per carry. That trend will continue this week as the Ute defensive linemen will control the line of scrimmage, freeing up the linebackers to make tackles.
Wynn bounces back
QB Jordan Wynn went 16 for 25 last week, but threw a career-high three interceptions. Throughout his career, Wynn has always followed a rough outing with a solid performance in the next game. He will do the same thing this week, turning in a solid performance, and playing error-free football.
Full 60 Minutes
While the Utes have played very well in spurts this season, they have yet to play a complete 60 minutes of football. Utah usually starts out slow, and then wins the game in the second quarter. Last week, the Utes got out to a quick start, but played poorly in the second half. This week will be the week where they finally break through and play a solid game for the entire 60 minutes.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
The Utes debuted in the initial BCS standings at number 9. With a Top 12 ranking, the Utes would qualify for an at-large bid to a BCS game.
The Utes have outscored their opponents 117-7 in the second quarter this season.
LB JJ Williams (foot) and TE Brad Clifford (hand) will likely sit out against CSU.
Utah will wear special uniforms for the TCU game, in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. To see photos of these uniforms, click here.
Week 8 Preview
Utah continued its winning ways last week by defeating Wyoming 30-6. Colorado State enters this game with a lot of confidence after demolishing UNLV 43-10. Here are 5 things to look for in this week’s game:
Turnover margin
After the Wyoming game, Coach Whittingham was very angry about Utah’s turnover margin. The Utes turned the ball over three times against the Cowboys, without producing any turnovers of their own. If the Utes continue to turn the ball at such an alarming rate, it will definitely come back to haunt them against stronger competition.
The Utes worked all week in practice with an emphasis on forcing turnovers. Expect Utah’s defense to force a couple of turnovers in this game.
Big day on the ground
The Utes will run the ball effectively against the Rams. CSU has struggled against the run this season, allowing almost 5 yards per carry. RB Matt Asiata will rush for 100 yards again this week.
Stuff the run
In both of its wins this season, Colorado State has run the ball effectively to set up the passing game. Utah’s defense has limited teams to 2.6 yards per carry. That trend will continue this week as the Ute defensive linemen will control the line of scrimmage, freeing up the linebackers to make tackles.
Wynn bounces back
QB Jordan Wynn went 16 for 25 last week, but threw a career-high three interceptions. Throughout his career, Wynn has always followed a rough outing with a solid performance in the next game. He will do the same thing this week, turning in a solid performance, and playing error-free football.
Full 60 Minutes
While the Utes have played very well in spurts this season, they have yet to play a complete 60 minutes of football. Utah usually starts out slow, and then wins the game in the second quarter. Last week, the Utes got out to a quick start, but played poorly in the second half. This week will be the week where they finally break through and play a solid game for the entire 60 minutes.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Mountain West Week 8 Preview
Week 7 of the season clarified things in the Mountain West Conference. TCU established itself as the favorite in conference title race, while Utah took a step back after a sub-par showing against Wyoming. San Diego State upset Air Force, re-emerging as a title contender. Colorado State also won, keeping its bowl hopes alive. What lessons will we learn in Week 8?
Air Force at TCU
The conference’s top game pits Air Force (5-2, 3-1) against TCU (7-0, 3-0). This contest presents a different opportunity for each team. Air Force wants to win this game to remain in the Mountain West title race. A decisive TCU win would boost the Horned Frogs in the computer polls, and perhaps raise their BCS ranking.
When Air Force has the ball, two nationally ranked units will face off. Air Force has the top rushing offense in the country, while TCU ranks second nationally in total defense. While the Falcons have run the ball well all season, they have not played a defense with the speed and athleticism that the Horned Frog defense has. TCU will contain Air Force’s ground game, placing the Falcons in third and long situations. QB Tim Jefferson will struggle against the Horned Frog secondary.
On the other side of the ball, TCU’s offense will look to get the ball in the hands of its skill players. The Horned Frog offensive lineman will overpower the undersized Falcon defenders. Air Force ranks in the Top 20 in passing defense, so TCU will likely keep the ball on the ground with RB’s Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker.
This game will remain close, with TCU pulling away in the second half. By defeating the Falcons by double digits, the Horned Frogs will gain ground on Oklahoma, who only beat Air Force by three points.
Wyoming at BYU
Longtime rivals Wyoming (2-5, 0-3) and BYU (2-5, 1-2) square off this weekend in an important Mountain West contest. The winner of this game has an excellent chance to go to a bowl. In addition, with BYU’s departure from the conference ending this rivalry, each team would like to send the other team packing with a loss.
Wyoming has struggled on offense this season, largely due to a brutal schedule. The Cowboy offense has had its greatest success when they can run the ball effectively. They will attempt to run ball with Alvester Alexander against a BYU defense that has allowed 4.9 yards per carry. The Cougars defense has turned it up a notch the past few weeks, limiting San Diego State to 53 yards rushing, and holding TCU to 3.4 yards per carry. After stopping those two potent attacks, the Cougars will have no trouble stopping Wyoming’s ground game.
BYU will use a conservative offensive game plan against the Wyoming D. They will run the ball with RB’s JJ DiLuigi and Bryan Kariya, and have QB Jake Heaps throw safe passes. The Cowboys will play “bend, but don’t break” defense, and try to create some turnovers.
The Cougars will win this defensive struggle, taking a step closer to a bowl bid.
San Diego State at New Mexico
Former New Mexico Head Coach Rocky Long returns to New Mexico (0-6, 0-2) as defensive coordinator of the surging San Diego State Aztecs (4-2, 1-1). San Diego State needs to win this game to control its own destiny in the conference race, while New Mexico needs a win to turn around a dismal season.
San Diego State features one of the top offenses in the conference, while New Mexico has one of the worst defenses. The Aztecs will turn to big-play running back Ronnie Hillman to gain some yards on the ground, and set up the passing game. New Mexico will take a page out of the BYU playbook, and attempt to take the running game away. Even if the Lobos succeed in stopping the run, they will not stop Aztec WR’s Demarco Sampson and Vincent Brown from making big plays in the passing game.
New Mexico has struggled offensively this season. Injuries have forced the Lobos to use four different QB’s this season. Regardless of who is under center, the Lobos will attempt to establish a ground game with RB Demond Dennis, looking to exploit an Aztec defense that has allowed over 4 yards per carry in Mountain West play. San Diego State will show a number of different looks from its 3-3-5 defense. The changing fronts will confuse the inexperienced Lobo QB’s and generate turnovers.
San Diego State wins this game by three touchdowns. New Mexico simply does not have the talent to match the title-contending Aztecs.
Colorado State at Utah
Colorado State (2-5, 1-2) travels to Utah (6-0, 3-0) to round out the Mountain West schedule this week. The Rams look to build momentum after last week’s 43-10 win over UNLV. The Utes want to put last week's poor second half behind them, and remain undefeated.
The Rams will use a balanced offense against the Ute D. RB’s Leonard Mason and Raymond Carter (if healthy) will get plenty of carries. CSU will also take a few shots down the field looking to hit a big play or two to get on the scoreboard. Utah will play aggressively on defense using stunts, blitzes, and press coverage to shut down the Ram offense.
Utah’s offense averages 45.8 points per game, ranking 4th in the nation in scoring offense. The Utes will establish the run with RB’s Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata. To prevent the Rams from crowding the box to stop the run, QB Jordan Wynn will use a number of different receivers and throw downfield. Like Utah, Colorado State will bring plenty of pressure to force Wynn to rush his throws.
While CSU will keep the game close, they are a year away from contending for the Mountain West title. Utah will win this game by two touchdowns and head into the toughest stretch of its schedule with a perfect 7-0 record.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
Air Force at TCU
The conference’s top game pits Air Force (5-2, 3-1) against TCU (7-0, 3-0). This contest presents a different opportunity for each team. Air Force wants to win this game to remain in the Mountain West title race. A decisive TCU win would boost the Horned Frogs in the computer polls, and perhaps raise their BCS ranking.
When Air Force has the ball, two nationally ranked units will face off. Air Force has the top rushing offense in the country, while TCU ranks second nationally in total defense. While the Falcons have run the ball well all season, they have not played a defense with the speed and athleticism that the Horned Frog defense has. TCU will contain Air Force’s ground game, placing the Falcons in third and long situations. QB Tim Jefferson will struggle against the Horned Frog secondary.
On the other side of the ball, TCU’s offense will look to get the ball in the hands of its skill players. The Horned Frog offensive lineman will overpower the undersized Falcon defenders. Air Force ranks in the Top 20 in passing defense, so TCU will likely keep the ball on the ground with RB’s Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker.
This game will remain close, with TCU pulling away in the second half. By defeating the Falcons by double digits, the Horned Frogs will gain ground on Oklahoma, who only beat Air Force by three points.
Wyoming at BYU
Longtime rivals Wyoming (2-5, 0-3) and BYU (2-5, 1-2) square off this weekend in an important Mountain West contest. The winner of this game has an excellent chance to go to a bowl. In addition, with BYU’s departure from the conference ending this rivalry, each team would like to send the other team packing with a loss.
Wyoming has struggled on offense this season, largely due to a brutal schedule. The Cowboy offense has had its greatest success when they can run the ball effectively. They will attempt to run ball with Alvester Alexander against a BYU defense that has allowed 4.9 yards per carry. The Cougars defense has turned it up a notch the past few weeks, limiting San Diego State to 53 yards rushing, and holding TCU to 3.4 yards per carry. After stopping those two potent attacks, the Cougars will have no trouble stopping Wyoming’s ground game.
BYU will use a conservative offensive game plan against the Wyoming D. They will run the ball with RB’s JJ DiLuigi and Bryan Kariya, and have QB Jake Heaps throw safe passes. The Cowboys will play “bend, but don’t break” defense, and try to create some turnovers.
The Cougars will win this defensive struggle, taking a step closer to a bowl bid.
San Diego State at New Mexico
Former New Mexico Head Coach Rocky Long returns to New Mexico (0-6, 0-2) as defensive coordinator of the surging San Diego State Aztecs (4-2, 1-1). San Diego State needs to win this game to control its own destiny in the conference race, while New Mexico needs a win to turn around a dismal season.
San Diego State features one of the top offenses in the conference, while New Mexico has one of the worst defenses. The Aztecs will turn to big-play running back Ronnie Hillman to gain some yards on the ground, and set up the passing game. New Mexico will take a page out of the BYU playbook, and attempt to take the running game away. Even if the Lobos succeed in stopping the run, they will not stop Aztec WR’s Demarco Sampson and Vincent Brown from making big plays in the passing game.
New Mexico has struggled offensively this season. Injuries have forced the Lobos to use four different QB’s this season. Regardless of who is under center, the Lobos will attempt to establish a ground game with RB Demond Dennis, looking to exploit an Aztec defense that has allowed over 4 yards per carry in Mountain West play. San Diego State will show a number of different looks from its 3-3-5 defense. The changing fronts will confuse the inexperienced Lobo QB’s and generate turnovers.
San Diego State wins this game by three touchdowns. New Mexico simply does not have the talent to match the title-contending Aztecs.
Colorado State at Utah
Colorado State (2-5, 1-2) travels to Utah (6-0, 3-0) to round out the Mountain West schedule this week. The Rams look to build momentum after last week’s 43-10 win over UNLV. The Utes want to put last week's poor second half behind them, and remain undefeated.
The Rams will use a balanced offense against the Ute D. RB’s Leonard Mason and Raymond Carter (if healthy) will get plenty of carries. CSU will also take a few shots down the field looking to hit a big play or two to get on the scoreboard. Utah will play aggressively on defense using stunts, blitzes, and press coverage to shut down the Ram offense.
Utah’s offense averages 45.8 points per game, ranking 4th in the nation in scoring offense. The Utes will establish the run with RB’s Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata. To prevent the Rams from crowding the box to stop the run, QB Jordan Wynn will use a number of different receivers and throw downfield. Like Utah, Colorado State will bring plenty of pressure to force Wynn to rush his throws.
While CSU will keep the game close, they are a year away from contending for the Mountain West title. Utah will win this game by two touchdowns and head into the toughest stretch of its schedule with a perfect 7-0 record.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Mountain West Week 7 Lessons Learned
Week 7 of the college football season featured four Mountain West Conference games. These contests separated the contenders from the pretenders. What did we learn this week?
San Diego State can contend for the title
A week after losing to BYU, the Aztecs jumped back into the race by defeating Air Force 27-25. San Diego State played much better in front of the home crowd with RB Ronnie Hillman ripping two long TD runs. QB Ryan Lindley and the Aztec receivers torched the Falcon secondary for 247 yards on only 14 completions.
Despite the loss to BYU, San Diego State controls its own destiny. The Aztecs play TCU the week after the Horned Frogs play Utah. They host Utah the following week, as the Utes conclude a brutal three game stretch of Air Force, TCU, and Notre Dame. With both top contenders coming off tough contests, San Diego State could very easily find itself playing the Las Vegas Bowl as the Mountain West Champions.
TCU remains the top contender to win the MWC title
By thrashing BYU 31-3, the Horned Frogs have established themselves as the clear-cut front-runner in the Mountain West title race. While BYU has a 2-5 record, they did defeat San Diego State last weekend, making this victory more impressive than it might otherwise appear.
The TCU has dominated its conference schedule so far. The Horned Frogs have yet to allow a TD in conference play, and have outscored their opponents 103-3. If TCU continues to dominate like this, they will likely end up in a BCS game.
Utah has work left to do
While TCU solidified its position as the favorite, Utah took a step back against Wyoming. While the Utes defeated the Cowboys 30-6, they played very sloppy football in the second half. Utah continues to turn the ball over at an alarming rate, finishing the game with a -3 turnover ratio. If the Utes want to win the Mountain West, and play in a BCS game, they must stop turning the ball over.
Colorado State escapes the bottom of the conference
Colorado State remained in bowl contention after defeating UNLV this weekend. While the Rams will need to pull an upset or two to get to 6-6, they showed that they were heads and shoulders better than the teams at the bottom of the conference by defeating the Rebels.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
San Diego State can contend for the title
A week after losing to BYU, the Aztecs jumped back into the race by defeating Air Force 27-25. San Diego State played much better in front of the home crowd with RB Ronnie Hillman ripping two long TD runs. QB Ryan Lindley and the Aztec receivers torched the Falcon secondary for 247 yards on only 14 completions.
Despite the loss to BYU, San Diego State controls its own destiny. The Aztecs play TCU the week after the Horned Frogs play Utah. They host Utah the following week, as the Utes conclude a brutal three game stretch of Air Force, TCU, and Notre Dame. With both top contenders coming off tough contests, San Diego State could very easily find itself playing the Las Vegas Bowl as the Mountain West Champions.
TCU remains the top contender to win the MWC title
By thrashing BYU 31-3, the Horned Frogs have established themselves as the clear-cut front-runner in the Mountain West title race. While BYU has a 2-5 record, they did defeat San Diego State last weekend, making this victory more impressive than it might otherwise appear.
The TCU has dominated its conference schedule so far. The Horned Frogs have yet to allow a TD in conference play, and have outscored their opponents 103-3. If TCU continues to dominate like this, they will likely end up in a BCS game.
Utah has work left to do
While TCU solidified its position as the favorite, Utah took a step back against Wyoming. While the Utes defeated the Cowboys 30-6, they played very sloppy football in the second half. Utah continues to turn the ball over at an alarming rate, finishing the game with a -3 turnover ratio. If the Utes want to win the Mountain West, and play in a BCS game, they must stop turning the ball over.
Colorado State escapes the bottom of the conference
Colorado State remained in bowl contention after defeating UNLV this weekend. While the Rams will need to pull an upset or two to get to 6-6, they showed that they were heads and shoulders better than the teams at the bottom of the conference by defeating the Rebels.
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Minnesota Fires Tim Brewster
After opening the season 1-6, Minnesota fired Head Coach Tim Brewster. He finished with a record of 15-30, leading the Gophers to bowl games in 2008 and 2009.
This firing comes as no surprise. The Gophers only win came in week 1 over a Middle Tennessee team that played without its starting QB. The following week, Minnesota lost to FCS opponent South Dakota. Two weeks later, the Gophers lost to Northern Illinois of the MAC. Last week, Coach Brewster brought additional negative attention to the school by complaining about Wisconsin Coach Brett Bielema running up the score. After losing at Purdue, the Gophers had absolutely no choice but to dismiss Brewster.
Offensive Jeff Horton takes over as interim head coach. Horton has head coaching experience, leading Nevada in 1993, and UNLV from 1994-98.
Tony Dungy has already turned down the head coach position, but has offered to help the university in finding a new coach. Given the number of successful head coaches that Dungy has developed, the Gophers will hire an exceptional coach who will have them contending for Big Ten titles more regularly.
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This firing comes as no surprise. The Gophers only win came in week 1 over a Middle Tennessee team that played without its starting QB. The following week, Minnesota lost to FCS opponent South Dakota. Two weeks later, the Gophers lost to Northern Illinois of the MAC. Last week, Coach Brewster brought additional negative attention to the school by complaining about Wisconsin Coach Brett Bielema running up the score. After losing at Purdue, the Gophers had absolutely no choice but to dismiss Brewster.
Offensive Jeff Horton takes over as interim head coach. Horton has head coaching experience, leading Nevada in 1993, and UNLV from 1994-98.
Tony Dungy has already turned down the head coach position, but has offered to help the university in finding a new coach. Given the number of successful head coaches that Dungy has developed, the Gophers will hire an exceptional coach who will have them contending for Big Ten titles more regularly.
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Monday, October 11, 2010
Utah Utes Blog - Week 6 Lessons learned
After Week 4's 56-3 demolition of San Jose State, many wondered what to expect from Utah in Week 6. With two weeks to prepare, would they dominate a Big 12 opponent? Would the defense stop an offense led by a veteran QB, who makes plays with his arm and his feet?
The Utes answered with an emphatic “yes” to both questions. They showed no signs of rust offensively, gaining 593 yards, and averaging 7.5 yards per play. Utah finally opened up the playbook, completing passes to eight different receivers. Most impressively, the Utes dominated the line of scrimmage, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and not allowing a sack.
The defense played even better than the offense. While Utah only produced one sack, they pressured QB Austen Arnaud all night long, limiting him to only 13 for 31 passing and forcing two interceptions. Iowa State was unable to sustain long drives against the regulars, only giving up two short touchdown drives off Ute turnovers.
After this performance, the Utes have shown that they can beat anyone. Since the Pittsburgh game, no one has even come close stopping the Utah offense, even when top offensive weapons missed time with injury. The Utah defense continues to dominate week after week, ranking in the Top 10 in total defense.
While the Utes have played well thus far, they must continue to improve, and reduce the number of turnovers. Starting at the end of October, Utah faces #23 Air Force, #4 TCU, and Notre Dame in consecutive weeks. The Utes need to win all three games to return to the BCS.
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The Utes answered with an emphatic “yes” to both questions. They showed no signs of rust offensively, gaining 593 yards, and averaging 7.5 yards per play. Utah finally opened up the playbook, completing passes to eight different receivers. Most impressively, the Utes dominated the line of scrimmage, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and not allowing a sack.
The defense played even better than the offense. While Utah only produced one sack, they pressured QB Austen Arnaud all night long, limiting him to only 13 for 31 passing and forcing two interceptions. Iowa State was unable to sustain long drives against the regulars, only giving up two short touchdown drives off Ute turnovers.
After this performance, the Utes have shown that they can beat anyone. Since the Pittsburgh game, no one has even come close stopping the Utah offense, even when top offensive weapons missed time with injury. The Utah defense continues to dominate week after week, ranking in the Top 10 in total defense.
While the Utes have played well thus far, they must continue to improve, and reduce the number of turnovers. Starting at the end of October, Utah faces #23 Air Force, #4 TCU, and Notre Dame in consecutive weeks. The Utes need to win all three games to return to the BCS.
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Utah Utes Week 6 Preview
With Florida and Stanford losing, the Utes moved up two spots to #10. Assuming that the Harris Poll follows suit, Utah would be eligible for at-large bid.
LB JJ Williams will not play this week, and could possibly miss the season.
TE Brad Clifford is questionable for this week’s game with an arm injury.
What to expect against Iowa State
The Utes face their toughest challenge of the season, traveling to Iowa State. The Cyclones have a 3-2 record losing only to ranked opponents. In addition, Iowa State has played very well at home, beating their opponents by an average score of 35-16. What will happen in this game
The Utes win the turnover battle
After Week 4’s 56-3 domination of San Jose State, Coach Kyle Whittingham never stopped coaching. After praising the team’s play, he quickly pointed out that his team needed to force turnovers, in order to win big games. This season, Utah has a turnover ratio of -3, which would be the lowest total of during Coach Whittingham’s tenure.
The team that commits the fewest turnovers wins this game. In Iowa State’s wins this season, they were +8 in turnover margin, but -3 in games that they lost. With Utes spending the last two weeks emphasizing turnover creation, expect to the defense create a few, and win this battle.
Offense opens up the playbook
The Utes have kept their offense relatively simple over the past few weeks, because they had huge leads. However, the Iowa State defense is much better than any opponent that the Utes have played so far. Against a stronger, faster opponent, the Utes will need to open up the playbook and get more players involved. The receivers, particularly Reggie Dunn, will get more touches against the Cyclones.
Stop the run
After watching the Cyclones run for 250 yards against Texas Tech, the Utes will continue to make stopping the run their first priority. The front seven has played very well this season, limiting opponents to 2.4 yards per carry. That trend will continue this week.
Bring more pressure
In order to stop the run, and force more turnovers, the Utes will blitz more often this week. Iowa State has allowed 6 sacks in the past two weeks, something Utah will capitalize on.
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LB JJ Williams will not play this week, and could possibly miss the season.
TE Brad Clifford is questionable for this week’s game with an arm injury.
What to expect against Iowa State
The Utes face their toughest challenge of the season, traveling to Iowa State. The Cyclones have a 3-2 record losing only to ranked opponents. In addition, Iowa State has played very well at home, beating their opponents by an average score of 35-16. What will happen in this game
The Utes win the turnover battle
After Week 4’s 56-3 domination of San Jose State, Coach Kyle Whittingham never stopped coaching. After praising the team’s play, he quickly pointed out that his team needed to force turnovers, in order to win big games. This season, Utah has a turnover ratio of -3, which would be the lowest total of during Coach Whittingham’s tenure.
The team that commits the fewest turnovers wins this game. In Iowa State’s wins this season, they were +8 in turnover margin, but -3 in games that they lost. With Utes spending the last two weeks emphasizing turnover creation, expect to the defense create a few, and win this battle.
Offense opens up the playbook
The Utes have kept their offense relatively simple over the past few weeks, because they had huge leads. However, the Iowa State defense is much better than any opponent that the Utes have played so far. Against a stronger, faster opponent, the Utes will need to open up the playbook and get more players involved. The receivers, particularly Reggie Dunn, will get more touches against the Cyclones.
Stop the run
After watching the Cyclones run for 250 yards against Texas Tech, the Utes will continue to make stopping the run their first priority. The front seven has played very well this season, limiting opponents to 2.4 yards per carry. That trend will continue this week.
Bring more pressure
In order to stop the run, and force more turnovers, the Utes will blitz more often this week. Iowa State has allowed 6 sacks in the past two weeks, something Utah will capitalize on.
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Week 6 Mountain West Preview
Week 5 had plenty of highs and lows, as TCU and Air Force continued their winning ways, while BYU and New Mexico suffered devastating losses. Week 6 features three conference games, a rivalry game, and some games against BCS opponents. What will happen in each game this week?
Utah at Iowa State – Utah puts its top 10 ranking and BCS hopes on the line travelling to Ames, Iowa, to play Iowa State. The Cyclones enter the game at 3-2, with both losses coming to ranked teams.
With the offense back at full-strength, and an extra week to prepare for Iowa State, the Utes will put points on the board. While QB Austen Arnaud might pose the stiffest test that Utah has faced this season, the front seven will keep him contained. Iowa State keeps the game close, but Utah gets a signature win over a Big 12 Team.
Wyoming at TCU – This matchup features two of the top teams in the Mountain West. Wyoming enters the game trying to even its record at 3-3, while TCU seeks to win its sixth game in a row.
TCU’s defense dominates this game. The defensive line will shut down the run, and harass Cowboy QB Austyn Carta-Samuels. While the Wyoming defense should slow down the TCU offense, they will not be able to keep the Horned Frogs explosive playmakers out of the end zone. QB Andy Dalton will vault himself back into the Heisman Trophy discussion, leading TCU to a lopsided victory.
San Diego State at BYU – One of top conference games of the week, the SDSU – BYU game will shape the season for each team. For San Diego State, the game presents an opportunity to prove that it belongs among the elite teams in the conference. On the other hand, BYU needs to win the game to avoid dropping to 1-5.
San Diego State typically uses a balanced offense, but the Aztecs will run RB Ronnie Hillman to exploit a BYU defense that allows 5.1 yards per carry. While the Aztec offense gets most of the credit for the team’s 3-1 start, the defense will make the difference in this game. They will constantly pressure QB Jake Heaps, and prevent the Cougars from scoring. San Diego State wins big, and establishes itself as a viable contender for the conference crown.
Colorado State at Air Force - One of the more underrated rivalries in the conference, the CSU – Air Force game always produces plenty of excitement. The Rams want to derail the Falcons title hopes, and earn a much-needed conference victory, while Air Force needs a win to remain in first place.
Air Force will come out running the triple option, exploiting the Ram defense. Colorado State will throw the ball, because they will be playing without leading rusher Raymond Carter for the next few weeks. CSU QB Pete Thomas continues to improve, but will struggle against an experienced Falcon secondary. Air Force will win by two touchdowns.
UNLV at West Virginia - The Mountain West can make a huge statement in this game. West Virginia comes into the game with a 3-1 record, and perennially contends for the Big East title. A UNLV upset would give the Mountain West another marquee win over the Big East, as well as keep the Rebels bowl hopes alive.
The Mountaineers will use a balanced attack to keep UNLV off-balance. The Rebels need to contain RB Noel Devine, and make West Virginia one-dimensional. If they can take away the run, UNLV can at least slow down the Mountaineer offense. Regardless of what the defense does, the UNLV offense will have no answer for the stingy West Virginia D, which ranks in the top 10 nationally in total defense. The Mountaineers win by 17, denying the Mountain West another win against a BCS opponent.
New Mexico at New Mexico State – This matchup pits two of the worst teams in FBS, as New Mexico enters this game 0-5, and New Mexico State comes into the game 0-4. However, for an in-state rivalry game, records become irrelevant – both teams want to beat the other badly.
While neither defense has stopped anyone all season, this game will not be a shootout. Both teams might play without their starting QB’s. The team that runs the ball the most effectively will win this game. The Aggies have run the ball more successfully than the Lobos, so New Mexico State will win a tight one.
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Utah at Iowa State – Utah puts its top 10 ranking and BCS hopes on the line travelling to Ames, Iowa, to play Iowa State. The Cyclones enter the game at 3-2, with both losses coming to ranked teams.
With the offense back at full-strength, and an extra week to prepare for Iowa State, the Utes will put points on the board. While QB Austen Arnaud might pose the stiffest test that Utah has faced this season, the front seven will keep him contained. Iowa State keeps the game close, but Utah gets a signature win over a Big 12 Team.
Wyoming at TCU – This matchup features two of the top teams in the Mountain West. Wyoming enters the game trying to even its record at 3-3, while TCU seeks to win its sixth game in a row.
TCU’s defense dominates this game. The defensive line will shut down the run, and harass Cowboy QB Austyn Carta-Samuels. While the Wyoming defense should slow down the TCU offense, they will not be able to keep the Horned Frogs explosive playmakers out of the end zone. QB Andy Dalton will vault himself back into the Heisman Trophy discussion, leading TCU to a lopsided victory.
San Diego State at BYU – One of top conference games of the week, the SDSU – BYU game will shape the season for each team. For San Diego State, the game presents an opportunity to prove that it belongs among the elite teams in the conference. On the other hand, BYU needs to win the game to avoid dropping to 1-5.
San Diego State typically uses a balanced offense, but the Aztecs will run RB Ronnie Hillman to exploit a BYU defense that allows 5.1 yards per carry. While the Aztec offense gets most of the credit for the team’s 3-1 start, the defense will make the difference in this game. They will constantly pressure QB Jake Heaps, and prevent the Cougars from scoring. San Diego State wins big, and establishes itself as a viable contender for the conference crown.
Colorado State at Air Force - One of the more underrated rivalries in the conference, the CSU – Air Force game always produces plenty of excitement. The Rams want to derail the Falcons title hopes, and earn a much-needed conference victory, while Air Force needs a win to remain in first place.
Air Force will come out running the triple option, exploiting the Ram defense. Colorado State will throw the ball, because they will be playing without leading rusher Raymond Carter for the next few weeks. CSU QB Pete Thomas continues to improve, but will struggle against an experienced Falcon secondary. Air Force will win by two touchdowns.
UNLV at West Virginia - The Mountain West can make a huge statement in this game. West Virginia comes into the game with a 3-1 record, and perennially contends for the Big East title. A UNLV upset would give the Mountain West another marquee win over the Big East, as well as keep the Rebels bowl hopes alive.
The Mountaineers will use a balanced attack to keep UNLV off-balance. The Rebels need to contain RB Noel Devine, and make West Virginia one-dimensional. If they can take away the run, UNLV can at least slow down the Mountaineer offense. Regardless of what the defense does, the UNLV offense will have no answer for the stingy West Virginia D, which ranks in the top 10 nationally in total defense. The Mountaineers win by 17, denying the Mountain West another win against a BCS opponent.
New Mexico at New Mexico State – This matchup pits two of the worst teams in FBS, as New Mexico enters this game 0-5, and New Mexico State comes into the game 0-4. However, for an in-state rivalry game, records become irrelevant – both teams want to beat the other badly.
While neither defense has stopped anyone all season, this game will not be a shootout. Both teams might play without their starting QB’s. The team that runs the ball the most effectively will win this game. The Aggies have run the ball more successfully than the Lobos, so New Mexico State will win a tight one.
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Monday, October 4, 2010
Week 5 Lessons Learned
Week 5 produced plenty of excitement, with a couple of close games and an upset. What did we learn from this weekend's action?
1 - TCU defense continues to impress
The Horned Frogs might have the best defense in the Mountain West. Playing on the road against a Colorado State team that recorded almost 500 yards the week before, TCU's defense took control of the game. The Frogs limited Colorado State to 161 yards offense, and allowed only 45 yards rushing on 26 carries. In addition, they forced two fumbles, and sacked QB Pete Thomas 4 times.
2 - Air Force can win the conference title
While many consider the Mountain West race a two-horse race between TCU and Utah, Air Force continues to win games.
The Falcons defeated archrival Navy 14-6, to take the inside track on winning the Commander-in-Chief Trophy. Air Force has quietly compiled a 4-1 record, with the loss coming at Oklahoma by a field goal. With QB Tim Jefferson, FB Jared Tew, and HB Asher Clark leading the nation's leading rushing offense, the Falcons could add the Mountain West title to its collection as well.
3 - BYU will miss the postseason
BYU started the season with a convincing win over Washington. Despite losing their next three games, the Cougars had an excellent chance to play in a bowl game with a solid finish to the season.
Utah State essentially ended these postseason hopes, beating BYU 31-16. The Cougars still have to play at conference heavyweights TCU and Utah. Assuming they do not upset either of those teams on the road, BYU will need to beat both San Diego State and Wyoming just to finish 6-6.
4 - New Mexico will go winless
After losing 38-20 to UTEP, New Mexico will likely finish the season winless. The Lobo defense simply cannot stop anyone, yielding an average of 52.6 points per game. If New Mexico continues to surrender points, it will not only finish last in the conference, but also perhaps earn the moniker "worst team in FBS".
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1 - TCU defense continues to impress
The Horned Frogs might have the best defense in the Mountain West. Playing on the road against a Colorado State team that recorded almost 500 yards the week before, TCU's defense took control of the game. The Frogs limited Colorado State to 161 yards offense, and allowed only 45 yards rushing on 26 carries. In addition, they forced two fumbles, and sacked QB Pete Thomas 4 times.
2 - Air Force can win the conference title
While many consider the Mountain West race a two-horse race between TCU and Utah, Air Force continues to win games.
The Falcons defeated archrival Navy 14-6, to take the inside track on winning the Commander-in-Chief Trophy. Air Force has quietly compiled a 4-1 record, with the loss coming at Oklahoma by a field goal. With QB Tim Jefferson, FB Jared Tew, and HB Asher Clark leading the nation's leading rushing offense, the Falcons could add the Mountain West title to its collection as well.
3 - BYU will miss the postseason
BYU started the season with a convincing win over Washington. Despite losing their next three games, the Cougars had an excellent chance to play in a bowl game with a solid finish to the season.
Utah State essentially ended these postseason hopes, beating BYU 31-16. The Cougars still have to play at conference heavyweights TCU and Utah. Assuming they do not upset either of those teams on the road, BYU will need to beat both San Diego State and Wyoming just to finish 6-6.
4 - New Mexico will go winless
After losing 38-20 to UTEP, New Mexico will likely finish the season winless. The Lobo defense simply cannot stop anyone, yielding an average of 52.6 points per game. If New Mexico continues to surrender points, it will not only finish last in the conference, but also perhaps earn the moniker "worst team in FBS".
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Week 5 Preview
Week 4 brought plenty of excitement, highlighted by Colorado State and UNLV each winning its first game of the year. With a couple of rivalry games on the schedule, what will week 5 bring?
Game of the Week
Air Force hosts Navy in a battle of triple-option attacks. The winner of this game has the inside track to win the coveted Commander-In-Chief Trophy.
Navy enters this game with a 2-1 record. The defense has played well this season, limiting opponents to just 262 yards per game. QB Ricky Dobbs leads a powerful triple-option offense that averages 273 yards per contest. The Midshipmen can also throw the ball when teams put eight or nine men in the box, throwing for 219 yards against Louisiana Tech last week.
Air Force moved into a first place tie with Utah after defeating Wyoming last week. The Falcons lead the nation in rushing with HB Asher Clark, FB Jared Tew, and QB Tim Jefferson leading the charge. CB�s Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright lead a unit that ranks in the Top 25 nationally against the pass.
Both teams will do what they do best, and run the triple option. With each offense operating efficiently, the team that makes the most plays on defense will win the game. Air Force has the better defense, so they will win this game, and move within one game of regaining the Commander-in-Chief Trophy.
Conference game of the Week
TCU visits Colorado State in the only conference game this week.
Colorado State earned its first victory of the season last week, winning 36-34 over Idaho. The offense finally clicked, with Raymond Carter rushing for over 100 yards, and QB Pete Thomas throwing for 386 yards and 3 TD�s. Defensively, the Rams continue to show improvement, producing 3 sacks, and making timely stops in the 4th quarter.
TCU closed out its non-conference schedule by defeating Conference USA favorite SMU 41-24. The Horned Frog defense held SMU QB Kyle Padron to 14 of 35 passing, and returned an interception for a touchdown. Heisman Trophy Candidate Andy Dalton rallied the offense for three straight touchdowns after TCU fell behind in the third quarter.
Colorado State does not have the athletes to play with TCU. While they can try to contain Dalton, the Horned Frogs have a plethora of playmakers with TB�s Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker, and WR Jeremy Kerley. TCU wins big, handing CSU its first conference loss.
Non-conference games
BYU travels to in-state rival Utah State on Friday, seeking to stop a three-game losing streak. Despite the Cougars well-documented struggles on offense, the defense has been their Achilles heel, allowing 433 yards per game. To counter this weakness, BYU will move to a ball-control offense, running the clock and keeping the defense off the field. The Cougars win convincingly.
New Mexico hosts UTEP this weekend, hoping to earn its first victory of the season. Not much has gone right this year for the Lobos, losing by an average score of 56-10. New Mexico did strike first last week on a TD pass from Tarean Austin to Bryant Williams, but everything went downhill from there. Things will not improve this week, as electric Miner QB Trevor Vittatoe will light up the Lobo secondary. UTEP wins by two touchdowns.
Wyoming heads to the Midwest to play an improved Toledo team. The Cowboys dropped to 1-3 with a 20-14 loss to Air Force, despite turning in their best rushing performance of the season. Wyoming must continue to run the ball effectively, but must mix in some pass plays to take advantage of the Rockets� frequent blitzes. The Cowboys will win a tight game, as QB Austyn Carta-Samuels outplays Toledo�s Austin Dantin.
UNLV welcomes in-state rival Nevada. The Rebels earned their first victory of the season last week, crushing New Mexico 45-10. QB Omar Clayton led a balanced attack with 194 yards passing, and the defense chipped in by producing three turnovers. In order to beat the Wolfpack, the Rebels will need to stick to this same game plan. Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick will make the difference in this game, making plays with his arm and his feet. Nevada wins this game by three touchdowns.
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Game of the Week
Air Force hosts Navy in a battle of triple-option attacks. The winner of this game has the inside track to win the coveted Commander-In-Chief Trophy.
Navy enters this game with a 2-1 record. The defense has played well this season, limiting opponents to just 262 yards per game. QB Ricky Dobbs leads a powerful triple-option offense that averages 273 yards per contest. The Midshipmen can also throw the ball when teams put eight or nine men in the box, throwing for 219 yards against Louisiana Tech last week.
Air Force moved into a first place tie with Utah after defeating Wyoming last week. The Falcons lead the nation in rushing with HB Asher Clark, FB Jared Tew, and QB Tim Jefferson leading the charge. CB�s Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright lead a unit that ranks in the Top 25 nationally against the pass.
Both teams will do what they do best, and run the triple option. With each offense operating efficiently, the team that makes the most plays on defense will win the game. Air Force has the better defense, so they will win this game, and move within one game of regaining the Commander-in-Chief Trophy.
Conference game of the Week
TCU visits Colorado State in the only conference game this week.
Colorado State earned its first victory of the season last week, winning 36-34 over Idaho. The offense finally clicked, with Raymond Carter rushing for over 100 yards, and QB Pete Thomas throwing for 386 yards and 3 TD�s. Defensively, the Rams continue to show improvement, producing 3 sacks, and making timely stops in the 4th quarter.
TCU closed out its non-conference schedule by defeating Conference USA favorite SMU 41-24. The Horned Frog defense held SMU QB Kyle Padron to 14 of 35 passing, and returned an interception for a touchdown. Heisman Trophy Candidate Andy Dalton rallied the offense for three straight touchdowns after TCU fell behind in the third quarter.
Colorado State does not have the athletes to play with TCU. While they can try to contain Dalton, the Horned Frogs have a plethora of playmakers with TB�s Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker, and WR Jeremy Kerley. TCU wins big, handing CSU its first conference loss.
Non-conference games
BYU travels to in-state rival Utah State on Friday, seeking to stop a three-game losing streak. Despite the Cougars well-documented struggles on offense, the defense has been their Achilles heel, allowing 433 yards per game. To counter this weakness, BYU will move to a ball-control offense, running the clock and keeping the defense off the field. The Cougars win convincingly.
New Mexico hosts UTEP this weekend, hoping to earn its first victory of the season. Not much has gone right this year for the Lobos, losing by an average score of 56-10. New Mexico did strike first last week on a TD pass from Tarean Austin to Bryant Williams, but everything went downhill from there. Things will not improve this week, as electric Miner QB Trevor Vittatoe will light up the Lobo secondary. UTEP wins by two touchdowns.
Wyoming heads to the Midwest to play an improved Toledo team. The Cowboys dropped to 1-3 with a 20-14 loss to Air Force, despite turning in their best rushing performance of the season. Wyoming must continue to run the ball effectively, but must mix in some pass plays to take advantage of the Rockets� frequent blitzes. The Cowboys will win a tight game, as QB Austyn Carta-Samuels outplays Toledo�s Austin Dantin.
UNLV welcomes in-state rival Nevada. The Rebels earned their first victory of the season last week, crushing New Mexico 45-10. QB Omar Clayton led a balanced attack with 194 yards passing, and the defense chipped in by producing three turnovers. In order to beat the Wolfpack, the Rebels will need to stick to this same game plan. Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick will make the difference in this game, making plays with his arm and his feet. Nevada wins this game by three touchdowns.
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Week 4 Lessons Learned
The Mountain West conference had a great week, finishing 4-1 in non-conference play, and producing some exciting conference games. Here are the top 5 lessons learned from Week 4:
1 - TCU and Utah will not play for the BCS Title
An undefeated Mountain West champion has no chance at the BCS Title game.
TCU defeated SMU 41-24 on Friday night to capture a win over a team that many project to win Conference USA. While the Horned Frogs fell behind in the third quarter 17-14, they quickly recovered scoring three consecutive touchdowns to grab a 35-17 lead.
Utah thoroughly dominated San Jose State from the opening kickoff, winning 56-3. With the exception of a long kickoff return, the Utes played a flawless game, holding the Spartans to 171 yards total offense. That performance was 4 yards better than Alabama did against San Jose State during week 1.
Despite these stellar performances, both teams fell in the standings. TCU dropped one spot to #5 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Utah was poised to move into the Top Ten with South Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas losing, but only moved to #12. In addition, Auburn and LSU leaped over the Utes in the poll.
Why did this happen, strength of schedule! While TCU and Utah did their best to put together a strong non-conference slate, the teams they have beaten (Oregon State and Pittsburgh, respectively) each have two losses already. With the bottom half of the conference struggling, the Horned Frogs and Utes cannot rely on a strong conference schedule to keep them in contention. With this weak strength of schedule, whether real or perceived, the polls and computers will continue to rank a one or two-loss team from a BCS conference in front of an undefeated Mountain West team.
2 - San Diego State will contend for the Mountain West Title
The Aztecs non-conference performance shows that they can contend for the Mountain West title this year. Rather than let last week�s last second loss to Missouri derail their season, San Diego State took a 28-0 lead on Utah State and never looked back, winning 41-7. The defense held the Aggies to a season-low 7 points.
With three blowout non-conference wins, and an even more impressive last-minute defeat, the Aztecs have shown that they compete with Air Force, Utah, and TCU for the conference�s top spot.
3 - Colorado State can contend for a bowl game
After starting out the season with three consecutive road losses, many dismissed CSU saying that they were a year away from bowl contention. However, the Rams ended that discussion by defeating a physical Idaho team 36-34. QB Pete Thomas played his best collegiate game, throwing for 389 yards and 3 TD�s. The Rams finally established a running game as Raymond Carter ran for 104 yards.
More impressive than the offense, was the way that CSU won this game. With just over 7 minutes to play, the Rams missed the potential game-tying extra point. Rather than hang their heads, as losing teams do, the CSU defense forced an Idaho punt, which set up the game winning field goal.
With a full slate of eight conference games remaining, the Rams need to win 5 games to become bowl eligible. While this is a tall task, teams in the Mountain West should take CSU seriously because they play much better at home, than they do on the road.
4 - BYU and Wyoming may miss bowl games
While Colorado State staked its claim to become a bowl contender, Wyoming and BYU each face the possibility of staying home during bowl season.
BYU started the season with a convincing win over Washington. Ever since then, the Cougars have sputtered, losing three straight. The Cougars still have to play at conference heavyweights TCU and Utah. Assuming they do not upset either of those teams on the road, BYU will need to earn a split against San Diego State or Wyoming to finish 6-6.
Wyoming finds itself in a similar predicament. After losing a heartbreaker to Air Force this weekend, the Cowboys dropped to 1-3. Wyoming gets Utah at home, but must travel to conference favorites San Diego State and TCU. The Cowboys also play at BYU, and at suddenly resurgent Toledo (3-1), who upset Purdue this weekend. Should Wyoming lose either of these games, they will stay home in December.
5 - New Mexico will finish last
After losing 45-10 to UNLV, New Mexico will finish in the Mountain West cellar. The Lobo defense simply cannot stop anyone, yielding an average of 56 points per game. If New Mexico continues to surrender points, it will not only finish last in the conference, but also perhaps earn the moniker "worst team in FBS".
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1 - TCU and Utah will not play for the BCS Title
An undefeated Mountain West champion has no chance at the BCS Title game.
TCU defeated SMU 41-24 on Friday night to capture a win over a team that many project to win Conference USA. While the Horned Frogs fell behind in the third quarter 17-14, they quickly recovered scoring three consecutive touchdowns to grab a 35-17 lead.
Utah thoroughly dominated San Jose State from the opening kickoff, winning 56-3. With the exception of a long kickoff return, the Utes played a flawless game, holding the Spartans to 171 yards total offense. That performance was 4 yards better than Alabama did against San Jose State during week 1.
Despite these stellar performances, both teams fell in the standings. TCU dropped one spot to #5 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Utah was poised to move into the Top Ten with South Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas losing, but only moved to #12. In addition, Auburn and LSU leaped over the Utes in the poll.
Why did this happen, strength of schedule! While TCU and Utah did their best to put together a strong non-conference slate, the teams they have beaten (Oregon State and Pittsburgh, respectively) each have two losses already. With the bottom half of the conference struggling, the Horned Frogs and Utes cannot rely on a strong conference schedule to keep them in contention. With this weak strength of schedule, whether real or perceived, the polls and computers will continue to rank a one or two-loss team from a BCS conference in front of an undefeated Mountain West team.
2 - San Diego State will contend for the Mountain West Title
The Aztecs non-conference performance shows that they can contend for the Mountain West title this year. Rather than let last week�s last second loss to Missouri derail their season, San Diego State took a 28-0 lead on Utah State and never looked back, winning 41-7. The defense held the Aggies to a season-low 7 points.
With three blowout non-conference wins, and an even more impressive last-minute defeat, the Aztecs have shown that they compete with Air Force, Utah, and TCU for the conference�s top spot.
3 - Colorado State can contend for a bowl game
After starting out the season with three consecutive road losses, many dismissed CSU saying that they were a year away from bowl contention. However, the Rams ended that discussion by defeating a physical Idaho team 36-34. QB Pete Thomas played his best collegiate game, throwing for 389 yards and 3 TD�s. The Rams finally established a running game as Raymond Carter ran for 104 yards.
More impressive than the offense, was the way that CSU won this game. With just over 7 minutes to play, the Rams missed the potential game-tying extra point. Rather than hang their heads, as losing teams do, the CSU defense forced an Idaho punt, which set up the game winning field goal.
With a full slate of eight conference games remaining, the Rams need to win 5 games to become bowl eligible. While this is a tall task, teams in the Mountain West should take CSU seriously because they play much better at home, than they do on the road.
4 - BYU and Wyoming may miss bowl games
While Colorado State staked its claim to become a bowl contender, Wyoming and BYU each face the possibility of staying home during bowl season.
BYU started the season with a convincing win over Washington. Ever since then, the Cougars have sputtered, losing three straight. The Cougars still have to play at conference heavyweights TCU and Utah. Assuming they do not upset either of those teams on the road, BYU will need to earn a split against San Diego State or Wyoming to finish 6-6.
Wyoming finds itself in a similar predicament. After losing a heartbreaker to Air Force this weekend, the Cowboys dropped to 1-3. Wyoming gets Utah at home, but must travel to conference favorites San Diego State and TCU. The Cowboys also play at BYU, and at suddenly resurgent Toledo (3-1), who upset Purdue this weekend. Should Wyoming lose either of these games, they will stay home in December.
5 - New Mexico will finish last
After losing 45-10 to UNLV, New Mexico will finish in the Mountain West cellar. The Lobo defense simply cannot stop anyone, yielding an average of 56 points per game. If New Mexico continues to surrender points, it will not only finish last in the conference, but also perhaps earn the moniker "worst team in FBS".
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Week 4 Preview
In Week 3, the Mountain West Conference followed its pattern for the season. The top teams played great football, while the bottom half of the league suffered humiliating losses. Week 4 features a pair of league games, and a couple of exciting non-conference matchups. What will happen this week?
Game of the Week
TCU hosts SMU on Friday night, reviving an old Southwestern Conference rivalry. With a win, the Horned Frogs can take another step toward capturing a BCS berth.
SMU is no ordinary Conference USA opponent, having blown out Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl last season. They enter this game with a 2-1 record, losing their opener to Texas Tech. Unlike June Jones-coached teams of the past, the Mustangs have a balanced offense. RB Zach Line anchors the ground game with an astonishing 7.6 yards per carry. QB Kyle Padron poses a dual threat, completing 55% of his passes, and rushing for over 100 yards (4.3 yards per carry). The defense has limited opposing offenses to a pedestrian 2.7 yards per carry.
Texas Christian continues to carry the banner for the Mountain West. The defending conference champions own impressive victories over Oregon State and Baylor. The Horned Frog defense has dominated its opponents, producing 10 sacks, and yielding only 223 yards per game. Heisman Trophy Candidate Andy Dalton leads a potent TCU offense that averages almost 46 points per game.
The team with the best defense wins this game. TCU�s front seven will take over this game, making SMU one-dimensional. When SMU goes exclusively to the air, the Horned Frogs will start generating turnovers. Even if the Mustangs avoid turnovers, they have no answer defensively for the explosive TCU offense. The Horned Frogs win this one by a couple of scores, and add another quality win to their BCS resume.
Conference Games
Air Force travels to Wyoming this week. Both teams need this win to remain in the running for the conference title.
Wyoming enters the game reeling from a 51-6 loss to Boise State. QB Austyn Carta-Samuels leads a powerful Cowboy passing attack, completing over 70% of his passes. While Wyoming does not have any outstanding defensive statistics, they hung tough against Texas, and made timely plays against Southern Utah.
Despite losing by three against #7 Oklahoma, Air Force proved that they could play with any team in the country. The Falcon defense boasts the top secondary in the conference, led by CB�s Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright. QB Tim Jefferson, HB Asher Clark, and FB Jared Tew combine to lead the nation�s #1 rushing attack, averaging 399 yards per game.
This game features a contrast in styles. Wyoming spreads the field, and tries to create mismatches in the passing game, while Air Force relies almost exclusively on the triple option. The Cowboys have struggled against the run this season, and will not stop the Falcon ground game. Air Force wins this game by two touchdowns.
New Mexico plays at UNLV to round out the conference schedule. Both teams enter this game at 0-3. This matchup presents an opportunity for the winner to turn things around, and remain in contention for a bowl game.
UNLV limps into this game after losing to Idaho 30-7. Offensively, UNLV has moved the ball with Omar Clayton at QB, but has failed to score points. On the bright side, the Rebel defense has improved each week against the run, limiting Idaho to just 3.1 yards per carry last week.
New Mexico has played the toughest schedule in the country playing Oregon, Texas Tech, and Utah. With the brutality of the schedule, the defense may not be as bad as it appears on paper. Head Coach Mike Locksley has not named a starting QB this week, which will force the Rebels to prepare for both Brad Gruner and Tarean Austin. Austin came off the bench and led the Lobos to their only touchdown last week.
Since neither team runs the ball well, the team with the better passing game will win. Expect for Lobo QB Tarean Austin to provide a spark for the offense, leading New Mexico to a close victory in a defensive struggle.
Non-Conference Games
BYU welcomes Nevada to LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars lost QB Riley Nelson for the season, which leaves the starting job to Jake Heaps. With Heaps as the full-time starter, the Cougars will finally establish a rhythm on offense, something that they could not do while rotating QB�s. Even with the question at QB settled, BYU must stop QB Colin Kaepernick and the Nevada offense, which averages 560 yards per contest. The Cougars have not stopped the run all season long, and will not do so on Saturday. Nevada wins big.
San Diego State visits Utah State this weekend, after suffering a last-minute loss to Missouri. The Aztecs used a balanced offense against Missouri using RB Ronnie Hillman to compliment QB Ryan Lindley. The defense held Missouri to 3.3 season-low yards per carry, and forced three turnovers. The Aztecs will use the same game plan to defeat Utah State. San Diego State wins by two scores.
Utah hosts San Jose State, looking to start the season 4-0. The Ute defense continues to dominate its opponents, particularly in the running game. The offense welcomes back QB Jordan Wynn and C Zane Taylor from injury. With Utah having its full complement of weapons on offense, the Utes will score early and often. Utah wins convincingly, remaining in contention for a BCS berth.
Colorado State plays its home opener against Idaho trying to get its season back on track. The Rams suffered a humiliating loss to MAC opponent Miami (Ohio) last weekend. On the bright side, CSU finally got the passing game working, and scored its first touchdown of the season. Unfortunately, the Rams play a very physical Idaho team that dominated UNLV on both lines of scrimmage last weekend. Idaho rolls over CSU.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
Game of the Week
TCU hosts SMU on Friday night, reviving an old Southwestern Conference rivalry. With a win, the Horned Frogs can take another step toward capturing a BCS berth.
SMU is no ordinary Conference USA opponent, having blown out Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl last season. They enter this game with a 2-1 record, losing their opener to Texas Tech. Unlike June Jones-coached teams of the past, the Mustangs have a balanced offense. RB Zach Line anchors the ground game with an astonishing 7.6 yards per carry. QB Kyle Padron poses a dual threat, completing 55% of his passes, and rushing for over 100 yards (4.3 yards per carry). The defense has limited opposing offenses to a pedestrian 2.7 yards per carry.
Texas Christian continues to carry the banner for the Mountain West. The defending conference champions own impressive victories over Oregon State and Baylor. The Horned Frog defense has dominated its opponents, producing 10 sacks, and yielding only 223 yards per game. Heisman Trophy Candidate Andy Dalton leads a potent TCU offense that averages almost 46 points per game.
The team with the best defense wins this game. TCU�s front seven will take over this game, making SMU one-dimensional. When SMU goes exclusively to the air, the Horned Frogs will start generating turnovers. Even if the Mustangs avoid turnovers, they have no answer defensively for the explosive TCU offense. The Horned Frogs win this one by a couple of scores, and add another quality win to their BCS resume.
Conference Games
Air Force travels to Wyoming this week. Both teams need this win to remain in the running for the conference title.
Wyoming enters the game reeling from a 51-6 loss to Boise State. QB Austyn Carta-Samuels leads a powerful Cowboy passing attack, completing over 70% of his passes. While Wyoming does not have any outstanding defensive statistics, they hung tough against Texas, and made timely plays against Southern Utah.
Despite losing by three against #7 Oklahoma, Air Force proved that they could play with any team in the country. The Falcon defense boasts the top secondary in the conference, led by CB�s Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright. QB Tim Jefferson, HB Asher Clark, and FB Jared Tew combine to lead the nation�s #1 rushing attack, averaging 399 yards per game.
This game features a contrast in styles. Wyoming spreads the field, and tries to create mismatches in the passing game, while Air Force relies almost exclusively on the triple option. The Cowboys have struggled against the run this season, and will not stop the Falcon ground game. Air Force wins this game by two touchdowns.
New Mexico plays at UNLV to round out the conference schedule. Both teams enter this game at 0-3. This matchup presents an opportunity for the winner to turn things around, and remain in contention for a bowl game.
UNLV limps into this game after losing to Idaho 30-7. Offensively, UNLV has moved the ball with Omar Clayton at QB, but has failed to score points. On the bright side, the Rebel defense has improved each week against the run, limiting Idaho to just 3.1 yards per carry last week.
New Mexico has played the toughest schedule in the country playing Oregon, Texas Tech, and Utah. With the brutality of the schedule, the defense may not be as bad as it appears on paper. Head Coach Mike Locksley has not named a starting QB this week, which will force the Rebels to prepare for both Brad Gruner and Tarean Austin. Austin came off the bench and led the Lobos to their only touchdown last week.
Since neither team runs the ball well, the team with the better passing game will win. Expect for Lobo QB Tarean Austin to provide a spark for the offense, leading New Mexico to a close victory in a defensive struggle.
Non-Conference Games
BYU welcomes Nevada to LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars lost QB Riley Nelson for the season, which leaves the starting job to Jake Heaps. With Heaps as the full-time starter, the Cougars will finally establish a rhythm on offense, something that they could not do while rotating QB�s. Even with the question at QB settled, BYU must stop QB Colin Kaepernick and the Nevada offense, which averages 560 yards per contest. The Cougars have not stopped the run all season long, and will not do so on Saturday. Nevada wins big.
San Diego State visits Utah State this weekend, after suffering a last-minute loss to Missouri. The Aztecs used a balanced offense against Missouri using RB Ronnie Hillman to compliment QB Ryan Lindley. The defense held Missouri to 3.3 season-low yards per carry, and forced three turnovers. The Aztecs will use the same game plan to defeat Utah State. San Diego State wins by two scores.
Utah hosts San Jose State, looking to start the season 4-0. The Ute defense continues to dominate its opponents, particularly in the running game. The offense welcomes back QB Jordan Wynn and C Zane Taylor from injury. With Utah having its full complement of weapons on offense, the Utes will score early and often. Utah wins convincingly, remaining in contention for a BCS berth.
Colorado State plays its home opener against Idaho trying to get its season back on track. The Rams suffered a humiliating loss to MAC opponent Miami (Ohio) last weekend. On the bright side, CSU finally got the passing game working, and scored its first touchdown of the season. Unfortunately, the Rams play a very physical Idaho team that dominated UNLV on both lines of scrimmage last weekend. Idaho rolls over CSU.
Please follow me on Twitter @TPJCollFootball
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