:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19410107/20130906_gav_bd3_179.0.jpg)
We begin this week's Mountain West preview with the hot HOT HOT storyline everyone loves: tiebreaking procedures. With the Broncos beginning their conference schedule Friday, I thought some clarification might be in order for how this Mountain West Mountain and Mountain West West business works. Division champions will be the team with the best overall conference record, not the best division record. Division records only come into play in the case of a three-way tie at which point we'd all be living in a wormhole and have bigger problems than Mountain West Mountain sister-kissing.
This concludes hot HOT HOT tiebreaking procedures. Next week: hot HOT HOT artificial noisemaker rules.
In short: The Mountain West has exactly one undefeated team after two weeks of play.
Remembering last week
In short: It is now considered a good week when no Mountain West team loses to an FCS school. So week two = best week ever!
Weekly Awards
Team of the Week
I was tempted to put Utah State here for their annihilation of Air Force (on the scoreboard, not on the field, as Chris Petersen's film study would warn us). But how often am I going to get the chance to highlight New Mexico? Maybe never again, so here goes nothing.
The Lobos pulled off an overtime win at UTEP, thanks to Kasey Carrier's 291 yards rushing - almost three whole football fields - and 395 yards on the ground a team. The Bob Davie Footbaw Plan worked like gangbusters, and now the Lobos are halfway to their season goal win total, a total I set because I don't think they will be very good this season but do still have New Mexico State and Colorado State on the schedule.
Player of Last Week (PLOW)
(note: I am bad at acronyms.)
Chuckie Keeton accounted for 430 yards and five touchdowns in Utah State's win over Air Force, prompting one to ask, "Where is Keeton's Heisman campaign?!"
Oh, here it is.
(Kellen Moore is officially the only quarterback to never have his own Heisman campaign.)
This Week's Game of the Week of the Century
Fresno State @ Colorado
No, I did not forget that Colorado has Sun Belt talent behind that Pac-12 facade. But it would appear that new head coach Mike MacIntyre has the Buffs headed in the right direction, playing easy teams to get there. Fresno State is not an easy team, so we will find out what all that improving is good for come Saturday. Fresno is a 10-point favorite in Boulder, and believe you me, that point spread would have been two times higher a season ago.
The other games of the week
Rebound game: Colorado State vs. Cal Poly (maybe?? probably not)
Impending blowout: Nevada @ No. 10 Florida State
Impending cover: New Mexico covering 22 points against Pitt
Idaho 50-burger bait: Utah State vs. Weber State (Weber State playing the role of Idaho)
Craig Thompson appointment television: Air Force vs. Boise State
Misc. games:
- Wyoming vs. Northern Colorado
- UNLV vs. Central Michigan
- Byes: Hawaii, San Diego State, San Jose State
What the Gamecube says
At the request of nobody, I will be simulating the 2013 college football season using the best technology I have available: NCAA 08, the one with Zabransky on the cover. Expect to get some tasty nuggets of wisdom from this exercise.
TCU freshman Andy Dalton played a sensational game against Texas because I found a used Game Genie at a yard sale. He will be a player to watch this season, so long as this piece of gum stuck in the Game Genie doesn't move.
Oxymoronic Mountain West Power Poll
- Fresno State
- Utah State
- San Jose State
- Wyoming
- Boise State
- Nevada
- Air Force
- New Mexico
- San Diego State
- UNLV
- Hawaii
- Colorado State
Force Rankings
1. "the" (Star Wars)
2. Air Force
3. Nature
Course Rankings
1. Dessert
2. Augusta National
Horse Rankings
1. Secretariat
2. Man o' War
3. Seabiscuit
4. The Horse That Played Centerfield
5. Black Beauty
6. Mr. Ed
97. Barbaro
Norse Rankings
1. Leif Ericson
2. Beowulf
3. Hagar the Horrible