By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
Week six within the Mountain West brings us 4 convention video games and a pair of nonconference affairs.
The 2 out-of-league video games, Air Drive at Navy and Boise State at Notre Dame, give the convention an opportunity to shine on a nationwide stage.
The convention matchups carry us some intriguing matchups, and we will be taught lots about some groups with various pre-league outcomes.
Here’s a have a look at the six-game slate for the MW this week.
New Mexico Lobos at San Jose State Spartans
Friday, October 3
7:00 PM PT, FS1
Line: San Jose State –2.5
Over/Below: 58.5
A season that started with a lot promise for the Spartans has yielded a 1-3 begin and never a single win over an FBS opponent within the first month of motion.
However the calendar switches over to October, and convention play begins for San Jose State. Final season, the Spartans opened slowly solely to rebound in convention play. We are going to see if issues play out equally this season.
New Mexico opens convention play on this one as properly, however the Lobos carried out drastically otherwise of their first month than their hosts. UNM is 3-1 with a win over one Huge Ten opponent, and the one loss got here at Michigan and the Lobos held their very own.
Jason Eck has the Lobos taking part in properly in his first season in Albuquerque. UNM has been good defensively, and the Lobos have discovered steadiness on the offensive aspect of the ball.
The Spartans have been giving up yards in bulk this season and the SJSU protection is 117th within the nation. I don’t suppose the Spartans have sufficient firepower to get in a shootout with New Mexico.
San Jose State has gained 10 of the final 12 within the collection, and the final time UNM gained in Silicon Valley was 1969.
New Mexico bucks the pattern and heads dwelling 1-0 in convention play.
Towards the unfold: New Mexico
Factors Complete: Below
Outright winner: New Mexico
Colorado State Rams at San Diego State Aztecs
Friday, October 3
7:30 PM PT, CBSSN
Line: San Diego State –5.5
Over/Below: 39.5
Similar to the opposite Friday night time convention sport, this one includes a pair of groups opening league after drastically completely different begins to the 2025 season.
Defensively, this season it has been all or nothing for the Aztecs. Of their three wins they’ve allowed three whole factors and simply 184.3 yards per sport. Within the lone loss to Washington State, they allowed 396 yards and 34 factors.
For Colorado State on offense this season, it has been plenty of nothing.
Defensively the Rams have been strong; regardless of dealing with two of one of the best backs within the nation this season—Jonah Coleman of UW and NCAA Speeding chief Robert Henry of UTSA—permitting solely 23.0 factors per outing.
Owen Lengthy leads the nation with 13 tackles per sport to tempo the Rams on that aspect of the ball.
Look for lots of working on this sport as each groups will attempt to set up issues on the bottom. Each rank among the many backside 35 nationally in passing.
SDSU is twenty first within the nation this season in opposition to the run, limiting opponents to only 91.3 per contest. The Rams may have a troublesome time getting a lot traction on the bottom.
The Rams are on the lookout for their first win in San Diego since 2016, they usually’ll preserve on the lookout for that win.
Towards the unfold: San Diego State
Factors Complete: Below
Outright winner: San Diego State
Air Drive Falcons at Navy Midshipmen
Saturday, October 4
9:00 AM PT, CBS
Line: Navy –11.5
Over/Below: 49.5
We discover ourselves within the second full month of the season and this will probably be simply the second non-conference sport for the Falcons. The lone win this season for Air Drive was of their lone non-con sport.
During the last 5 seasons the Falcons are 16-5 in opposition to non-conference opponents. Can that pattern proceed after they meet their rivals in Maryland?
Navy has additionally performed three convention video games within the opening month, however the Midshipmen discover themselves 3-0 within the American to open the season.
That makes them one in all solely two groups nationally to be 3-0 of their convention earlier than we attain October (Ole Miss is the opposite).
Clearly, each groups run the soccer very properly. The Midshipmen are doing it fairly a bit higher thus far in 2025. Navy leads the nation in dashing yards per sport with 352.25.
That’s 98 yards higher than the Falcons this season, who’re seventh within the nation.
Navy has additionally been more proficient at slowing down floor assaults this season because the Mids are limiting opponents to only 91.6 dashing yards per sport, twenty fourth finest within the nation.
Conversely, the Falcons are giving up 160.8 on the bottom to rank 91st within the nation.
The house workforce is 9-3 within the final 12 video games performed within the collection; Navy will make it 10 of the final 13 for the house squad.
Towards the unfold: Navy
Factors Complete: Below
Outright winner: Navy
Boise State Broncos at Notre Dame Preventing Irish
Saturday, October 4
12:30 PM PT, NBC
Line: Notre Dame –20.5
Over/Below: 63.5
The Broncos step out of convention play and into the nationwide highlight with a visit to Notre Dame this week.
Boise State is coming off a dominant defensive sport, limiting App State to only 184 yards of offense and creating 4 takeaways.
Final week, Notre Dame was capable of do no matter it wished to do offensively, boat-racing Arkansas in Fayetteville.
The Irish have seemed excellent the final two weeks in opposition to actually dangerous groups. However let’s not neglect this workforce is 0-2 in opposition to groups with a pulse.
The Broncos are 3-1 total, with the lone loss to USF on the street nonetheless trying like a forgivable stumble.
Notre Dame’s protection has gotten shredded this season. I imply, the Razorbacks are offensively challenged and nonetheless managed to move for 303 yards in opposition to them.
The Irish are permitting 5.85 yards per play, and the Boise State offense ranks ninth nationally, averaging 520 yards per sport. The Broncos will get loads of manufacturing after they have the ball.
Now the issue for the Broncos will come when Notre Dame has the soccer. The Irish offense is explosive, and their floor assault, led by Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Value, will trigger issues for Boise State.
It’s a inexperienced sport for Notre Dame, and the Irish are 6-1 in “Irish Put on Inexperienced” video games since 2018. They are going to be 7-1 in such video games after this one, however it will likely be a lot nearer than the three-TD unfold in a really high-scoring contest.
Towards the unfold: Boise State
Factors Complete: Over
Outright winner: Notre Dame
UNLV Rebels at Wyoming Cowboys
Saturday, October 4
4:00 PM PT, CBSSN
Line: UNLV –3.5
Over/Below: 52.5
This is the convention opener for each the Rebels and Cowboys, and whereas the Rebels enter with an ideal 4-0 mark, it hardly appears like an unblemished report.
UNLV has seemed sloppy for a lot of the season and has had just a few livid comeback wins. The Rebels are the second most penalized workforce within the nation, with 86.8 yards per sport in penalties in opposition to them.
Wyoming opened the season 2-2 with a pair of losses to energy convention opponents, vs. Utah and at Colorado. The Cowboys have performed glorious protection and can attempt to management issues with their floor assault.
The Pokes have additionally been stricken by penalties at instances this season as they’re getting flagged eight instances per sport for 70 yards.
The Rebels have been opportunistic and at the moment sit fifth within the nation with a turnover margin of +1.5 per sport. UNLV’s eight interceptions this season are the second most within the nation.
Wyoming has been fairly good hanging on the the soccer and transferring the ball on the bottom will probably be key. If the Pokes don’t must throw it a lot, then the Rebels can’t choose it off.
UNLV must stack the field and dare UW to throw the ball in opposition to them. If the Rebels can take away the bottom sport, I like them to win. The Rebels haven’t been in a position to try this to an opponent but.
I feel Wyoming controls the tempo and, in flip, limits the turnovers and will get the upset win.
Towards the unfold: Wyoming
Factors Complete: Below
Outright winner: Wyoming
Nevada Wolf Pack at Fresno State Bulldogs
Saturday, October 4
7:30 PM PT, CBSSN
Line: Fresno State –14
Over/Below: 44.5
Nevada kicks off convention play whereas the Bulldogs dip their toe into league waters for the second time this season.
Fresno State has already collected a giant street win at Hawaii.
The lone win for the Wolf Pack this season was a three-point win over Sacramento State. The lone loss for the Bulldogs was on the street at Kansas because the Jayhawks opened up their shiny new digs.
Explosive performs have been lacking totally from the Nevada offense this season whereas Fresno State has but to permit a play to cowl greater than 38 yards this season. The Bulldogs have solely had 5 runs in opposition to them of 20+ yards this season.
If the Wolf Pack are to face an opportunity they might want to pop just a few huge ones on Saturday.
The Bulldogs have gotten factors from a wide range of sources this season with three of their 21 TDs on the season coming from both the protection or particular groups.
When Fresno State has the ball, E.J. Warner has been potent this season. His completion share of 73.2% is the eighth finest within the nation in 2025.
Fairly merely, Nevada could have no reply for the Bulldogs on both aspect of the ball.
Towards the unfold: Fresno State
Factors Complete: Below
Outright winner: Fresno State
writes about numerous matters for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and data, school sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Middle (SERC).
