All To Play For
It's Boise State against UNLV for a spot in the Playoff
Barry Odom’s incredible rebuilding job in Las Vegas has put UNLV on the verge of the College Football Playoff. The Rebels blitzed in-state rivals Nevada 38-14 and earned a rematch with Boise State in the Mountain West championship game.
An upset win on the blue would more than likely put the Rebels in the Playoff as the highest ranked G5 team. Boise is currently #11, and while UNLV is #22, Memphis did the Mountain West a favor by knocking off #17 Tulane.
It seems like an eternity has passed since UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka bailed on a 3-0 team following a NIL dispute and Hajj-Malik Williams stepped up. The Campbell transfer has led the team to seven wins, with losses to Boise State and #23 Syracuse in overtime.
The Broncos had already booked their spot in the title game before last weekend’s 34-18 win over Oregon State. Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty warmed up for the UNLV game with 226 yards and a touchdown against the Beavers.
Fact check: UNLV has lost the last eight against Boise State and hasn’t beaten the Broncos since 1976. The Rebels have lost all five games played in Boise.
Week 14 Review
Heartbreak in Hawaii
A trip to the islands has tripped up a lot of teams over the years and New Mexico just became the latest victim. With bowl eligibility on the line, the Lobos started slowly and finished fast, but it wasn’t enough to stop an unbelievable performance by a true freshman making his first start.
Hawaii’s Micah Alejado was 37 of 57 for 469 yards, breaking the freshman record set by his current head coach Timmy Chang. Alejado threw five touchdown passes as the Lobos fell just short of post-season play in what was otherwise a very good season for Bronco Mendenhall. The big question now - as I discussed awhile back - is can New Mexico hang on to exciting quarterback Devon Dampier?
Comeback at Canvas
Colorado State scored 29 points in the fourth quarter to knock off Utah State 42-37 and give the Rams an eight-win season for the first time in a decade. Jay Norvell’s team will play in a bowl game for the first time since 2017. Utah State misses the post-season for the first time in eight years (not counting the 2020 COVID season).
Party in the Palouse
Wyoming finished its difficult season on a positive note with a stunning 15-14 win over slumping Washington State. The Cowboys had only scored on three field goals until Evan Svoboda’s touchdown pass with 24 seconds left. The Cougars, once in the Playoff discussion, have lost three in a row.
The Rest
San Jose State ended a six-game losing streak against Stanford, with a 34-31 win. Spartan QB Walker Eget was 33 of 49 for 385 yards and a career high four touchdowns, while the Cardinal shot itself in the foot with penalties, turnovers and questionable play calls.
Fresno State’s up and down season concluded with a 20-13 loss to UCLA. The Bulldogs are bowl eligible but have been a hard team to figure out.
Air Force won its fourth game in a row, beating San Diego State 31-20. The Aztecs finished their season with six consecutive losses.