By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
Week 5 within the Mountain West brings only one convention matchup, but it surely has the texture of some extra.
May that be as a result of there are a pair extra involving some future convention foes or future former convention foes? Is {that a} factor? Nicely, I assume I’ll make it a factor.
We additionally get a couple of rivalry video games this week.
All informed, the MW affords up a seven-game slate, and we’ll take a deeper take a look at six of these video games. (Apologies to Boise State and App State, a compelling intersectional matchup that will get not noted.)
Listed below are my previews for Utah State at Vanderbilt, San Diego State at Northern Illinois, New Mexico State at New Mexico, Hawaii at Air Power, San Jose State at Stanford, and Washington State at Colorado State.
Utah State Aggies at No. 18 Vanderbilt Commodores
Saturday, September 27
9:45 AM PT, SEC Community
Line: Vanderbilt –22.5
Over/Beneath: 59.5
The Aggies are in for a tall check in Nashville this weekend. Utah State hits the highway for the second time this season, and as soon as once more, a ranked opponent awaits.
This marks the primary time in program historical past that USU’s first two highway video games have come towards ranked foes.
This isn’t your Grandfather’s Vanderbilt squad. . . Heck, this isn’t even your barely older brother’s Vandy group!
The Commodores are actually good and actually explosive. At present ranked 18th within the AP Ballot, they’re averaging 47.5 factors per recreation.
Diego Pavia is in full command of the Vandy offense, which has been dominant early. Pavia ranks eleventh within the nation in QB Effectivity whereas throwing for 222.5 yards per recreation.
However the Aggies can even have to contend along with his legs, as he’s going for 53.8 per outing on the bottom.
The Aggie protection has made vital strides in 2025, permitting virtually 100 yards much less per recreation than they did in 2024, however they’re nonetheless surrendering 380.5 yards per recreation.
Of their lone loss this season at Texas A&M, USU gave up 44 factors and 554 yards of offense.
Utah State has moved the ball nicely, and Miles Davis has been a weapon on the bottom. The Vandy protection has been stout, although, and presently ranks eleventh within the nation towards the run.
The Aggies have to discover a solution to decelerate Pavia and the Vandy assault, most definitely, by forcing turnovers. Vandy has turned it over thrice of their opening 4 video games this season, however has pressured eight of them on the opposite aspect of the ball.
Vanderbilt’s prepare retains on rolling this week with an enormous win.
In opposition to the unfold: Vanderbilt
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: Vanderbilt
San Diego State Aztecs at Northern Illinois Huskies
Saturday, September 27
12:30 PM PT, ESPN+
Line: San Diego State –2.5
Over/Beneath: 42.5
This is a matchup of future Mountain West faculty Northern Illinois towards future former Mountain West faculty San Diego State.
The Aztecs are 2-0 with two shutouts at dwelling this season. Of their one highway journey to Washington State, they stunk up the joint. So, can the San Diego State protection journey?
That appears to be the query, and the reply ought to be Sure. On this one, the SDSU protection ought to take issues over. Northern Illinois enters the sport ranked 131st within the nation in whole offense, mustering simply 275 scrimmage yards per recreation.
For the Huskies, the identification of the opponent has not mattered a lot. Positive, they misplaced at Mississippi State and Maryland, wherein the offense struggled, however of their win over Holy Cross, they solely produced 287 yards from scrimmage.
The offense has some limitations.
The Aztecs might want to create extra performs within the backfield, nevertheless. SDSU is simply 124th within the nation in TFLs per recreation. The defensive entrance that was speculated to be a energy of the group has but to click on.
San Diego State will dominate this one on the defensive aspect of the ball. The protection will journey east and convey again a “W.”
In opposition to the unfold: San Diego State
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: San Diego State
Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors at Air Power Falcons
Saturday, September 27
1:00 PM PT, FS1
Line: Air Power –6.5
Over/Beneath: 53.5
The Kuter Trophy is on the road in Colorado Springs this weekend. The Warriors received the latest installment within the sequence, however the Falcons have soared most of the time within the rivalry, particularly when internet hosting.
UH has left Falcon Stadium with a win simply twice in eight visits.
Final season, the Falcons struggled early within the season, and the operating recreation was lower than Air Power’s normal normal. However these points seem like a factor of the previous.
The Falcons have recorded at the least 250 speeding yards and three touchdowns in a Mountain West file seven straight video games.
Hawaii has been superb towards the run this season. The Warriors have restricted opponents to simply over 110 yards speeding, and of their wins, that whole has been beneath 100 yards.
If Hawaii can include the Falcon floor assault, they might get a win on the highway.
Air Power has struggled to cease the move this season, rating 108th nationally. Micah Alejado and the UH passing assault may very well be poised for an enormous recreation.
I believe Hawaii will transfer the ball. The ‘Bows protection is permitting simply 279.8 yards of offense per outing, second within the Mountain West and twenty ninth nationally.
UH will get this one on the highway in a decent recreation.
In opposition to the unfold: Hawai’i
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: Hawai’i
New Mexico State Aggies at New Mexico Lobos
Saturday, September 27
4:00 PM PT, MW Community
Line: New Mexico –14.0
Over/Beneath: 54.5
The battle between the Lobos and Aggies has been a bit one-sided over the course of the Rio Grande Rivalry, with issues tilting in direction of Albuquerque greater than two-thirds of the time.
During the last 55 conferences, the Lobos have come out on prime 41 occasions.
However this season is an oddity on this sequence; for simply the sixteenth time in 115 conferences between the groups, each enter the sport with a profitable file. It’s simply the second time since 1962 that it has been the case.
The massive key would be the floor assault of the Lobos vs. the run protection of the Aggies. UNM has run the ball nicely this season; NM State has been horrible at defending it. Ought to that pattern proceed this weekend, the Lobos will obliterate that 14-point unfold.
Now, however, the Aggies have thrown the soccer nicely this season, whereas the Lobos have struggled to defend the move. So, whichever group does a greater job of correcting that weak point will in all probability be the victor.
UNM has performed the a lot harder schedule and seems to be the way more polished group at this level.
NM State is looking for its first 3-1 begin to a season since 1999, however will hold looking for that. UNM takes this one.
In opposition to the unfold: New Mexico
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: New Mexico
San Jose State Spartans at Stanford Cardinal
Saturday, September 27
4:30 PM PT, ACC Community
Line: Stanford –2.5
Over/Beneath: 49.5
Another regional rivalry on faucet for the weekend is the Invoice Walsh Legacy Sport. The Spartans want to make it two straight within the sequence for the primary time since 1998-2000.
The Cardinal have performed one dwelling recreation this season, and it was by far their greatest efficiency up to now, a 30-20 win over Boston Faculty to kick off ACC play a few weeks in the past.
The Spartans want to construct off the win over Idaho final week after opening 0-2 with losses at Texas and a disappointing opening loss to Central Michigan.
Stanford’s offense has been sputtering all season, rating close to the underside of the FBS with simply 291.8 yards of offense per recreation. Within the win towards BC, the offense produced 399 yards, together with 213 on the bottom.
San Jose State has struggled towards the run this season, rating 116th within the nation. If Stanford can get Micah Ford going early, they might set up a floor assault.
Equally, within the Spartans’ lone win of the season, they moved the ball a lot better on the bottom as they went for 198 yards speeding. In the meantime, within the two losses, they averaged simply 80 yards per recreation operating.
Stanford has been good towards the run this season, however woefully dangerous towards the move.
The Spartans might want to keep balanced to achieve success, however this may very well be a recreation wherein Walker Eget shines. The QB is third within the league in passing, and he has the potential to shred the Stanford secondary.
I believe the rating stays low on this one, however give me the Spartans within the slight upset.
In opposition to the unfold: San Jose State
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: San Jose State
Washington State Cougars at Colorado State Rams
Saturday, September 27
4:30 PM PT, CBSSN
Line: Colorado State –4.5
Over/Beneath: 50.5
This future Pac-12 matchup brings the Cougars to Fort Collins for a date with the Rams. To not sound too overdramatic, however this one is a must-win for each squads.
The Cougars have appeared horrible the final two weeks, giving up 59 factors in every of their losses to Washington and at North Texas. That protection has appeared about as strong as a useless log.
Offensively, the Cougs are one hundred and twenty fifth nationally in yardage and 108th in scoring. They’ve achieved a great job within the Crimson Zone, scoring on all 13 of their journeys contained in the 20. However they’ve a Crimson Zone TD price of simply 69.%.
Wazzu simply can’t hold leaving factors off the board.
For the Rams, the query is, What has occurred to Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi? What was set to be a stellar season has became a nightmare, and now CSU will flip to Jackson Brousseau below middle.
Will probably be the primary time since 2023 that the Rams have opened with a participant aside from Fowler-Nicolosi at QB. The safety will should be higher as nicely, as CSU has been giving up two sacks per recreation.
Will the change at QB payoff long-term for the Rams? We’ll see, however this week I’m not certain it should make a lot distinction.
With apologies to my colleague and pal Nick Bartlett, this Cougar group will not be enjoying good soccer in the intervening time. CSU protects the house turf.
In opposition to the unfold: Colorado State
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: Colorado State
writes about numerous matters for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and information, school sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Middle (SERC).
