Who's Representin'?

Week 2 really shakes up the power rankings in all conferences.

The Mountain West Conference still is not quite at the level of the other big conferences. There is a reason the SEC has 8 bowl slots...most years they get 8 bowl eligible teams. Maybe the level of competition that Kentucky and Vanderbilt play out of conference is suspect, but they get the job done outside of conference. If you win all four of your non-conference games, then you can go 2-6 in conference play and still reach a bowl game. That is why Kanas State will be in a bowl game this year and San Diego State will stay home. The MWC's top 3 are as good as anyone in the country...we saw that in the Sugar Bowl and in the Poinsettia Bowl last year and in Dallas last week. But the middle tier of this conference is still a little sharky. It is the middle tier teams that separate the MWC from the SEC. It is the middle tier teams that also are bringing down the ACC and Big East as well. The MWC in my opinion is the 5th best conference in the country right now...and a long way from fourth.

BYU, Utah and TCU took care of business today--as expected...but it took the Utes until the 4th quarter to get going. Colorado State did not snatch victory from the hands of defeat today...Weber State snatched defeat from the hands of victory...more on that later. Air Force let one get away at Minnesota today. UNLV gave me hope, but could not seal the deal either. Wyoming was only down by a feild goal at half-time. But the second half was all Longhorns. At least SDSU took care of Southern Utah. New Mexico looks lost this year at least they have New Mexico State coming up, but they may not even win that one. Too bad it is not New Mexico Highlands.

Game of the Week: Oregon State 23 UNLV 21
Offensive Player of the Week: BYU QB Max Hall
Defensive Team of the Week: BYU

Power Rankings:

1. BYU (BCS Bowl)
2. TCU (Las Vegas)
3. Utah (Poinsettia)
4. UNLV (Armed Forces)
5. Air Force (New Mexico)
6. Colorado State (Humanitarian)
7. San Diego State
8. Wyoming
9. New Mexico

WAC

Pherhaps Hawaii saw my blog last week when I put them behind Idaho. They took it to the Cougars at Martin Stadium and held on against a furious comeback attempt. Their head coach stayed home serving the second game of his suspension for a gay slurr. I did not expect a poor Hawaii team to win a game on the mainland this year after almost giving a game to Arkansas State at home. Fresno State came close, but could not quite get the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Navy sank Louisiana Tech. San Jose State deserves credit for the way the handled Utah for 3 quarters. New Mexico State actually won a game, but almost gave it away to a pathetic FCS-level team. And Idaho became the team that ended the longest loosing streak in the country.

Where does the WAC belong? Well, after two weeks, there remains only two unbeaten teams in this conference.

Game of the Week: Wisconsin 34 Fresno State 31 2OT
Offensive Player of the Week: Hawaii QB Greg Alexander
Defensive Team of the Week: Boise State

Power Rankings

1. Boise State (BSC Bowl)
2. Fresno State (Hawaii Bowl)
3. Nevada (Humanitarian Bowl)
4. San Jose State (New Mexico Bowl)
5. Louisiana Tech
6. Hawaii
7. Idaho
8. Utah State
9. New Mexico State

Big Sky

The Big Sky had two top ten teams at the beginning of the season. But so much for that stat. Even in the FCS, good teams do not give away games on turnovers. Weber State deserves to be dropped in the rankings. Defensively, Weber State has done all they can. But even in the Big Sky, Cameron Higgins does not have the luxury of throwing interceptions or dropping the center QB exchange. I have watched him for three years now, and he has a big problem with turnovers. I hope that he is attending classes, because he will be going pro in something other than football. The game has to be cleaned up. The Big Sky may not get a second playoff team the rate the season has started. Cal Davis is a good team, but Montana should have taken them and not have needed a miracle finish. They deserve to be dropped out of the top 10 as well, but probably will not be. But, on the bright side, Northern Colorado suprised me with a win over San Diego. The Bears appear to be this year's most improved team. Montana State almost gave one to Division II Dixie State. Every other game went according to script.

Offensive Player of the Week: Weber State WR Tim Toone
Defensive Team of the week: Northern Colorado
Game of the Week: Colorado State 24 Weber State 23

1. Montana
2. Weber State
3. Portland State
4. Eastern Washington
5. Northern Colorado
6. Montana State
7. Sacramento State
8. Idaho State
9. Northern Arizona