MW rankings: Wolf Pack up to No. 5 after solid win over EWU

The Nevada Wolf Pack had a clear path to an easy victory last Saturday at Mackay Stadium.

"One thing I will say about Eastern Washington is they did not leverage the perimeter on defense in the run game," Wolf Pack coach Jeff Choate said (via nevadawolfpack.com). "They didn't have bodies out there."

The Wolf Pack, No. 5 in this week's Nevada Appeal Mountain West football rankings, destroyed the Big Sky Conference Eagles, running for 320 yards and five touchdowns on the ground on 45 carries in a stress-free 49-16 victory. Nevada had a dozen runs of nine yards or longer and piled up 534 total yards of offense after getting shut out 27-0 at Minnesota the week before.

"We have good runners," said Choate, now 2-3 in his first season as head coach. "They lacked some leverage on the perimeter, and we took advantage of it."

The victory over Eastern Washington ended a two-game losing streak for the Pack against FCS teams after losing to Idaho (33-6 last year) and Incarnate Word (55-41 in 2022).

"We were playing down a level, and they were playing up a level of competition," Choate said. "I get that."

No. 1 Boise State (56-14 over Portland State) and No. 8 Hawaii (36-7 over Northern Iowa) also shredded FCS opponents this past weekend. Boise State had 609 total yards as running back Ashton Jeanty had 127 yards on 11 carries and didn't even play in the second half. Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager was 35-of-43 for 374 yards and four touchdowns.

"I like the style we played," Hawaii coach Timmy Chang told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "We think the world of (Schager). He's taking a beating (this year) and his spirit was getting tested. I love that kid."

Jeanty, who had nine touchdowns in his first two games combined but did not score against Portland State, got more than half (68) his yards on Saturday on one carry. "We're going to run the ball," Boise State coach Spencer Danielson told broncosports.com. "That's who we are. That's how we are going to attack."

Boise State is now ranked No. 25 by the Associated Press, jumping into the Top 25 for the first time since 2020.

No. 3 Fresno State opened its Mountain West schedule with a 38-21 victory over No. 11 New Mexico. Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene was 26-of-33 for 226 yards and a touchdown. New Mexico quarterback Devon Dampier was 33-of-53 for 338 yards and a score. Fresno State (3-1, 1-0) jumped out to a 25-3 lead and coasted the rest of the way. New Mexico (0-4, 0-1) actually had more first downs (25-23) than Fresno State.

No. 4 San Jose State (3-1, 1-0) gave Washington State all it could handle but fell 54-52 in two overtimes. The Spartans were up 38-24 in the third quarter before Washington State tied the game at 46-46 at the end of regulation on a 52-yard field goal by Dean Janikowski.

San Jose State quarterback Emmett Brown, a transfer from Washington State, was 35-of-54 for 375 yards and four touchdowns. San Jose State receiver Nick Nash caught 16 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns Nash now leads the FBS in receptions (50), receptions per game (12.5), receiving yards (637) and touchdown catches (eight).

No. 6 Colorado State got past UTEP, 27-17, as former Nevada running back Avery Morrow had 156 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.

"When we have explosive runs it changes our team," Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said (csurams.com).

Morrow was arrested on a felony second degree assault charge in January 2023 and had just 273 yards on 81 carries last season after leading the team in rushing in 2022 with 866 yards on 173 carries. He spent two years at Nevada (playing for Norvell) in 2020 and 2021 and had 209 yards on 25 carries. He has 250 yards on 29 carries this year.

He was on probation and on work release in the winter and spring of 2023.

"That moment I had, it was only 38 seconds, but it could have cost me a whole lot," Morrow told csurams.com. "I got humbled."

"Avery is built from the right stuff," Norvell said.

No. 9 Utah State lost to Temple, 45-29, last Saturday. Utah State quarterback Spencer Petras, who was 14-of-26 for 175 yards in a 27-0 win over Nevada in 2022 while with Iowa, threw for 293 yards and two scores against Temple. Utah State running back Rahsul Faison picked up 148 yards on 27 carries.

There will be just five games involving Mountain West teams this week as five teams (Nevada, San Jose State, Colorado State, Hawaii and Utah State) will take the week off. The five games this week are highlighted by two league matchups as No. 2 UNLV hosts No. 3 Fresno State and No. 10 Air Force is at No. 12 Wyoming.

The Nevada Appeal Mountain West football rankings for the week of Sept. 23:

1. BOISE STATE (2-1, 0-0): Last week: Boise State 56, Portland State 14. This week: Washington State at Boise State (Saturday).

2. UNLV (3-0, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Fresno State at UNLV (Saturday).

3. FRESNO STATE (3-1, 1-0): Last week: Fresno State 38, New Mexico 21. This week: Fresno State at UNLV (Saturday).

4. SAN JOSE STATE (3-1, 1-0): Last week: Washington State 54, San Jose State 52 (2 OT). This week: Bye.

5. NEVADA (2-3, 0-0): Last week: Nevada 49, Eastern Washington 16. This week: Bye.

6. COLORADO STATE (2-2, 0-0): Last week: Colorado State 27, UTEP 17. This week: Bye.

7. SAN DIEGO STATE (1-2, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: San Diego State at Central Michigan (Saturday).

8. HAWAII (2-2, 0-0): Last week: Hawaii 36, Northern Iowa 7. This week: Bye.

9. UTAH STATE (1-3, 0-0): Last week: Temple 45, Utah State 29. This week: Bye.

10. AIR FORCE (1-2, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Air Force at Wyoming (Saturday).

11. NEW MEXICO (0-4, 0-1): Last week: Fresno State 38, New Mexico 21. This week: New Mexico at New Mexico State (Saturday).

12. WYOMING (0-4, 0-0): Last week: North Texas 44, Wyoming 17. This week: Air Force at Wyoming (Saturday).