Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty hurdles Washington State defensive back Ethan O'Connor on a run in the second quarter of Saturday’s game.
Steve Conner | AP
Ashton Jeanty is making it difficult for Heisman Trophy voters to ignore him.
The Boise State tailback rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries in a decisive 45-24 victory over the Washington State Cougars last Saturday in front of an Albertsons Stadium-record 37,711 fans.
Jeanty scored on a 64-yard run on Boise's fifth play from scrimmage and now leads the nation with 845 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
"He was relentless," Boise State coach Spencer Danielson told the Associated Press. "Talk about a guy who puts his team on his back, loves this team and will find a way to score because that's what the team needs. That's Ashton."
The Broncos, 3-1, are the No. 1 team in this week's Nevada Appeal Mountain West rankings.
Jeanty, who was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year last year, scored on runs of 64, 14, 59 and 2 yards against Washington State. He's run for (in order) 267, 192, 127 and 259 yards this year in four games. He scored six touchdowns in the season opener against Georgia Southern, three the following week against Oregon and four on Saturday. The only game he didn't score was in a 56-14 win over Portland State when he had just 11 carries and didn't play in the second half.
"Jeanty was incredible," Washington State coach Jake Dickert told the Associated Press. "Ten yards a carry. Obviously, you have to hold him to less than that if you want to win the football game."
Boise State, which will host Utah State in its Mountain West opener this Saturday, never trailed but did find itself in early 7-7 and 10-10 ties. Boise State outscored Washington State 35-7 from the 3:19 mark of the second quarter until the Cougars scored a consolation touchdown with 19 seconds left.
Jeanty scored four of the Broncos' six touchdowns. The other two were 22 and 34-yard passes from quarterback Maddux Madsen to tight end Matt Lauter in the second half.
No. 2 UNLV (4-0, 1-0) destroyed No. 3 Fresno State (3-2, 1-1) despite losing starting quarterback Matt Sluka earlier in the week. Sluka, who quit the team over an NIL dispute, guided UNLV to victories in its first three games and was replaced in the starting lineup on Saturday by Hajj-Malik Williams.
All Williams did was help UNLV score 59 points in regulation in a conference game for the first time in school history. The Campbell (FCS) transfer was a near-perfect 13-of-16 for 182 yards and three touchdowns through the air and also picked up 119 yards and a score on the ground.
"He was one of the quarterbacks who got here in early January, so I was able to get those extra reps with him," UNLV wide receiver Ricky White told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I felt like (the change) was good. It was definitely good for us. I'm blessed, thankful."
White caught 10 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns and also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. White, who had 88 catches for 1,483 yards and eight touchdowns last year, only had 10 catches for 126 yards over the first three games with Sluka, though he did score three touchdowns.
"It was business as usual," UNLV Coach Barry Odom told USA Today. "We've got a very mature team. They understand the mission we're on and they got it done."
UNLV, which scored four touchdowns in the fourth quarter to turn the game into a rout, was just 2-of-8 on third down, The Rebels, though, intercepted four Fresno State passes, scored on a kickoff return and turned a blocked punt into a touchdown. Fresno State starting quarterback Mikey Keene was 27-of-41 for 316 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
The crowd of 24,638 at Allegiant Stadium was heard chanting, "Who needs Sluka?" repeatedly in the second half, according to the Review-Journal. This is the first time UNLV has started a season 4-0 since it joined Division I in 1978.
UNLV rushed for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Rebel running back Jai'Den Thomas scored on a 90-yard kickoff return. Even Rebel backup quarterback Cameron Friel joined in the fun, scoring on a 1-yard run with three minutes left.
"We were in attack mode in all three phases," Odom said.
Five Mountain West teams had a bye last week, including No. 4 San Jose State, No. 5 Nevada, No. 6 Colorado State, No. 8 Hawaii and No. 9 Utah State. Nevada will meet San Jose State this Saturday on the road.
Central Michigan beat No. 7 San Diego State, 22-21 in Mount Pleasant, Mich., on a 46-yard field goal with five seconds to play. San Diego State's Nick Lopez missed two field goals (33, 28 yards) in the final five minutes. An interception by Bryce Phillips gave San Diego State the ball at the Central Michigan 11-yard line with 2:17 to play but the Aztecs failed to score when Lopez missed from 28 yards out.
San Diego State freshman quarterback Danny O'Neil was 14-of-23 for 246 yards and two touchdowns as the Aztecs led 21-13 at halftime. Aztec running back Marquez Cooper had 34 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown.
"I have to do a better job of leading the guys to the finish line," San Diego State coach Sean Lewis told 760 AM in San Diego after the game. "I have to do a better job of shaking the guys free in the second half with the positions we're putting them in."
No. 10 Wyoming (1-4, 1-0) beat No. 12 Air Force (1-3, 0-2), 31-19, in Laramie, Wyo., for its first victory of the year.
"We needed the win more than anything because there's an expectation around here for how we perform," Wyoming first-year head coach Jay Sawvell told gowyo.com. "We played Cowboy football tonight."
Air Force, which has scored just 50 points all season, lost for the third consecutive time. The Falcons led the Cowboys 13-7 at halftime.
No. 11 New Mexico (1-4, 0-1) also won for the first time this year, beating New Mexico State in its annual Rio Grande Rivalry game. New Mexico quarterback Devon Dampier was 13-of-28 for 248 yards and also ran for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Running back NaQuari Rogers also scored three touchdowns and had 122 yards on 21 carries. New Mexico ran for 331 yards and seven touchdowns.
"We have our ups and downs," New Mexico safety Noah Avinger told the Albuquerque Journal. "The past few weeks just came down to execution and, you know, guys not doing their jobs. But today I saw a step in the right direction."
The Nevada Appeal Mountain West football rankings for the week of Sept. 30:
1. BOISE STATE (3-1, 0-0): Last week: Boise State 45, Washington State 24. This week: Utah State at Boise State (Saturday).
2. UNLV (4-0, 1-0): Last week: UNLV 59, Fresno State 14. This week: Syracuse at UNLV (Friday).
3. FRESNO STATE (3-2, 1-1): Last week: UNLV 59, Fresno State 14. This week: Bye.
4. SAN JOSE STATE (3-1, 1-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Nevada at San Jose State (Saturday).
5. NEVADA (2-3, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Nevada at San Jose State (Saturday).
6. COLORADO STATE (2-2, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Colorado State at Oregon State (Saturday).
7. SAN DIEGO STATE (1-3, 0-0): Last week: Central Michigan 22, San Diego State 21. This week: Hawaii at San Diego State (Saturday).
8. HAWAII (2-2, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Hawaii at San Diego State (Saturday).
9. UTAH STATE (1-3, 0-0): Last week: Bye. This week: Utah State at Boise State (Saturday).
10. WYOMING (1-4, 1-0): Last week: Wyoming 31, Air Force 19. This week: Bye.
11. NEW MEXICO (1-4, 0-1): Last week: New Mexico 50, New Mexico State 40. This week: Bye.
12. AIR FORCE (1-3, 0-2): Last week: Wyoming 31, Air Force 19. This week: Navy at Air Force (Saturday).