Mountain West Conference Week 2 Power Rankings: Cheerleader Photo Edition
In this, the last season of its original configuration, the Mountain West Conference appears to be following the pattern of previous seasons, with the Big Three (TCU, Utah, and BYU) running over the rest of the conference.
Utah will join the Pac-10 after this season and Brigham Young will become an independent, leaving future seasons to be dominated by a new Big Two: TCU and incoming Boise State.
The remaining members of the conference have, at times, threatened to move up the ladder of respectability, but only Air Force has come close to breaking into the conference's top tier.
Sure, Colorado State and Wyoming have shown promise over the last couple years, but the Rams have regressed greatly and the Cowboys are still a work in progress.
New Mexico had been a major player in the conference under former coach Rocky Long, but appear to be heading nowhere but the bottom once again.
Full of promise for years, UNLV have never made it to the next level, despite of great talent and significant out-of-conference success
SDSU has shown promise and has a great amount of talent.
So, how does the conference look after two weeks' worth of games?
Let's take a look!
9. New Mexico 0-2
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Since Rocky Long gave up on New Mexico, the Lobos have entered into a world of hurt. Coach Mike Locksley is a great recruiter, but he has had more off-the-field problems than on-the-field success.
Oregon made the Lobos look like a bad FCS team and Texas Tech added to the pain and misery.
The Lobos are looking for one or two wins this season and maybe a new coach.
At least basketball season is coming soon: the Lobos can rock the round ball.
8. Colorado State 0-2
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Just two years ago, the Rams appeared to be back under new coach Steve Fairchild, with a 7-6 record that included a bowl win.
Last year, the Rams started 3-0 and were on the verge of the top 25 when the wheels started coming off. The Rams spotted BYU 21 points off turnovers and were out-gained by the Cougars in a 42-23 loss. Then came a come-from-ahead loss at Idaho and a near-miss versus Utah.
By the time the Rams came to Fort Worth, they were primed for a total meltdown, which the Frogs were all too happy to deliver.
Three more blowout losses would follow and the Rams would end the season with close losses to both New Mexico and Wyoming.
So close and so promising, but such a disaster.
Many had hoped and expected that the Rams would be back, but it appears that the Rams will be battling New Mexico for the bottom once again.
The question then arises: How long until Fairchild, one of the most colorful and forthcoming coaches out there, gets the axe?
7. UNLV 0-2
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UNLV has always had a lot of talent and potential, but the Rebels have not won on a consistent basis. Under new coach Bobby Hauck, the Rebels put it all together, but that it still an open question.
Despite losses to Wisconsin and Utah, the Rebels have shown enough that fans need not wait until basketball season for some wins.
While they are unlikely to make a bowl this year, the Rebels may have enough to win five or six games and show promise for the future.
If not, well, basketball season is really fun in Vegas.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
6. Wyoming 1-1
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Wyoming has long been the little team that could, scoring big out-of-conference wins like their victory at Tennessee in 2008.
Last season, the Cowboys were picked to finish near the bottom of the league but found a way to finish fifth and make a bowl game, where the 'Pokes beat up Fresno State.
Wyoming is back. Too bad they have one of the hardest schedules in the country, with non-conference games against Boise State and Texas.
The Cowboys challenged Texas for a little bit, forcing UT to score a TD in the final minute to win by more than 20. Now, if Wyoming can pull off an upset of the Broncos, they will be up moving back up.
I just do not see that happening.
Wyoming will remain "close" for awhile, but will struggle to be bowl-eligible once again.
5. San Diego State 2-0
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It seems like the Aztecs have been on the verge of greatness, but always come up just short.
The Aztecs have not started 2-0 since 1994, in large part due to the over-scheduling of top-level opponents and near misses in games at Notre Dame in 2008, at Wisconsin in 2006, at Michigan in 2004, and at Ohio State in 2003.
Second-year coach Brady Hoke has the tools necessary to build the Aztecs up to a top-level team, with defensive coordinator Rocky Long turning the Aztecs into a hard-nosed defense running the 3-3-5.
Combined with a high-flying offense, the Aztecs have four very winnable games remaining and should be bowl-eligible.
4. BYU 1-1
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BYU could not handle the idea of Utah going to the Pac-10 and activated some long-discussed plans to go independent.
This is a dream come true for many BYU fans who have long felt that the Cougars have been held back by weak conference rivals.
For all of Utah's recent success, the Utes have really had only three great seasons and a couple of good ones, all coming in the last 15 years.
BYU has the money, infrastructure, and means to follow its independent path, but the end may not be the one the Cougs had in mind.
The Cougars had to replace QB Max Hall, RB Harvey Unga, and most of their defense.
And while No. 1 QB prospect in Jake Heaps opted to come to BYU, coach Bronco Mendenhall decided to go with a two-QB system.
This two-QB system,as well as the revamped defense, fell apart versus Air Force.
BYU still has the ability and talent to come back from this defeat; 8-4 is not out of the realm of possibility.
3. Utah 2-0
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Though Utah is moving on for the bigger bucks and prestige of the Pac-10, they still hope for a goodbye conference title.
Utah does get BYU and TCU at home, but still has go on the road to Air Force and Notre Dame.
The Utes have talent at QB, O-Line, RB, and D-Line, and have the means to go the distance.
But I just don't see the Utes getting back to a BCS bowl in their final season in the MWC.
And that should continue in their new digs in the Pac-10.
2. Air Force 2-0
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Not that long ago, Air Force was a Mountain West also-ran. But former Falcon star Troy Calhoun has come home from a NFL stint and turned the Falcons back into a contender.
The huge win on Saturday only confirms the Falcons return to the upper echelon of the conference.
The Falcons still feature a disciplined rushing assault that Calhoun has combined with one of the most dangerous and opportunistic defenses around.
The Falcons have played the Utes close for years and have a good chance to take them down.
1. TCU 2-0
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TCU is the MWC's most dominant team and looks to remain this year.
With a fast and powerful defense running coach Gary Patterson's unusual 4-2-5 scheme and one of the nation's best ground attacks, TCU is very dangerous indeed.
While TCU has two big holes in its front six (Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington), TCU reloads on defense, rather than rebuilds.
Senior QB Andy Dalton has the benefit of having both one of the best offensive lines in the country and a horde of fast, young RBs, led by Sophomore Ed Wesley.
Next year, TCU will have Boise to contend with, adding new fun and excitement to the MWC, and more than making up for the loss of Utah and BYU.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
