Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Analysis:

Bern’s-Eye View: Mountain West Best Bets Week 6

Donnel Pumphrey

Associated Press

San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey, a Canyon Springs High grad, runs the ball during the first half against North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014.

The Rebel Room

What Would You Do?

Las Vegas Sun sports writers Ray Brewer, Case Keefer and Taylor Bern play armchair quarterback on UNLV's in-game situations and the future at quarterback.

Last weekend’s games moved us a week further into the season and pushed my thinking back a few weeks. While Boise State got knocked around by Air Force, Colorado State went to Boston College and won, making the Rams once again feel to me like the team standing atop the tire fire that is Mountain West football.

We’re still on track for the worst group of teams in this league’s 15-year history, which is likely going to make for some wild outcomes week to week. Hopefully, they’re not too unpredictable for me to still have some success, starting with a couple of intriguing Friday night matchups:

Note: UNLV picks will appear in the live blog on the day of games.

FRIDAY

San Diego State (plus-3) at Fresno State

7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

• While we were all fretting about the severity of certain UNLV injuries, there were bigger problems in the winning locker room, at least as far as the conference title race is concerned. SDSU starting quarterback Quinn Kaehler is out with a shoulder injury, so on a short turnaround, in steps true freshman Nick Bawden. As concerning as that should be for the Aztecs, I’ll still take the better team plus the points.

Pick: San Diego State — Loss

Utah State (plus-21) at No. 18 BYU

7:15 p.m., ESPN

• The Aggies’ season-long prospects took a significant hit with the announcement that quarterback Chuckie Keeton is done for the year. I don’t think it mattered this week, though. Utah State has been subpar overall, while the Cougars (4-0) are at home after a bye week.

Pick: BYU — Loss

SATURDAY

Tulsa (plus-17 ½) at Colorado State

Noon, Mountain West Network/Campus Insiders

• I don’t like any Mountain West team as a big favorite, but if you had to back one right now, it would be the Rams. Thing is, I don’t have to pick one.

Pick: Tulsa — Loss

Navy (minus-3 ½) at Air Force

12:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network

• In general, I would be concerned about a team like Air Force coming off as big a wins as it had last week against Boise State. But with Navy coming to town right after, I like the Falcons to come in on a roll.

Pick: Air Force — Win

New Mexico (plus-17) at UTSA

12:30 p.m., American Sports Network

• All the good vibes around the UTSA program at the start of the season have faded a bit during this three-game losing streak. The Roadrunners are definitely the better team, but the Lobos have been able to score quite a bit this year (27.2 points per game) and that should be enough to keep them within 17.

Pick: New Mexico — Win

Hawaii (plus-6 ½) at Rice

4 p.m., American Sports Network

• Any time a bad Rainbow Warriors team comes to the mainland I need a good reason to go with their side. There isn’t one here.

Pick: Rice — Win

Boise State (minus-4 ½) at UNR

7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network

• I give up trying to figure out the top of this league. It’s easier to just assume everyone’s in the middle, so in that case, I’ll take points with the home team.

Pick: UNR

Last week: 4-1

Season: 25-16

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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