By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
October 21, 2024
Are you not entertained?
The line from Gladiator sums up last weekend in College Football.
BYU escaped with a win, UNLV posted a respectable road victory, while Oregon and Colorado dominated.
Just beyond the halfway point of the season, the strengths and weaknesses of each team are becoming clearer.
Here’s how I view the Top 10 teams in the West heading into Week Nine.
1. Oregon (4-0, 7-0) ◄►
The Ducks took care of business on the road against Purdue.Ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time since 2012, Oregon is back on top.
The program now has a target on its back for every one of its remaining matchups.
How the team handles the pressure could define the year.
2. BYU (4-0, 7-0) ◄►
A win is a win.The Cougars looked unprepared to face Oklahoma State on Friday and needed a last-minute 75-yard comeback drive to get the win.
To make a deep run in the Playoff, BYU can’t get outworked in the trenches the way it did in the OKST game.
The close result should be a wake-up call for the remainder of the season.
3. Boise State (2-0, 5-1) ◄►
With a bye week to prepare for UNLV’s offense, the Broncos should be ready.The matchup in Las Vegas is Boise State’s biggest game of the season since facing Oregon in Week Two.
A defeat to the Rebels would make the path to the Playoff much more difficult. A win, on the other hand, would arguably make BSU the Group of Five favorite.
4. UNLV (2-0, 6-1) ▲1
UNLV’s victory on the road at Oregon State reflects how far the program has come.The win signals the arrival of Barry Odom’s team and made a statement in the context of conference realignment.
But now, the attention fully shifts to Boise State.
The matchup with the Broncos on Friday might be the most important game in program history.
5. Colorado (3-1, 5-2) ▲4
The Buffaloes are legitimate.With depth, competent coaches, and elite skill players, Colorado is a Playoff-caliber team.
The offensive line is good enough for Shedeur Sanders to make plays and the defense is capable.
The win over UCF looks more impressive now and the close defeat to Kansas State doesn’t seem so bad after last weekend’s results.
6. Washington State (6-1) ◄►
The Cougs did what they needed to do against Hawai’i.Somewhat beholden to the performance of Boise State, Wazzu’s chances of making the Playoff still exist.
But with zero opportunities for a signature win on the remaining schedule, Washington State might not get the attention it deserves.
In that sense, the timing of this week’s bye hurts the Cougars’ chances.
7. Arizona State (2-2, 5-2) ▼3
Losing a starting quarterback is almost impossible to overcome in the Big 12.The parity in the league is high and Sam Leavitt is the key to the ASU offense. The system isn’t as effective with Jeff Sims and the Sun Devils are in the middle of a tough stretch in the schedule.
Even so, Kenny Dillingham has a strong roster to weather the storm.
8. Washington (2-2, 4-3) ▲NR
Jedd Fisch spent the bye week recruiting as the team recovered from the blowout loss to Iowa.But the Dawgs have two conference wins in the Big Ten and have yet to lose on their home field.
The remaining schedule is tough, though, with upcoming matchups against No. 13 Indiana, No. 3 Penn State, and No. 1 Oregon.
9. Fresno State (2-1, 4-3) ▲NR
The Bulldogs beat Nevada in Reno by three and are positioned to compete for an appearance in the Mountain West Championship Game.All three of Fresno State’s losses (at Michigan, at UNLV, and Washington State) are respectable and the program is 2-1 in conference play.
Matched up with San Jose State this week, the Bulldogs face a Litmus Test.
10. Utah (1-3, 4-3) ▼3
How the mighty have fallen.There’s no sugarcoating it: the program is starting to show cracks. The offense is inept, the quarterback situation is a mess, and recruiting is taking a hit.
Whether OC Andy Ludwig’s departure and Mike Bajakian’s promotion make a difference remains to be seen.
Several foundational pieces remain, but the loss of Cam Rising could prove too much to overcome.
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