MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL

The Mountain West from top to bottom:

Brigham Young (4-2, 3-0 Mountain West) vs. Eastern Washington (4-2): Linebacker Bryan Kehl has interceptions in back-to-back games, the first two picks of his career.

Air Force (5-2, 4-1) vs. Wyoming (4-2, 1-1): Falcons have multiple October victories for first time since 2002.

New Mexico (4-2, 1-1) at San Diego State (2-4, 1-1): Lobos have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in the past eight games.

San Diego State (2-4, 1-1) vs. New Mexico (4-2, 1-1): Kevin O’Connell is the first Aztecs quarterback to rush for 1,000 career yards.

Wyoming (4-2, 1-1) at Air Force (5-2, 4-1): Cowboys have 16 tackles for loss in the past two games.

Texas Christian (4-3, 1-2) vs. Utah (4-3, 1-2), Thursday: Horned Frogs’ streak of 15 games with a takeaway ended Saturday.

UNLV (2-5, 1-2) vs. Colorado State (0-6, 0-3): Rebels have lost five consecutive homecoming games.

Utah (4-3, 1-2) at TCU (4-3, 1-2), Thursday: Utes have gained at least 300 yards the past six games.

Colorado State (0-6, 0-3) at UNLV (2-5, 1-2): Rams did not allow a sack Saturday for the first time since Sept. 8, 2005.

 

FIVE BEST PLAYERS

1. Beau Bell, LB, UNLV: Line against BYU — 13 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble.

2. Chad Hall, WR, Air Force: Acts more like a running back and has become a dynamic weapon no defense can answer.

3. Max Hall, QB, BYU: Three interceptions against UNLV but still MWC’s best quarterback.

4. Chase Ortiz, DE, TCU: League leader with five sacks and tied for first with 101/2 tackles for loss.

5. Carson Bird, CB, Air Force: Tied for second nationally with five interceptions.

 

THEY WROTE IT …

Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla, on the possibility of Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick retiring: "Lubick cautioned a decision to retire would not be easy, because he feels a responsibility to his staff and the families that those salaries feed. The field the Rams play on is named after Lubick, and the coach’s success has attracted millions of dollars in contributions to an athletic department that operates on a tight budget. He has earned the right to plan his own exit strategy. If Air Force legend Fisher DeBerry could be pushed out the door by the Falcons after decades of distinguished service, however, nothing in a coach’s life is guaranteed."

Salt Lake Tribune columnist Gordon Monson, on BYU’s victory over UNLV: "Who exactly is Sam Boyd? A BYU benefactor, apparently. It’s his building that accommodated BYU’s football team, again, this time to the tune of 24-14, staging the seventh consecutive game in which the Cougars found victory here against the UNLV Rebels, a team that is just renting space in BYU’s world. The Cougars have never lost to the Rebs here. It’s a remarkable phenomenon, really, and ironic, too, that the Cougars own this place in a city known for so many of the vices that, properly pursued, fly in the grille of BYU’s Honor Code."

Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) columnist Brad Rock, on Utah’s 23-7 victory over San Diego State before a low turnout: "The Utes won their first conference game of the year before a half-empty stadium. Which is a shame, in a way. But it wasn’t a Rolling Stones concert. It was the Utes, who have a tendency to drive their fans away long before the season is over. It’s mid-October and already Rice-Eccles Stadium is starting to look like an abandoned warehouse. It’s the story of Utah’s history. The emotional swings. The frustration. The realization that if it weren’t for a few things, it could have been a great year. The trick now that the Utes are on a three-game win streak is to get people interested enough to return."

 

THEY SAID IT …

Colorado State quarterback Caleb Hanie, after throwing four interceptions in a 45-21 loss to Air Force: "I feel like we are the most unlucky team in America, which it showed. I felt like I was the most unlucky quarterback today."

Air Force’s Hall, after rushing for 256 yards against Colorado State: "We passed five times. We were running at them, and they knew we were running the ball and we continued to do it."

TCU quarterback Andy Dalton, on a late touchdown drive that beat Stanford, 38-36: "We didn’t want to go down and tie it. We wanted to go down and win the game."

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