The conference championship races are rounding into form as we finish the first weekend in November across the Western 20.
There are still three weeks left to play in the regular season, and many of the teams are fighting for a chance to play even more.
Let’s go across America and see what happened last week.
Toledo vs. Sacramento State
Final | Toledo 20, Sacramento State 17
Sacramento State was coming off of its first MAC victory against Kent State, and it took Toledo to the absolute limit in its upset bid on Wednesday.
Even more impressive, the Hornets nearly got the upset on the back of their backup quarterback Brian Salazar, Jr. who came in for an injured Jackson Sharman late in the first half.
Salazar, Jr. finished with 103 yards on 12/18 passing and helped lead a critical touchdown drive late in the first half to bring the game to within three points. Ultimately, a failed fourth-down conversion with 11 seconds to go prevented the Hornets from getting a major upset as 25.8-point underdogs.
After a big game last week, Hornet running back Isaiah Ene finished with just one yard on twelve carries. Instead, Raiden Brown was the premier offensive player for the Hornets with 108 yards on five receptions. The 108 yards are nearly exactly one-third of the yards Brown has on the entire season.
With the win, Toledo moves to 7-2 overall with a 4-1 MAC record. Sacramento State falls to 2-8 and a 1-6 conference record in their first season at the FBS level.
Sacramento State travels to Central Michigan to take on the Chippewas on Wednesday night.
New Mexico vs. Nevada
Final | New Mexico 31, Nevada 3
The New Mexico Lobos breezed through their roadtrip to Reno in a 31-3 beatdown of the Nevada Wolf Pack.
The AP No. 23 Lobos remained in the AP Poll for their second straight week after never appearing in the national ranking in program history prior to last week.
The Lobos forced ten Nevada punts in a game where they had more drives ending with negative Wolf Pack total yardage, six, compared to drives where they allowed Nevada to cross the 50-yard line, two.
After only allowing 95 yards and three points to Nevada, the Lobos defense stands as the best in the nation in points-per-game allowed and in total yards-per-game allowed. They haven’t had the hardest of schedules, but their defense is proving to be one of, if not the best in the entire country.
New Mexico was led by 107 yards and two touchdowns from running back Scottre Humphrey. Humphrey now has 13 touchdowns on the season, tied for seventh best among all FBS players.
Nevada had AJ Bianco start for the first time since their matchup against North Dakota State on October 17. Bianco finished with 106 yards on 14/31 passing along with -22 yards rushing and a lost fumble.
It was a forgettable performance for the Wolf Pack, who have only scored three points in their last eight quarters of football.
New Mexico stays undefeated in Mountain West play at 5-0 and moves their season record to 8-1. Nevada falls to 2-3 in conference and 3-6 overall.
The Lobos return home to take on UNLV while Nevada travels across the country to take on Northern Illinois.
Northern Illinois vs. San Jose State
Final | Northern Illinois 19, San Jose State 30
Northern Illinois has looked better and better each week, but they still remain winless, the only team at the FBS level without a win, after their 30-19 loss at San Jose State.
Huskies quarterback Taron Dickens had one of his better games this year with 259 yards and a touchdown. The junior is playing his first year at the FBS level after playing the first three years of his career at the Western Carolina Catamounts.
The Spartans, who were mired in a 1-3 slide after starting the season 3-2, were led by running back Villiami Teu’s two touchdowns, his first since their loss against Nevada on October 24. Teu only had 42 yards, nearly half of the Spartans’ 85 total rushing yards, but he made those count with touchdown runs of one and five yards.
Freshman quarterback Daniel Rolovich started in place of injured Luke Weaver for the Spartans. Rolovich finished with 231 yards, the most he’s had in a game this year, and a touchdown.
San Jose State recorded five sacks against the Huskies. They now stand at tied for third in the country with 36 sacks on the season, highlighted by their 11 sack performance against UTEP.
Northern Illinois drops to 0-9 on the year with an 0-5 Mountain West record. San Jose State moves back to .500 in conference with the victory at 3-3 in addition to a 5-5 overall record.
The Huskies return home after a two-game west coast roadtrip to take on the equally hapless Nevada Wolf Pack. Later on Saturday, the Spartans will travel to Colorado to take on Air Force.
Boise State vs. Colorado State
Final | Boise State 64, Colorado State 38
The CFP No. 25 Boise State Broncos continued their march through the Pac-12 with a 64-38 beat down of the floundering Colorado State Rams.
Boise State was without quarterback Maddux Madsen, who was injured in their win against Texas State, and last week’s hero Max Cutforth made his fourth career start. Cutforth finished with 317 yards and four touchdowns. Four different receivers caught touchdown passes from Cutforth, with Rasean Jones leading the way having 116 yards alongside his touchdown reception.
The Broncos put even more yards up on the ground with 352 yards and five touchdowns combined between six different rushers. Dylan Riley led the way with 192 yards and two touchdowns, his most in a game since Boise’s win against South Dakota in early September. Riley also added 88 yards receiving, including a 73-yard touchdown catch on the second play of the game. Backup running back Harry Stewart II finished with 89 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Colorado State’s miserable season continued in their fourth game in which they’ve allowed 50 or more points. It seemed as if their defense was turning a corner after only allowing 31 points and 464 yards to Utah State last week, but the 64 points and 669 yards put up by Boise proved otherwise.
Quarterback Hauss Hejny led the charge for the Rams with 352 total yards and three touchdowns. Hejny recorded a career high in rushing yards in a game with 69 against the Broncos.
Boise State moves to 5-0 in conference and a two-game lead in Pac-12 play. The 8-1 Broncos haven’t lost a game since their season opener against then-No. 2 Oregon.
Colorado State drops to 1-4 in Pac-12 matchups and a 3-6 overall record. The Rams have only won once since their victory against Southern Utah on September 12.
Boise State returns home to take on Oregon State while Colorado State takes on Washington State in Pullman for the nightcap on Saturday.
Air Force vs. Army
Final | Air Force 24, Army 21
In the Elevation Change Game of the Week, the Air Force Falcons secured their 22nd Commander in Chief’s trophy with a 24-21 win over Army after a late push from the Black Knights.
The Falcons took a 17-7 lead into halftime after Evan Medders ran in his only touchdown of the day with four seconds to go in the half, but two Army touchdowns in the third quarter made it a four point lead following a 19-yard touchdown run by Bryson Luter. Air Force then marched down 75 yards on seven plays before a 24-yard touchdown pass from Medders to Simon Kibbee secured the victory for the Falcons.
Air Force and Army came into the game as the two leading rushing offenses amongst all FBS schools, but it was Air Force’s rushing attack and rush defense that was able to come out on top. The 182 yards ran by Army were the lowest they’ve had in a game this season.
Air Force got a big game out of fullback-turned-quarterback Kemper Hodges, who didn’t attempt a pass but had 17 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. Hodges started in place of Medders in the Falcons’ win against UConn last week, but proved he can still be a strong contributor following his production against the Black Knights.
Alongside their win against Navy earlier in the season, Air Force was able to secure their 22nd Commander in Chief’s Trophy. The Falcons hadn’t won the prestigious service-academy award since the 2022 season and it’s only the second time they’ve brought the trophy home in the past ten seasons. Air Force’s 22 trophies are the most among the service schools, with Navy having 18 and Army having 10.
The Falcons will return home to take on San Jose State on Saturday in their first conference game since their October 23 loss at Wyoming.
Liberty vs. New Mexico State
Final | Liberty 30, New Mexico State 14
New Mexico State was sitting tied for second amongst their Conference USA opponents, but back-to-back weeks against the teams tied for first in the conference have dropped them into a six-way tie for third.
The Aggies took a 7-0 lead early on in the first quarter after a 24-yard touchdown catch by AJ Williams III, but Liberty proceeded to not allow another Aggie score until the early fourth quarter, another AJ Williams III touchdown. Williams III’s second touchdown catch of the game brought the score to 16-14 in favor of the visiting Flames, but two late touchdown drives secured Liberty’s victory.
Williams III finished the day with 150 yards on eight receptions in addition to his two touchdown catches. Williams III was limited to just twelve yards on two catches last week against Jacksonville State. His five touchdowns on the season lead all Aggie skill players.
Quarterback Trey Hedden made his first start at quarterback since September 26 against New Mexico for the Aggies. Hedden finished with 256 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
New Mexico State star running back James Jones suffered his worst performance since the Aggies’ matchup against Florida State in Week 0. Jones finished with just 51 yards and a fumble lost despite having the twelfth most rushing yards in the country.
The Aggies fall to 2-3 in CUSA play and 3-6 overall. They next play on Saturday when they travel to take on Missouri State in Springfield.
Fresno State vs. Utah State
Final | Fresno State 10, Utah State 17
Utah State is 2-0 in McCae Hillstead’s return to the starting quarterback position as they take down Fresno State 17-10 in Logan on Saturday.
Hillstead didn’t throw for a touchdown, but led the team with 56 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Neither team was able to do much on either end, but Utah State didn’t allow Fresno State to score their lone touchdown of the game until there was 1:30 left in the fourth quarter.
Fresno State quarterback Jayden Mandal finished with 262 yards on 22/39 passing and a touchdown, the second most he’s had in a game this season. Receiver Josiah Freeman was Mandal’s biggest recipient, finishing with a season-high eight receptions and 114 receiving yards.
Utah State is now over .500 in Pac-12 play for the first time this season. They sit at 4-5 overall with a 3-2 conference record, tied for second with three other teams. Fresno State drops to 2-3 in conference play and 5-4 overall.
Next up, the Aggies go on the road to take on the San Diego State Aztecs while the Bulldogs continue their roadtrip when they visit Texas State on Saturday.
Hawaii vs. UTEP
Final | Hawaii 17, UTEP 14
It’s been a tough season in El Paso for the UTEP Miners, and that continued with a close loss to a mediocre Hawaii Rainbow Warriors team.
UTEP’s beleaguered defense was able to force two Hawaii turnovers, but the Miners were unable to capitalize on Hawaii’s misfortunes.
Sophomore quarterback Raymond Moore III started again after starter EJ Colson has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout the season. Moore III has yet to throw for more than 200 yards in a game, and that streak continued against the Rainbow Warriors as he finished with just 109 yards and a touchdown.
Hawaii never trailed in the game after Titan Lacaden caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Micah Alejado, one of 11 receptions on the night for the freshman. He also recorded 109 receiving yards, setting career highs in yards caught and receptions in the win.
After only being up 10-7 entering the fourth quarter, Hawaii engineered drives of 12 and 13 plays to run out the clock on a Miners comeback attempt. Hawaii scored a touchdown on their 12-play, 98-yard drive to open the quarter and then only needed 40 yards across 13 plays to secure the victory in the final 6:57.
Hawaii now moves to 3-6 overall with a 2-4 conference record. Both wins have come in back-to-back games against UTEP and Northern Illinois, who are a combined 0-10 in conference play and 1-17 overall.
UTEP moves to 0-5 in their first season in the Mountain West and 1-8 on the season. The Miners have yet to defeat a team at the FBS level, with their sole win on the season coming against Texas Southern in Week 2.
The Rainbow Warriors return home to take on North Dakota State while UTEP plays its final home game of the season when it hosts Wyoming on Saturday.
Texas State vs. Oregon State
Final | Texas State 42, Oregon State 21
The matchup between Texas State and Oregon State is a tale of two teams who are going in opposite directions. Texas State looked vulnerable in their first season in the Pac-12, Oregon State looked like a potential conference sleeper. Now, both teams are in the opposite spots as Texas State was able to steamroll Oregon State 42-21 Saturday night.
Oregon State has one of the most prolific offenses in college football, averaging 498.4 offensive yards a game while also being 12th in the country in points per game. Texas State one-ups them in both categories, averaging 517 yards per game and being 11th in points scored.
The Bobcats put 600 yards of offense on Oregon State’s defense, led by the duo of Torrance Burgess, Jr. and Davian Jackson. Burgess finished the night with 196 yards and a touchdown on the ground while Jackson had 107 yards and three touchdowns rushing. It was a career performance for Jackson but only the third-highest total for Burgess, Jr. whose 1,118 rushing yards is sixth in the entire country.
After we saw the Bobcats go on a 36-0 run against Boise State a week prior, Texas State went on a 14-0 run and a 28-0 run to blow past Oregon State. Two touchdowns in the span of 2:28 early in fourth quarter dampened any hope the Beavers had of making a miraculous comeback.
Oregon State has now dropped two-straight games after previously winning five in a row. Uber-talented receiver Jesse Legree was held under 100 yards, though he finished with 99, for the second straight game after opening his college career with seven-straight 100+ yard receiving games, an Oregon State record. Quarterback Braden Atkinson was also held under 200 yards for the first time this season, passing for just 192 yards and an interception. Atkinson’s lowest passing total in a game prior to the loss against the Bobcats was 301 against UTEP over a month ago.
It was looking to be a promising season for the Beavers prior to their two-game slide. A 5-2 start alongside a 5-0 Pac-12 record was getting national attention, with even ESPN’s College GameDay potentially coming to the Boise State-Oregon State matchup next week, but shoddy defense and sudden imbalanced offensive performances has ruined what had been a very promising first season in the rebuilt Pac-12.
The win for Texas State evens them with Oregon State in the Pac-12 standings at 3-2, tied with two other teams for second in the conference. Their regular season record also stands even with the Beavers, sitting at 5-4.
Texas State finishes the season with a two-game home stretch that starts with Fresno State. Oregon State travels to take on CFP No. 25 Boise State in their final road game of the season.
Wyoming vs. UNLV
Final | Wyoming 41, UNLV 35
Wyoming had a rough start to the season, opening 2-2 with some fairly non-competitive losses thrown in. However, they’ve caught fire recently, winning four straight conference games to be right in the race for the Mountain West title following their 41-35 at UNLV Saturday night.
The Cowboys gashed the Rebels for 351 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Samuel Harris led the charge with 128 yards and two touchdowns while Markell Holman also added 110 on the ground. Quarterback Tyler Hughes also rushed for 71 yards, the lowest total he’s had during the Cowboys’ four-game win streak. Hughes did end the game in a sling after suffering a forearm injury late in the second quarter.
Perhaps more impressively, Wyoming’s defense was able to stand their ground and be a force on the line despite another great performance from UNLV running back Jai-Den Thomas, the Mountain West rushing yards leader, who had 96 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Between five sacks, with three coming from linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz, and limiting Rebel dual-threat quarterback Jackson Arnold to just 78 total yards, the Cowboys were able to do just enough to secure the upset.
UNLV has struggled recently, going 1-2 after being on a three-game win streak. Their only win was a less-than-impressive seven-point victory at home against Northern Illinois, giving the Rebels some concern that something isn’t right in Vegas.
Arnold was benched after failing to convert a 4th and 12 late in the third quarter with the Rebels down 41-21. Alex Orji came in to replace him and led two-straight touchdown drives to bring the game within six, but a costly interception at the Wyoming 11 with 1:51 to go in the fourth ended any hope for the comeback victory.
Wyoming now stands at 5-1 in Mountain West play, just a half-game behind New Mexico for the conference lead, and 6-3 overall on the season. UNLV drops to 3-2 and 5-4 overall after the loss.
The Cowboys go on the road for one last time to take on UTEP while UNLV has a critical matchup against New Mexico on Saturday.