San Diego State @ CSU
The win last weekend for the Rams over Air Force could go further than just the plus-one in the ‘W’ category. But that is to be determined this week as they take on the West Division leaders San Diego St.
The Aztecs have not yet lost a conference tilt, but then again, the level of competition up to this point has been suspect (ahem, Hawaii and Fresno State). CSU and SDSU share one common opponent thus far—Utah State. The Aztecs whipped the Aggies last week by a score of 48-14, whereas the Rams were beaten soundly, 33-18. Disclaimer: The Rams looked to have improved since that game that took place almost a month ago.
San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey must have seen a ghost a week early when he racked up 181 yards and two touchdowns over Utah State, a team that sported the sixth-ranked rush defense in the nation. They aren’t ranked sixth anymore.
Don’t completely discount the CSU rush defense though. Last weekend they limited a nearly running-exclusive Falcon offense to well below their season average of 320 yards. If the defense is anything but completely atrocious, they may give the Rams a chance, especially considering the emergence of quarterback Nick Stevens. The sophomore ranks second in the Mountain West with 13 touchdown passes, and sits at third for passing yards (1,486) and completion percentage (60.2).
Even if you chalk this game up as a loss for the Rams, they can still go bowling come December. They just need to win three of their last five games, and excluding San Diego State, those teams have a combined record of 9-22 overall.
RMAC Action
A trio of 7-1 Colorado teams from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dot the Division II Coaches’ Poll rankings, though a dose of intra-conference cannibalization may change that.
CSU-Pueblo dominated Colorado School of Mines last Saturday, 49-21, and now rank No. 4 in the nation, while the Orediggers slipped to No. 12 after the loss.
Led by the nation’s leading rusher and Littleton product Cameron McDondle, the ThunderWolves will have the opportunity to run the table the rest of the way. Aside from a top-25 date with Colorado Mesa on Nov. 7, the rest of the schedule features a pair of winless teams—New Mexico Highlands and Chadron St.
Having moved up to No. 19 in the polls with a 21-13 win over Fort Lewis, Colorado Mesa will now play the Colorado School of Mines in an RMAC contest. Juggernauts on either side of the ball will be showcased in this matchup. Colorado Mesa sports the second-ranked scoring defense in the land, allowing an average of just 12.5 points per game. Quarterback Justin Dvorak for Colorado Mines has thrown for 2,806 yards so far this year, which comes in at third-best in the nation.
Hawaii @ Air Force
Since falling in Fort Collins two weeks ago, the Falcons looked to be in a bit of a funk, down 14-0 to Fresno State the following week. It didn’t last long. Air Force went on to score 42 unanswered points to get back on the bowl track and improve to 4-3 on the season.
On paper, this week’s matchup looks like a Falcon ‘W’. The Rainbow Warriors, at 2-6, have lost five in a row after starting the season 2-1, and are among the 20 worst teams in the nation in terms of total offense and total defense. They rank seventh-worst in Division I against the run, while Air Force is third-best rushing the ball, routinely gashing teams for 333 yards per game.
But with the draining, 8-hour flight to Honolulu, many teams don’t play up to typical standards. In other words, hocus pocus is always afoot when you travel to Hawaii.
Also consider this: in their three road contests, the Falcons have never had the lead. Ever. Road woes could be magnified by perhaps the most unfavorable road contest of the Falcons’ season thus far.
How do the Falcons escape Aloha Stadium, you ask?
Hold the Rainbow Warriors to less than 20 points. Air Force is 34-2 when coach Troy Calhoun’s teams have done that.
Calvin Jouard is an intern at Mile High Sports and a student at the University of Denver