Boise State again favored to win Mountain West as conference prepares for major changes

NBC Sports

a day ago

Change is coming to the Mountain West, but this season will feel like so many others.
No. 25 Boise State was picked to win the conference.
For the 15th year in a row.
Broncos coach Spencer Danielson pointed out that didn't equate to a conference title every time, but Boise State is the two-time defending champion. The program lost Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty and still received 35 of 39 first-place votes from the media.
'That's just the culture that we have,' said left tackle Kage Casey, a potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. 'Everyone in the conference knows that we're putting in the work to be the best, and that's what we're going to show game by game, day by day.'
Boise State and four other schools — Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State — will be playing their final season in the Mountain West. Those five will depart for the Pac-12 Conference in what has been a contentious divorce that saw UNLV turn down overtures from the Pac-12 to remain in the Mountain West.
The Rebels made the championship game the past two seasons before falling short against Boise State, and they were picked to finish second again this year. With first-year coach Dan Mullen, who previously coached Florida and Mississippi State, there is great optimism at UNLV of taking the next step and perhaps qualifying for the College Football Playoff.
Junior safety Jake Pope was recruited by Mullen coming out of high school in 2022, but chose Alabama over the Gators. He transferred to Georgia two years later and then to UNLV.
'A really, really great players' coach,' Pope said. 'He's always down to listen to what we have, positive and negative. ... It's pretty cool to be back here with him.'
Moving on from Jeanty
Jeanty had a season for the ages last year, leading the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing. He fell just 27 yards short of Barry Sanders' NCAA record.
It might take a committee to come close to making up such production.
Redshirt freshman Sire Gaines is back after missing nearly all of last season with an injury; in last year's opener against Georgia Southern, he rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Malik Sherrod is a sixth-year transfer from Fresno State who also had his season ended prematurely by injury, but in 2023 he rushed for 966 yards and nine TDs.
Whether the Broncos can make up the difference remains to be seen.
'Ashton is one of the top leaders I've ever been around in all my years coaching,' Danielson said. 'He had that innate sense that could grab a kid, have a one-on-one conversation. Could speak to the entire room. Would also lead by example.'
Taking the next step
Boise State appeared in the playoff last season for the first time. The Broncos, who received a first-round bye, were demolished by Penn State 31-14 in the quarterfinals.
'We went to the playoffs, but we lost,' Casey said. 'That's the thing that I always think about. We were the fourth team to go to the Fiesta Bowl; we were the first Boise State team to fall short. That is deep in our hearts and deep in our thoughts, that we are not going to let that be our legacy. We want to build off of something no Boise State team has ever done. We want to go on a run.'
SEC West at UNLV?
Mullen isn't the only one who gives UNLV a Southeastern Conference feel as he replaces Barry Odom, who parlayed back-to-back Mountain West title game appearances into the Purdue job.
In addition to Pope, other new Rebels include cornerbacks Denver Harris (previously LSU and Texas A&M) and Laterrance Welch (LSU).
Drawing players from one of the country's most dominant conference probably isn't the worst strategy.
'The more guys in the program that knows what it takes in an SEC program to win, it's going to translate over to here,' Pope said.
Spartans on the rise
San Jose State, like UNLV, for many years was at or near the bottom of the Mountain West until recently.
The Spartans posted four seven-win seasons in the past five years under two coaches. Brent Brennan built the program before leaving for Arizona after the 2023 season. Ken Niumatalolo — who went 109-83 over 16 years at Navy — took over and guided San Jose State to a 7-6 record last season.
San Jose State was picked third in the Mountain West.
'I think we're way more mature,' Niumatalolo said. 'I felt a little chaotic at this time last year implementing our culture, implementing what we do. I feel like that stuff's already in place.'