Mountain West Football: Top Ten Plays of the 2019 Season
It was a memorable season all around in the Mountain West, but these plays rose above the rest.
Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire
No doubt the conference balled out this fall.
College football’s national championship game will close the book on the 2019 season tomorrow. Before that happens, we wanted to look back at some of Mountain West football’s best individual plays, a lot of which reflected the unexpected twists and turns that the campaign took throughout the fall. From epic game-winning kicks to contested catches in traffic, the conference gave us everything you could ask for and then some.
Here are the ten best plays from 2019.
10. Wyoming’s Sean Chambers stiff-arms a defender into oblivion vs. Missouri
Welcome to 7220, you can see yourself to the door when you’ve had enough.
9. San Diego State’s Jesse Matthews snags the ball out of the air with three defenders around him vs. Utah State
Credit Ryan Agnew first for extending the play, but the Aztecs’ freshman receiver definitely upped the difficulty level on this one while making it look easy.
8. Fresno State’s Mykal Walker blows up a 4th down play vs. USC
The Bulldogs came up tantalizingly short against the Trojans, but it wasn’t from a lack of effort. This defensive play from Walker, who had moved from the defensive line to middle linebacker, gave them a chance to steal the win.
7. Nevada’s Brandon Talton leaves no doubt while crushing a game-winning field goal vs. Purdue
The Wolf Pack had one of the wildest overall seasons in the Mountain West and that started all the way back in Week 1, when a walk-on kicker from Vacaville, California made sure everyone in college football knew his name with his first memorable kick of the season.
6. Utah State’s David Woodward makes his own break vs. Colorado State
In case you’re wondering why the Mountain West made Woodward a first-team all-conference selection despite missing six games, this is Exhibit A.
5. Utah State’s Siaosi Mariner gets one foot down vs. Wake Forest
We weren’t sure what to expect from the Utah transfer, but he made good on a tough throw from Jordan Love with what turned out to be just his first highlight catch of the year.
4. San Jose State’s Bailey Gaither stays with it for a touchdown vs. Army
The Spartans made strides in the win column, in no small part, thanks to their exciting wide receivers. They had more than their fair share of candidates, but the level of focus required for this touchdown stood out.
3. Hawaii’s Manly Williams never gives up to seal the win vs. Arizona
The Warriors were pure fun all season long and their late-night antics gave us indelible memories from the jump, starting with this epic stop way back in Week 0.
2. Utah State’s Caleb Repp makes the catch of the year vs. Boise State
The Aggies didn’t get the revenge they’d hoped for in what turned out to be a lopsided loss to the Broncos, but tight end Caleb Repp’s effort on their first scoring drive was the kind that made you lean forward in your seat to make sure it had really happened.
The best part was that, in real time, Repp and defender Markel Reed disappeared in the broadcast’s regular angle, which made the subsequent replays that much more jaw-dropping. Yes, he really did bring that down.
1. Air Force turns the wildest tip drill you’ll ever see into a pick six vs. Hawaii
It’ll be a long time before we see something like this again. The game, a decisive 56-26 win for the Falcons over Hawaii, was just about in the books by the time Cole McDonald threw what looked for a brief moment like a run-of-the-mill red zone interception. The ball never touched the ground, however, and serendipity put Milton Bugg III in a position to do the unexpected.
Honorable mentions:
- Air Force: Kadin Remsberg puts it all on the line to seal the Cheez-It Bowl win vs. Washington State
- Boise State: Khalil Shakir “Mosses” a Florida State defender for a touchdown; Hank Bachmeier threads the needle to John Hightower vs. San Jose State (begins at 0:45)
- Colorado State: Warren Jackson’s long touchdown catch vs. New Mexico; Patrick O’Brien escapes pressure and connects with Dante Wright vs. Arkansas
- Fresno State: Fake field goal trickeration works out vs. Minnesota (begins at 0:42); Jalen Cropper takes a fly sweep for a long touchdown vs. New Mexico State
- Hawaii: Warriors break out the fumblerooski vs. Nevada
- Nevada: Elijah Cooks elevates for a touchdown vs. Purdue
- New Mexico: Jordan Kress snags a catch at the sideline and runs for a long touchdown vs. New Mexico State
- San Jose State: Isaiah Hamilton pulls a David Tyree vs. San Diego State; Jack Snyder has a Piesman Trophy moment vs. UNLV; Tre Walker lays out for a one-handed catch vs. Boise State
- UNLV: Kolo Uasike comes down with a late tip-drill interception to help beat San Jose State
- Wyoming: Alijah Halliburton snags a heads-up interception vs. Nevada
