The College Football News 2021 Mountain West preseason rankings along with a quick take on every team.
This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to finish. This is based on how good we think the Independent teams are going into the 2021 season.
2021 CFN Mountain West Preseason Rankings: Mountain
1. Boise State Broncos
Quick Take: New head coach Andy Avalos doesn’t have a heater of a Boise State team – the program didn’t win the Mountain West title last year – but it’s good enough to be the best in the Mountain Division by far. As long as QB Hank Bachmeier is in one piece, the offense will be great, and the defensive front seven is outstanding.
Boise State Preview | Schedule
2. Colorado State Rams
Quick Take: Second-year head coach Steve Addazio got through a rough first year, and he’s got a very, very interesting team that could be a bit of an X factor. The defensive front will be a problem for the rest of the Mountain West, and the offense should have a little bit of pop.
CSU Preview | Schedule
3. Wyoming Cowboys
Quick Take: You know what Wyoming is going to be. Great coaching, outstanding defense, strong ground attack, questionable passing game. The schedule isn’t bad, and if there’s something happening through the air, this could be a huge year.
Wyoming Preview | Schedule
4. Air Force Falcons
Quick Take: Air Force needs some rebuilding, but that’s nothing new – it’s how the program rolls every season. The defense has the playmakers – especially in the secondary – but like always, the season will come down to how effective the running game is. (Hint: It’ll be fine.)
Air Force Preview | Schedule
5. New Mexico Lobos
Quick Take: Second-year head coach Danny Gonzales will try to capitalize on the two-game winning run at the end of 2020 to finally turn this thing around. The Lobos haven’t won more than three games in a season since 2016, and this year’s version should do it. There are some nice parts with Kentucky transfer QB Terry Wilson leading a strong backfield.
New Mexico Preview | Schedule
6. Utah State Aggies
Quick Take: New head coach Blake Anderson might be able to turn this around fast – admittedly, this ranking might look ridiculous in a hurry. The linebacking corps is great to build around, and bringing over QB Logan Bonner from Arkansas State was a huge help.
Utah State Preview | Schedule
NEXT: 2021 CFN Mountain West Preseason Rankings: West
2021 CFN Mountain West Preseason Rankings: West
1. Nevada Wolf Pack
Quick Take: Look … out. If you thought last year’s Nevada team was a blast, this version should blow that away. QB Carson Strong and the passing game will be unstoppable, the defensive front seven is terrific, and there’s experience everywhere. The problem? At Cal, at Kansas State, at Boise State in the first four games.
Nevada Preview | Schedule
2. San Jose State Spartans
Quick Take: It’s not like the shockingly efficient machine of 2020 is going to slow down. The pass rush and defensive front will be unstoppable, QB Nick Starkel is back for his 19th year of college football, and there’s no real weakness anywhere across the board for the defending Mountain West champ.
SJSU Preview | Schedule
3. San Diego State Aztecs
Quick Take: The San Diego State D was the San Diego State D, but the O forgot to come along for the ride a bit too often. Brady Hoke has another killer defense, but the offense has to figure out how to score more than 21 points on a regular basis – and all without a true close-to-home home game.
SDSU Preview | Schedule
4. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Quick Take: It’s going to be an interesting team. From out of nowhere, last year’s version was able to rise up and take its game to another level. Now the team has to get used to a makeshift new home and try to be far more consistent. It’ll be a sneaky-good team in the Mountain West race.
Hawaii Preview | Schedule
5. Fresno State Bulldogs
Quick Take: Just how much can the offense keep it all going? The defensive front is among the best in the league, and the offensive skill parts are there to go ballistic, but the Bulldogs have to figure out how to beat a decent team. The opponents in the three wins went a combined 2-14.
FSU Preview | Schedule
6. UNLV Rebels
Quick Take: UNLV has been mediocre over the years, but 0-6 was another level of bad. Marcus Arroyo has enough decent talents in place to be far, far better in his second season, but the defense has to be night-and-day better.
UNLV Preview | Schedule
