MWC race heats up with four conference games on tap and one nonconference showdown.
Wyoming WR Jovon Bouknight extended his streak of catching at least one pass in a game to 43 vs. New Mexico last Saturday, the longest current streak in the NCAA.
Weekly Report
The MWC race heated up after last week's results as six-of-nine teams now have two wins in league play. TCU stands alone at the top with a 4-0 MWC record, followed by Colorado State at 2-1. Four teams are just 1/2 game behind the Rams at 2-2 (BYU, New Mexico, San Diego State and Wyoming), while Air Force is 2-3. Utah and UNLV are 1-3 in conference play.
The Horned Frogs, who leaped to No. 21 in the latest USA Today Coaches and AP polls, ventured outside of league play last week to post a 38-17 win vs. Army. In conference action, San Diego State ended Utah's 10-game home win streak with a 28-19 victory in Salt Lake City. BYU evened its league record after downing Colorado State, 24-14, in Provo. New Mexico snapped a three-game losing streak with a 27-24 win at Wyoming, while Air Force snapped a four-game skid with a 42-7 win over UNLV.
In all non-league games, the MWC is 13-12 overall in 2005. The MWC is 4-5 in road/neutral games vs. automatic-qualifying BCS conferences (5-7 overall).
TCU Becomes Bowl Eligible
TCU became the first Mountain West team to earn a bowl berth this season after improving to 6-1 with a 38-17 victory over Army Saturday. The Horned Frogs clinched their seventh bowl berth in the last eight years and fourth under head coach Gary Patterson. TCU's last bowl appearance came in 2003 when the Frogs fell to Boise State, 34-31 in the Fort Worth Bowl. New Mexico and Wyoming each have four wins on the season and are two victories away from becoming bowl eligible. The Lobos are looking for their fourth straight bowl, while the Cowboys are attempting to reach a bowl in back-to-back years for the first time in 1987-88.
Defensive Standouts
Recording 10 or more tackles in a game is a bench mark for hustle on a defense. In Week 7 of play in the MWC, four MWC teams had three or more players record double-figure tackle totals. San Diego State led the way with five players in double-figure tackles in the 28-19 win at Utah. LB Joe Martin led the team with 12, followed by S Reggie Grigsby (11), DB Marcus Demps (10), DL Nick Osborn (10) and Kurt Kahui (10). In Colorado State's loss at BYU, LB Courtney Jones (13), DB Travis Garcia (12) and LB John Nichols (10) all tallied 10 or more tackles. SS Ron Rockett (17), FS John Wendling (13) and LB Ward Dobbs (11) all reached the double figure mark for Wyoming despite falling to New Mexico. In UNLV's loss at Air Force, LB Omega Faga (12), LB Beau Bell (11) and DB Joe Miklos (10) each recorded at least 10 tackles.
Introducing Wyoming's Jovon Bouknight
Wyoming senior wide receiver/kick returner Jovon Bouknight is one of the most productive active players in college football. Bouknight ranks among the Top 5 players in the nation in several active career categories -- receptions (third), receiving yards (third), all-purpose yards (third) and receiving touchdowns (tied third). This past weekend, Bouknight had the second best game of his career in terms of all-purpose yardage with 246 all-purpose yards in the 27-24 loss to New Mexico. Bouknight had 106 receiving yards, 110 in kickoff returns (including a 77-yard return) and 30 rushing yards on a fake punt. His best career all-purpose game came against Utah in 2004 with 253 all-purpose yards. It was the 10th 100-yard receiving game of his career and fourth of this season. Bouknight has had 100 or more yards receiving in eight of the last 11 games. He now has 3,166 career receiving yards, 213 career receptions, an MWC record 25 career TD receptions and 5,107 career all-purpose yards. Bouknight is Wyoming's career leader in all-purpose yards and is second all-time in career receiving yards in MWC history.
What You May Have Missed in Week Seven...
+ BYU RB Curtis Brown carried the ball 31 times for 147 yards and scored two touchdowns, marking season-high numbers in each category, in the 24-14 victory over Colorado State. Brown had his eighth career 100-yard game--tied for second most in BYU history--by halftime as he ran for 103 yards on 18 carries in the opening half. BYU is 7-1 when Brown rushes for over 100 yards. The only loss came in 2004 against UNLV when he had 102 yards on eight carries.
+ Utah QB Brian Johnson completed 31-of-47 passes for a career-high 417 yards. It was the 10th-most single-game passing yards in Utah history, while the 31 completions tied for the seventh best all-time. He also rushed 16 times for 66 yards and one TD. Johnson had 483 yards of total offense--fourth most in a single game by a Ute.
+ Utah WR Brian Hernandez had career highs in receptions (7) and yards (148) against SDSU.
+ San Diego State WR Jeff Webb caught nine passes for 142 yards and two TDs in the 28-19 win at Utah. It was Webb's third 100-yard receiving game this season and ninth of his career.
+ TCU QB Jeff Ballard completed 22-of-29 passes for 219 yards. He accounted for four TDs (2 passing, 2 rushing) in a 38-17 win over Army and had the seventh-best single-game completion percentage in TCU history. Ballard also rushed for 45 yards on nine carries
+ Wyoming SS Ron Rockett made a career-high 17 tackles, including six solos and 11 assists against New Mexico. He also recorded one tackle for a loss for two yards. Rockett's previous career high in tackles was eight against TCU earlier this season.
+ Air Force QB Shaun Carney rushed for a season-high 83 yards on 12 attempts (6.9 yard per carry) and scored a career-high four rushing touchdowns in the 42-7 victory over UNLV. His four TDs tie as the most by a Falcon this season and are the most by a Falcon QB since Chance Harridge had four vs. BYU in 2002. Carney also hit six of seven passes for 74 yards.
