Around the Mtn: League boasts two of just 26 remaining unbeatens

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., -- Here's this week's Mountain West news and notes:

* Fresno State is ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 21 in the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll. At least one Mountain West program has been nationally ranked each year since the league’s inception in 1999. Furthermore, the MW has had a team ranked in the top-20 in six consecutive seasons.

* Fresno State junior WR Jalen Cropper tied a Mountain West single-game record with four receiving touchdowns against UNLV on Sept. 24. The last Bulldog to haul in four touchdown passes in a game was Davante Adams (2013).

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* Through Week 4, the Mountain West has five victories over autonomous-5 opponents, the most of any non-autonomous-5 conference in 2021. Including all 10 FBS conferences, the MW is tied for the third-most A5 victories with the ACC, and trails only the Big Ten and SEC.

* The league has a .500 record against opponents from the Pac-12 in 2021.

* In nonconference play, the Mountain West has compiled a 25-16 (.610) record, the fifth-best win percentage nationally and best among the non-autonomous-5 conferences.

* San Diego State has opened the 2021 season with a 4-0 record, which includes a pair of victories over autonomous-5 opponents (Arizona and Utah). The Aztecs are the only non-autonomous-5 team with multiples wins over autonomous-5 opponents this season.

* Wyoming is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1996 (9-0). The Cowboys and San Diego State are two of 26 undefeated teams nationally.

* San José State is riding a nine-game win streak in Mountain West play, which is tied for the third-longest active league win streak nationally. In 2020, the Spartans were 7-0 in MW play, and they haven’t lost a league contest Nov. 23, 2019.

* Fresno State RB Ronnie Rivers is the nation’s active FBS leader with 48 career touchdowns, setting the program career record on Saturday, Aug. 28. Rivers is four touchdowns shy of tying for fifth-most in Mountain West history, a spot currently held by San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny (2014-17).

* Dating back to the 2019 season, the Mountain West has won 16 games against autonomous-5 opponents, including 14 against the Pac-12.

* In the past 17 years, the Mountain West has been the top nonautonomous 5 conference nine times and second five times.

* The Mountain West has been nationally-ranked in 21 of the last 28 College Football Playoff Rankings.

* The Mountain West produced the first non-automatic-qualifying FBS team into a BCS bowl game (Utah - 2005 Fiesta Bowl) and into the College Football Playoff (Boise State - 2014 Fiesta Bowl).

University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

During the summer of 2021, 7220Sports.com counted down the Top 50 football players in University of Wyoming history, presented by Premier Bone & Joint Centers, Worthy of Wyoming.

The rules are simple: What was the player's impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.

This isn't a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220's Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.

We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS -- only we hope this catalog is fairer.

Don't agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports - #Top50UWFB

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

Filed Under: Mountain West Conference