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2018 Mountain West Football Rankings

Who should be No. 1 heading into 2018?

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

2018 here we go.

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The 2017 season is over and done with but with that, it is time to look ridiculously ahead to the 2018 season and our staff decided to put together the first set of rankings.

Now, a lot will change from now until the final week of August for our preseason rankings and we will likely post a few in between when warranted. Spring football, transfers, injuries, suspensions and incoming recruits will play a part in any changes in our next poll.

The most interesting note in this poll is not that there are four teams receiving first place votes but rather the disparity of where Wyoming comes in the rankings.

The Cowboys do receiver a first-place vote and a lot has to do with the defense that is mostly intact and also the offense returns a lot of skill players sans Josh Allen. Wyoming received votes in every position except for third, 10th, 11th and 12th; so all over the board.

Boise State earned seven of the 10 first-place votes and that has to do with who the starters which the Broncos have back. It all starts with quarterback Brett Rypien and running back Alexander Mattison, plus a trio of offensive lineman. A huge loss is wide receiver Cedrick Wilson and tight end Jake Roh.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Broncos do lose Leighton Vander Esch to the NFL Draft but he is just one of two defenders loss from the starting 11. So, it should not be too surprising that the Broncos earned the top spot.

San Diego State comes in as second with a single first-place vote even though they will be losing arguably its best all-around player ever in Rashaad Penny. However, to back up this second place positioning is because of the five returning offensive lineup starting lineup, starting quarterback Christian Chapman and the running back position should be just fine with Juwan Washington taking over the role.

It would be irresponsible to say Washington should just line up and be the third-straight 2,000-yard rusher for the Aztecs, but he will be very good and one of the best in the league.

Fresno State being third and receiving no first-place votes is surprising as they return a ton of talent off of its 10-4 team from 2017. QB Marcus McMaryion will actually have a spring and fall camp to get even better because remember he came in after fall camp. The top four running backs are back as are a trio of offensive lineman and eight defenders off of one of the best units in the league.

The other team to earn a first-place vote is Colorado State. The Rams, like Boise State, lose one of its great receivers in Michael Gallup and he will be very hard to replace.

They also lose Nick Stevens at quarterback but the cupboard is not empty as Collin Hill did see time as a true freshman by playing in five games, starting four. In that 2016 campaign, Hill completed 75 of 129 passes for 1,096 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions. Some argue that Hill is better than Stevens. Colorado State has two new coordinators and its defense really needs to step it up and the hope is that newly hired John Jancek, the former Tennessee DC, will help shore up the defense.

These power rankings are compiled by our staff as well as readers who subscribe to our Patreon page, so if you want your voice heard or want to hijack the poll (please don’t) go subscribe to participate and help support our website.

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