The Mountain West sees its second conference game of the season in Week Two when North Dakota opens conference play at Air Force.

One of those teams will join UNLV at the top of the standings.

Meanwhile, the Rebels have their second tough non-conference matchup in three weeks against a team from the American.

The only other FBS matchup of the week sees Hawaii host New Mexico State in a late-night battle.

Here are my previews of this weekend’s matchups.

UNLV at North Texas

Saturday, September 5
12:45 PM PT,  ESPNU

Line: UNLV –3.5
Over/Under: 57.5

For the second time this season the Rebels will tangle with an opponent from the American.

After falling at home to Memphis in the opener, UNLV will now take their 1-1 record to Denton, Texas for a meeting with North Texas.

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The Mean Green have an entirely different roster in the first season under former West Virginia head coach Neal Brown. They opened at defending champion Indiana last week, falling by a big number, but holding their own for a large portion of the game.

North Texas looked like they belong and certainly will not be without confidence entering their home opener.

Jackson Arnold is coming off a big game against Hawaii, a huge conference win for the Rebels. In the win, the QB ran for 89 yards but only managed 116 yards through the air on 8-of-16 passing.

The Mean Green did a good job of bottling up what should be a good Indiana ground attack, but did give up a big run late to the Hoosiers’ backup QB due to a blown assignment.

If UNT can’t shore up their assignments against the QB run, Arnold could make them pay.  I think the Mean Green will be more disciplined this week, and the late-game errors could prove to be a good learning experience moving forward.

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Similar to UNLV with Arnold, North Texas has a QB with Power 4 experience in Tayven Jackson, who started his career at Tennessee before moving to Indiana and UCF.

Jackson is athletic with a live arm and could do some damage against the Rebels with his legs and his arm.

UNLV would like to carry momentum into their open week, but I think it is North Texas that pulls the upset this week.

Winner:  North Texas
ATS:  North Texas 
O/U: Under

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Northern Colorado at Wyoming

Saturday, September 5
1:00 PM PT,  MW+

Line: Wyoming –23.5
Over/Under: 48.5

UNC is 0-2 following a tight loss to Weber State in Week 0 and falling to FCS power South Dakota last week.

The Cowboys are coming off a difficult opener at Colorado State in a game in which I thought they would perform much better.

The Bears could prove to be the elixir to fix what ails UW.  The Pokes are 53-12-1 all-time in non-conference home openers and that 80% win percentage should get even better this season.

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Despite the opening loss to CSU, Wyoming had some bright spots.

Esaia Bogar’s 11 tackles were the third-most for a Cowboy defensive lineman since 2012. Ethan Stuhlsatz tallied 15 tackles in the opener, third-most per game nationally in this very young season.

The Cowboys will need more consistency on offense this season, and I expect a better performance from Tyler Hughes in this one.

Winner:  Wyoming
ATS:  Wyoming
O/U: Under

North Dakota State at Air Force

Saturday, September 5
7:00 PM PT, FS1

Line: North Dakota State –2.5
Over/Under: 47.5

The Mountain West era for North Dakota State gets underway in full this week with a conference visit to Air Force.

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If the Bison are to crash the MW party this season and shock the world with a conference crown in Year One, this is a must-win. NDSU faces all four of the perceived top teams in the conference on the road, including this visit to Colorado Springs.

Both teams are coming off shutout wins over FCS opponents; for the Bison, this is game three as they also picked up a Week 0 win over Jacksonville State.

NDSU has looked pretty dominant in its first two wins as an FBS member, and the Bison look like they might continue their dominance in many games.

Air Force certainly got their running game going early, rushing for 431 yards on 71 carries in the blowout win over Duquesne.

Running the ball will not be as easy against the Bison, who have limited opponents to just 52 yards per game on the ground this season. But NDSU has not seen a running game like the Falcons’ this season.

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The Falcons will get their yards on the ground, but I think NDSU will also move the ball on Air Force. NDSU will pick up a critical road win in their first Mountain West game.

This one stays tight, but look for the Bison to get the win.

Winner:  NDSU
ATS:  NDSU
O/U:  Under

Montana State at Nevada

Saturday, September 5
7:30 PM PT, The CW

Line: Montana State –3.5
Over/Under: 50.5

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Okay, Montana State is a power at the FCS level. Nevada has struggled recently, but the Wolf Pack are coming off a huge win over a solid Western Kentucky squad.

Yet, here we are with the Bobcats installed as the three-and-a-half-point favorites on the road. And that number is even down a bit from the opening line of 5.5. That says quite a bit about this matchup.

Jeff Choate had a big part in building the Bobcats into a powerhouse while guiding MSU. Now he hopes to do the same thing in Reno.

Montana State is coming off a national title last season and returns 12 starters and multiple All-Americans. The Bobcats have won their opening two games by a combined 105-24.

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But Nevada has a 35-point win over an FBS opponent under their belt. This one has to go the way of the home team, right?

Well, for me it comes down to the way the Pack beat the Hilltoppers, and it was done on the ground. Nevada ran for 323 yards at 7.7 yards per carry against WKU.

That was a physically dominant performance.

If a team can run the ball like that, it says a lot about their dominance up front. And that is where Nevada will have the edge; as talented as the Bobcats are, the depth will just not be there.

Nevada will grind out the win in this one.

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Winner:  Nevada
ATS:  Nevada
O/U: Under

writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).

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Josh Tongue intends to bowl wobble-seam more often after his first attempt at it gave him a wicket as England took charge against embattled Pakistan at Edgbaston.

The delivery which causes unpredictable movement off the pitch has been in-vogue this summer, with Ollie Robinson using it to devastating effect, taking 19 wickets in this series at an average of 6.84.

While Tongue has an impressive arsenal himself, the paceman turned to Robinson for advice on wobble-seam and started bowling it in the nets this week before deciding on unleashing it in the middle.

Saud Shakeel played a lone hand for Pakistan but was bowled through the gate for 43 as Pakistan were all out for a paltry 133, with Tongue earning a grudging nod of respect from the middle-order batter.

“I’ve spoken to Robbo quite a bit about it, obviously he’s unbelievable at that (wobble-seam) and he’s showed that throughout the series,” Tongue said.

“I just tried a couple of things in training the other day. That was the first time I bowled it in a game and it got me a wicket so I’ll be using it again.”

Tongue claimed four for 42 while Robinson and Jofra Archer shared six wickets as Pakistan’s shake-up since going 2-0 down in the three-match series had minimal impact on their miserable fortunes.

England then went to stumps on the opening day on 156 for four and a lead of 23 thanks to fifties from Emilio Gay and Harry Brook.

“An unbelievable performance from everyone,” Tongue said. “The pitch looked a good one and winning the toss and bowling first, there’s probably a bit of pressure on us as bowlers. But we did really well.

“I still want to improve massively and I feel like I’m in the best position I can be at the minute.”

While Brook will resume on 52 not out after surviving a testing period late on from Mohammad Abbas with the wicketkeeper up to the stumps, Gay dragged on off Razaullah, one of three Pakistan debutants, for 60.

Razaullah, a 21-year-old operating at 90mph, had already dismissed England captain Joe Root for his 10th lbw in 13 innings before Gay, having put on 104 alongside Brook, perished to the youngster.

Gay was averaging 23.44 from his first five Tests albeit after batting on a succession of seam bowler-friendly pitches, and he will rue the inability to make a substantial score and ink himself into England’s winter plans.

“The one thing I’ve seen in Emilio is he trains really hard in the nets, he’ll bat for ages putting a lot of hard work in and it’s shown out on the pitch now,” Tongue added.

“Even (in the last Test) at Lord’s, he had two quite horrible dismissals, but he batted unbelievably well on a tricky pitch. He was obviously really disappointed how he got out, it’s not a nice feeling, chopping on.

“But he’s put the team in a really good position for tomorrow. That first hour tomorrow is going to be very crucial, we’ve just got to get through that first bit and hopefully get a bigger lead.”

England took early control of the third and final Test against Pakistan after a day of dominance with bat and ball, closing the day on 156-4, giving the home side a lead of 23 at stumps, after earlier bowling Pakistan out for 133 at Edgbaston.

MATCH REPORT: England v Pakistan – Third Test, Day One

Available to UK users only.

Lionel Messi is poised to become the majority shareholder at second-division side Eldense, the Spanish club said on Wednesday. Eldense, based near the port city of Alicante in south-east Spain, confirmed to The Associated Press that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had reached a preliminary agreement with the club’s owners. The deal will see him buy the shares held by Grupo TH Soluciones, subject to the completion of the remaining legal and contractual procedures. The club did not provide financial details and did not say when the contract would be completed.

Eldense will become the second Spanish club the Argentina star has invested in. Earlier this year, he became the owner of a fifth-division side, Barcelona-based UE Cornella.

Eldense fired coach Claudio Barragan on Sunday after claiming just two points from four league matches this season.

Messi has built a strong bond with Spain. He arrived at Barcelona at age 13, when he and his family came to the country to try his luck at the club’s youth academy.

He was the best player of his generation during two decades at Barcelona, where he won multiple titles before leaving in 2021.

Now aged 39, Messi was named this week on the shortlist for another Ballon d’Or award after guiding Argentina to a runner-up finish at the World Cup and winning Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.

Messi’s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo also has a stake in a second division club in Spain – Almeria.

He visto una estadistica que decia que en aproximadamente el 100% de las perdidas de balon de Messi, Ronaldo marcaba en el 80% de ellas.

En los Clasicos… pic.twitter.com/6lMldsjC7v

— Arielipillo (@ArielipilloPlus) September 9, 2026

Ronaldo holds a 25% stake in Almeria, while SMC Group owns the remaining 75% of the Spanish club.

Almeria beat Eldense 3-0 when the two teams met earlier during the league season.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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CWG 2026 Weightlifting Gold Medallist, Mirabai Chanu Get Hero’s Welcome in Delhi

Fantasy football analyst Hayden Winks reveals his top-12 wide receiver rankings and analysis for Week 1. He’ll continue to update his rankings for every position throughout the week. He also wrote about two lower-ranked WRs playing in Wednesday ‘s season opener.

WR1. Puka Nacua (vs. SF) – 88.5 proj. receiving yards

Nacua easily finished as half PPR’s WR1, scoring 2.8 more points per game than Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He did it by averaging 108 yards and 8.1 receptions, not by TDs. If Nacua chips away at Davante Adams‘ league-high 0.76 TDs per game in the red zone, then he could have a record-breaking season. For reference, Nacua was at 0.32.

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Nacua has “only” averaged 8.2-85-0.60 receiving in five career contests against the 49ers, good for 16.2 half PPR points per game. But those also included two games of 52% and 43% snaps, so he’s roasted them just like every other team on a per-snap basis. The 49ers are dealing with return-to-play front-seven players who are being dragged on 15+ hour flights, and their secondary is just okay.

Nacua is projected for a league-high 88.5 receiving yards on a league-high 11.5 targets this week. LA has a 26.0-point team total, which is notably lower than their nearly 30-point scoring average from 2025.

WR2. Ja’Marr Chase (vs. TB) – 87.5 proj. receiving yards

Chase is the WR1 on WR1 expected points in games with Joe Burrow healthy over the past three seasons, averaging 21.5 PPR points per game. The offense may tinker its design a little bit this year by going under center a bit more in order to hunt more explosives on the ground, but this will still be a pass-first offense. It’s possible they have more explosives off play-action and down the field because of the tinkered design, too.

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Chase gets a pass-funnel matchup to start off. The Bucs were sixth in passing yards allowed versus 27th in rush yards. Teams facing DT Vita Vea simply pass the ball, and that’s especially true with fairly unproven starters at CB2 and in the slot. The Bengals are third in projected points (27.0), and Chase will eat. He’s projected for 87.5 yards on 10.5 targets. Only Puka Nacua has the edge over him this week.

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WR3. Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. NO) – 78.5 proj. receiving yards

When David Montgomery either missed the game or finished with five carries (10 game sample), Amon-Ra has averaged 20.9 PPR points and 21.8 expected points. Both are WR1 overall caliber. In those games, he’s averaged 8.4 receptions, 102.5 yards, and 0.60 touchdowns. His average depth of target drops, as he becomes an extension of the run game. Well, Monty is gone and even current RB2 Isiah Pacheco is out.

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The Lions have the highest team total of Week 1 (28.75 points), and the Saints have 2025 third-rounder Jonas Sanker in the slot to defend him. There is nothing negative to say about the set up this week. I’m surprised his betting market projections aren’t even higher: 6.5 for 78.5 on 9.5 targets.

WR4. Justin Jefferson (vs. GB) – 73.5 proj. receiving yards

Just throw out the 2025 season. Everything else has been pure greatness. Jefferson averaged 100 receiving yards from 2022-24 in games without Josh Dobbs and Jaren Hall. That’s enough to flirt with WR1 overall if Kyler Murray can reach the Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold tier. That seems within range!

The Packers without Micah Parsons are a great spot to start out hot. In five games without him to close last year, they allowed the fifth-highest EPA per dropback and eighth most passing yards per game, with the lowest sack rate (2.2%). Heck, even Jefferson put up 101 yards in Week 18 with J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer!

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The Packers are starting Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine at outside CB, and they will reportedly play more man coverage and do it with more off coverage. That’s dangerous against Jefferson’s gumby-like movements.

Jefferson is back to elite WR1 status in this home, domed matchup. Minnesota has the 10th-highest team total of the week.

WR5. Chris Olave (at DET) – 77.5 proj. receiving yards

In a new role that led to more underneath targets, Olave posted a career-best WR7 per-game finish on WR6 usage under HC Kellen Moore. He had improved QB play from rookie Tyler Shough, and Olave really took off without Rashid Shaheed after Week 10. From that point forward, he averaged 9.9 targets per game and 86 yards. Both are very clear WR1 numbers. Nothing has materially changed from that dominant stretch.

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The matchup is amazing. The Saints project for 21.25 points against the Lions, and the game script is obviously pass first as 7.0-point dogs in a dome environment. Both offenses play with aggressive pace, and the Lions’ secondary is a total mess. ESPN’s Ben Solak notes the Lions starting secondary is the oldest of any team in the last 15 years. They don’t have the speed to match with Olave. They won’t have safties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.

Only Puka Nacua projects for more targets (10.5) by the betting markets.

WR6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (vs. NE) – 82.5 proj. receiving yards

JSN vs. CB1 Christian Gonzalez is the biggest matchup of Week 1, and it happens on the NFL season opener. Let’s go. Smith-Njigba ran 32 routes in the Super Bowl before leaving injured, and Gonzalez did travel with him plenty. It wasn’t every snap, of course, but there were times where he’d travel with him in the slot and C-Go did go to JSN’s side of the formation more times than not. JSN had 27 yards on nine targets. Gonzalez also semi-shadowed Courtland Sutton in the AFC Conference Championship.

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This time around, the Seahawks are projected for 23.75 points (11th) at home with a first-time play-caller. The offense will remain balanced with downfield play-action shots as the primary focus of the pass game. It’ll be nearly impossible to replicate the +10.2 completion percentage over expected that JSN had last year with a white hot Sam Darnold, but JSN is in consideration for best route runner in the league. Darnold has always had a great deep ball, too.

WR rooms facing the Patriots last year averaged 24 fewer receiving yards than their season-long average. They’re extra solid against No. 1 WRs because of Gonzalez. They held Courtland Sutton to 17 yards, Quentin Johnston to 20 yards and Jayden Higgins (without Nico Collins) to 59 yards during their playoff run as an example.

This is a challenging opener for JSN. He’s still projected for 82.5 receiving yards by the betting markets. That’s a real discount to his 100-yard average from 2025.

WR7. CeeDee Lamb (at NYG) – 76.5 proj. receiving yards

Lamb has averaged 90 receiving yards per game from 2022-2025 when Dak Prescott has started. He’s the WR3 on WR5 usage and a 26% target share (WR5) over that span.

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With George Pickens balling out last year, Lamb averaged 89 receiving yards per game on a 26% target share, if we remove his two injured games. He was the WR8 on WR6 usage, with the only real difference being he scored 0.25 touchdowns per game rather than his baseline of 0.37. Long story short, Pickens’ breakout just made the Cowboys a better offense. It didn’t really matter for Lamb’s fantasy production.

Meanwhile, the Giants are going to attempt being more stout on the ground under HC John Harbaugh, but they could get quite exposed in the secondary with Greg Newsome and Deonte Banks as their top outside CBs. Dru Phillips has had competitive moments but is a volatile slot CB, too. It’s a great matchup to open with, and the Cowboys No. 5 implied team total reflects that.

WR8. George Pickens (at NYG) – 70.5 proj. receiving yards

Pickens feasted without CeeDee Lamb last year, then in 13 games WITH Lamb, he averaged 77 YPG en route to a WR10 per-game average on WR13 usage. His targets with Lamb active had a 63% success rate (WR4) because they come when Lamb is getting the shaded coverage on the other side. One-on-one to Pickens is as good as it gets.

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That’s especially true in this great matchup. The Giants’ starting CBs were in a competition throughout camp (read: bad) and were vulnerable whenever left on islands last year. More resources will be spent loading the box with this new defensive scheme, and the Giants could get exposed through the air, even with a great pass rush. There’s simply not enough talent in the secondary.

Pickens might be a little more volatile than other fantasy WR1s, but he’s projected for a strong 70.5 yards and 8.5 targets by the betting markets. Those are less than what he averaged with Lamb last year. There’s been consistent talk out of camp that Pickens was the best player on the team.

WR9. Nico Collins (vs. BUF) – 68.5 proj. receiving yards

Collins is the most likely WR to have a Jaxon Smith-Njigba type of breakout season. He’s certified elite on tape and in the advanced metrics, and the Texans’ lackluster WR depth opens up the chance for a 30% target share. Newly acquired Kayshon Boutte is a low-volume deep threat as his counterpart, and that type of profile should allow Collins to have more underneath/intermediate routes this season. That’s the difference between being a consistent fantasy WR1 and the up-and-down WR11 on WR11 usage that he was last season. I’m optimistic.

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The matchup is more neutral. The Bills have an offense that can keep pace with the Texans’ elite defense, but Buffalo was a run funnel last season, allowing the fifth most rushing yards and the second fewest pass yards per game. It’s a new scheme under DC Jim Leonard but the secondary is still a tier better than their front seven, in part because CB1 Christian Benford is legit.

The Texans are 22nd in projected points, and Collins has a 68.5-yard projection by the betting markets as a low-end WR1.

WR10. A.J. Brown (at SEA) – 62.5 proj. receiving yards

AJB had a normal training camp and heads into the year healthy, unlike last year when he had an unusually slow start with a hamstring issue. His tape and numbers bounced back halfway through 2025, and he should compete for low-end WR1 numbers in his age-29 season with an MVP-caliber QB.

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OC Josh McDaniels handed an older version of Davante Adams 180 and 175 targets just a few years ago with far worse QB play, so the upside remains intact.

The Seahawks still provide a very challenging matchup under HC Mike Macdonald with CB1 Devon Witherspoon tasked with partially stopping him. There is a potential drop down to their CB2 after Riq Woolen departed, and star SCB Nick Emmanwori (questionable) is banged up, while FS Ty Okada is ruled out.

If there’s a time to catch the Seahawks secondary, now is it. The Patriots are still projected for just 20.75 points (24th). TreVeyon Henderson will not be available, potentially setting up more dropbacks than normal.

WR11. DeVonta Smith (vs. WAS) – 66.5 proj. receiving yards

With A.J. Brown gone, Smith is the clear-cut WR1 for the first time since he broke out as a rookie in 2021. In five games without AJB since then, Smith is the WR3 in yards per game (89) on WR10 targets (9.0). It’s an extremely small sample and the Eagles have Makai Lemon now plus their red-zone rush rate, but Smith could put up top-10 receiving yards if OC Sean Mannion proves to be an upgrade over last year’s static play-caller.

Smith was just at 64 YPG and 7.0 targets in games with AJB over that same sample. This could be a 10-20 receiving yards per game trade for Smith.

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The matchup is ripe for a big outing. The Commanders were horrific last year in every phase. They were eighth worst against fantasy WRs when adjusting for schedule, and they’re still only starting Rasul Douglas, Mike Sainristil and SCB Amik Robertson in the secondary with a no-namer at free safety.

WR12. Tee Higgins (vs. TB) – 60.5 proj. receiving yards

Higgins has played 39 games with Joe Burrow healthy since 2022. He’s averaged 12.3 half PPR points, equating to WR13 per-game production on WR14 usage.

There are times when the Bengals won’t be pushed and those provide lower-floor outcomes than others in this tier, but this season opener is against a pass-funnel Buccaneers defense that is routinely allowing opposing offenses to pass more than normal in neutral situations. Tampa Bay allowed the sixth-most receiving yards per game last year.

Higgins has a great ceiling with the Bengals projected for 27.0 points (third most). The betting markets have him projected for 11.4 half PPR points and 60.5 receiving yards as an upside WR2.

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Lower-ranked WRs playing Wednesday

47. Romeo Doubs (at SEA) – 36.5 proj. receiving yards

Doubs was signed to be a long-time starter on the boundary after finishing as the WR37 on WR35 usage on the Packers last year. He is an effective route runner who does most of his damage in the intermediate levels. Kayshon Boutte had this starting spot last year and was utilized far more downfield. We’ll see if his role changes in a new scheme and while playing next to a star WR like A.J. Brown.

The Seahawks are a tough matchup, of course. The good news is CB1 Devon Witherspoon will likely see a bulk of Brown, and there’s a real dropoff to CB2 Josh Jobe with Riq Woolen and other members of the secondary out of town. Star NCB Nick Emmanwori (questionable) and S Ty Okada (out) are also injured. If there’s time to sneak on in against this defense, it’s now. It’s still not a positive one any way we slice it. The Patriots have the No. 24 team total.

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56. Rashid Shaheed (vs. NE) – 31.5 proj. receiving yards

Shaheed is back on a 3-year, $51M contract after doing little as a receiver post trade. He only had 4.4 targets per game as a Seahawks last year, but the coaching staff doubled down on him throughout the offseason. He was a stand out in camp per reports.

The Seahawks will remain balanced on offense, while using play-action deep as the staple of the pass game. Shaheed should be the second target on these valuable looks but their success will be impossible to project week over week.

The Patriots have a star CB1 in Christian Gonzalez, but he’ll be tasked with stopping Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a lot of the night. CB2 Carlton Davis is decent but far more gettable.

More rankings and analysis from Hayden Winks

Aug 29, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Kevin Gausman (12) delivers the ball during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Next month, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is set to top a ‘Mexico vs. The World’ bill when he challenges Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight world title in Saudi Arabia. On the undercard, one of his stablemates will compete in another championship bout.

Canelo lost his undisputed super-middleweight throne to Terence Crawford one year ago, and an elbow injury has kept him sidelined since. In the meantime, Crawford’s retirement led to the belts being scattered, with all now claimed or reassigned.

One of those beneficiaries was Mbilli, who held the WBC Interim title and was subsequently elevated to full world champion when Crawford relinquished the belt. The French-Cameroonian is yet to fight since appearing on that Canelo-Crawford undercard, but will make his first defence against one of the biggest names in the sport

On a revised Halloween fight date, Mbilli will hope to put an end to the legendary career of Canelo in the main offering of a mammoth event, which Boxing News revealed back in July will also feature a vacant IBF super-lightweight world title bout involving Lindolfo Delgado and Arthur Biyarslanov.

Now, a source close to the event has told Boxing News that an agreement has also been signed for Mexico’s WBO featherweight world champion Rafael Espinoza to take on Venezuela’s Lorenzo Parra, who notably halted Elijah Pierce inside two rounds back in February and is rated as the number one contender with the WBO.

Espinoza has not boxed since continuing his stoppage streak with a fourth knockout in as many title defences last November, when he forced Ukraine’s Arnold Khegai to retire on his stool after 11 rounds of action.

This will be ‘Divino’s’ first fight since partnering up with Canelo trainer, Eddy Reynoso, whilst another stablemate, Jaime Munguia, could also feature on the October 31, card – which could prove to be a busy but rewarding night for coach Reynoso.

The Pac-12 had four great opportunities to show it could compete with Power Four teams and made good on three.

Boise State made the Ducks nervous until the final minutes in Eugene; Washington State gave the Huskies all they wanted in Seattle; and Oregon State had the Cougars on the ropes late in Houston.

Four more big opportunities await the conference this week.

WSU travels to Kansas State, Boise State hosts Memphis in a potential Playoff play-in, San Diego State tests UCLA on the road, and Oregon State hosts Playoff contender Texas Tech.

Here are my game previews in order of their TV broadcast times.

Washington State at Kansas State

Saturday, September 12th
9:00 AM PT, TNT

Washington State played decently in their opener against Washington. It hurt the eyes, but the Cougars were a third-down stop away from an opportunity to tie the game.

If WSU wants to find success this weekend, however, they need to find a playmaker on offense. That side of the ball proved non-existent until the fourth quarter last week.

The Cougs also lost their top receiver in Tony Freeman, who is also their best offensive player.

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The key to their matchup against Kansas State is to run the ball more efficiently. The Wildcats feature one of the best defensive ends in the Big 12, Wendell Gregory. If they don’t keep Gregory off balance, it’ll be a repeat of the Apple Cup.

Kansas State probably feels confident that scoring points in the first quarter would decide the game. Avery Johnson is a veteran quarterback but an iffy leader. Johnson’s a five-tool athlete but lacks some of the intangibles to play the position.

New KSU coach Collin Klein should work well with him, though; Klein was Johnson’s offensive coordinator his freshman year. If Johnson plays solid, the Wildcats should have enough talent to handle the Cougars.

The best way to summarize this matchup is that KSU is a slightly worse team than Washington.

WSU can hang, but can they win?

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Memphis at Boise State

Saturday, September 12th
3:00 PM PT, USA Network

Boise State’s the best team in the conference, which makes this game against Memphis dangerous. No matter how well the Broncos played against Oregon, if they lose, they’re 0-2 and probably out of the College Football Playoff.

And the Tigers showed last week they can come out West and get a victory. But maybe not the Wild West. BSU only allowed three sacks against the Ducks in the opener.

U of M played well on offense against UNLV, but their defense won them the game. They finished with six sacks and held the Rebels to 3-of-15 on third downs. It feels unlikely they can replicate this against Boise State.

The Broncos offensive line should be able to control the tempo of the contest. The combination of Roger Carreon, Jason Steele, and Daylon Metoyer is elite. With these three moving furniture for Sire Gaines and Dylan Riley, the duo should put up some big numbers.

Memphis defensive linemen Elijah Kinsler and J’Mond Tapp are excellent players, but Boise just faced the No. 2 team in the country. Tigers quarterback Marcus Stokes is also phenomenal in his own right, but Will Smith won’t let Stokes win twice.

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Look it up. Boise State—with a hat tip to the Far East Movement’s song—can still “fly like a G6.”

San Diego State at UCLA

Saturday, September 12th
4:15 PM PT, Big Ten Network

This is another game that could transform the perception of the Pac-12, one way or the other—especially after UCLA’s win at Cal.

If San Diego State gets thrashed by the Bruins, some will argue that the conference is pretty much the same as the Mountain West, except for Boise State.

But if the Aztecs win, the Pac-12 feels more credible.

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The key to this contest is for SDSU to find their identity. If the offense can replicate what it did against Portland State, then Aztec FAST is coming to life. But Jayden Denegal will need to do more to knock off the Bruins.

It feels unlikely that SDSU will be able to run for 237 yards again. UCLA only allowed 119 yards against the Bears, and Cal running back Adam Mohammed is a bruiser with speed who can play.

Denegal needs to make some downfield throws to keep the Aztecs in this matchup. UCLA scored 45 points against Cal, and Nico Iamaleava had an off game.

San Diego State will also need to find a way to stop the Bruins halfback duo of Wayne Knight and Anthony Woods. They combined for 189 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the opener. This is concerning because SDSU only returns two starters on defense.

If the Aztecs are going to pull off the upset, they’ll need other skill players to support Lucky Sutton and Denegal. No one needs this more than the SDSU, but UCLA be fighting to protect their turf.

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No. 13 Texas Tech at Oregon State

Saturday, September 12th
4:30 PM PT, CBS

Oregon State made a marvelous comeback against Houston.

If Amare Thomas didn’t make an elite catch in the fourth quarter, the game could’ve swayed. The Beavers offense had some crests and troughs in their initial outing.

OSU has to find a way to move the ball on the ground better. The Beavs only finished with 26 total yards rushing. The number looks worse because of four sacks, but they got stuffed.

However, on the positive side, Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson might be a stud. If he can play the way he did against the Cougars, anything could happen this week.

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Texas Tech is the best team OSU will face all season, but maybe the Beavers can catch them exhaling from the Brendan Sorsby thing.

The Red Raiders feature three standouts in their front seven. The most notable is A.J. Holmes Jr., a second team All-American last season. Jamond Mathis and Ben Roberts can also wreak havoc at linebacker.

Another thing to consider is that Tech’s quarterback Will Hammond hasn’t proven much at the collegiate level. They have a pack of wolves around Hammond, but he’s gotta be successful on this hunt.

And if TTU falls behind early in Reser, the leader might get shaky.

Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.

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