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The 2024 college football season is just over one month away, and things are ramping up all across the country as practices and media days get going.
The Mountain West conference remains among the most notable non-P5 conferences in the sport, with Boise State in particular primed for a potentially record-breaking season if they can sneak into the newly expanded College Football Playoffs.
Mountain West programs are scheduled to take on some of football’s biggest and most recognizable squads – including teams making moves to new conferences like Oregon, Texas, and SMU.
Below is a look at the five biggest nonconference matchups for the Mountain West in the 2024 season, with honorable mentions going to SMU at Nevada on August 24 as well as New Mexico at Auburn and Air Force at Baylor both on September 14.
1
Fresno State Bulldogs at Michigan Wolverines
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 1
Location: The Big House (Ann Arbor, MI)
Fresno State heads to the Big House to take on the Michigan Wolverines in a game that now has added intrigue with the sudden retirement of legendary coach Jeff Tedford and internal promotion of coach Tim Skipper on an interim basis.
A win wasn’t expected, but with a lot of new faces in Ann Arbor perhaps the Bulldogs can pull off a stunner and ease the minds of fans worried about the program’s direction without Tedford in the mix.
2
Boise State Broncos at Oregon Ducks
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 2
Location: Autzen Stadium (Eugene, OR)
Boise State is among the best non-P5 teams in the country, and they’ll get a crack at one of the best teams in college football period when they take on Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks in Eugene in Week 2.
The 10:00 PM ET kickoff between these two premier west coast programs gives off ‘Pac-12 after dark’ vibes, and should be a highly entertaining affair in the early part of the season.
3
Colorado State Rams at Texas Longhorns
Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 1
Location: Darrell K Royal- Texas Memorial Stadium (Austin, TX)
Colorado State will head to Austin before the calendar flips to September to take on the Texas Longhorns in what will be UT’s first official game as a member of the SEC.
The Longhorns have an elite matchup with Michigan the following week, giving the Rams a real chance at keeping this one close if Texas struggles to focus when looking ahead to the battle with the Wolverines.
4
UNLV Runnin Rebels at Kansas Jayhawks
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 2
Location: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium (Lawrence, KS)
UNLV vs Kansas is a rematch of last year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl, where the Jayhawks pulled off a 49-36 victory. The Runnin Rebels will be looking for revenge in this one, and will have already taken on a fellow Big 12 opponent in Houston on August 31.
With Syracuse on the schedule in October, the Rebels have one of the tougher nonconference slates in the Mountain West.
5
BYU Cougars at Wyoming Cowboys
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
When: Week 2
Location: War Memorial Stadium (Laramie, WY)
The Cowboys of Wyoming first take on Arizona State in the Big 12 on August 31, and then get a second Big 12 opponent in BYU who they will host in Laramie on September 14.
Wyoming took out Texas Tech in 2OT last year and will look to similarly pick off quality high major opponents this season, with the Week 2 matchup against BYU lining up to be a really good one.
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Courtesy : https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/mountain-west-football-nonconference-matchups-boise-state/