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San Diego State will enter the 2016 season on the nation’s second longest winning streak, but are the Aztecs the favorite to win the Mountain West? Will the Boise State Broncos return to form? What about Nevada? The Wolf Pack capped off last season with a nice bowl win over Colorado State. While it’s far too early to really predict how the conference will shape out, below are the way-too-early Mountain West Conference rankings for 2016.

Early 2016 Mountain West Conference Rankings

1. Boise State

The Broncos should be back to being the Broncos coming off the dominant bowl win. QB Brett Rypien leads a veteran offense with almost all the top receivers returning and Jeremy NcNichols leading a good running backs corps. The defensive front three is an issue with all the starter gone and with hybrid Kamalei Corra leaving for the draft, but the linebacking corps should be good and the secondary has just enough back to be okay. All the tools are in place, which is why they sit atop the early Mountain West Conference rankings for next season.

2. San Diego State

The defending champs aren’t going to take a step back, especially offensively with Donnel Pumphrey returning to lead the running game behind a line with three good starters. The passing game wasn’t great, but it should be good enough with QB Christian Chapman back along with two good targets. The killer D gets four of the five starters back in the secondary and a strong linebacking corps returning. Two of the three starters return up front.

3. Nevada

The NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl winner should be able to build on its strong finish with a loaded team returning. Counting RB James Butler as a starter, ten starters are back on offense including all five starters up front to protect QB Tyler Stewart. The defensive front seven is the issue with everyone gone, but the entire secondary is back.

4. Air Force

The Air Force ground game should be dominant again with the six top running backs back with QB Pate Davis also returning. He might not have big numbers, but Jalen Robinette should be among the best receivers in the Mountain West. The line is the problem with just two starters back. The secondary will be stellar with all four starters back, and five of the starting seven are back up front.

5. New Mexico

After a breakthrough season, the Lobos should be even stronger defensively with everyone back on the front seven including a good line full of seniors. The secondary loses CB Cranston Jones, but that’s it. The ground game will be excellent again with QB Lamar Jordan back along with RB Teryion Gipson, but the line needs some reworking with just two starters back. The receiving corps needs new options.

6. Utah State

Can the Aggie defense go back to being dominant? It’ll be tough with way too many losses up front with just two starters returning to the front seven and just two starters returning to the secondary. The offense should be the star with Kent Myers ready to shine at quarterback with LaJuan Hunt and Devante Mays a strong 1-2 rushing punch behind a line that welcomes back four starters. TE Wyatt Houston returns, but the receiving corps is a problem.

7. San Jose State

There’s no replacing RB Tyler Ervin and all he was able to do, but there’s depth at running back, four starters returning on the line, and Kenny Potter returning at quarterback. Tim Crawley leads a good-looking receiving corps. Six starters are back on the defensive front seven that only loses DT Tony Popovich, and two starters return to the secondary.

8. Colorado State

This might be a bit of a rebuilding year for Mike Bobo’s club with Rashard Higgins gone and the receiving corps needing plenty of tweaking. The line is the strength with four starters back, and QB Nick Stevens and RB Dalyn Dawkins are good players to work around. The defense loses all four starters up front and three starters in the secondary, but two of the three starters return at linebacker.

9. UNLV

Is this when the Rebels can finally turn the corner? Second-year head coach Tony Sanchez has the experience returning to build around. Six starters return to the front seven including all the linebackers, while the corner situation is going to be good in a secondary that loses both starting safeties. If Kurt Palandech is the man at quarterback, the Rebels have a backfield to rely on working behind a line that gets four starters back. Devonte Boyd is the star of a rising receiving corps.

10. Fresno State

Any sort of rebound has to start with the offensive line that gets back four starters and a receiving corps that welcomes back four of the five key targets. Zack Greenlee has to be a steadier quarterback, and the backfield needs new options at running back. The porous defense needs reworking on the line and two of the starting four linebackers return. The secondary is the strength in terms of experience with three of the four starters back.

11. Wyoming

The Cowboys have to be better after a stunning disaster. The entire team will work around RB Brian Hill and a line that gets four starters back. The quarterback situation will be the concern all spring, but the top receivers are all back. Six starters are back on the front seven, but end Eddie Yarbrough is a big loss, while the young secondary that started four underclassmen is all back full.

12. Hawaii

New head coach Nick Rolovich gets more than his share of experience to play around with starting with an offense that gets back all the skill players along with four starters up front. All three starters return on the defensive front and three of the four starters are back in the secondary. The linebacking corps is the concern with just one of four starters back.

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