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Weber State Notebook: Football up to No. 12 in latest STATS poll; more notes

By Brett Hein - Standard-Examiner | Sep 12, 2022

ROBERT CASEY, Weber State Athletics

Weber State running back Josh Davis (20) scores a 17-yard touchdown against Utah State in a game Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in Logan.

Weber State moved up in this week’s national football polls, though perhaps not as much as anticipated, for its 35-7 beating of Utah State in Week 2 of the college football season.

The Wildcats jumped to No. 12 in the STATS FCS Top 25, a poll voted upon by media writers and conference officials from around the country. WSU was ranked No. 16 entering last week.

North Dakota State expectedly retains its spot atop the perch at No. 1.

In the Big Sky, Montana and Montana State stayed put at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, after home wins over FCS teams. Sacramento State fell one spot to No. 8; the Hornets beat Utah Tech 56-33 in Week 1 and did not play last week.

Eastern Washington dropped two spots to No. 14 after taking a 70-14 loss at Oregon. UC Davis is the third team in the “also receiving votes” category after losing 24-22 to No. 2 South Dakota State.

WILLIAMS POW HONORS

Weber State senior safety Desmond Williams was named the Big Sky’s co-defensive player of the week. Williams grabbed a game-changing interception in the third quarter and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to essentially clinch Weber’s win at USU.

Williams also totaled six tackles and a pass breakup. He’s second in total tackles through two games for WSU.

MORE FOOTBALL NOTES

While WSU went up just four spots in the STATS poll, the Wildcats did see other publications or formulas consider the decisive win over an FBS team more strongly.

Bill Connelly’s (ESPN) SP+ ranking moved the Wildcats up to No. 10 in the FCS. Versus Sports Simulator saw WSU go up seven spots to No. 6. Jeff Sagarin‘s longtime computer ratings now have Weber State as the No. 4 team in FCS. In a ranking of all 261 Division I (FBS and FCS) teams, North Dakota State is 56, South Dakota State 85, Montana 86 and Weber State 87.

Weber State leads the country (FCS and FBS) in defensive interceptions with seven, two more than any other FCS team this season, after grabbing four against Utah State. The Wildcats are also tops in the FCS (third in all Division I) in third-down conversion defense, holding opponents to a conversion rate of 13.8%.

Cornerback Maxwell Anderson is second in the FCS with three individual interceptions.

VOLLEYBALL 1-2 IN CALI

Weber State volleyball went 1-2 in a multi-team event in California over the weekend.

WSU was swept for the first time this season, a 25-18, 25-14, 28-26 road loss to a UC Irvine squad that has now won six straight.

The Wildcats also fell 3-1 at Cal State Fullerton to end the trip.

In between, WSU swept Gonzaga on Friday, 25-18, 25-23, 25-15. Dani Richins and Emma Mangum each had 11 kills, with Richins adding 10 digs. Baylee Bodily had three blocks, Kate Standifird 36 assists and Makayla Sorensen 23 digs.

Weber State (5-4) finishes nonconference play this week. WSU travels Thursday to face Utah Valley, then hosts Utah State at 2 p.m. Saturday.

SOCCER DROPS TWO

Weber State women’s soccer dropped two more contests last week.

The Wildcats dropped a 2-1 decision Friday at Pacific. Rachel Twede scored an equalizer in the first half but Pacific notched a second-half goal to win it.

Sunday, WSU lost 1-0 at Utah Tech when the Trailblazers punched in a goal in the 87th minute. Weber outshot UTU 10-8, including a 5-4 advantage in on-goal takes.

Weber State (1-6) is the only team in the Big Sky to have a win or loss in every decision of the season, while Montana leads the league with four games ending in a draw.

WSU finishes nonconference play by hosting Gonzaga at 7 p.m. Thursday in only the second home contest of the nine-game nonconference schedule.

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