Here’s how Fresno State stacks up in the Mountain West preseason rankings

San Diego State and Boise State were favored to play for the Mountain West championship, Fresno State picked last in its division, and Wyoming quarterback and Firebaugh native Josh Allen named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year as the conference’s Media Summit opened Tuesday.

Fresno State, coming off a 1-11 season, received 47 points in the West Division poll, better than only Utah State’s 28 in the Mountain.

Top to bottom in the West, San Diego State was followed by Hawaii, UNLV, Nevada, San Jose State and Fresno State. The Aztecs received all 28 first-place votes.

“People, media, is going to say everything they want, but when it comes down to the bottom line it’s up to us – up to the players, up to the coaches,” said Fresno State defensive tackle Nate Madsen, half of the two-man player contingent on hand for the Bulldogs. “That’s really what it comes down to. It wouldn’t be the first time someone picked a team for last and they ended up first or second.

“I don’t care whether they say we’re first, second, third or last, it doesn’t matter to me. At the end of the day we all have to do our jobs and we have to be a great team. That’s all that really matters.”

Wideout KeeSean Johnson, representing the Bulldogs’ offense, echoed Madsen.

“I feel like being picked last, it doesn’t mean much,” Johnson said. “Everyone’s record is 0-0 right now. They don’t know who is going to be No. 1 and they don’t know who is going to be No. 6 by the end of the season.

“Obviously, if you’re a competitor, it’s going to give you a little more of a boost to show yourself. But that’s what we work out for every day, what we work out hard for as a team and compete as a team. That’s what it counts for.”

In the Mountain Division, Boise State was followed by Colorado State, Wyoming, Air Force, New Mexico and Utah State. The Broncos received 21 firsts, Colorado State six and Wyoming one.

Wyoming also has the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in defensive back Andrew Wingard.

The Special Teams Preseason Player of the Year is San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny, also named one of two Preseason All-Conference running backs.

Fresno State did not have a player named to the preseason all-conference team.

San Jose State (and former Clovis West High star) Andre Chachere and Boise State’s Tyler Horton (Edison) were among four Preseason All-Conference defensive backs.

San Diego State’s David Wells, a Clovis North alum, is the Preseason All-Conference tight end.

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 7:59 AM with the headline "Here’s how Fresno State stacks up in the Mountain West preseason rankings."