Computer rankings to determine MWC title game

The Mountain West title game — and its host — will be decided by computers and announced Sunday, the conference said in a news release Saturday.

Following San José State‘s upset of UNLV, both teams and Boise State sit at 6-2 in conference play.

But instead of using point differential or any other factor like head-to-head (Boise State and UNLV did not face each other) to determine the tiebreaker, the conference will instead utilize “select computer rankings” to determine which two teams will play for the title next weekend.

“The computer rankings will identify the two highest-ranked tier teams to participate in the championship game,” the conference said in its statement. “Once those two teams are identified the head-to-head result will determine the host.”

If the computers select Boise State and UNLV as the two finalists, the higher ranked team by the computers will host the game since the two did not face each other this season.

The conference has not identified or communicated what comprises the select computer rankings or what factors are being considered to determine the finalists. Until the advent of the College Football Playoff and its committee in 2014, the national title game was also decided by a combination of polls and computer rankings that made up the BCS.

Not only do Boise State, San Jose State and UNLV have identical conference records, but their respective point differentials for the season are also nearly the same for conference play.

The Broncos boast a point differential of plus-99, while the Spartans have a plus-92 and UNLV– the surprise of the season — has a plus-97.

Should UNLV be selected, it would be the Rebels’ first Mountain West championship appearance.