COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The defending West Division champion University of Hawai'i football team was picked to finish third in the Mountain West's preseason poll as voted by the league's media. 
 
The Rainbow Warriors, who were picked fourth last year before going on to capture their first West Division title, received 74 total points, trailing favorite San Diego State (122) and Nevada (100). The Aztecs received 19 first place votes while the Wolf Pick received the other two. Behind UH were Fresno State (73), San José State (43), and UNLV (29).
 
In the Mountain Division, defending conference champion Boise State received 20 of 21 first place votes for 125 points following Wyoming (90), who received the other first place vote. Air Force (86) was picked third followed by Utah State (60), Colorado State (59), and New Mexico (21).
 
The two divisional winners will meet in the MW Championship Game with the host the highest winning percentage in conference games only and head-to-head competition serving as the first tiebreaker. 
 
Following a 14-11 victory over San Diego State last season, the Warriors earned a share of the West Division title and went on to appear in the conference championship game for the first time in school history. Hawai'i returns 13 starters, including second-team all-Mountain West tackle Ilm Manning – one of six offensive starters – and 55 returning lettermen from that team. The 2019 squad also won the SoFi Hawai'i Bowl with a come-from-behind victory over BYU to complete a 10-win season.
 
WEST DIVISION
Rank      Team (first-place votes) – Points
1.            San Diego State (19) – 122
2.            Nevada (2) – 100
3.            Hawai'i – 74
4.            Fresno State – 73
5.            San José State – 43
6.            UNLV – 29
 
MOUNTAIN DIVISION
Rank      Team (first-place votes) – Points
1.            Boise State (20) – 125
2.            Wyoming (1) – 90
3.            Air Force – 86
4.            Utah State – 60
5.            Colorado State – 59
6.            New Mexico – 21