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San Diego State quarterback Kevin Craft is sacked by BYU linebacker David Nixon. The Aztecs picked up a dubious distinction this week, earning the No. 4 spot in ESPN.com's weekly Bottom 10 poll, which ranks the worst Division I football teams in the country.

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Mountain West Conference football coaches are learning to keep their mouths shut.

Rocky Long was publicly reprimanded for speaking out against officials during the University of New Mexico's 24-7 loss at Air Force.

If Long or any other coach reprimanded by the conference this season shares any unkind words about the conference or officials, the league's sportsmanship policy states they should be suspended for two games.

The conference sends out news releases announcing every time it reprimands a coach.

Mountain West officials aren't held to quite the same standard, taking their medicine for making mistakes in private.

Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said during the league's weekly teleconference reprimands of officials are not made public. Football officials' names also are not disclosed to protect their security.

"That's just conference policy," Thompson said.

Replay official Gordon Riese highlighted the fallout referees faced after botching a pivotal call in the Oregon-Oklahoma game earlier this season and receiving death threats.

Long and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham were careful to observe the league's restrictions barring cross words against all things Mountain West this week.

It's doubtful the coaches are happy about playing Thursday night without the benefit of national television exposure. The Lobos-Utes game will be broadcast on the Mountain, which is available only in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Idaho.

"We're disappointed we're not on a national audience," Long said. "I think that's the idea behind playing on Thursday night. I also understand this is the first year with our TV package and there are going to be some problems with it. It will get better as we go."

Whittingham wouldn't touch the topic.

"No comment," he said. "No reprimand for me. We're playing New Mexico on Thursday night. Who's broadcasting it is of no consequence, we just desperately need to get a win."

Here's a look at other conference games, which all will be played Saturday:

Colorado State (4-2, 1-1) at Wyoming (3-4, 2-1): The Lobos get to sit back and watch their next foe, Colorado State, take on the Cowboys in the annual Border War on CSTV. The teams, located about one hour apart, have a heated and long-running rivalry. They will likely be slugging it out in the snow this year.

Wyoming is on a two-game winning streak, while Colorado State is still smarting from giving up 21 unanswered points and losing to Air Force last week.

UNLV (1-5, 1-2) at BYU (4-2, 2-0): Rebels senior Shane Steichen won the starting quarterback job with his five-touchdown performance in UNLV's overtime loss to the Lobos last week.

He will face a tall test, leading the struggling Rebels at conference championship front-runner BYU.

TCU (3-2, 0-2) at Army (3-4): The Horned Frogs are looking to recover from a nasty tumble, going from potential Bowl Championship Series busters to the middle of the Mountain West Conference pack.

Their game at Army won't be as easy as it would have been in the past. Army is playing its best football since 1996 and only needs three more wins in its final five games to accept its invitation to the Poinsettia Bowl, where it will face a Mountain West Conference team.

Air Force (3-2, 3-0) at San Diego State (0-5, 0-2): The Aztecs picked up a dubious distinction this week, earning the No. 4 spot in ESPN.com's weekly Bottom 10 poll, which ranks the worst Division I football teams in the country.

The Falcons will have be careful to avoid overlooking San Diego State and focusing on its big showdown with BYU next week, a game that could decide the conference title.