Few Mountain West Conference football teams can boast that they regularly hang with Boise State, but Air Force is one such club. The Falcons will attempt to do it again on Friday night when they visit the Broncos in the conference-opener for both clubs. Kickoff for the prime-time showcase comes from Albertsons Stadium at 9 p.m. ET. Boise State (3-0) has won the last two meetings and overcame a seven-point deficit to prevail 48-38 on the road last season, but the Falcons had a three-game winning streak in this rivalry that includes a memorable 37-30 upset in Boise in 2015. Air Force has one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country and is looking to build off its 30-23 upset of Colorado last week, while the Broncos rolled to a 45-10 win over FCS opponent Portland State. The Broncos are 7.5-point favorites, down a half-point from the opener, while the over-under for total points scored is 53 in the latest Boise State vs. Air Force odds. Before you finalize your Air Force vs. Boise State picks, make sure you hear what SportsLine expert Emory Hunt has to say.

Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007. The former collegiate running back joined SportsLine in 2016 and has provided his followers with winning seasons in college and pro football.

He's in the midst of another strong season, hitting 61 percent of his spread picks for SportsLine members. He's also been on the pulse of these two programs, posting a remarkable 9-3 record on against the spread picks on games involving the Falcons or Broncos over the past two seasons.

In last year's Mountain West title game, Hunt told SportsLine members that Fresno State's defense would be the key in a rematch against Boise State. He was proved correct as the Bulldogs (+3) made several key stops and prevailed 19-16 in overtime. Anyone who followed Hunt's advice booked another winner, and those who have consistently followed him are way up. Now, Hunt has zeroed in on Boise State vs. Air Force from every angle. 

Hunt knows this is a huge game in the Mountain division because the winner will be the front-runner for the conference title game, while the loser will have to make up ground and also likely be eliminated from major bowl consideration.

Not only did the Broncos show poise and patience in overcoming an 18-point deficit at Florida State, their performance the following week against Marshall was perhaps just as impressive. The Thundering Herd had several experienced returning starters from a defense that ranked No. 5 in the country last year against the run. They stacked the line of scrimmage and, despite allowing 427 total yards, repeatedly got stops in the red zone. 

Marshall also forced two turnovers to stall Boise State drives. Despite looking sluggish for much of the game and trailing 7-0 at the break, the Broncos showed plenty of resolve when it mattered most. They scored on a 47-yard pass from Bachmeier to John Hightower for a 14-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. They forced four punts and had an interception on Marshall's five ensuing possessions. They won't be intimidated by the Falcons on Friday.

Even so, the Broncos are far from assured of covering the Boise State vs. Air Force spread against a club that has had success in this series and given opponents nightmares with its triple-option attack.

The Air Force passing attack that stunned Colorado with a handful of big plays also has had success against Boise State in recent meetings. The Falcons threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns last year and 279 yards and two touchdowns in their 2015 upset. Air Force is 35-for-63 passing for 729 yards and six touchdowns against Boise State since 2014.

The Falcons rank No. 2 in the country with 356 rushing yards per game. Six different players saw carries against Colorado and combined for 5.6 yards per attempt. Plus, Air Force converted on 7-of-12 third downs and overcame three turnovers. The Falcons are a perfect 1-for-1 covering against FBS teams this season.

We can tell you Hunt is leaning under, and he's also identified the critical factor that has him all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing it at SportsLine.

Who wins Air Force vs. Boise State? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Air Force vs. Boise State spread you should jump on Friday, all from the seasoned expert who has hit 75 percent of his spread picks on these teams, and find out.