UNLV head football coach Dan Mullen said he wasn’t sure about wide receiver Jaden Bradley’s future when the coach first arrived in Las Vegas.
Bradley is in the fifth year of his college career, and he’s playing for his third program after beginning his career at Pittsburgh and spending one season at Charlotte. He hadn’t seen much success in the past, so he and Mullen had a heart-to-heart before this season began.
“I said ‘What you’ve done in the past probably hasn’t worked, so why don’t you try it our way and try to buy in?’” Mullen said. “Most of the improvement I’ve seen from him is from the neck up, his attitude, his demeanor, and the way he prepares.”
Bradley burst onto the scene this season with back-to-back 100-yard games. He hauled in six passes for 131 yards in the season opener against Idaho State and followed that with 125 yards and a touchdown against Sam Houston.
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He leads the Rebels with 25 catches for 420 yards and two scores, and he’s sure to be one of quarterback Anthony Colandrea’s top targets against visiting Air Force on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network).
Bradley led the Rebels (5-0, 2-0 Mountain West) with five catches for 65 yards in a 37-17 win over Wyoming last week. He also took part in two special teams touchdowns. Bradley blocked a punt in the first quarter that fellow wide receiver Kayden McGee returned for a score. McGee returned the favor in the second quarter and blocked a punt that Bradley scooped up and returned for a touchdown.
“To his credit, he’s really bought in, and he’s listened and taken what we say to heart,” Mullen said of Bradley’s breakout season. “If what you’re doing isn’t working, you have to change. And the start of any change is changing how you think.”
Air Force (1-4, 0-3) has lost four straight games, including a 34-31 heartbreaker at Navy last week.
Air Force vs. UNLV Betting Odds
UNLV is a 6.5-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM as of the time of this writing, and the Over/Under is 64.5 points.
The moneyline is at -235 for UNLV and +190 for Air Force.
Air Force vs. UNLV Prediction
I predict UNLV wins 38-21.
The Rebels’ offense has been one of the most consistent units in the Mountain West. Colandrea is tied for No. 2 in the conference with nine touchdown passes, and UNLV ranks No. 3 in the league in rushing offense (195.6 YPG) and scoring (35.6 PPG). The combination of Jai’Den Thomas and Keyvonne Lee in the backfield has been a nice safety blanket for Colandrea.
UNLV’s defense has been a bit susceptible against the run, which could be a problem against Air Force, but the Rebels’ defense has also been opportunistic. They’re tied with Fresno State with a conference-leading nine interceptions.
San Jose State vs. Wyoming
How to watch: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
Betting line: San Jose State is a 1.5-point favorite, and the Over/Under is 48.5 points as of this writing.
Prediction: I predict San Jose State wins 27-17. Spartans quarterback Walker Eget is powering the conference’s top passing attack (304.2 YPG), and his favorite target has been Sacramento State transfer Danny Scudero, who leads the Mountain West with 40 catches for 665 yards and four touchdowns. Wyoming’s offense has been productive with quarterback Kaden Anderson taking the snaps, but I think the Cowboys will get overwhelmed by the Spartans’ passing attack.
San Diego State vs. Nevada
How to watch: 10:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
Betting line: San Diego State is a 7.5-point favorite, and the Over/Under is 41.5 points as of this writing.
Prediction: I predict San Diego State wins 24-10. The Aztecs have the Mountain West’s top defense. They’re giving up just 12.6 points and 102.8 rushing yards a game. The offense also came to life last week against Colorado State. Quarterback Jaiden Denegal threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and running backs Lucky Sutton (113 yards and two TDs) and Byron Caldwell (129 yards and one TD) had big days on the ground. San Diego State’s offense should be firing on all cylinders again this weekend as long as the offensive line can keep Nevada pass rushers Dylan LaBarbera and Jonathan Maldonado off of Denegal.
