Filling stat sheets on offense hasn’t been an issue for the UNLV football team this season. The Rebels have struggled to hold the opposition in check, but they put together their best defensive performance of the season last week.
UNLV limited Colorado State to 103 rushing yards and racked up three sacks and an interception in a 42-10 win over the Rams. It’s the fewest points the Rebels have given up in a game this season.
UNLV head coach Dan Mullen can pinpoint the moment the lightbulb turned on for his defense. It was early in the game after the Rebels went ahead 14-10 and ended a Colorado State drive with a fourth down stop.
“I think it kind of flipped a switch on the team at that point,” Mullen said on Monday. “We’re not just trying to hold on defensively while the offense matches score for score. This is what we’re supposed to look like as a team.”
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Mullen is looking for a similar defensive effort this week as UNLV (7-2, 3-2 Mountain West) hosts Utah State on Saturday in a game both teams need to win to keep their Mountain West title hopes alive. The Rebels and Aggies (5-4, 3-2) are two of five teams with two conference losses, and they’re all trying to keep pace with San Diego State and Boise State, which both have one league loss and face one another this weekend.
Utah State is coming off one of its best all-around performances of the season in last week’s 51-14 win over Nevada. The Aggies racked up 522 yards of offense, quarterback Bryson Barnes threw three touchdowns, running back Miles Davis ran for two TDs, and the defense snagged two interceptions, one of which safety Brevin Hamblin returned for a touchdown.
UNLV is led at quarterback by former Virginia starter Anthony Colandrea, who has thrown for 2,251 yards and 17 touchdowns and run for six more scores. Running back Jai’Den Thomas leads a packed backfield with 780 yards and eight touchdowns.
Utah State vs. UNLV Betting Odds
UNLV is a six-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM as of this writing, and the Over/Under is 70.5 points. The moneyline is at -235 for the Rebels and +190 for Utah State.
Utah State leads the all-time series 19-8, but UNLV has won the past two meetings, including a 50-34 victory in Logan, Utah, last season.
UNLV is 16-4 overall and 9-11 against the spread in its past 20 regular season games as the favorite at home. Utah State is 4-16 overall and 8-11-1 ATS in its past 20 regular season games as an underdog on the road.
Utah State vs. UNLV On TV
The Mountain West game featuring UNLV and Utah State at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Utah State vs. UNLV Prediction
I predict UNLV wins 37-34.
I think this one is going to be a shootout based on recent history. The winner has scored at least 50 points in three of the past five meetings between the Rebels and Aggies. Both offenses have the ability to get hot and take over games this year, and neither defense has done a good job of keeping the opposition out of the end zone. UNLV is giving up 31.5 points a game, and Utah State is surrendering 29.8.
This is a matchup of two of the better quarterbacks in the Mountain West, but the difference this weekend could be UNLV’s rushing attack. The Rebels dominated Colorado State on the ground last week. Thomas needed just seven carries to rack up 131 yards and a touchdown, Jaylon Glover finished with 99 yards and a score, and Colandrea found the end zone twice with his legs.
Thomas may be the most explosive runner in the conference. Glover and Keyvone Lee are solid change-of-pace backs, and Colandrea is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the league. I expect the Rebels will lean on the running game this week and will let it carry them to a big win that will set up a huge matchup against Mountain West title contender Hawaii next week.
