Tag: UNLV Football

UNLV Rebels gain sole possession of 1st place in Mountain West

With a 31- 27 win over Air Force, the UNLV Rebels are now in sole possession of first place in the Mountain West. 

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With a 31- 27 win over Air Force, the UNLV Rebels are now in sole possession of first place in the Mountain West. 

”What a great performance by our kids,” Barry Odon said in a press conference. “We started the game extremely well. Then they made some adjustments and were having success. We made some adjustments there in the second quarter and then at halftime.  Staying in the arena is something we’ve talked about since we got started – let’s go 60 minutes and play one play at a time – and tonight was a really great test of that for everybody in the organization. I’m so happy for our guys, our team and our university to get that win.”

Early in the first quarter, Jayden Maiava threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to Ricky White, giving UNLV a 7-0 lead.

 

Later in the quarter, with the Rebels driving to try to go up by double digits, Maiava threw an interception, and the Falcons’ momentum swung to Air Force. After the interception, the Falcons went on to score 24 unanswered points.

Air Force led 27-14 at halftime but did not score another point. The Rebels outscored the Falcons 17-0 to win.

After giving up 200-plus yards rushing in the first half, the Rebels did a better job controlling their rushing attack in the second half.

Despite throwing two interceptions, freshman quarterback Jayden Maiava improved to 7-1 as a starting quarterback, finishing 15 of 29 for 339 yards and two touchdowns.

Ricky White caught eight passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, and Kaleo Ballungay caught two for 90 yards and a score.

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Defensively, the Rebels were led by a pair of linebackers. Marsel McDuffie totaled 15 tackles (10 solo) and a forced fumble, while Jackson Woodard added nine stops and had a critical quarterback sack in the game-winning stand.

“On defense, Coach (Mike) Scherer and his staff did an unbelievable job,” Odom said. “The kids showed toughness, resolve, and resilience, overcoming some penalties and adversity.”

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV at Air Force

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV at Air Force The NCAA 14 Video Game Predicts Air Force over UNLV 16-13 Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA …

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Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV at Air Force

The NCAA 14 Video Game Predicts Air Force over UNLV 16-13

Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire

For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA Sports NCAA14, with updated 2024 rosters. There is no user impact, just a computer simulation of the given teams.

Last week our simulation favored Wyoming over UNLV by a score of 31-14. As you should know by now, things certainly didn’t play out that way on the field, as the Rebels nearly flipped that score, hammering the Pokes 34-14.

This weeks featured game reflects the matchup with the most consequence in the Mountain West Conference in week 12, as UNLV visits Colorado Springs, to play Air Force.

Contrary to reality of late, our simulation favored the Falcons, beating UNLV 16-13. The only thing as surprising as the score favoring Air Force would be the statistics behind it. The Reb’s held Air Force under 100 yards rushing for the game, while grinding out for 119 on the ground of their own. The thing more surprising here was Jensen Jones throwing for over 200 yards.

Keeping with the theme of turnovers, the Falcons couldn’t catch a break even in the sim as they coughed the ball up twice. Despite winning the turnover battle 2-0 and holding the Falcons to just over 90 yards rushing, UNLV still couldn’t win this game. The most notable reason would have to be the opposing defense.

I don’t know if this will be reflective of the result or even close on the scoreboard for Saturday’s game, but you have to believe with those stat lines we are going to be looking at a pretty emphatic victory for the Rebels.

When these two teams meet on the field Saturday, the likelihood of a spot in the Mountain West Championship game is at stake. Hopefully we have as competitive game as our simulation suggests.

If you have a strong opinion on who should be our featured simulation next week, let us hear about it @MWCwire. 

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How UNLV can Beat Air Force: Preview, Predictions, How To Stream

In a battle for first place in the Mountain West, UNLV will travel to take on Air Force.

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WEEK 12: UNLV Rebels (8-2-6, 5-1 MW) Air Force Falcons (8-2, 5-1 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, November 18th – 12:30 pm PT/1:30 pm MT

WHERE: Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colorado

TV: CBSSN

STREAM: Get a free trial with FuboTV

RADIO: : ESPN 1100 AM & 100.9 FM (Russ Langer, Caleb Herring & Steve Cofield)

SERIES RECORD: Air Force leads 18-6 and has won the last five meetings

LAST WEEK: UNLV beat Wyoming 34-14, while Air Force Lost to Hawaii 27-13

In a battle for first place in the Mountain West, UNLV will travel to take on Air Force. The Rebels have won five of their first six league outings for the first time since finishing 5-1 in Big West in 1994. The Rebels have shattered program records for 40+point games for both consecutive outings (four) and in a season (six) while scoring at least 24 points in eight straight games for the first time since they moved to Division One in 1978. UNLV’s current total of 31 rushing touchdowns is second in the nation behind only USC (32) and the most for a Rebel team since running in 34 in 1975.

UNLV is tied for sixth nationally in turnover margin at plus-10 — powered by 13 interceptions (T7th nationally). The Rebels sit fifth nationally in third-down conversion rate at 53.8%, and their 84 third-down conversions are eight more than any other team. 

Slow Down The Run

When facing the Air Force, you must slow down their outstanding rushing attack. The Falcons average 275.9 rushing yards per game. They run the triple option, which is hard to stop.

Emmanuel Michel leads them in rushing with 733 yards, and quarterback Zac Larrier adds 5779 yards on the ground.

UNLV must play a sound, disciplined defense. The front seven must maintain gap control and not overcommit. Tackling will also be essential. You cannot miss tackles against Air Force; they will make you pay for it.

Run The Ball

The Rebels like to run the football; they average 195.7 yards per game. The Rebels have three running backs who have rushed for over 400 yards: Vincent Davis Jr. (553), Jai’Den Thomas (420), and Donavyn Lester (418). Also, Thomas has nine touchdowns, Lester eight, and Davis four. But the Falcons have the Mountain West Conference’s best defense and only give up 86 yards per game. So something will have to give. The Rebels will need success running the ball to keep the Falcons offense off the field.

Maiava Must Make Plays

With the Falcons’ outstanding rush defense, the Rebels must make plays in the passing game. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has yet to be asked to do much this season, but this may change on Saturday. Since taking over the starting quarterback job from Doug Brumfield, Maiava has passed for 2,060 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions. If Maiava can make plays in the passing game, it could help the Rebels win.

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The Falcons’ attempt to stop the run could leave receiver Ricky White one-on-one with defenders. White leads UNLV with 62 catches for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns.

Prediction

Air Force is a favorite by three. UNLV wins a tough battle 21-20

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UNLV Made The Right Hire With Barry Odom

UNLV’s hiring is starting to pay off.

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UNLV Made The Right Hire With Barry Odom

UNLV is 8-2 after Friday night’s win over Wyoming

>/Follow @Michaelbraydaly & @MWCwire

Odom is having a successful first season in Las Vegas

Following Friday night’s 34-14 win over Wyoming, UNLV is 8-2 under head coach Barry Odom.

Based on the results, it is clear that Odom has been successful turning around UNLV in a short period of time. The last time UNLV won more than seven games in a single season was 1984. This will be UNLV’s first winning season since 2013.

In the win over Wyoming, UNLV’s defense shutdown Wyoming in the second half and the offense helped put the game away. The team rode a 21-point first quarter and managed to cruise to a 20-point win over a 6-4 Wyoming team.

Last year, the Odom hire caught some people by surprise. It turned out to be the right move for both sides. Odom needed an FBS program to give him another chance at being a head coach. UNLV needed a change of direction.

The Rebels have won seven of its last eight games. With two regular season games left, UNLV has an opportunity to enter a bowl game with 10 wins. UNLV will take on Air Force and San Jose State in the next two weeks.

Odom provided a culture change that UNLV desperately needed.

Wyoming Cowboys vs. UNLV Rebels: How the Cowboys will win

A face-off between two bowl-eligible teams in a premiere Mountain West matchup between Wyoming and UNLV. How do the Cowboys win?

Wyoming Cowboys vs. UNLV Rebels: How the Cowboys will win

A face-off between two bowl-eligible teams in a premiere Mountain West matchup between the Wyoming Cowboys and the UNLV Rebels.

Contact/Follow @KayceeClark and @MWCwire

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WEEK 11: Wyoming Cowboys (6-3, 3-2 MW) vs. UNLV Rebels (7-2, 4-1 MW)

WHEN: Friday, November 10 — 6:45 PM PT

WHERE: Allegiant Stadium (65,000)

TV: FS1

STREAMING: Get a free trial with FuboTV

RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network

SERIES RECORD: Wyoming 14-11

LAST MATCHUP: Wyoming won 45-14 on Nov. 27, 2020 in Las Vegas

WEBSITES: GoWyo.com, the official Wyoming athletics website; UNLVRebels.com, the official UNLV athletics website.

GAME NOTES: Wyoming | UNLV

ODDS: UNLV -5.5

OVER/UNDER: 50.5 points

Of the 25 games between the Wyoming Cowboys (6-3, 3-2 MW) and the UNLV Rebels (7-2, 4-1 MW), 14 were decided by one possession, and nine of those came in the Sin City. The Rebels have a slight advantage in those nine games, winning five of them over the Pokes, most recently in the triple overtime bout in 2016.

Both squads have overcome expectations for the season, as Wyoming was projected to finish sixth in the conference, and UNLV was projected ninth. However, the Rebels are now in their first bowl-eligible season in the past decade.

“Our opponent is playing, I think, maybe the best in the Mountain West right now,” Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl said in his weekly press conference.

Led by a heavy rushing attack, totaling 28 touchdowns, and an explosive wide receiver on the Biletnikoff watchlist, the Rebels are having one of their best seasons in recent memory. It is the first time UNLV has won seven of their first nine games since 1984, when the team’s quarterback was Randall Cunningham.

The Rebels’ Ricky White is closing in on 1,000 yards for the season, currently sitting at 884 with six touchdowns. Additionally, the trio of Vincent Davis Jr., Jai’Den Thomas and Donavyn Lester combined for 1,293 rushing yards.

UNLV also dominated in their game last weekend against New Mexico, 56-14. With three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter and a 28-point lead by halftime, the Rebels secured their seventh victory.

On the other sideline, it has been a tale of two stories for the Cowboys, as the team is 6-0 at home but 0-3 when traveling. While facing one of the top teams of the Mountain West, the Pokes are 2-2 in games this season against teams with a winning record.

A bright side of Wyoming’s play has been transfer running back Harrison Waylee, who has rushed for 686 yards this season in only six games. Quarterback Andrew Peasley has also found himself in the best season of his collegiate career. He has thrown for 1,195 yards and 15 touchdowns, with only four interceptions.

The Pokes’ defense has been another key to their success. From the numbers, it would look like Wyoming is a losing team. They allow more points than they score and give up 375 yards of offense a game, but one reason they have totaled six wins is a top turnover-forcing team in the country. Wyoming has snagged seven interceptions and forced nine fumbles, leading to a +8-turnover margin, tied for 10th best in the country.

 

Last week, Wyoming overcame Colorado State’s effort to win the Bronze Boot, 24-15.

As underdogs, Wyoming will have to overcome the odds, play its hand and ensure it doesn’t fall to the house.

Wyoming will win if…

As with any game, winning the turnover battle is extremely helpful for a victory. However, as Wyoming is tied for 10th in the country for its turnover margin, UNLV is tied for sixth with +9. The Rebels have contributed 19 turnovers this season and haven’t had a game without forcing one.

The Cowboys won the turnover battle in six games, including losses at Air Force and Boise State. Against the Rams last Friday, Wyoming forced three turnovers, including a 61-yard scoop and dash for defensive end Tyce Westland and the linebacker duo of Easton Gibbs and Shae Suiaunoa snatching the ball out of the air.

The only conference loss UNLV has suffered this season came to Fresno State, where the Rebels gave the ball away four times. But UNLV knows how to get the ball back as well as Jaxen Turner is tied for first in the Mountain West with four interceptions.

Between two teams that don’t dominate the margin of turnovers, Wyoming must force more than the Rebels, Peasley must maintain his efficiency and keep the ball away from the UNLV defenders, and the Cowboys must continue their trend of not fumbling the football. The last time a Wyoming fumble occurred was Sept. 30 against New Mexico.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball for Wyoming, the Go-Go offense that UNLV runs allows a re-introduction to the option play for the Cowboy defense. Wyoming got killed against the option offense of Air Force last month as the Falcons ran for 356 yards and three touchdowns.

Wyoming will get another crack at shutting down an offense that will operate out of the option. This season, the Pokes have been able to shut down the run in particular games, with only allowing 93 yards to Texas Tech, 90 to Portland State, 38 to Fresno State, and 51 to Colorado State. However, in addition to the Air Force game, Wyoming has given up 217 yards to Appalachian State, 225 to New Mexico, and 227 to Boise State.

Flipping to the Wyoming offense, the team must score early and often. In several games this season, the Cowboys have gotten solid leads in the first half but fallen short later in the game. While needing to finish out the game, scoring early and often puts pressure on the UNLV offense to match the Pokes. If UNLV is falling behind several scores, the team may abandon the rushing attack altogether, a plus for Wyoming.

 

To get a sizeable lead, the Cowboys must utilize Waylee. Wyoming’s leading rusher is one of the school’s impact players when healthy. He averages 93.4 yards per game on the ground, and when he rushes for 100 yards, which he has done four times this season, the Pokes are 3-1. Cut that down to at least 83 yards, and it becomes 4-1. When Waylee wins, Wyoming will win.

UNLV’s defense has held teams to only 125 yards rushing per game, which raises a problem for Wyoming. Although, UNLV has only played two teams who currently have a winning record, and both games were losses for the Rebels.

The combined record of UNLV’s opponents is 37-47. In contrast, Wyoming’s opponent’s records are 47-32. Specifically looking at this, Wyoming has had a tougher schedule thus far and only lost one game more than the Rebels. According to Sports Reference, Wyoming’s schedule is ranked 70th in the country compared to UNLV’s at 121st.

In what will be another close game in the series, Wyoming will prove to be the superior team and leave Sin City victorious.

Wyoming 34 – UNLV 30

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Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV vs. Wyoming

Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV vs. Wyoming The NCAA 14 Video Game Says Wyoming drops the Reb’s 31-14 Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA Sports …

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Mountain West Wire Game of the Week Simulation: UNLV vs. Wyoming

The NCAA 14 Video Game Says Wyoming drops the Reb’s 31-14

Contact/Follow @PSeanU1 & @MWCwire

For those new to our simulations, we use the College Football Revamped version of EA Sports NCAA14, with updated 2024 rosters. There is no user impact, just a computer simulation of the given teams.

Last week our simulation favored Fresno State of Boise State by a score of 21-20. While Saturday’s game played out to a different score on the field, the end result matched our sim for the first time over the past five weeks!

In this Friday’s matchup between UNLV and Wyoming, both teams are going to hope for better redzone results than were experienced in this weeks simulation. Despite scoring 31 points, Wyoming scored on just one of their five trips to the red zone. No better, UNLV scored twice on their seven trips inside the 20. The result was a 31-14 victory for the visiting Cowboys.

With no turnovers on either side and very comparable passing numbers, the final score is a little headscratching. While Andrew Peasley had a solid game throwing the ball, Harrison Waylee was the real difference maker, accruing over 100 yards on the ground for the Pokes. The Reb’s weren’t able to must 70 on the ground as a team.

The biggest difference was in special teams, and that was despite just one field goal attempt all game. Punt returns and field position are what really helped propel Wyoming in this one.

These are two good Mountain West teams meeting on Friday night. Let’s see if the outcome on the field resembles the simulation this week!

If you have a strong opinion on who should be our featured simulation next week, let us hear about it @MWCwire. 

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Mountain West Football: Week 10 Winners And Losers

Malik Sherrod, Gunner Gentry, and Boise State were among the weekend’s biggest winners and losers from across Mountain West football.

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Mountain West Football: Week 10 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired across the Mountain West in Week 10 of the college football season?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the week that was.

With a fresh batch of rivalry games and a dash of desperation on the docket, Mountain West football’s first weekend of November action didn’t disappoint. Here are the winners and losers from Week 10.

Winners

1. Fresno State running back Malik Sherrod

The clash for the Milk Can was as advertised, but Sherrod’s contributions helped ensured the rivalry trophy would stay in Fresno following a 37-30 win against Boise State. He ran for a career-high 132 yards on 21 carries, though it was his 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that proved to be one of the Bulldogs’ biggest plays of the night. In all, Sherrod managed 255 all-purpose yards, the tenth-most in a single game in program history, and provided the Red Wave with memories they’ll talk about for a long time in the Central Valley.

2. UNLV wide receiver Ricky White

White has come alive over the past month and more than did his part on Saturday to help the Rebels keep pace in the conference title chase in a 56-14 victory over New Mexico. He had eight catches on nine targets for 165 yards and two touchdowns, the third time in four weeks he’s topped 150 receiving yards and scored multiple times.

3. Wyoming wide receiver Gunner Gentry

Sometimes, it’s not about the stats. In Gentry’s case, the nine-yard touchdown reception he hauled in during the second quarter of the Cowboys’ 24-15 win against Colorado State was his first since October 24, 2020. Knee injuries had kept him sidelined for the past two seasons, so he serves as a useful reminder that college football can often be a ground for perseverance and inspiration, to demonstrate what’s possible to others.

Losers

1. Air Force

Among the six Mountain West games last weekend, no result was more shocking than the Falcons’ litany of errors in a 23-3 defeat to Army at the Commander’s Classic. Not only did the Black Knights hold Air Force’s rushing attack to 3.9 yards per carry, they also forced six fumbles and recovered five of them, turning those opportunities into 13 points.

Quarterback Zac Larrier also had his worst game of the year at a very inopportune time, throwing two interceptions and taking two sacks while completing just 9-of-22 passes for 93 yards. The defense, meanwhile, limited Army to 4.2 yards per carry as a team but weren’t as disruptive as usual with just three tackles for loss and zero takeaways. While the Falcons still hold the inside track to hosting the conference championship, letting one of their annual goals slip away in such lopsided fashion may sting for a while.

2. Boise State

The Broncos are in the wilderness.

Little about the program is working like it did during its phenomenal run of success over two decades and the team’s 37-30 defeat against Fresno State provided plenty of evidence. Quarterbacks Maddux Madsen and Taylen Green each threw an interception, but Madsen was also just 22-of-42 for 258 yards and a touchdown and, according to Pro Football Focus, had four different turnover-worthy plays against the Bulldogs defense. Running back George Holani continued to play well following his recent return from injury, racking up 140 all-purpose yards, but he also had just three touches in the fourth quarter.

The defense, meanwhile, continued to flounder by allowing Fresno State to gain 6.4 yards per play and generating only one sack to go along with four quarterback hurries (per PFF) on 37 dropbacks. Effectively eliminated from the conference championship hunt and staring down the very real possibility of not even bowling in December, the Broncos must now move forward without top wide receiver Eric McAlister, as well, who elected to enter the transfer portal this morning. It’s a brave new world in Treasure Valley; the question is whether the blue and orange faithful are ready for it.

3. San Diego State

Speaking of less-than-ideal situations, the Aztecs’ 32-24 double-overtime loss to Utah State marked the team’s sixth defeat in their last seven games. While some individual performances stood out despite the result — linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu had three sacks, for instance, while quarterback Jalen Mayden had arguably his best overall performance of the season — many of the same problems persisted: They averaged 4.2 yards per carry, but Lucky Sutton’s 62-yard run accounted for 48.8% of the team’s rushing yardage on the game. The defense coughed up 288 yards’ worth of chunk plays and has now given up 44 plays of 20-plus yards on the season; that may not sound like much, but San Diego State gave up 48 such plays during their most recent run to the conference championship game just two years ago.

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Mountain West Football: Players Of The Month For October

The weather is finally cooling down, but these Mountain West football standouts were red-hot throughout spooky season.

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Mountain West Football: Players of the Month For October

The weather is finally cooling down, but these Mountain West football standouts were red-hot throughout spooky season.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

The small-sample elite.

Note: Players below are presented in alphabetical order.

Offensive Players of the Month

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Though Jeanty was limited by injury in Boise State’s victory over Wyoming in Week 9, the super sophomore still posted one of the nation’s best overall performances through October. In three games, Jeanty posted a Mountain West-best 163.3 all-purpose yards per game, averaging a whopping 7.08 yards per carry on the ground, and scored three touchdowns.

2. Kairee Robinson, RB, San Jose State

The Spartans surged in October thanks in large part to their star senior in the backfield. It was Robinson, not Jeanty, that led the Mountain West with 435 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns last month, though he also chipped in with ten receptions for 165 yards for the SJSU passing game, as well.

3. Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

After posting a monster game to close out September against UConn, Royals kept the good times rolling into last month with a pair of 100-yard performances, racking up 17 catches for 325 yards in three contests, and a conference-high five receiving touchdowns.

4. Ricky White, WR, UNLV

Though the Rebels ended October with a bit of heartache, you can’t say White didn’t do everything possible to keep UNLV in the title game chase. After all, he tallied 24 catches for a Mountain West-high 400 receiving yards with touchdowns, topping 150 yards against both Nevada and Fresno State.

Defensive Players of the Month

1. Jay’Vion Cole, CB, San Jose State

If Cole’s October performance is any indication, the Spartans’ newest star defender is quietly putting together a pretty solid candidacy for defensive player of the year. He was the only defender in the Mountain West to intercept three passes last month, doing so across four games, though he added two additional pass breakups and, according to Pro Football Focus, allowed a reception on 10 of 21 targets.

2. Mohamed Kamara, DE, Colorado State

Where Cole’s case might be subtle, Kamara’s defensive player of the year push disrupted offenses just about as frequently as it did in September. He once again paced the Mountain West with four sacks and finished third among conference defenders with five tackles for loss while also racking up 20 total tackles.

3. Bo Richter, DE, Air Force

Then again, the same could be said of Richter, who posted an overall PFF grade of 81.7 throughout October, the seventh-best mark among Mountain West defenders who played at least 50 snaps, and racked up three sacks, seven tackles for loss, and a forced fumble to go along with 11 total tackles in three Falcons contests.

4. Jackson Woodard, LB, UNLV

When it came to tackling, few players in the country were as prolific as Woodard was in the middle of the Rebels defense last month. He was one of only 15 FBS players to average at least 11 tackles per game, though he also intercepted a pass against Hawaii and, according to PFF, also tied for third among Mountain West defenders with eight total stops.

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Mountain West Football: Week 9 Winners And Losers

Emmanuel Michael, Senika McKie, and Wyoming are among Mountain West football’s biggest winners and losers from Week 9.

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Mountain West Football: Week 9 Winners And Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired across the Mountain West in Week 9 of the college football season?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Encouragements and letdowns from the week that was.

You might as well have called last weekend in Mountain West football “Statement Saturday.”

While there wasn’t a lot of high drama (though they had that covered in the Central Valley almost single-handedly), everyone got a chance to send a message to the rest of the conference: It’s Air Force and it’s everyone else. Boise State isn’t dead yet and neither is Fresno State. Nevada may have found some footing after all.

Because some of those statements were less encouraging than others, however, here are the winners and losers from Week 9.

Winners

1. Air Force running back Emmanuel Michel

The battle for the Ram-Falcon Trophy may have turned out to be tougher and snowier than expected for the Mountain-West leading cadets, but Michel’s performance in the second half of Air Force’s 30-13 win over Colorado State helped ensure the road team would hang on rivalry bragging rights. He picked up 113 of his 130 rushing yards after halftime, including a key 53-yard scamper in the third quarter that flipped the field and helped to set the Falcons up with a ten-point lead, and capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

2. Fresno State linebacker Levelle Bailey

The Bulldogs’ senior star has developed a knack for being in the right place at the right time, killing UNLV’s last-gasp rally with a game-sealing interception to secure a 31-24 win over the Rebels.

Most people will immediately point out that isn’t even Bailey’s first game-sealing pick of the season — he did the same thing to Eastern Washington back in September — but it’s also worth mentioning he tied for the team high with eight total tackles, broke up a second pass in the first quarter and, per Pro Football Focus, allowed just 25 total yards on the five times he was targeted in coverage.

3. Nevada cornerback Michael Coats Jr.

Sometimes, it’s just your day. That certainly appeared to be the case for the former East Central Community College transfer on Saturday in a 34-24 win over New Mexico, as the Lobos tested him early and often but, according to PFF, would be repeatedly denied: His second quarter interception would set up a short scoring drive that extended the Wolf Pack lead to 24-0 at that point, but he also broke up two passes and allowed just three receptions on a team-high ten targets. For a team sorely lacking in bright spots in the first half of the season, Coats Jr.’s performance came at just the right time for the Nevada faithful to think things might be headed in the right direction after all.

Losers

1. UNLV wide receiver Senika McKie

Catching a football is sometimes harder than it looks. It’s important to remember that when someone lets a well-placed goal-line fade — far from the easiest play to make on a route tree under most circumstances — slip through their fingers like McKie did on Saturday night in a 31-24 loss to Fresno State.

PFF notes it was the only pass dropped by a Rebels receiver against the Bulldogs, though McKie now has twice as many dropped passes (six) as anyone else on the roster on just 34 targets this season. For the moment, that 27.3% drop rate is the highest among all qualifying Mountain West players; the latest misfortune just happened to come at a moment that many UNLV folks will probably be thinking about for a long time.

2. Wyoming

Cowboy football’s remaining skeptics came away with plenty to talk about on Saturday in the wreckage of a 32-7 defeat on the road to Boise State. The offense was dead on arrival, averaging 2.5 yards per play, finishing 1-of-11 on third downs, and crossing midfield only because Stefan Cobbs muffed a punt return late in the first quarter. On defense, Jay Sawvel’s secondary was simply overmatched by Eric McAlister and couldn’t capitalize on Ashton Jeanty’s limited availability, allowing Maddux Madsen to move through the air seemingly at will while George Holani’s return from injury allowed the Broncos to survive on the ground.

Now effectively eliminated from the Mountain West title chase, the Cowboys are sitting at 5-3 with a -20 point differential after eight games. They were also 5-3 after games in 2022, but the difference is that this was supposed to be the year in which their returning production advantage might finally put them over the top. The more things change, though, the more they seem to stay the same in Laramie.

3. Hawaii

Are Timmy Chang’s Warriors regressing before our eyes? It’s not what you hoped to see on the back half of his second year in charge, but a 35-0 shutout to San Jose State marked the third time in four conference games that Hawaii has lost by at least three touchdowns. Quarterback Brayden Schager never got going, finishing 17-of-29 for 132 yards and one interception before being relieved in the fourth quarter, while punter/kicker Matthew Shipley ended up as the team’s leading rusher with a 17-yard run on a third-quarter fake.

The more serious concern is that the defense has stagnated even more, allowing the Spartans to average 6.9 yards per play through the first three quarters. Perhaps no one is more emblematic of the team’s growing pains than sophomore linebacker Jalen Smith, who collected two of his three tackles for loss on SJSU’s second possession but also picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that enabled to Spartans to extend the drive and, eventually, collect their first points of the game. Patience is probably still a virtue here, but you can’t blame fans for feeling a little angst at blowout after blowout.

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UNLV Loses Close Game To Fresno State, 31-24

Recap of UNLV’s loss to Fresno State.

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UNLV Loses Close Game To Fresno State, 31-24

UNLV tried to make a late comeback against Fresno State

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Recap of the game

It was a back and forth game that saw UNLV capture and lose a lead between the first and second halves.

UNLV entered halftime with a 17-7 lead and it appeared that the Rebels would be en route to an upset win. Fresno State turned it on in the third quarter and scored 24 unanswered points. That was enough for Fresno State to hold onto a lead for the remainder of the game.

UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava passed for two touchdowns, two interceptions, and 268 passing yards. Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene threw for four touchdowns, two interceptions and 256 yards in the win over UNLV.

Ricky White was Maiava’s most relied upon receiver with two receiving touchdowns and 152 receiving yards. Fresno State running back Malik Sherrod made a difference in the receiving game. He caught a touchdown pass and finished the game with eight catches for 28 yards.

This game had all of the offense you could possibly want. For Fresno State, the program moved to 7-1 with the win. The Bulldogs are set to face Boise State on Saturday, Nov. 4. UNLV dropped to 6-2 on the season and will look to bounce back against New Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 4.