UNLV Looks to Extend Cannon Streak and Keep MW Title Hopes Alive

UNLV (9-2) @ Nevada (3-8)

Location: Mackay Stadium, Reno, NV

Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 29, 6:00 PM PST

Broadcast: CBSSN

Lines: UNLV -7.5, O/U 53.5

The battle for the Fremont Cannon is a game UNLV has won for three straight years and is now looking to win it for the fourth time. This game is even more important because UNLV needs a win to stay in contention for the Mountain West Championship game. The Rebels need a lot to go their way with other games in the conference in the coming days. UNLV will reach the conference championship if it beats Nevada and Boise State loses to Utah State. The Rebels can also get in if they beat Nevada and San Diego State loses to New Mexico, which makes multiple teams 6-2, and UNLV qualifies through the conference’s computer tiebreaker. A lot of different scenarios that are out of the Rebels’ control, but what is in their control is Saturday’s game against Nevada.

UNLV

UNLV is coming off a blowout victory against Hawaii, where all facets of the team came together for a complete and dominant performance.

Quarterback Anthony Colandrea leads the offensive effort. He won his fourth Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, tying Randall Cunningham for the most conference Offensive Player of the Week awards in a Rebel career. That shows Colandrea’s all-out dominance. He completed 21-of-26 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns last week against Hawaii, and now is second in the Mountain West in passing yards with 2780.

Running back Jai’Den Thomas was held to 75 yards in his first appearance since missing the Utah State game with a hamstring injury. It was apparent the injury was still lingering last week, but hopefully the extra day off has given him enough time to recover to keep his excellent season going. Thomas has 841 yards this season on the ground and is fourth in the Mountain West Conference despite missing a game. Running back Keyvone Lee got a solid amount of carries compared to Thomas, who carried some of the load with his nine carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.

The wide receiver core saw a lot of variety in work last week. Wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons caught his third touchdown of the season last week on a 72-yard catch. Wide receiver Jaden Bradley still sees the majority of the work in the air with his 763 receiving yards, which puts him fourth in the Mountain West in receiving yards. Wide receiver DaeDae Reynolds caught six passes for 45 yards and a touchdown last week to add to his 388 receiving yards on the season. The wide receiver room is loaded and is looking to go off against Nevada.

The defense has been incredible the last three games, giving up only 15 points per game on average. It’s been an exciting turn of events and has kept UNLV’s title hopes alive. Defensive backs Laterrance Welch and Aamaris Brown both have four interceptions, which put them atop the Mountain West Conference. Brown also had 1.5 sacks last week in the victory against Hawaii. Linebacker Marsel McDuffie leads the team in total tackles with 88 and is looking to build upon it.

NEVADA

Despite starting conference play 0-5, the Wolf Pack has won two straight, including defeating Wyoming during Josh Allen’s number retirement ceremony.

The offense has undergone some changes under center with multiple quarterbacks throughout the season. Still, Nevada has found something in quarterback Carter Jones, who was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week against San Jose State. Over the past two games, Jones has completed 27-of-36 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Caleb Ramseur has shone in recent weeks, too. Ramseur has three straight 100+ yard performances, including his 157-yard, two-touchdown performance that earned him Offensive Player of the Week.

The wide receiver room for Nevada is not as stacked as UNLV’s due to Nevada’s lack of success throughout the season with passing the football, as the team only averages 148.7 passing yards per game, but there are still solid hands on the Wolf Pack. Wide receiver Marcus Bellon has 234 yards and a touchdown, local Reno wide receiver Marshaun Brown has 160 yards and a touchdown, and wide receiver Jordan Brown has 183 yards.

Nevada’s defense has been pretty solid, only giving up about 215 passing yards per game and 140 rushing yards per game, which is middle of the pack nationally in both categories. The Wolf Pack has a star in defensive lineman Dylan LaBarbara, who has 17 tackles for loss, which is near Nevada’s and the Mountain West’s single-season record for tackles for loss. He is the Mountain West leader and third in the country in TFLs per game and total TFLs.

KEYS TO THE GAME

1 Win the Line of Scrimmage

Both of these teams have good running backs. Ramseur has been unstoppable in recent weeks, and Thomas is still recovering from his hamstring injury. Controlling the line of scrimmage to get the ground game going will determine who wins this game.

2 Take Out the Crowd

There is nothing more that Nevada wants than to destroy UNLV’s dreams. This game means everything to Wolf Pack fans, and because of that, UNLV needs to start fast and quiet the crowd. If the crowd gets rowdy and keeps Nevada in the game, UNLV will be at a severe disadvantage.

3 Don’t Look Ahead

UNLV could get caught up worrying about making the championship game. With San Diego State and Boise State playing on Friday, there will be a lot of pressure, depending on what happens. UNLV has to stay locked in and maintain a one-game-at-a-time mentality. If UNLV gets caught up in the pressure of making the Mountain West Championship game, things could go wayward.

PREDICTIONS

This is going to be a tighter match than expected. I think UNLV’s firepower is going to be tough for Nevada to match. UNLV has everything on the line and can’t lose. The balance on both sides of the ball will carry UNLV over the finish line, as the Rebels win 34-20.