Utah State, coming off a big 51-14 win over Nevada, has a big road test ahead of them as they head to Las Vegas to take on UNLV. The Rebels are 7-2 (3-2), and Utah State is also 3-2 in conference play. Currently, five Mountain West teams have lost twice in conference play to Hawaii (4-2), New Mexico (3-2), UNLV (3-2), Fresno State (3-2) and Utah State (3-2).
UNLV crushed Colorado State 42-10 on the road in its last game. In this game, Anthony Colandrea passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns, completing 15 of his 22 pass attempts. Running back Jaiden Thomas was the star of the offense, totaling 131 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries. Wide receiver Troy Omeire had one reception for 68 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu led the Rebels defense with 10 total tackles and four solo tackles. That year, Anthony Colandrea passed for 2,251 yards and 17 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Running back Jaiden Thomas had 780 yards and eight touchdowns on 103 carries. Wide receiver Jaden Bradley leads UNLV in receiving yards, racking up 650 yards on 37 receptions and three touchdowns. Against the Rams, UNLV had 571 yards of offense, including 320 yards on the ground, but the Rebels committed a significant number of penalties with 9 penalties for 72 yards.
Advertisement
Game information:
Date: Saturday November 15
Time: 5:00 p.m. MTN
TV: CBS Sports Network
Line (provided by Draftkings Sportsbook): UNLV (-6); Over/Under: 68.5
History of the series: Overall, Utah State leads the series against the Rebels, 18-9. However, UNLV has won the last two games against the Aggies, with both victories coming at Logan. In 2024, Utah State lost 50-34, and in 2022, Utah State lost 34-24. From 2012 to 2021, the Aggies won six straight against UNLV before falling in the close matchup in 2022. The Aggies had a similar six-game winning streak against the Rebels between 1988 and 1993. In the last ten matchups, Utah State went 6-4 against the Rebels, so it was more even. The smallest margin of victory came in 1986, 7-6, and the largest margin of victory came in 1971, 27-7.
Advertisement
Three keys to the game
1. Run an effective attack, control the clock
Utah State had 522 yards of offense against Nevada with 377 passing yards and 145 rushing yards. The Aggies took nine penalties for 75 yards and converted 50% of their 3rd downs, just like UNLV did against Colorado State. To run an effective offense, the Aggies must control pre-snap penalties. Utah State must also avoid long 3rd downs to relieve Bryson Barnes and the receivers. Utah State still has to run the ball, but Utah State has proven to be more efficient when passing the ball. However, if Utah State just passes the ball, UNLV will abandon its defense to prevent big plays in the passing game. Bryson Barnes needs to be able to use his feet to keep the Utah State defense off the field. Utah State needs to try to get Miles Davis going again, especially considering time of possession.
2. Force turnovers and limit explosive plays
One of the things Anthony Condrea does well is he doesn’t turn the ball over often. He has only five interceptions on the year for 17 touchdowns. Utah State’s defense has to be fundamentally prepared to take on a very explosive offense that not only passes the ball well, but also circulates the ball extremely efficiently. Utah State needs to knock the UNLV offense off the field. The Aggies don’t want to get into a shootout in Las Vegas, which would put even more pressure on Bryson Barnes and the Utah State offense.
Advertisement
3. Protect the ball and gain turnover margin
Utah State needs to be able to take advantage of the offensive opportunities available to them. The Aggies can’t afford to move the ball and turn it over. Quick changes in possession change the dynamics of the entire game. On the road, in an environment that can get noisy, Utah State can’t get UNLV’s momentum back. Forcing turnovers would allow Utah State to control the clock, and that’s exactly what the Aggies need to do to win this game. Control the clock and keep the defense well rested. Utah State has a very good turnover margin and an overall margin of +0.8, which ranks it in the top 20 among FBS teams. The Aggies have 7 turnovers all year and have forced 11, giving them a season margin of +4. The Aggies need to use their strength in ball protection to their advantage in this game.
Final Thoughts and Score Prediction
Utah State has struggled against the run this season, and in their losses, the teams have had a lot of success running the football. This is a problem in the UNLV game because the Rebels run the ball extremely well. For Utah State to win this game, the Aggies must execute the fundamentals of run defense, like wrapping and covering the edge. If Utah State can stop the run, their chances of winning this game will increase significantly. The story of this game will likely be Utah State’s offense and how they execute. Utah State, as mentioned, hasn’t had many turnovers this year. The issue that needs to be addressed for Utah State is penalties and difficulties with third down conversions. If Utah State continually punts throughout the game, it can be treated as a turnover because it gives UNLV momentum again.
Advertisement
Blake Anderson will be able to use his legs to gain some yards and will connect with receivers, but Utah State struggles to stop Jaiden Thomas, and the Rebels do enough offensively to keep themselves in the mix for the Mountain West championship game.
Score Prediction: UNLV: 38; USU: 34
