The Wyoming Cowboys and the UNLV Rebels both sit near the top of the Mountain West, right below New Mexico. Wyoming is 4-1 in conference games and have won their last three games. They defeated Air Force in their previous game 28-14, as quarterback Tyler Hughes threw for 113 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 146 yards and one score. Hughes had the opportunity to rest his arm and legs with the Cowboys coming off a bye this weekend. UNLV is 3-1 in the conference and has won four of their last five games. They defeated Northern Illinois 31-24 last weekend. Jackson Arnold threw three touchdowns to give Northern Illinois their tenth straight loss.
UNLV enters this matchup with the more productive offense. Behind Arnold, the Rebels average 25 points and 383 total yards per game. They balance their gameplan between run and pass, averaging 208 passing yards and 175 rushing yards. Arnold, the former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback, is a big reason for both. He has thrown for 13 touchdowns and run for another six over the course of the season. Wyoming’s offense is a step below in the numbers, but the Cowboys have been improving every week. After struggling with turnovers early in the season, Hughes has not thrown an interception in his last two games. He has done a better job utilizing his legs and making it harder for defenses to defend both the run and the pass.
Wyoming continues to improve their rushing attack, averaging 186 rushing yards per game. This could be a problem for UNLV, who ranks 123 nationally against the run. The Rebels have allowed an average of 189 rushing yards and have struggled to contain opposing teams backs. They will need to worry about both Hughes and running back Markell Holman contributing to the ground game. Holman has produced 437 yards and four touchdowns. I believe Wyoming’s momentum, and rest from the bye, will have them confident entering this crucial game in the Mountain West.
Wyoming vs UNLV prediction: Wyoming Cowboys +6(-110) is available at the time of publishing. Playable at +4(+125).
