Gear Up For Game Day: UNLV
LAS VEGAS, Nev., -- As always, I love to utilize this space each week during the season to not only give you the important info -- game time, TV channel, betting lines, etc. -- but also drop a bit of randomness on your plate.
I wasn't here during the one and only time Wyoming played inside Allegiant Stadium.
Neither were you.
COVID-19 was in full swing and games were being axed left and right. I had just started 7220sports.com and knew there was no way I could take the financial hit if I flew all the way to Las Vegas only to have the game canceled. You might recall, the Cowboys did get that game in.
They also played in Sin City one week later. New Mexico had set up shop at the former home of the UNLV Rebels, Sam Boyd Stadium.
Craig Bohl's Cowboys took care of business against the guys who actually live in this town, spanking the Rebels to the tune of 45-14.
Trey Smith rushed for a game-high 164 yards on 24 carries. The Louisville transfer also scored a touchdown in the win. His running mate, Xazavian Valladay, nearly hit the century mark on the ground, finishing with 94 yards on just six attempts.
Quarterback Levi Williams didn't do much through the air -- 8-of-14, 90 yards -- but he didn't have to. The big Texan did rush for 43 yards and crossed the white stripe three times in the rout.
Safety Braden Smith picked off a Max Gilliam throw and Cameron Smith scooped up a fumble.
The highlight of the afternoon had to be a 19-yard touchdown jaunt by Brett Brenton. Remember his excitement? That was the only time the Casper product found the end zone during his Wyoming career.
That was one of the lone bright spots in such a difficult time.
MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:
* 7220sports.com Kickoff Show: It's crunch time in the desert
* Know Wyoming's foe: UNLV Rebels
* UW Athletics announces plans for War Memorial Stadium renovation
* Wyoming Cowboys in the NFL: Week 9
* UNLV's Ricky White giving Mountain West defenses fits
* Cowboys head to Vegas for key Mountain West matchup
* Wyoming Football: News and notes ahead of UNLV
* Around the MTN: Just win, baby
* Gentry: 'I wouldn't change this for the world'
This has been a bizarre series between these two programs. Wyoming has won 10 of the last 13 meetings and leads the overall, 14-11-- but it sure doesn't feel that was, does it?
The losses have been more memorable than the victories in some cases, especially the last one.
Josh Allen tossed four touchdowns, Brian Hill rushed for 119 yards and Tanner Gentry rolled up 184 receiving yards and hauled in three scores. Austin Conway even returned a punt for a touchdown and Wyoming recovered three fumbles.
How did the Cowboys lose again?
The defense allowed 401 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. UNLV recovered a pair of fumbles and picked Allen off twice. In the third overtime, Nicolai Bornand drilled a 40-yard field goal to give the Rebels and improbable 69-66 victory.
Gross.
Since 1998, four games between these two programs have gone into at least one OT. The 2004 meeting -- a 53-45 Wyoming win in Las Vegas -- took three extra periods.
Rarely is there anything significant on the line when the Pokes and Rebels get together. That couldn't be further from the case tonight.
A Wyoming win would keep Mountain West title hopes alive with two weeks remaining in the regular season. A Rebel victory would keep them right in the championship hunt and sitting in second place in the Mountain West.
The loser is all but eliminated.
That would be three league losses for the Cowboys. As for UNLV, it would only be its second. However, both Wyoming and Fresno State would own any tiebreaking scenario. The Rebels also travel to Colorado Springs next weekend to take on the front-running Air Force Falcons before closing the season at San Jose State.
The Cowboys host Hawaii and travel to Nevada over the final two weeks. Those two have a combined record of 5-14.
Let the fireworks begin.
Here is all you need to know -- and the links -- for Friday's tilt in Sin City:
WHO: Wyoming (6-3, 3-2) at UNLV (7-2, 4-1)
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 10 at 8:45 p.m. MST
WEATHER: High of 64, low 45, mostly sunny (Game indoors)
WHERE: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev. (65,000 capacity)
TRAVEL: NVroads.com
STREAMING: FS1
TV: FS1
RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network
TICKETS: Wyoming Ticket office
BOX SCORE: ESPN
ROSTERS: Wyoming / UNLV
HISTORY: Wyoming leads the all-time series 14-11
ODDS: UNLV (-5)
HEAD COACHES: Craig Bohl / Barry Odom
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com
- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
More From 7220 Sports
