The Nevada-Las Vegas Rebels take on the Boise State Broncos this week in a game that will feature the MWC’s second-leading receiver, Thomas Sperbeck (766 yards, 7 TDs). Coming into the game, the Rebels are 2-5 while the Broncos are 6-2. The game kicks off Saturday, Oct 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be shown on ESPU.
In its last game before the bye, UNLV suffered a narrow defeat against Fresno State 31-28. Devonte Boyd had a solid performance in the loss, pulling in two receptions for 43 yards and one TD. Boise State is hoping for another victory like last week’s performance, when it smashed Wyoming 34-14. Thomas Sperbeck had a huge game for the Broncos, grabbing six receptions for 84 yards and two TDs. Brett Rypien had a great game as well, adding 211 yards and three TDs through the air.
The Broncos are favored by 21 points against the Rebels this week and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently not available.
Sitting at 2-5 Straight Up (SU) and 4-3 Against The Spread (ATS), the Rebels will look to improve heading into Week 9. In their five most recent matchups, the Rebels went 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS. UNLV has averaged 33 points per game over the last five weeks, higher than its season average of 28.3. Throughout those five games, their rushing attack has been critical. They’ve averaged 230.0 yards per game in that span. During their last five games, the Rebels have also improved their pass coverage, giving up an average of 209.6 passing yards. It is critical for the Broncos to prepare for UNLV’s big-play defense, which ranks 24th in the nation with two turnovers per game. With the 23rd-highest time of possession per game at 32:57, expect UNLV to control the clock this week.
In the other locker room, the Broncos head into Week 9 with records of 4-4 ATS and 6-2 SU. Over their last five games, the Broncos have a SU record of 4-1 and a 3-2 record ATS for those betting with them. Boise State’s quarterback and wide receivers look to keep their strong passing attack rolling. Over the past five games, they’ve managed an impressive 307.8 yards through the air. Moving on to the Boise State defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Rebels. Boise State is a menacing group for opposing offenses. The Broncos give up just 184.1 yards per game through the air, 24th in the nation. The Rebels might be leery of throwing too often against the Broncos. They rank fourth in the country in interceptions with 1.8 per game. The Rebels will have to stay focused in the third quarter against Boise State. The Broncos usually start off the second half with dominance, averaging 10.8 points during the third quarter. When Boise State’s offense hits the field, they like to pick up the pace. With an average of 78.5, the team ranks 15th in the country for number of plays per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Boise State, ATS Winner – Boise State
Notes
UNLV is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of UNLV’s last 11 games.
UNLV is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home.
UNLV is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home.
Boise State is 6-1 SU when leading at the half this season. UNLV is 2-1 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
Remarkably, Boise State is only 1-2 SU in games where it comes out ahead in the turnover battle, yet undefeated (4-0 SU) when losing the turnover battle.
The Boise State defense has forced an average of 2.2 turnovers per game this season, while the UNLV defense has generated 2.0 per game. Both teams have fared poorly when giving the ball away to that extent. UNLV is winless (0-3 SU) when turning the ball over 2.0 or more times, while Boise State is 1-2 SU when turning it over at least 2.0 times.
According to national passing ranks, Boise State has an advantage on both offense and defense. Its passing attack (ranked 26th nationally) will face the 83rd-ranked pass defense of UNLV, while its 24th-ranked pass defense will look to limit the 115th-ranked passing game of the Rebels.
