It’s a Mountain West showdown in Fresno. While only the hometown Bulldogs are ranked, both teams are 2-0 in conference.
How to watch UNLV vs. Fresno State: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
Can UNLV stop Derek Carr?
William Mancebo
Perhaps the most fascinating thing to keep an eye on in this one is how the UNLV pass defense (165.8 yards per game, 5.4 yards per attempt) holds up against Fresno State’s passing attack (374 yards per game) -- both units are ranked in the top five nationally, so something has to give between the two. Of course, Fresno State provides the stiffest competition to date in this area -- UNLV has played a plethora of poor passing offenses this season, none of which are remotely similar to Fresno State’s in quality, and most of whom rank 80th or below nationally.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Fresno State is 11-4 in this series.
Vegas: Fresno State is a 24.5-point favorite, with an over/under of 73 points.
Three names to know
Derek Carr (Fresno State quarterback) - Any discussion of the Bulldogs must begin with the right arm of Carr, who has been fantastic all year long, completing nearly 71% of his passes. Some of the credit for his success needs to go to the line up front, though, as Carr received something this season his brother never did in Houston -- he has been sacked only three times on 259 dropbacks.
Davante Adams (Fresno State wide receiver) - All those passes have to go to someone, right? Most of them have gone right into the hands of the sophomore Adams, who has seven touchdowns through six games. He is fifth in the Mountain West in receiving yardage.
Caleb Herring (UNLV quarterback) - While he won't get as much press as his Bulldog counterpart, Herring has quietly put together a very strong season for the Rebels. He has a sparkling 9:1 TD:INT ratio and is completing a career best 69.4% of his passes on a 7.63 YPA, another career best. It might come down to a shootout on Saturday night, but Herring looks ready to go pass for pass with Carr.
Two things at stake
With a win over Boise State, Fresno State cleared its only major hurdle this season and could be in line for a BCS bowl if they finish the year undefeated. The rest of the schedule appears very manageable, this game against UNLV included. A loss would obviously be catastrophic for those BCS hopes.
UNLV is 2-0 in the Mountain West (West Conference) themselves, tied with Fresno State -- a win here would put them in the driver’s seat to win the division and give them a little breathing room by themselves.
How to witness
Radio: ESPN Radio 940 AM | ESPN Deportes 1600 AM | UNLV radio affiliates
Online streaming: Mountain West Network 10 p.m. ET
Further reading
For all your Mountain West needs, check out Mountain West Connection.
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