How to watch UNLV vs. Arizona: Preview, TV schedule, odds, more

There are sexier matchups on college football’s first weekend, but hardly any have as many unknowns as UNLV-Arizona. The Rebels are looking to prove themselves after making a big jump and going bowling last season, while the Wildcats are trying to become more than that team that has a lot of speed and is a lot of fun to watch, but can’t consistently be a contender.

While this characteristic is similar between the two programs, if last year’s game is any indication, they’re still very far apart. Arizona tore up the Rebels 58-13 in Las Vegas, and now it’s UNLV’s turn to prove that it didn’t just sneak by beating absolutely terrible teams (it may have).

Yes, Arizona should win this game, but the Wildcats don’t always win when they should. UNLV might have looked like it made a jump last year, but there’s a chance the record was deceiving. Either way, one team will begin to shed its label on Friday.

TV: 10:30 pm ET, ESPN

Radio: Arizona IMG Sports Network, ESPN 1100 (UNLV)

Online streaming: WatchESPN

Rankings and records: Arizona went 8-5 and 4-5 in the Pac-12 last year. UNLV went 7-6 and 5-3 in the Mountain West.

Vegas: Arizona is favored by 23.5 points with an over/under of 60.

Weather forecast: 90s and sunny.

1. Anu Solomon, QB, Arizona: The redshirt freshman narrowly won the quarterback battle in camp this year, and despite having never played a college game, he will be charged with carrying Arizona’s high-powered offense. He’s been up and down throughout camp, but Solomon was a solid dual-threat quarterback recruit coming out of high school. This will be his first chance to prove he can run the offense.

2. Terris Jones-Grigsby, RB, Arizona: Running back is also a major unknown for Arizona, now that Ka’Deem Carey has left for the NFL. The running game likely won’t be as efficient as it was this year, but Jones-Grigsby and Jared Baker, who is coming off a torn ACL, must step up for the Wildcats to make a run in the Pac-12. This will be Jones-Grigsby’s first chance to prove he’s up to the task.

3. Blake Decker, QB, UNLV: Unfortunately for the Rebels, they won’t be any more experienced than the Wildcats at quarterback. Decker beat out Nick Sherry, who was benched last year after a terrible performance against Arizona, for the job, and now he’ll get his chance against a very fast, and potentially very good defense.

1. Arizona had one of the strangest Novembers in the country last year. The Wildcats lost a close one to UCLA, lost to Washington State, destroyed Oregon, then got destroyed by Arizona State. It was the perfect example of what the Wildcats have become under Rich Rodriguez — lots of potential, but too inconsistent. This year, they’ll be breaking in new players at both quarterback and running back, and while a win over UNLV won’t prove anything, it can at least show that the Wildcats might have the pieces in place to be for real this year.

2. Despite what the record says, UNLV really wasn’t that good last year. They got away with beating up on bad teams and slipped into a bowl game because of it. It’s going to be hard to prove last year wasn’t a fluke, because the stats seem to show that it was, but if the Rebels are going to go on a run and become a legitimate team this year, beating Arizona in Tuscon would be quite the way to start off.

For more Arizona coverage, read Arizona Desert Swarm. For more on UNLV, check out Mountain West Connection.