LAS VEGAS – The UNLV Rebels want to play meaningful games in November.
The Rebels (7-2, 3-1 MW) host San Diego State at Allegiant Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday with a simple goal: win and keep the hopes alive for a title game.
“The opportunity to compete in position for meaningful games in the month of November. We’re still trying to find a way to win a conference championship,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said via their YouTube channel. “That’s our focus. We understand with everything and every habit, we’ve had geared up to this game against San Diego State.”
The Aztecs (3-6, 2-2 MW) are coming off a loss to New Mexico on Nov. 7. San Diego State has won its last four meetings against UNLV and leads the overall series 22-10.
The Aztecs are struggling on both sides of the football.
Freshman quarterback Danny O’Neil leads the Aztecs with 1,590 yards through the air with nine touchdowns and four interceptions. Running back Marquez Cooper rushed for 965 yards with nine touchdowns. Despite the solid numbers, San Diego State ranks 99th in the country out of 133 teams in rushing offense, 87th in pass offense, and 106 in score differential.
Defensively, it doesn’t get much better.
The Aztecs rank 105th in rushing defense and 74th in pass defense.
By comparison, the Rebels offense should not no issue taking its sixth-ranked rushing offense against San Diego State.
But a win can only take UNLV so far.
The Rebels need help. To qualify for the Mountain West Championship game, they will need Colorado State to lose, and UNLV would need to win out.
Regardless, UNLV will continue to control what it can control, which is win games in November.
Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.
