- What: NCAA Football Regular Season Game
- When: November 30, 2024
- Who: Nevada Wolf Pack vs. UNLV Rebels
- Time: 5:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
Nevada (3-9, 0-6 MWC) travels to Las Vegas to face UNLV (9-2, 5-1 MWC) in the “Battle for the Fremont Cannon” on Saturday, November 30th.
The upcoming 2024 showdown in Nevada will mark the 50th meeting between the Wolf Pack and the Rebels. The Wolf Pack leads the all-time series 28-21. This season, however, the Rebels are entering the matchup with considerable momentum.
UNLV has an impressive 9-2 record and is ranked 22nd in the playoff committee rankings. In contrast, Nevada is struggling with a 3-9 record and has suffered five consecutive losses.
Jeff Choate’s squad is keen to avoid a third consecutive season of reaching the ten-loss mark, but they will face a tough challenge against Barry Odom’s team, which has achieved nine wins for the second year in a row.
Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada heads into this Saturday with a five-game losing streak, having lost their most recent game against Air Force last weekend.
With nine losses this season, Nevada has already been eliminated from bowl contention, but they still have a chance to spoil the Rebels’ season by claiming victory in this matchup.
The Wolf Pack has struggled lately, losing five consecutive games and managing just a 1-3 record against the spread (ATS) in their last four.
Notably, three of those five defeats were by a narrow margin, including a close 28-21 loss to Boise State on November 9, where they were 22.5-point underdogs.
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— Nevada Football (@NevadaFootball) November 25, 2024
As a double-digit underdog, Nevada holds a 2-1 record against the spread, with a 1-1 mark on the road.
Nevada’s secondary has proven to be a strong point, led by their big, physical cornerbacks.
However, the Wolf Pack’s front seven has faced challenges recently, conceding more than 250 rushing yards per game and allowing over five yards per carry in their last four outings.
The Wolf Pack will need to exceed their average of 21.5 points per game and capitalize on their red-zone opportunities.
Fortunately, Choate’s squad boasts a strong performance in red-zone scoring, ranking 23rd nationally.
However, they will be challenged by a formidable UNLV defense, which is among the toughest that Nevada has encountered this season, allowing just 0.322 points per play to their opponents.
UNLV Rebels
These two teams have a historic rivalry, and while UNLV holds the upper hand, they must remain cautious; their in-state rivals are eager to pull off an upset that could haunt them this season.
UNLV is in control of its destiny. If they can secure a victory against the Wolf Pack on Saturday, they’re almost guaranteed a spot in the Mountain West championship game.
They would likely face the Boise State Broncos, thanks to their favorable tiebreakers over the Colorado State Rams.
This sets the stage for the Mountain West title game as a critical win-and-in situation for the College Football Playoff, especially after Tulane’s loss to Memphis on Thanksgiving.
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????: Las Vegas, NV
????️: Allegiant Stadium
⏰: 5 p.m.
????: UNR
????: CBS Sports Network pic.twitter.com/oQyXbYlewm— UNLV Football (@unlvfootball) November 30, 2024
The significance of this matchup escalates as UNLV’s dynamic offense aims to secure the Fremont Cannon. Positioned as the stronger team, they possess the necessary firepower to dominate Nevada at Allegiant Stadium.
The Wolf Pack has faced challenges defending against the run in 2024, currently sitting at 103rd in the nation, yielding 180.5 rushing yards per game.
This could spell trouble, as the Rebels boast one of the top rushing offenses in the country. They rank ninth with an average of 224.4 rush yards per game.
Running backs Jai’Den Thomas, Kylin James, and Greg Burrell have formed an effective trio, with Thomas nearing 700 rushing yards this season.
Additionally, quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams poses a significant threat on the ground, having rushed for eight touchdowns throughout 2024.
Wolf Pack-Rebels Best Bet
I see UNLV coming out on top, but I believe Nevada will manage to cover the spread at +17.5.
Despite the fact that Nevada hasn’t clinched a victory in Mountain West play yet, it’s important to note that under Jeff Choate’s leadership in his first season, the Wolf Pack have been in contention during nearly all their matches.
Their losses to SMU, Georgia Southern, San Jose State, Fresno State, Boise State, and Air Force have all been by seven points or fewer.
I’m expecting another tightly contested game. UNLV has secured three consecutive wins since their loss to Boise State about a month ago.
However, out of those, only one game was relatively comfortable—a 41-20 win against San Diego State.
UNLV is certainly a strong team, and I think the Rebels will figure out how to win at home. However, I believe Nevada ultimately covers this 17.5-point spread.
Nevada +17.5 points at -110 odds at BetMGM is the best bet in this one.
UNLV coach says Rebels need to ‘take care of business’ against rival
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
