No. 23 UNLV (8-2, 4-1 Mountain West, No. 24 CFP) is set to face off against San Jose State (6-4, 3-3) on Friday at 10 p.m. EST, airing on FS1. The odds favor UNLV by 7.5 points according to BetMGM. Historically, San Jose State leads the series with a record of 20-7-1.
At stake in this matchup is UNLV’s quest for its first win as a ranked team. This marks only the second time in the program’s history that it has achieved ranking in the AP poll. Last month, the Rebels faced a setback against Syracuse while ranked 25th. For UNLV to secure a spot in the Mountain West title game, they will need to triumph in their final two games and rely on some favorable outcomes elsewhere. Meanwhile, San Jose State is already bowl eligible and aims for a seventh victory to bolster its bowl prospects.
One of the key battles to watch is between the UNLV defense and San Jose State wide receiver Nick Nash. The Rebels currently rank 120th in the nation, permitting an alarming 260.5 passing yards per game, posing a significant challenge in containing Nash. The standout receiver has impressively caught a touchdown pass in ten consecutive games, leading the country with 95 receptions, 1,282 receiving yards, and 14 touchdown catches.
In terms of players to keep an eye on, UNLV’s Ricky White III is a top performer in the conference, amassing 63 receptions for 867 yards and ten touchdowns, while also leading the nation with four blocked punts. On the other side, San Jose State’s quarterback Walker Eget has established personal bests in passing during his last two outings. He notably threw for 395 yards in a victory against Oregon State, then followed up with 446 yards and three touchdowns in a recent loss to Boise State.
Digging into some facts and figures, San Jose State has enjoyed recent success against UNLV, winning four consecutive games in the series and seven straight home contests since 1993. The Rebels, aiming to finish 6-0 on the road for the first time in the history of the program, recently saw kicker Caden Chittenden tie a Mountain West record for freshmen with his 22nd field goal. UNLV has also created a significant advantage this season, outscoring opponents by 67 points due to turnovers. San Jose State, however, has struggled against ranked teams, losing their last 11 encounters since beating No. 16 Fresno State in 2013. After losing 42-21 to No. 13 Boise State, the Spartans will now face ranked opponents in consecutive games for only the eighth time in the school’s history. Nonetheless, San Jose State boasts an impressive 14-3 record in their last 17 home games and ranks fourth in the nation with 23 takeaways.