UNLV vs. Fresno State Preview: Fresno State Still On Track To Be Bowl Buster

Fresno State is on track to be a BCS Bowl buster.  They are 5-0 overall and ranked No.19  in the AP Top 25 in the nation.  If they keep winning games that will set themselves up for a BCS Bowl game.  However, a fellow 2-0 Mountain West team would like to derail Fresno State’s hopes.

UNLV is 2-0 in the division and have no plans no slowing down for Fresno State’s Bowl train.  UNLV may not be on track for a bowl game but they are still getting national attention.  They would like to make more headlines by beating Fresno State.

It is not sitting well with UNLV that Fresno State feel they have cleared their last major hurdle with their win over Boise State.  UNLV feels it is competing for the division and if they win they will indeed move into the No.1 spot.  A loss for UNLV will not have national implications.  A loss for Fresno State,though, would be catastrophic for the team.

Something has to give in this game.  UNLV gets national attention because they are ranked in the top five in pass defense allowing only 165.8 yards per game and 5.4 yards per attempt on the season.  Fresno State is ranked in the top five in passing averaging 374 yards per game.  However, UNLV’s top five status may be a bit tainted, as they have played teams with a terrible passing numbers.  They have definitely yet to face a team that has the passing capabilities of Fresno State.

Both teams quarterbacks have been putting together nice season’s for themselves.

Fresno State’s quarterback Derek Carr has completed 71 percent of his passes this season.  He has awesome pass protection, only getting sacked three times out of 259 pass plays.  We will have to wait and see how UNLV’s pass defense holds up against Carr.

Caleb Harring is not getting the national attention of Carr but he has also put himself together some nice stats.  He has completed 69.4 percent of his passes.  He is also dangerous in the endzone with a 9:1 touchdown to interception ratio.  Herring could very well turn this game into a shootout.

The odds opened for this game with Fresno State being a 21 point favorite.  At most sportsbooks, including Bovada, the odds have risen to 25 points in favor of Fresno State.  The game starts at 10 p.m. ET.  You can watch the game on the Mountain West Network.