UNLV defensive lineman Alexander Whitmore (right) reacts after a tackle against San Jose State on Nov. 22, 2024 in San Jose, Calif.
Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP
A look ahead to the Nevada football game Saturday in Las Vegas against UNLV:
KICKOFF: 5 p.m., Allegiant Stadium.
RECORDS: Nevada (3-9, 0-6); UNLV (9-1, 5-1).
THE SPREAD: UNLV favored by 17.5 points, total is 55.
HOW TO WATCH, LISTEN: The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network and heard on 105.7 FM.
AT STAKE FOR NEVADA: The Fremont Cannon, which has lived in Las Vegas since Nov. 26, 2022 when UNLV beat the Pack, 27-22, in Las Vegas for the first time since 2019. UNLV also won last season in Reno, 45-27, in its most one-sided victory in the rivalry since 2004 (48-13). Enough said.
AT STAKE FOR UNLV: The Fremont Cannon, state bragging rights, a trip to the Mountain West Championship game, a possible spot in the College Football Playoff, a second-consecutive 10-win season for the first time in school history. That's all.
THE RIVALRY: Officially, according to the NCAA, Nevada leads the rivalry, 29-20. But UNLV and Nevada both know the rivalry score should be 28-21 Nevada. That's because NCAA sanctions forced UNLV to forfeit all of its victories in 1983, including a 28-18 win over the Pack. UNLV, though, kept the cannon after that game. The Pack went home miserable. The Fremont Cannon tells everyone in the state of Nevada who won the game. Not the NCAA.
THE HEAD COACHES: Nevada's Jeff Choate (54 years old) is 3-9 and still looking for his first Mountain West victory (0-6). Choate's Wolf Pack also has lost five games in a row. UNLV's Barry Odom, who celebrated his 48th birthday Tuesday, is 18-7 and in his second year as Rebels' head coach. Odom was also 25-25 in four years as Missouri's head coach. Odom (Missouri) and Choate (Montana Western) are former college linebackers (Choate from 1988-91 and Odom from 1996-99). Both were head coaches for the first time from 2016-19. Both are former defensive coordinators. Both are former high school coaches, Odom in Oklahoma and Missouri from 2000-02 and Choate in Idaho from 1994-2001.
CHOATE VERSUS UNLV, ODOM VERSUS NEVADA: This will be Choate's first game as a head coach against UNLV. Choate, though, has met UNLV three times as an assistant, in 2004 as a Utah State assistant (31-21 win), 2011 as a Boise State assistant (48-21 win) and in 2012 as a Washington State assistant (35-27 win). All three games were at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. Odom beat the Wolf Pack 45-27 last season at Mackay Stadium as UNLV's head coach. Choate was also a Missouri assistant when the Tigers beat Nevada, 69-17, in 2008 and, 31-21, in 2009.
PACK ROOKIE COACHES VS. UNLV: Choate will be the seventh Wolf Pack head coach to face the Rebels in his first year at Nevada. Wolf Pack rookie head coaches have gone 3-3 against UNLV with Jay Norvell (2017), Jeff Tisdel (1996) and Jeff Horton (1993) winning and Chris Ault (1976), Chris Tormey (2000) and Brian Polian (2013) losing.
WHEN UNLV HAS THE BALL: Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams, who took over as starter in the fourth game of the season, is 118-of-185 for 1,567 yards and 15 touchdowns with four interceptions. Williams has also run for 664 yards and eight touchdowns. Rebel running back Jai'Den Thomas has 697 yards and six touchdowns. UNLV has rushed for 245 yards a game on an average of 5.3 a carry. Ricky White is the Rebels' leading receiver with 70 catches for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jacob DeJesus is at 26-372-2 as the Rebels' No. 2 target. UNLV averages 38.7 points a game.
WHEN NEVADA HAS THE BALL: Quarterback Brendon Lewis is 184-of-275 for 1,998 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. Lewis has also run for a team-high 745 yards and eight touchdowns. Savion Red has 683 yards and eight touchdowns as the top Pack back (when healthy). Nevada has rushed for 171.5 yards a game on an average of 4.7 a carry. Jaden Smith (53-757-6), Cortez Braham (54-668-3) and Marcus Bellon (33-437-4) lead Nevada's receivers. The Wolf Pack has averaged 23.8 points a game.
TOP RUNNING QUARTERBACKS: Lewis (745 yards, eight TDs) and Williams (664 yards, eight scores) are the top two running quarterbacks in the Mountain West. Lewis averages 12.8 carries and 67.7 yards a game while Williams averages 12 carries and 66.4 yards. In Williams' debut with the Rebels this year he ran the ball 10 times and gained 88 yards in relief of starter Matthew Sluka without throwing a single pass. Lewis has two 100-yard games while Williams has three. Lewis averages 5.3 a carry while Williams averages 5.5 This is also the matchup of the most experienced quarterbacks in the history of the Nevada-UNLV rivalry. Williams, who spent five years (2019-23) at Campbell, is in his sixth year while Lewis, who spent three years (2020-22) at Colorado, is now in his fifth year.
FREMONT CANNON QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL: Williams will be the seventh consecutive different starting quarterback for the Rebels in the annual Fremont Cannon game after Jayden Maiava (2023), Doug Brumfield (2022), Cameron Friel (2021), Max Gilliam (2020), Kenyon Oblad (2019) and Armani Rogers (2018). Brendon Lewis will be making his second consecutive start for the Pack in the rivalry. The Pack has had six quarterbacks start three or more games in the rivalry since David Neill had four starts in a row from 1998-2001. Jeff Rowe (2004-06), Colin Kaepernick (2008-10), Cody Fajardo (2011, 2013-14), Ty Gangi (2016-18) and Carson Strong (2019-21) all started three games in the rivalry this century. The only UNLV quarterback to start three times against Nevada this century is Jason Thomas (2000-02). Williams will be the Rebels 18th starter against Nevada starting with Thomas in 2002.
REBELS EXCEL ON SPECIAL TEAMS: UNLV kicker Caden Chittenden is 24-of-28 on field goals this season. Chittenden leads Mountain West kickers with 188 points. Pack kickers Matthew Killam and Kian Afrookhteh, by comparison, are just a combined 5-of-8 on field goals. Pack punter Guy Gillespie has averaged 40.3 on 42 punts this year while UNLV's Marshall Nichols has averaged 43.9 yards on 37 punts. UNLV's Ricky White also leads the nation with four blocked punts this year, more than any other team in the FBS. The Rebels' Jacob DeJesus is one of the more dangerous returners in the country, averaging 8.2 on 20 punt returns and 21.4 on five kickoff returns. Jai'Den Thomas returned a kickoff for a touchdown this season for UNLV while Ricky White returned a punt for a score.
THE LAST MEETING: UNLV beat the Wolf Pack, 45-27, last season (Oct. 14, 2023) at Mackay Stadium. UNLV jumped out to a 28-7 halftime lead as Ricky White caught touchdown passes of 59 and 82 yards from quarterback Jayden Maiava (now at USC). Donavyn Lester ran for a 66-yard touchdown for a 35-7 Rebel lead a minute into the third quarter. Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis was 16-of-31 for 287 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions and was sacked three times. He also ran for 115 yards and a touchdown.