All-Time Series: Boise State leads 9-3 Last Meeting: Boise State won 44-20(2023 Mountain West Championship) Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada
No.17 Boise State and UNLV meet again in a rematch of last year's Mountain West Conference title game. The ranked Broncos are coming off a bye week. They took down Hawaii in their last game, 28-7. UNLV beat Oregon State on the road last week, 33-25. Both teams are in a four-way tie for first place in the Mountain West. THe winner will improve to 3-0 in conference play and UNLV is looking for their first victory over BSU since 1976.
Players To Watch
No introduction is needed for this guy. Ashton Jeanty is the best running back in the country and a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Last season's Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year is having the best season of his career. He leads the nation in rushing yards (1,248) and no one else is in his solar system. Jeanty has 17 rushing touchdowns, which is second in the nation only to Army's Bryson Daily. The beast from Jacksonville seems to be unstoppable, as he's averaged 10 yards per carry. Jeanty is the Bronco offense.
For a brief moment, UNLV's program was in shambles. The shocking departure of Matthew Sluka left the team with uncertainty. However, here we are, a few weeks later, and things are going by just fine. Hajj-Malik Williams has stepped in at quarterback and has done great.
The dual-threat passer has made Rebels fans forget about Sluka in the blink of an eye. Williams has tossed for 838 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He's completed 70.5% of his passes and has added 390 yards and four scores on the ground. He could cause some problems for BSU on Friday.
Ty Benefield is one of the mainstays of Boise State's secondary. He's only a sophomore and has already established himself as one of the best defensive backs in the Mountain West. Benefield is already on track to eclipse last season's total of 46 stops. He can get into the backfield from time to time and come up with TFLs. He has an interception and two forced fumbles. You'll see the California product all over the field.
UNLV's best defensive player is linebacker Jackson Woodard. The senior from Little Rock, Arkansas has been a revelation for the Rebels. Woodard is on track to eclipse his total of 116 tackles last year. He has racked up 63 stops. 29 of those have been solo tackles. Woodard also has nine TFLs, three sacks, and four interceptions, which leads the team. The picks are just a small indication of how successful Woodard has been as he has defended eight passes and has also recovered a fumble. He has been a force and will continue to be just that.