Cowboys Seek Series Lead in Las Vegas

The Wyoming Cowboys will travel to Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 7, to play the UNLV Rebels inside Allegiant Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. It marks the first time the two programs have met in the 65,000-seat venue, which opened as part of a $2 billion development project. The Cowboys won the last matchup in that building during the 2020 season, but the official attendance was zero due to the pandemic.

Wyoming enters the contest with an overall record of 5-3 and a Mountain West record of 4-1. UNLV holds a 5-3 overall record and a 3-1 conference mark. Both teams are positioned to make a strong bid for the conference title. The winner of Saturday night's game will secure a favorable spot in the standings for the remainder of the regular season. The Cowboys lead the all-time series against the Rebels, 14-13.

Dan Mullen is in his second season as UNLV head coach. He replaced Barry Odom, who led the Rebels to 19 wins and three losses in conference play over two years before moving to Purdue. Mullen, a former assistant at Utah, is 15-7 since taking the job. He has lost only three times in league play during his tenure. The Rebels have struggled historically in the Mountain West, posting 212 losses in their first two decades in the conference.

The teams have a history of high-scoring, dramatic games. Five previous meetings in Las Vegas required overtime. The most memorable occurred in 2016 at Sam Boyd Stadium. That game ended 69-66 in three overtime periods. Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns. UNLV wide receiver Tanner Gentry caught five passes for 184 yards and three scores. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times in that loss.

Former UNLV coach Tony Sanchez called the 2016 contest the craziest game of his career. He noted that Allen drove the Cowboys 97 yards in nine plays with just 1:06 remaining to force the first extra period. Gentry then caught a 19-yard touchdown pass with a one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone. Sanchez told 7220sports.com in 2019 that he needed a drink after that one. The Cowboys eventually won the conference championship that season despite the loss to UNLV.

The weather in Las Vegas on Saturday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 76 degrees and a low of 51. The game will be played indoors. Betting odds list UNLV as a six-point favorite with a total of 48.5 points. The game will air on CBS Sports Network. It will also be broadcast on the Cowboy Sports Network radio. Jay Sawvel will lead the Cowboys on the sideline.