The Good. the Bad, the Ugly: UNLV vs. Nevada

Welcome to the sixth edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” During the offseason I will be featuring some of the most important games of 2017 Mountain West season. This week we will be featuring one of the best rivalries in the Mountain West: UNLV vs, Nevada.

The Good:

Ty Gangi

Gangi was easily the offensive MVP of this game. He completed 24 of 33 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Gangi showed his elusiveness in the pocket and his ability to be an accurate passer. It is performances like this that have Wolf Pack fans excited about the upcoming season. This touchdown to Demps was a thing of beauty…

McLane Mannix

The freshman wide receiver had a great performance. Mannix finished the game with 7 catches for 109 yards. Mannix showed of his speed with this electric run after the catch on Nevada’s first scoring drive. Mannix is going to be a force the next few years, he is the weapon Nevada has been lacking in recent seasons.

Kelton Moore

Moore had a solid performance against UNLV. He finished the game with 23 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown. Moore does not have the elusive speed of other running backs in the Mountain West, but his ability to constantly break off five and six yard runs makes him an invaluable asset.

The Bad:

Armani Rogers

Rogers struggled to find his rhythm in this game. The Wolf Pack did an excellent job getting pressure on Rogers and preventing him for utilizing his speed. Rogers finished the game completing only 12 out of 23 passes for 160 yards. More importantly, the Wolf Pack held Rogers to 49 yards rushing on 23 carries.

The Ugly:

UNLV’s Defensive Line

The Running Rebels’ defensive line struggled to provide pressure on Gangi and shut down the running game of the Wolf Pack. UNLV had zero sacks on the game and surrendered over 100 yards rushing to Moore in a game where every yard mattered.

This game lived up to the hype of being a rivalry game. There was the drama of a late score that gave the Wolf Pack the 23-16 victory. More importantly, the Wolf Pack victory kept the Rebels from reaching a bowl game. The 2018 season will be one to watch for both Nevada schools, both teams look like they will be much improved and have an opportunity to contend for a bowl game.

Thank you for reading and be sure to tune in next week as I will be covering the Armed Forces Bowl featuring San Diego State and Army.