Wyoming is real and UNLV’s next on their list

There are three games left in the season. ESPN’s FPI says that Wyoming has a 60% chance to win this one.

If they do, they’ll go into the San Diego State game 8-2 and on track to star in the MW Championship. I have some thoughts about that, but first, let’s get into the thoughts about this game against the UNLV Not-Really-Runnin’ Rebels.

Who in the heck is going to be UNLV’s quarterback?

I won’t lie: I haven’t kept up with Rebels football. All I know is that Johnny Stanton has, whether it’s due to injury or being benched, hasn’t played since late September. Dalton Sneed then took over and dropped off the statistical map as well, opening the door for Kurt Palendech.

If Sneed went down because of injury, will UNLV’s bye week help bring him back? Will Palendech come under center? Will Stanton come back like an 80’s anime villain, stronger than he was before? I don’t know!

Whoever it is, though, he’s bound to sling the pigskin up and down the field.

A revelation

A few days ago, while at the Utah State game, a friend and I discovered why Coach Bohl loves to run the ball so much. Most of it is because our running back is so darn good, but there’s another, more obscure reason.

Running the ball slows down the game. It takes away time from the opposing offense to have the ball.

This is the key. Wyoming’s defense and special teams are at best mediocre. The Cowboys allow 441 yards per game on average. That’s 97th best in the country and the worst in the Mountain division.

To go along with this, the Cowboys are second worst in the division in points allowed per game, right ahead of New Mexico.

I’m not saying Coach Bohl doesn’t trust his defense. I even doubt that there’s a causation. All I’m saying is that there’s a correlation. Hopefully, Bohl will prove me wrong this week and I won’t have to bust out my tinfoil hat.

The offense

I think that in my brief time writing about Wyoming, I’ve ragged enough on the defense. I’m going to fangirl over the offense a bit more.

Josh Allen isn’t necessarily the Second Coming of Brett Smith. What he has done is shown just how important the quarterback position is.

Josh Allen and Brian Hill have made me realize just how much I missed good Wyoming football. I’ve lived in Wyoming my whole life and I’m currently a student at UW. I was at the 63-14 blowout at the hands of Grant Hedrick. I was at the 44-0 shutout in the Border War in the snow, and I was at the last two in Laramie where CSU outscored UW 78-29.

This offense could tear UNLV to shreds. UNLV allowed 424 yards to San Jose State, a team that’s averaged 376 yards a game on the season.

I’ve underrated the Cowboys so far. Not this time.

Pokes by 17.

See you next week.