LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys return from their bye week Saturday with an opportunity to take a major step toward the Mountain West championship when they face UNLV at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Mountain time on CBS Sports Network.
The game will also be available on the 26 stations of The Cowboy Sports Network with Keith Kelley on the call, Kevin McKinney on color, and TRN Media’s Erick Pauley on the sidelines. In Sweetwater County, you can listen to the game on KUGR 104.9 FM and 1490 AM.
With three conference games remaining against UNLV, UTEP and New Mexico, Wyoming controls its path to the championship. If the Cowboys win all three, they would finish 7-1 in Mountain West play and guarantee themselves a spot in the conference championship game. They would also host the title game in Laramie.
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Wyoming enters the weekend 5-3 overall and 4-1 in conference play, while UNLV is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the Mountain West. New Mexico currently leads the conference at 4-0, making the Cowboys’ remaining schedule especially important.
The Cowboys last played Oct. 23, earning a 28-14 victory over Air Force to extend their winning streak to three games. Wyoming’s defense forced three fumbles in the win, including a fourth-quarter recovery by redshirt freshman linebacker Steven Perez that helped preserve the lead. Perez was named the Old Trapper Mountain West Freshman of the Week after recording a team-high 17 tackles.
Linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz also recorded 11 tackles against Air Force and leads Wyoming with 59 stops this season. Gary Rutherford added 12 tackles, while defensive tackle Ja’Quan Redfern had a career-high seven tackles and forced a fumble. Defensive end Esaia Bogar recovered two fumbles.
Offensively, quarterback Tyler Hughes continues to lead the Cowboys. He ranks third in the Mountain West in total offense, averaging 225.6 yards per game, and third in rushing at 89 yards per game. Hughes ran for a 68-yard touchdown on the second play against Air Force.
UNLV enters the matchup after a 31-24 victory over Northern Illinois. The Rebels average 25 points and 383.4 yards of total offense per game, with a balanced attack that produces 208 passing yards and 175.4 rushing yards per contest.
Running back Jai’Den Thomas leads the Mountain West with 657 rushing yards and averages 82.1 yards per game. Quarterback Jackson Arnold averages 206.9 passing yards per game and has thrown 13 touchdowns. He also has six rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Kayden McGee leads the Rebels with 442 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Wyoming travels to UTEP on Nov. 14 before closing its Mountain West schedule at home against New Mexico on Nov. 21.
