The Rebel Room
Free Brewer
Buoyed by the Fremont Cannon victory, which he correctly predicted, Las Vegas Sun sports editor Ray Brewer makes all kinds of proclamations about the rest of UNLV's football season and what's in store for the basketball team while reporters Case Keefer and Taylor Bern attempt in vein to talk him down.
More Coverage
- Sanchez aims high for attendance as Rebels aim for third straight win
- Rebels paint Fremont Cannon red amid party atmosphere
- Bern’s-Eye View: Mountain West’s weakness could be UNLV’s strength
- Paint it red: Rebels take Fremont Cannon back to Las Vegas with 23-17 win
- Yunker, once with UNR, helps Rebels win back Fremont Cannon
- The Sun's UNLV football section
The only question in the Mountain Division is by how many games will Boise State win? Then there’s the muddied West Division, where a clear leader will emerge this weekend and then could just as easily disappear the next week.
San Diego State and UNLV could both move to 2-0, with both being intradivision victories. San Jose State could get to 2-1 with the confidence that comes with the league’s best running back on your side. And UNR might have lost the Fremont Cannon, but the Wolf Pack will have plenty of chances to get right back in this race.
The games in Hawaii and right here at Sam Boyd Stadium will decide the leaders. Who’s it going to be?
Note: UNLV picks will appear in the live blog on the day of the game.
SATURDAY
New Mexico (plus-4.5) at UNR
4 p.m., MWN/Campus Insiders
• I wasn’t expecting much and still I was entirely unimpressed seeing UNR play in person last weekend. That made me think more about the New Mexico side, which has fallen from plus-6.5 earlier this week. However, my gut feeling has always been that the next month's slate — this game, at Wyoming, Hawaii and at Fresno State — would help the Wolf Pack respond well after the UNLV matchup. This could easily go either way and oftentimes in these situations, I pick the team that I know would most upset me if they won and I was on the other side.
Pick: UNR — Win
Boise State (minus-15.5) at Colorado State
4 p.m., CBS Sports Network
• I’ve noticed a couple of trends in my picks with specific teams. I have been on both sides of each team except New Mexico and Colorado State. I have yet to pick the Lobos, and I have yet to pick against the Rams. I’ll stick with that for one more game. But if the Broncos post a fourth straight blowout, it will probably be awhile before I stand in their way again.
Pick: Colorado State — Loss
Weekly Mountain West Picks
Wyoming (plus-23.5) at Air Force
7:15 p.m., ESPN2
• If this is the spread for Wyoming at Air Force, what are the Cowboys going to get in two weeks at Boise State? O/U Boise minus-32.5?
Pick: Air Force — Loss
Utah State (minus-11.5) at Fresno State
7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
• I had last week’s Utah State-Colorado State game completely wrong, largely because I didn’t account for Utah State quarterback Kent Myers. The sophomore that coach Matt Wells has tried to redshirt each of the past two seasons — last year, as a fourth-string true freshman, he led the Aggies to five wins in six games — is back as the starter. He’s a dynamic athlete who will help Utah State snap its six-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
Pick: Utah State — Win
San Diego State (plus-2) at Hawaii
9 p.m., MWN
• The Aztecs have won 12 of the last 14 against Hawaii, and last week they held Fresno State to only 89 yards on offense. I have concerns about San Diego State and neither result would surprise me, but SDSU coach Rocky Long said there’s a chance junior Donnel Pumphrey could play and, ultimately, I think the Aztecs are a slightly better team.
Pick: San Diego State — Win
Last week: 6-2
Season: 23-15-1
2014 record: 49-37
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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