The UNLV Rebels will take on the Nevada Wolfpack in the 51st instalment of the Battle of the Fremont Cannon. After a massive win on a short week, UNLV will look to finish the regular season on a four-game win streak. To get that done, they will head up north to Reno, where Nevada would love nothing more than to play spoiler to their in-state rival.
The Rebels enter this contest with hopes to appear in the Mountain West championship game, despite already guaranteeing themselves a bowl game appearance (which may be the Guaranteed Rate Bowl). To get back to the Mountain West title, UNLV will need a win and some help. They would clinch a spot with a win, a San Diego State win, and a Boise State loss.
Let’s dive into how this one may shake out on Saturday.
UNLV Rebels vs. Nevada Wolfpack: 2025 College Football Preview
Matchup History
Nevada leads the all-time series 28-22. However, UNLV has won the last three straight meetings. If Dan Mullen’s Rebels march into enemy territory and win Saturday, that would mark only the third time in history that UNLV has won four straight games in this rivalry.
This in-state rivalry dates back to 1965, when the two schools started battling for the Fremont Cannon. It has become a highly coveted trophy, painted in the winning team’s colors after each game.
The Fremont Cannon has been painted red consistently lately, and now, with a must-win spot for UNLV to clinch a place in the Mountain West Title game, along with some help. It will need to be red again.
Keys and Predictions
Key Players for UNLV
They’re calling him Ant-Man now, and I am not talking about Paul Rudd, but Anthony Colandrea. Colandrea was fantastic under center for the Rebels in their big win over Hawaii, 38-10.
Colandrea flexed his arm and accuracy on Friday night, going 21-26 for 253 yards and three touchdowns, to three different Rebels. This was the exact type of performance UNLV staff, Colandrea, and maybe even NFL scouts will circle in his 2025 body of work. Colandrea is also one of four players in the nation to have 2750 passing yards and at least 500 net rushing yards. Be on the lookout for the quarterback to keep the offense humming and close this season strong.
In the win over Hawaii, the Rebels’ defense also came away with a big surprise in how much they showed up. Facing a high-flying Hawaii offense, the Rebels generated an interception and held the Bows to only 10 points.
It was a fantastic effort to close out the season for a Rebels defense that has been leaky all season, they will look to keep that rolling into this Saturday’s game.
Key Players for Nevada
Nevada has had a tough season, but it has some bright spots, and there is no doubt about it. Start with Junior defensive lineman Dylan LaBarbara.
LaBarbara is putting together a real All-America case, while chasing both the Nevada and Mountain West records for tackles for loss with one game to go. He’s at a whopping 17 tackles for loss in 2025.
On their two-game win streak, the Wolfpack have seen some steady improvement from the true freshman quarterback. Carter Jones has been constant and efficient, hitting 27 of his 36 throws for 253 yards and three touchdowns with zero turnovers over the Pack’s two-game win streak.
He’s distributing the ball well, taking what’s there, and keeping the offense on schedule without putting it in harm’s way.
2025 Game Preview: How UNLV Wins vs. Nevada in Week 10
There is no secret that UNLV is going to need some help to get into the Mountain West title game. Yet even if they get the help, but lose in this rivalry game, it will be all for nothing. With that in mind, the task at hand is the Fremont Cannon before anything else.
The most significant factor in this ball game is the confidence the UNLV defense is playing with. They just shut down an offense led by a true freshman, and now they will have a chance to do it again. If the defense is creating havoc and getting off the field, the Rebels may be able to rattle true freshman Carter Jones.
Now, Nevada hasn’t checked out at all. They’ve stacked back-to-back wins and done it in entirely different ways. One week, they lit up the scoreboard. The next, dragging someone into a defensive slugfest and come out on top. They’re still a long shot to steal the Fremont Cannon, but at least they’re rolling into the matchup with some real juice instead of laying down to finish the year.
UNLV will look to keep the Fremont Cannon red. Will they receive the help needed if San Diego State wins and Boise State loses? Only time will tell.
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