Bowl or bust 101 predictions for UNLV football in 2018
The Rebels’ dreams of a bowl game were crushed on the final day of the 2017 season with a loss at rival UNR, and the 39 weeks since that defeat have been leading up to Saturday’s 2018 opener at USC.
The Rebels know this campaign will be defined in very simple terms: If they earn that elusive bowl invitation, the season is a success; if they don’t, well...
In an attempt to plot out the how the next 12 weeks will play out, here are 101 predictions for the UNLV football team:
1. How many games will UNLV win? 6
2. How many home games will UNLV win? 4
3. How many games will UNLV win by double digits? 4
4. What will be the longest winning streak? 3 games (Week 6 at Utah State, Week 7 vs. Air Force, Week 8 at San Jose State)
5. What will be the longest losing streak? 3 games (Week 9 vs. Fresno State, Week 10 at San Diego State, Week 11 at Hawaii)
6. Biggest margin of victory? 35 points (Week 3 vs. Prairie View A&M)
7. Biggest margin of defeat? 20 points (Week 1 at USC, 41-21)
8. What will UNLV’S point differential be for the season? Plus-12 (UNLV 372, Opponents 360)
9. Will Lexington Thomas break UNLV’S all-time rushing record? No
Thomas needs 1,250 yards to set the record, and after running for 1,336 yards last year, it’s within reach. But with a healthy Charles Williams and a healthier Armani Rogers dipping into his carries, Thomas won’t get enough attempts to break the record.
10. How many rushing yards for Thomas? 1207
11. How many yards per rush for Thomas? 6.1
12. How many touchdowns will Thomas score? 10
13. How many rushing yards for Charles Williams? 786
14. How many yards per rush for Williams? 5.5
15. How many rushing touchdowns will Williams score? 8
16. Who will record the most rushing yards in a single game? Thomas (210 yards at San Jose State)
17. How many runs of 50+ yards will Thomas have? 4
18. How many 100-yard games will Thomas record? 5
19. How many 100-yard games will other UNLV runners record? 7
20. Who will record the longest run of the season? Thomas, 72 yards (Week 3 vs. Prairie View A&M)
21. What will be Armani Rogers’ completion percentage? 55.4 percent
22. How many passes will Rogers complete? 143
23. How many passes of longer than 25 yards will Rogers complete? 26
This may end up being a more important statistic than Rogers’ completion percentage. Opponents will spend all year trying to slow the Rebels’ run game, which should give Rogers plenty of opportunities for quick strikes down the field. He’s got to take advantage and hit on enough deep balls to keep the defense honest.
24. How many touchdowns will Rogers throw? 14
25. How many interceptions will Rogers throw? 8
26. How many times will Rogers be sacked? 30
27. What will be Rogers high for passing yards in a single game? 235 yards (Week 11 at Hawaii)
28. What will be Rogers high for passing touchdowns in a single game? 3 (Week 11 at Hawaii)
29. How many yards will Rogers run for? 820
30. How many rushing touchdowns will Rogers score? 11
31. How many games will Rogers start? 11
32. How many game-winning drives will Rogers lead? 2 (Week 6 at Utah State, Week 7 vs. Air Force)
After starting the season 2-3, including a disappointing Week 5 home loss to New Mexico, the Rebels will find themselves on the brink until Rogers brings UNLV from behind in the fourth quarter to win back-to-back thrillers.
33. How many games will Rogers lead UNLV in carries? 2
34. How many games will Rogers lead UNLV in rushing yards? 4
35. How many games will Thomas lead UNLV in carries? 8
36. How many games will Williams lead UNLV in carries? 3
37. What will be Rogers’ longest completion? 65 yards
38. How many overtime games will UNLV play? 1 (Week 7 vs. Air Force)
39. How many games will UNLV punt three times or