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I'm loathe to give anything or anyone Reno any credit but.

what really drives the dislike also has less to do with the play on the field and more to do with the fact that they dropped the Reno moniker in favor of "Nevada" because Reno sucks. Calling themselves "Nevada's college" has really not sat well with Las Vegas since both Universities are "University of Nevada"
Also, the stronghold Northerners had on the Board to "arbitrarily" keep UNLV down. Wouldn't allow a law school. Wouldn't allow a dental school. Med School? Nah. They already had one. Reno's ability to make decisions to bury UNLV has put Las Vegas 30 years behind, and the state 40 years behind. Lawyers had to go other states (mostly CA) to be educated. Doctor shortage in Las Vegas and Nevada. Not enough research. It's a strong, but not misplaced, hatred for Reno...and the North in general.

I'm loathe to give anything or anyone Reno any credit but.

The “hatred” was primarily north directed at south. Especially back in the day, for UNLV, UNR loathed UNLV, but UNR was on the pay no mind list for Las Vegans.
It was the way UNR fans behaved themselves when they were kicking our ass in FB by 50 pts every game back in the day. Just totally obnoxious. I remember going up there around 92-93-94 and it was like 52-0 at half and Gatlin already threw for like 5 TDs and they were still trying to start fights with the 20 or so UNLV fans who were actually there.

Assuming Hawaii gets done..Then what?

After the addition of Hawaii as a full member the MWC should sit at 8. Just like the OG MWC. It's a good group that all fit the together very well and have a ton of history together. No need to dilute the conference. No one is coming in which will move the needle in terms of TV dollars, so don't add just to add. This is all temporary any way till the next realignment in 5-8 years.

UNLV
Air Force
New Mexico
UNR
Wyoming
UTEP
SJSU
Hawaii

That's not a bad conference for now. It's one UNLV should be able to compete year in year out for titles in most sports.

Defense

But are the stats skewed a bit because they are always coming from behind?
My point is is we looked bad against the pass and Petras is no where near as good as McCord!
Petras was the starting QB at Iowa for 3 years and has thrown for over 4000 yards in his career despite playing at Iowa... He might not be McCord, but hes a really good passer and he also has Royal, who is likely to be one of 3 or 4 MWC WRs drafted this year... We looked bad becuase we flat gave up trying for the most part in the second half on both sides of the ball.

I'm loathe to give anything or anyone Reno any credit but.

Loyal Coug1: You should probably know the history of UNLV. UNLV was under the "thumb" of Reno when it first opened in 1957. At that time it was known as Nevada Southern University. We became an equal separate institution around 1970 under one Board of Regents. We rebelled against Reno, that's why we are called the Rebels because we didn't want to be under the auspices of a school "up North". The movement to form a new school here came from the local population in Southern Nevada, not Reno. That's why there is such a rivalry. Now we are a larger institution than Reno.
Nah, I know you don't know what it's like to have a real in-state public university rivalry, it can be hard to empathize with someone who does. We stab each other in the back, the Huskies just left some money on the nightstand while he goes on, that seems like a pretty amicable way to treat the things you don't care about
You guys know I was just making fun. And I actually read up on UNLV recently, thus the UN Southern pun. Learned about the "Rebel's" mascot, always wondered about that.

And WSU's rivalry with the hated and condescending mutts is palpable and rivals any hate-fest. Whenever I see a mutt on the street I talk shit to them. Even this nice older lady at the dog park yesterday in a mutt sweatshirt. Loyal: "I really don't think much of that sweatshirt". I made my son apply to uw for college, as I wanted him to be able to say he chose not to go there. Of course I told him if he did go there, he would get zero from me for college. He was accepted, but went to Western WA. Still wish I had grabbed that uw letter from him, he didn't care and threw it away.

Defense

You do know that Utah State is the 14th school in the nation in passing yardage and completions, 9th in attempts. Nationally. In the conference they're 2nd in YPG, 3rd in passing touchdowns. They turn the ball over a lot and are terrible in the red zone, but they're not a poor passing team.
But are the stats skewed a bit because they are always coming from behind?
My point is is we looked bad against the pass and Petras is no where near as good as McCord!

Game of interest

Boise State is one dimensional with a single runner being the star of the team. If UNLV can shut down the running game, which is the best part of the defensive, then they have the ability win through a high temple gaming of scoring.
I wouldn't say they're one dimensional. They average about 233 ypg passing, which isn't great, but they've also had pretty sizeable leads in most of their games, so once you're ahead, and your running backs are averaging 7.7 ypc, you run the ball. If we can keep Jeanty to 1 long TD run, and under 180 yards, we should have a good chance at winning though.

Assuming Hawaii gets done..Then what?

Getting Hawaii done is paramount obviously but after that then what.

Saw adding Hawaii as full member could keep MWC media deal around 5-6 million. Amazing what the degenerate gambler demographic adds to your media market value.

CUSA teams seem the most likely potential additions but not sure how much any would add to a media package. There are some interesting Sun Belt teams but honestly unless you could add a minimum of at least 4 'Eastern' schools not sure it makes much sense for any to join financially without travel partners.

NMSU seems a natural fit but being only 100k population in Las Cruces and only 50 miles from El Paso they probably don't add much for a media deal. UTEP despite their struggles was the better choice based purely off their population vs NMSU.

Sam Houston State gets you a second team in Texas and they are playing decent football.

La Tech probably a no.

Western Kentucky would be a good get and increase conference footprint but would need travel partners.

There just aren't many West options really.

Not sure even as football only Toledo and NIU make a lot of sense. Feels like you would need a few more 'Eastern' teams as travel partners for it to make sense.

8 with Hawaii full member gets MWC to the magic number but means teams are going to need 5 OOC games which isn't ideal.
The Pac-soon-to-be-8 will need OOC games..........

Can't remember if I threw out this insane idea before or not. stay at 8 or 9 member. Play everyone in conference, then have a Pac-X-MW championship game. Winner of which should be a playoff shoo-in.
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Assuming Hawaii gets done..Then what?

Slim pickings after 8 for sure. Almost anybody we add from here on out is just taking money out of our pockets. And, the one or two that are interested in moving up like Sacramento State are holding out for a Pac12 invite.
Montana or Dakota schools to fill it out would be ideal. They have really solid programs that have shown they can more than compete at FBS level. NMSU would be a huge mistake.
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“Did you guys win again?”

I just hope that they can sell a bunch more tickets for the BSU game to counter the large expected contingent coming down from Boise State. Only around 1500 seats left in the lower section, it is time to get 35K plus to the Boise State game. A strong game against Oregon State is needed to get people motivated that this team is for real, and they should come out and see for themselves. As a side note, UNLV would be bowl eligible the earliest ever if/when they beat Oregon State
And back to back for first time in school history
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Any lines out yet?

I've never seen a 3 quarter point favorite before, Joe

It opened at 4 and it has already been bet up to 6 and 6.5 in most places. Even saw a 7.5 at MGM. That's a ton of sharp money to move the line THAT fast and by THAT much.
Yeah you obviously never saw Hikers predicted final score with UNLV winning 27.5-20.

Line ‘em up: Predictions and Game Thread USU

Odom is pretty old school when it comes just to putting teams to sleep after a big lead. Last year our secondary was soooo bad that we had to gunsling every week to stay in games. Maybe that's what people are expecting. We basically played all zone in the second half with a ton of cover 3 and cover 4.

Our DL isn't creating a lot of pass rush, but it is slightly better than last year. But a lot of that is down to scheme in a 3-3-5 or a 3-2-6 which is what we run most of the time--with the difference really being where Jet Elad is positioned. Those fronts count on the down lineman to control two gaps and THEN pass rush and that's part of the reason that Elad and Woody and Baldwin get to fly to the ball and make plays in the run game. But it's rare to have a 5 technique end that is a great pass rusher, and while you have seen some 0 technique DTs that can get that done, they don't come around very often.

Cuse beat us with a ton of 5 yard routes. USU was getting much deeper shots in the zone with 7 yard sit downs and post and corner route packages to stress those middle zones overlaps and holes in the zone that are only there if they have both the time to pass and your coverage is not jumping route.
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I'm loathe to give anything or anyone Reno any credit but.

I sorta don't understand the Reno hate. They are, after all, your mother school who gave birth to UN Southern.

Oops - will that get me banned? :)
Nah, I know you don't know what it's like to have a real in-state public university rivalry, it can be hard to empathize with someone who does. We stab each other in the back, the Huskies just left some money on the nightstand while he goes on, that seems like a pretty amicable way to treat the things you don't care about

I'm loathe to give anything or anyone Reno any credit but.

I sorta don't understand the Reno hate. They are, after all, your mother school who gave birth to UN Southern.

Oops - will that get me banned? :)
Watch it buddy. My hatred of those meth heads is working on 50 decades. My son while in high school came home with a reno t-shirt from those bastards recruiting in Las Vegas. Like a good father I forbid him from wearing it and I told him if he goes to school in reno that he could just stay up there in live in that shit hole.

Assuming Hawaii gets done..Then what?

Getting Hawaii done is paramount obviously but after that then what.

Saw adding Hawaii as full member could keep MWC media deal around 5-6 million. Amazing what the degenerate gambler demographic adds to your media market value.

CUSA teams seem the most likely potential additions but not sure how much any would add to a media package. There are some interesting Sun Belt teams but honestly unless you could add a minimum of at least 4 'Eastern' schools not sure it makes much sense for any to join financially without travel partners.

NMSU seems a natural fit but being only 100k population in Las Cruces and only 50 miles from El Paso they probably don't add much for a media deal. UTEP despite their struggles was the better choice based purely off their population vs NMSU.

Sam Houston State gets you a second team in Texas and they are playing decent football.

La Tech probably a no.

Western Kentucky would be a good get and increase conference footprint but would need travel partners.

There just aren't many West options really.

Not sure even as football only Toledo and NIU make a lot of sense. Feels like you would need a few more 'Eastern' teams as travel partners for it to make sense.

8 with Hawaii full member gets MWC to the magic number but means teams are going to need 5 OOC games which isn't ideal.
It bothers me that we are waiting so long on Hawaii. It's like waiting on an athlete only to find out they flipped their commitment to the Pac12. I'm sure Gloria is busy with the Pac12 Poaching Fee lawsuit but she needs to multitask.
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