Fresno State (3-1, 1-0 MW) at No. 23 UNLV (3-0, 0-0 MW)
Saturday, September 28, 2024 | 12:30 p.m. PT | FS1 | Allegiant Stadium (65,000) | Las Vegas, Nev.
MEDIA COVERAGE
TV - FS1
Play-by-Play - Chris Vosters
Analyst - Charles Arbuckle
Sideline - N/A
Radio - Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play-by-Play - Paul Loeffler
Analyst - Pat Hill
Sideline - Cam Worrell
Social Media: Twitter: @FresnoStateFB | Instagram:@fresno_state_football | Facebook: FresnoStateFootball | YouTube: FresnoStateAthletics
Live Stats: BulldogsLive.com
A LOOK INSIDE
Series: Fresno State leads, 19-7
Head Coaches:
Tim Skipper
Fresno State Record (Years): 4-1 (1st season*)
Career DI Record (Years): Same
Barry Odom
UNLV Record (Years): 12-5 (2nd Season)
Career DI Record: 37-30 (6th Season)
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State rides a three-game winning streak into this weekend's matchup with No. 23 UNLV.
The Bulldogs won their Mountain West opener on the road at New Mexico last weekend, 38-21.
Since Oct. 15, 2022, Fresno State is 21-5 (.808), the seventh-best record by any FBS team who has competed at the level in all three seasons. The only FBS teams with a better record than the Bulldogs in that time are Georgia, Michigan, Washington, Alabama, Oregon and Ohio State.
Fresno State earned two Mountain West players of the week following the win at New Mexico - Tuasivi Nomura (Defense) and Dylan Lynch (Special Teams).
Nomura had a career-high 16 tackles at UNM with 12 solo stops. His 16 tackles were the most in a game by a Bulldog since LB Jeff Allison in 2018. His 12 solo stops are the second-most in a game by any player in the FBS this year.
Lynch was a perfect 3-for-3 in his field goal attempts last weekend, battling tough wins in Albuquerque.
Fresno State will face its second ranked opponent of the season this weekend, and second on the road. The Bulldogs opened the year at then-No. 9 Michigan.
Tim Skipper has led the Bulldogs to a 3-1 record through the first four games as interim head coach. Skipper is just one of six head coaches in program history to begin their Bulldog head coaching career with a 3-1 record to start their first full season as head coach.
Skipper is familiar with UNLV, having been the Rebels' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2018-19.
Fresno State defensive backs coach J.D. Williams also coached at UNLV in various roles from 2010-12.
Fresno State faces a UNLV team that is coming off of a bye week while the Bulldogs enter their fifth-straight game to open the season. The Bulldogs have their first bye after this weekend's game.
Fresno State has won six-in-a-row against UNLV, dating back to 2018.
Fresno State is fifth in the FBS in turnovers gained this season, totaling 10 on the year (seven interceptions, three fumbles).
The starting cornerback duo of Al'zillion Hamilton and Cam Lockridge are first and second respectively in the FBS in passes defended. Hamilton and Lockridge are coached by J.D. Williams who was a first round NFL Draft pick in 1990.
Fresno State's offense has taken advantage of a skilled group of players, having two games so far this season with 10 players with a reception, and a third game with eight rushers for positive yards.
On Sept. 12, it was announced that the Pac-12 Conference Board of Directors has unanimously voted to admit Fresno State, along with Boise State University, Colorado State University and San Diego State University, into the Pac-12 Conference effective July 1, 2026.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Fresno State and UNLV will be meet for the twenty-seventh time in program history on Saturday
This is the thirteenth meeting in Las Vegas in the series, and Fresno State is 8-4 vs UNLV on the road.
Fresno State has won 17 out of their last 20 previous matchups against UNLV dating back to September 14, 1985
The Bulldogs are currently riding a six game winning streak against UNLV which began on November 3, 2018 with a 48-3 victory over the Rebels in Las Vegas
In their last meeting on October 28, 2023, Fresno State defeated UNLV by the final score of 31-24 at home.
Fresno State has outscored UNLV 850-596 in the series
Fresno State's largest margin of victory over UNLV came on November 3, 2018 where they defeated the Rebels 48-3 in Las Vegas.
In the series, Fresno State has averaged 33 points a game against UNLV
UNLV is coming into this game with a perfect 3-0 record, which includes two road wins against Houston and Kansas, and one home win against Utah Tech.
Within their first three games, the Rebels are only giving up an average of 13.7 points a game while scoring an average of 40.7 points a game
This will be UNLV's first conference matchup of the 2024 season, while the Bulldogs are coming off their first conference game of the year against New Mexico where they defeated the Lobos by a final score of 38-21.
Fresno State interim head coach Tim Skipper once coached at UNLV as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2018-19.
Fresno State defensive backs coach J.D. Williams also coached at UNLV in various roles from 2010-12.
Andre Meono, who is listed as a place kicker for UNLV, played at Fresno State for two seasons before transferring to UNLV in 2023.
Timothy Conerly, who is listed as a wide receiver for UNLV, spent two seasons at Fresno Community College before transferring to UNLV and earning his first letter in 2023.
Tre Fulton, who is a freshman defensive back for UNLV, is from the Central Valley, specifically Bakersfield where he played at Liberty High School and was a three-time letterwinner in football.
UNLV is coming off a 9-5 season last year where they eventually lost in the Mountain West Championship to Boise State and lost to Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to finish their season