Minnesota vs Nevada Prediction, Game Preview, and Betting Lines

Minnesota needs to get going.

It sputtered in a rough offensive game against North Carolina, but had the win for the taking and blew it - a walk-off field goal attempt went wide.

It opened it up against poor Rhode Island, and now it has one more tune-up before a run of Iowa, at Michigan at USC.

New Nevada head coach Jeff Choate has immediately made a difference. His team had SMU in trouble until the end, beat Troy on the road, and lost to Georgia Southern - all three games were decided by five points or fewer.

Minnesota vs Nevada Preview

Minnesota vs Nevada How to Watch
Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024
Game Time: 3:30 pm ET
Venue: Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
How to Watch: BTN
Minnesota (1-1), Nevada (1-2)
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Why Nevada Will Win

The Wolf Pack have a defense now.

It stuffed the high-powered Georgia Southern attack that went off on Boise State, but it still wasn’t quite enough in the 20-17 loss.

There’s still no pass rush, but the team is far, far better at keeping the offense on the field because the defense is great at getting off of it. There aren’t a slew of turnovers, but the team doesn’t quite know how to win yet.

That’s not a true negative - it’s right there, and it’s far closer to being 3-0 than 0-3.

Minnesota hasn’t found its running game. The Rhode Island was more about getting new transfer quarterback Max Brosmer going, but the ground game is only averaging 2.75 yards per carry even though it’s pounding away.

Why Minnesota Will Win

The Nevada pass rush - there isn’t any.

Minnesota’s offensive line might not be doing anything for the ground attack, but it’ll get a week off against a Wolf Pack front that doesn’t get behind the line.

And then there’s the biggest problem for Nevada - controlling the clock. That’s Minnesota’s bit.

The Pack have been able to slow things down tempo-wise just enough at times to keep things ticking, but this is still a PJ Fleck team at Minnesota - it’s keeping the ball for at least 35 minutes in this.

Minnesota vs Nevada: Who Will Win

Run the ball, play decent defense, (again) run the clock - that’s what Minnesota wants to do, and it’s what Nevada can do.

However, the Gopher offensive line will have its best game yet, it’ll power its way to a win here, and for a program that plays with fire a bit too often in non-conference games, it’ll be pull away a bit in the second half.

Minnesota vs Nevada Prediction, Betting Lines

Minnesota 31, Nevada 13
Line: Minnesota -16.5, o/u: 43.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5
Minnesota vs Nevada Must See Rating: 2