Close game expected between Houston and UNLV on Saturday

The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels are on the road at the Houston Cougars on Saturday, with kickoff slated for 7:00 PM ET. The game will be aired on FS1.

This is the first game for both teams in the 2024 season.  The last time these two teams played was back in 2014 when the Cougars beat the Runnin’ Rebels by 33 points.

A season ago, UNLV went 9-5 and played in a bowl game, which they ultimately lost by 13 to Kansas. Still, they finished the season strong with a third place finish in the Mountain West Conference.

For Houston, last season was a big-time struggle. The Cougars went 4-8 and finished 12th in the Big 12. The Cougars lost their season finale on the road at Central Florida.

Rebels Seeking Another Strong Season

The signal caller for UNLV will be transfer Matthew Sluka. He and receiver Casey Cain are joining the Rebels offense. Returning is Jai’Den Thomas. Last season he rushed for 503 yards on 108 carries and led the team with 12 touchdowns.

Ricky White is also returning. He was the top receiver a season ago with 1,483 yards and 8 touchdowns.

UNLV will head home and host Utah Tech next, and then head out on the road to take on Kansas. The first Mountain West Conference game of the season will be on September 28th against Fresno State.

Cougars Looking to Rebound Season

Donovan Smith is back behind center for the Cougars. He threw for 22 touchdowns a season ago. His downfall was in his 13 interceptions, and 26 sacks. Smith will need to stay upright more often this season for the Cougars to be better.

The run game will once again be led by Parker Jenkins. He rushed 99 times for 464 yards and 3 touchdowns. Smith led the team with six touchdown runs. The receiving game will be anchored by Joseph Manjack IV. He finished with 577 yards and 6 touchdowns last season.

Houston will go on the road at Oklahoma next Saturday. Following that, they will host the Rice Owls. Then, the Big 12 season starts. The first conference game is on the road at Cincinnati on September 21st.

UNLV vs. Houston Score Prediction

This is set to be one of the best games the entire weekend. The two teams looking to be competitive and want to get off to a quick start to their season. The Cougars are looking to get back to competitive ways, and out of the Big 12 will face some major tests. This is a great game for them to get started with a big-time win.

Look for Houston and UNLV to go back and forth, but when push comes to shove, the Cougars win at home. The College Sports Wire final score prediction is Houston Cougars 31-28 over UNLV.