UNLV at Northwestern Expert College Football Picks 9/14/2019

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Ryan Field

Armani Rogers and the UNLV Runnin' Rebels go to Ryan Field on Saturday where they'll meet the Northwestern Wildcats. The spread on this contest has Northwestern as 18-point favorites. The O/U has been set at 53.5. The Runnin' Rebels are 1-1-0 ATS and 1-1-0 when betting on the total. The Wildcats are 0-1-0 when wagering on the over/under and 0-1-0 against the spread.

Key UNLV Runnin' Rebels Injuries

09/08/19 RB Courtney Reese Knee is questionable Saturday vs Northwestern

Key Northwestern Wildcats Injuries

09/08/19 RB Isaiah Bowser Knee is questionable Saturday vs UNLV
09/06/19 QB TJ Green Foot is out for season

The last time they took the field, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels faced the Arkansas State Red Wolves and ended up taking the loss by a score of 43-17. Charles Williams led the team on the ground for that game. His longest run of the day went for 78 yards and he tallied 1 TD for the contest. He scurried for 168 yards on 19 carries which had him averaging 8.8 yards per tote. Randal Grimes was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 74 yards on 3 receptions. He notched an average of 24.7 yards per catch for that game. Leading the way at QB for the Runnin' Rebels was Kenyon Oblad who went 3/3 with 70 yards passing and threw 1 TD. He finished this contest without throwing a pick. The UNLV Runnin' Rebels ended up running the ball 42 times and racked up a total of 188 yards earning them an average of 4.5 yards per attempt. For the game, the Runnin' Rebels earned a total of 14 1st downs and they had a total of 3 infractions for 20 yards telling us that this team was extremely focused in this game. In all, they totaled 68 plays for 300 yards. In terms of defense, UNLV gave up 22 completions on 37 throws totaling 284 yards, and a completion percentage of 59.5%. On the ground, the Runnin' Rebels gave up 214 yards on 43 tries which means they allowed 5.0 yards per run allowed. On the day, they allowed a total of 498 yards and earned 0 takeaways.

The Runnin' Rebels step onto the field holding a record of 1-1 this year. For total yards, they are currently ranked 5th in the MWC and 57th in D-1 with 834 yards. They are one of the most potent offenses in the country averaging 36.5 points per game, ranking them 48th in D-1. As a unit, they are averaging 259.5 yards on the ground per game which is 2nd in the MWC. The Runnin' Rebels have one of the worst defenses in the nation, giving up 33 points per contest putting them 10th in the conference. When it comes to passing yards, the Runnin' Rebels have conceded 315 yards. Opponents are completing 59.5% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. When it comes to rushing yards, UNLV is giving up 130 yards per game which has them at 6th in the Mountain West and 62nd in college football. Opposing teams are running for an average of 3.2 yards per carry which has them at 5th in the Mountain West and 39th in D-1 overall. Overall, they have allowed 260 yards rushing through 2 games.

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In their last game, the Northwestern Wildcats faced the Stanford Cardinal and went home in defeat by a score of 17-7. Leading the way at QB for the Wildcats was TJ Green who went 6/10 with 62 yards through the air but didn't get a passing TD in the game. He ended the game without an interception. Isaiah Bowser paced the team in rushing for that contest. He tore off a long run of 15 yards but he wasn't able to rush for a TD on the day. He racked up a total of 54 yards by way of 10 carries which gave him an average of 5.4 yards per run. Bennett Skowronek was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 53 yards on 5 catches. He notched an average of 10.6 yards per reception for that contest. The Northwestern Wildcats rushed the ball a total of 33 times and added 93 yards which gave them an average of 2.8 yards per run. For the contest, the Wildcats totaled 15 first downs and they had 8 penalties for 67 yards telling us that this team was extremely undisciplined. On the day, they finished with a total of 60 plays which added up to 210 yards. When it comes to their defensive performance, Northwestern conceded 23 catches on 34 throws totaling 233 yards, and a completion percentage of 67.6%. For this contest, they allowed 365 yards and forced 2 turnovers. In the running game, the Wildcats conceded 132 yards on 39 attempts which gave the opponent an average of 3.4 yards per carry allowed.

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The Wildcats head into this matchup 0-1. In terms of offensive proficiency, the Wildcats leave a lot to be desired in terms of scoring in the nation. Northwestern needs to do more to make teams respect their running game by averaging 93 rushing yards per game, ranking them 119th in D-1. As a team, they have compiled a total of 93 rushing yards through 1 contest, so they are going to want to make some changes to the ground game if they want to make teams respect them. The Wildcats average 210 yards per contest overall ranking them 130th in Division 1 and 14th in the Big Ten Conference. The Wildcats are conceding 17 points per contest which puts them at 9th in the Big Ten Conference and 37th in Division 1. Their passing defense is one of the middling units in the nation. They are giving up 233 passing yards per contest. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Wildcats are ranked 11th in the Big Ten Conference. When it comes to points allowed, they have given up 17 points in total. In regard to rushing yards, they are allowing 132 yards per contest which puts them at 64th in the country and 12th in the Big Ten. For the 2019 season, they have given up 132 yards on the ground and 0 rushing touchdowns.

Who will win tonight's Runnin' Rebels/Wildcats NCAA football game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take the Wildcats -18

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