The Iowa State Cyclones were unable to bring home the Cy-Hawk Trophy last week, as they lost by 10 to the Iowa Hawkeyes in Ames. Now, Matt Campbell’s team goes on the road to take on the UNLV Rebels at 10:30 p.m. ET at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, September 18.
Will UNLV find a way to hang around in this one? The Rebels were able to do so against the Arizona State Sun Devils last week, but the Cyclones will be out for blood here. Keep reading our free college football betting Iowa State vs. UNLV picks and predictions for the final verdict.
Iowa State vs UNLV odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Iowa State was favored by 30.5 points when this thing opened, but UNLV is now a 32.-5 point underdog in most places. That’s despite the fact that the Rebels are seemingly taking more tickets at the moment. The total has also moved a bit in this game, as it opened at 52.0 and is now as high as 53.5 in some spots. Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until kickoff and be sure to check out the full college football odds before placing your bets.
Iowa State vs UNLV picks
Picks made on 9/17/2021 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Iowa State vs UNLV game info
• Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
• Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021
• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• TV: CBSSN
Iowa State vs UNLV betting preview
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.
Key injuries
Iowa State: Jaquan Amos DB (Questionable).
UNLV: Doug Brumfield QB (Questionable).
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Iowa State is 4-1 against the spread in its last five games when coming off an against the spread loss. Find more NCAA betting trends for Iowa State vs. UNLV.
Iowa State vs UNLV predictions
Iowa State -32.5 (-110)
Under Campbell, the Cyclones are 7-4 against the spread when playing as road favorites, 9-5 against the spread when coming off a non-conference game, and 10-1 against the spread when coming off back-to-back games in which the team gave up 125 or fewer rushing yards. On top of all that, Iowa State is also 7-4 against the spread when coming off a home loss, suggesting that Campbell knows how to get his team to refocus on the next opponent.
Overall, this meeting with UNLV is one that Iowa State really should be able to handle with ease. On the season, the Rebels are giving up 193.5 rushing yards per game, which is the 27th worst mark in college football. The reason that’s such a dooming statistic for UNLV is that Iowa State has an experienced offensive line and one of the best running backs in the nation in Breece Hall. Hall is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry through two games this season, but he averaged 5.6 a year ago. He’s due for a big-time performance and there’s just not much that the Rebels will be able to do to stop him.
As for the Cyclones’ passing game, Brock Purdy has a perfect get-right opportunity against the 23rd worst passing defense in the nation. Campbell benched Purdy in the second half of the Iowa game, as the senior was banged up and just wasn’t playing well. However, he should be able to put up some big numbers against this lousy Rebels secondary. And if for whatever reason Purdy doesn’t end up playing a majority of the snaps in this one, backup Hunter Dekkers would be more than capable of filling in and moving this offense up and down the field. The freshman was surprisingly productive against Iowa last game, going 11 for 16 for 114 yards and a touchdown.
UNLV also happens to be dealing with a rough situation at the quarterback position, where Doug Brumfield is questionable as he deals with a concussion. If the lefty is able to go, he will have to do so after a week in which he wasn’t able to properly prepare for a meeting with a very good defensive team. If Brumfield doesn’t play, that would put a lot on the shoulders of backup Justin Rogers, who was a disaster in UNLV’s season opener against the Eastern Washington Eagles.
Over 52.5 (-110)
Iowa State is averaging only 16.5 points per game on the season, but this meeting with UNLV is just what the doctor ordered. Through two games this season, the Rebels are allowing 36.0 points per game, and they gave up an average of 468.0 total yards per game in those contests. Sure, the Cyclones struggled to score against a very good Hawkeyes defense, but that isn’t going to be the case here. Iowa State is far too talented not to really come out and exert its dominance over a team like UNLV.
The Over also happens to be 10-1 in Iowa State’s last 11 road games against teams with losing home records. Granted, the Rebels have only played one home game this year, but that loss to an FCS team in the opener likely means they’re heading towards a rough year.
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