The bigger problem for the Rebels is what Wyoming did on the ground: 351 rushing yards, 238 of them from Samuel Harris and Markell Holman. That's an awkward week to have it happen, because New Mexico just scored 3 rushing touchdowns against Nevada. Humphrey had 2 short ones and Kiefer Sibley broke a 31-yarder. Toa Fa'avae ran 2 first-quarter scoring drives at quarterback. A defense that couldn't stop Wyoming's run game now faces an offense that's happy to run it 40 times.
The one common opponent doesn't tell you much. Both teams beat North Dakota State at home: UNLV 13-7, New Mexico 21-16. Both games were close and low-scoring against a strong FCS program. The more useful comparison is the Air Force loss. UNLV gave up 41 to an option team in Colorado Springs, and with Wyoming that's 2 run-first opponents that have pushed the Rebels around in their last 5 games.
There's still plenty riding on it for UNLV. At 5-4, the Rebels are 1 win from bowl eligibility, and a road upset of a ranked conference leader is the most direct way to get there. The offense showed against Wyoming that it doesn't quit. It scored 2 touchdowns after falling behind 41-21 and had the ball inside the 20 with a chance to win. Scoring that much on New Mexico is a different job, though, and nobody has done it lately.
The forecast at University Stadium looks easy for November in the high desert: low 60s, cloudy, light wind, small chance of rain. Weather shouldn't be an excuse for either side. The questions are whether New Mexico's defense can keep doing what it's done all autumn, and whether UNLV has someone up front who can hold a gap.
