Jet needs the touches; discipline must hold for UNLV to survive (Sat., Oct. 11 @ 12:30 p.m. PT, CBS)
UNLV hosts Air Force on Homecoming in a matchup that will come down to two things: assignment discipline and whether UNLV gets Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas the high‑impact touches he’s earned. Dan Mullen put it plainly: “Air Force is one of the most explosive offenses in America… they change a play or two and they’re five and 0 instead of one and four. You have to be very, very, very disciplined defensively. Count all 11 players and be in position to tackle all of them.” If UNLV is to win, it must match that explosiveness without sacrificing assignment football and it must get Jet involved at the right times.
Snapshot
Game: Air Force at UNLV @ Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Kick: Saturday, Oct. 11 | 12:30 p.m. PT | CBS Sports Network
Injury Report
Why the game will turn on Jet (and how UNLV should use him)
Jai’Den Thomas is elite by efficiency. His per‑touch impact (8.0 YPC through the game log) forces a usage question: do you inflate his carries and risk late‑game wear, or deploy him in high‑leverage moments where his explosiveness flips field position and forces defensive adjustments? Mullen has called Thomas “a big‑time playmaker for us,” and Thomas said, “I worry about what I can control. I can't control the uncontrollable. I'm appreciative of what I get, and if I get it I'm going to do everything I can for the team.” The smart path: situational volume with early‑down declarative carries to establish respect, plus 3-5 designed high‑impact touches (screens, sweep‑reads, red‑zone packages, third‑down explosive opportunities).
If UNLV uses Jet this way, it opens play‑action for Colandrea and seam opportunities for Bradley. If UNLV over‑uses Jet and sacrifices tempo or health, they risk diminishing returns and a defense that can be worn down by Air Force’s clock‑control option attacks.
Keys to the Game For UNLV
Offense
Feed Jet early and situationally with inside runs to make Air Force respect the interior, plus screens and RPOs to create space.
Protect Colandrea - quick reads, slide protections, and max‑protect on obvious blitz downs to avoid negative plays.
Attack the seams with play‑action once the run game commands attention (target Bradley on intermediate routes).
Defense
Assignment‑sound vs. the option. Maintain gap discipline and edge contain; every missed read can be explosive.
Tackle in space. Gang tackle, wrap up second efforts.
Force third‑and‑long and turnover. Shorten possessions and flip field position.
Special Teams
Win the field position. Pin punts and clean kickoff coverage.
Avoid mental errors in the kicking game.
Be opportunistic: a single special‑teams play could decide this one.
Keys to the Game For Air Force
Offense
Control the clock with clean option execution with long, sustained drives reduce UNLV possessions.
Keep reads simple and decisive. Szarka’s decisions are the engine of the offense.
Mix in perimeter pass concepts to stretch UNLV’s safeties.
Defense & ST
Contain the edge and funnel plays to pursuit.
Tackle decisively and limit yards after contact.
Pin UNLV deep and force them to march the field.
Player Spotlights
UNLV
RB Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas - 61 CAR, 489 YDS, 8.0 YPC, 5 TDs, long 70. Game‑changing efficiency; best used in high‑leverage moments.
QB Anthony Colandrea - 89/128, 1,042 PASS YDS, 9 TD / 3 INT; 57 CAR, 261 RUSH YDS. Manziel like dual threat who needs clean pockets to run play‑action.
WR Jaden Bradley - 25 REC, 420 YDS, 16.8 YPC. Seam/intermediate speed that benefits from play‑action.
Air Force
QB Liam Szarka - 42/65, 850 PASS YDS, 7 PASS TD; 76 CAR, 448 RUSH YDS, 6 RUSH TD. He is the primary rushing and passing threat; option prototype with real passing.
WR Cade Harris -19 REC, 446 YDS - vertical threat who stretches the field.
RB Dylan Carson - anchors the option ground attack and creates third‑down complications.
Tactical plan - how UNLV should approach the day
Run Thomas early on manageable early‑down looks (inside zone, counters) and sprinkle screens/RPOs to keep defenders honest.
Use play‑action and post‑snap motion to create seams for Bradley and quick‑game options for Colandrea.
On defense, prioritize assignment discipline: QB‑spy on pull plays when appropriate, maintain edge contain, and focus on gang tackling and finishing.
Special teams should aim to win the field‑position battle and avoid penalties that grant Air Force short fields.
The trap / look‑ahead to Boise
Homecoming energy can be a double‑edged sword. Emotional highs can lead to mental lapses and Air Force will exploit missed reads and missed tackles. Win here and momentum is huge heading into a tough trip to Boise; slip here and the consequences magnify.
Betting context (pre‑game snapshot)
Market: UNLV -7, O/U 65.5.
Final prediction
UNLV 41, Air Force 28
UNLV survives a shootout by (a) forcing 1–2 turnovers, (b) special teams making a decisive play, and (c) getting Jet 3–5 high‑impact touches that flip field position and unlock play‑action. If Jet is limited or UNLV loses assignment discipline, Air Force’s explosiveness turns this into a toss‑up.
