NCAAF: UNLV vs Akron Preview, Odds, Picks (Sep 26)

• UNLV was smothered by North Texas last week, losing by a score of 44-6.
• Akron came up way short on Saturday, losing 41-7 to Minnesota to fall to 1-2.
• These two teams last met on November 27, 1976, in a game that Akron won 27-6.
• Akron Zips +14.5

UNLV and Akron face off in an exciting Vegas matchup. Both teams sit at 1-2, in desperate need of a win in this game to climb back to the .500 mark and avoid falling to 1-3 on the season.

UNLV Looks to Turn the Tides

UNLV has had a disappointing start to the season, losing key matchups against Memphis and North Texas. After choosing to remain in a stripped-for-parts Mountain West instead of moving to the rebuilt Pac-12, the Rebels were expected to be the tentpole program in the conference. Yet, they instead have had an embarrassing start to the season, most recently losing 44-6 to the Mean Green. UNLV will look to get back on the right track in this game against Akron.

Akron Seeking Return to Bowl Game

Akron is 1-2 to start the fifth season of Joe Moorhead’s tenure, currently holding a 14-37 overall record under him. The previous coaching staff went 3-27, illustrating an improvement under Moorhead, despite Akron’s inability to return to a bowl game since 2017. Aiming to avoid that drought turning into a decade, the Zips eye up a vulnerable UNLV team as a key chance to get back to .500 on the season at 2-2. They’ll need to reach 6 wins to return to a bowl game.

UNLV vs Akron NCAAF Pick

UNLV and Akron are both 1-2, but UNLV had much higher expectations for this season. Vegas still sees them as a strong contender, favoring them by 14.5 points on the road. However, after losing 44-6 to North Texas, relying on the Rebels to not only win but cover is a fool’s errand. The Zips may be a weaker program, but they should be able to cover the spread in this one.

• Akron Zips +14.5