Optimistic.
That’s the word Wyoming football head coach Jay Sawvel used when describing the state of the team after their first bye week of the season, denoting the end of the non-conference portion of their schedule in which they tipped the scales at an even 2-2.
The Cowboys felt like they accomplished what they needed to and won the games they needed to win through the non-conference slate–however, it never felt like they exceeded expectations.
Now they have just the chance to do that against a UNLV team that has yet to lose this season and that was picked second in the Mountain West conference preseason poll.
Get to Know UNLV
The Rebels currently hold the only undefeated record in the Mountain West, though it hasn’t come without some bumps in the road.
The Rebels narrowly defeated FCS Idaho State on their home field after trailing the Bengals in the fourth quarter. The Rebels were able to easily dispatch Sam Houston State–one of only four FBS programs in the nation that have yet to tally a win this season. UCLA, who is also one of those four teams yet to find a win, is also a victory in the win column for the Rebels, who again snuck past the opposition by a touchdown despite having a 20 point first half lead in that game.
Finally, the Rebels garnered their most recent victory against Miami (OH), a team that only recently found their first win of the season against Lindenwood, an FCS school that only recently made the transition to D-I football from D-II in 2022.
In fact, the Rebels have yet to play an opponent that has beaten another FBS team.
The Rebel defense has certainly been a sore sight this season, as that group ranks amongst some of the worst in the nation–ranking 118th in total defense and 102nd in scoring defense, allowing around 427.8 yards and 28.25 points per game this season. Regardless, the Rebels are 4-0–a feat that, no matter who it was against, should not be undermined.
“They’ve had some games in there where they’re up a couple scores and stuff–I think when they need to play, they’ve played pretty well, you know. I think that they’re going to present a challenge to us Saturday night and everything that way,” Sawvel said.
While the Rebel defense has been shaky, their offense has been anything but. Averaging around 450 yards a game, quarterback Anthony Colandrea has cemented himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Colandrea is currently the second most efficient passer in the Mountain West, as he’s thrown for 940 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
“Colandrea is the key,” Sawvel said of the Rebels’ quarterback. “He’s an extremely talented quarterback and possesses the dual threat capability that is something that everybody is always wanting in their quarterback and that everybody finds challenging defensively to play against.”
Joining Colandrea in the backfield would be Jai’Den Thomas, who leads the conference in rushing yards per game at 98.25. The Cowboy defense will have their hands full with what Sawvel called his “home run ability.”
Ain’t nothing new 🛩️@Jaiden_Thomas9 pic.twitter.com/dv1s54O0jd
— UNLV Football (@unlvfootball) September 22, 2025
While their wins may prove to be rather unimpressive in the grand scheme of things, the Rebels will undoubtedly by entering Laramie with an air of confidence while putting their undefeated record on the line.
Offense Looks to Build off Strong Second Half Showing Against Colorado
Despite the Rebels’ defensive prowess looking rather unimpressive, the Cowboy offense still has a lot to prove after their non-conference slate. While the struggles against the pair of Big 12 opponents they faced were evident, this Kaden Anderson led unit showed immense promise in a second half comeback attempt against Colorado on the road.
Anderson and company had a less than ideal start in that one, being limited to only nine yards in the opening quarter of play, leading to the team finding themselves down 28-3 at the start of the third frame. However, the Cowboys were able to amass 233 yards of total offense in the second half, including a pair of touchdowns and a field goal.
That, right there, is what it should look like on a consistent basis.
“I did like where we got to in the second half with that offensively, I think that we’ve got a lot to build on there,” Sawvel said of his offenses’ second half performance against Colorado.
The Cowboys have struggled to involve some key playmakers this season, something Sawvel noted will be integral to their success as conference play kicks off.
“We know that there’s still growth that’s going to happen in a number of positions and a number of players,” Sawvel said.
“I look at the combination of the fact that we’ve got some young guys that will continue to improve and get better and that are working to continue to improve and get better, and we’ve got some experienced guys that still can step forward and emerge.”
Sawvel named a number of young receivers that have the capabilities to become serious threats in their offense–namely Jaylan Bean and Eric Richardson, both of which only have two catches on the season but have shown flashes of their ability, just not on a consistent basis.
Yessir, 2. pic.twitter.com/RESyR6deDO
— Wyoming Cowboy Football (@wyo_football) September 21, 2025
A name that Sawvel has brought up constantly, though, is Jaylen Sargent. Sargent–who topped the stat chart for the Cowboys in receiving a season ago–has been mostly absent through the non-conference slate, catching only three balls for 33 yards.
“I think that when we look at where Jaylen Sargent is right now in productivity, you know I would hope that when we go four more games from now we’re going to see a substantial difference in productivity,” Sawvel said.
“He did good things against Colorado, the ball never found him. There’s a couple of times on certain routes, he did a really good job. We got to get him the ball,” Sawvel said.
While it won’t be easy, the Cowboys have a huge chance against the Rebels to prove they can be a contender in the Mountain West–by stalling the Rebels’ high octane offense and moving the ball against their rickety defense.
