Colorado State vs. UNLV

Colorado State and UNLV have 26 meetings on file, the first in 1978; Colorado State leads the series 17–⁠8–⁠1 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Colorado State 6–⁠4, and UNLV has won the last 2.

Colorado State wins
17
UNLV wins
8
Ties
1
Earliest on file
1978
Longest streak
6 Colorado State
Current streak
2 UNLV
Last 10 meetings
Colorado State 6–⁠4
Most recent
2025

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1970s0–⁠1–⁠1
1980s0–⁠2
1990s4–⁠0
2000s8–⁠2
2010s5–⁠1
2020s0–⁠2
Average margin
16.4 points; 8 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Colorado State
10–⁠5 Colorado State’s record at home
At UNLV
3–⁠7–⁠1 UNLV’s record at home

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Colorado State’s biggest win2004: Colorado State 45, UNLV 10by 35 points
  2. UNLV’s biggest win1980: UNLV 56, Colorado State 15by 41 points
  3. Upset2002: UNLV 36, Colorado State 33UNLV had a 13% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset1978: UNLV 33, Colorado State 6UNLV had a 14% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsColorado StateSeriesUNLV
1978–⁠1980Sarkis Arslanian0–⁠2–⁠1Tony Knap
1996–⁠1998Sonny Lubick3–⁠0Jeff Horton
1999–⁠2004Sonny Lubick5–⁠1John Robinson
2005–⁠2007Sonny Lubick3–⁠0Mike Sanford Sr.
2015–⁠2019Mike Bobo3–⁠0Tony Sanchez

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Colorado State’s side (Arslanian 0–⁠2–⁠1 against Knap). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Colorado State and UNLV, 1978 on13001500170019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Rashaun Greer Colorado State8 catches, 211 yards, 1 TD2008 Receiving

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

On television

2025FS10.2 million viewers

Viewers: Nielsen, as compiled by nschultz7’s ratings tracker.

Every game

Nov 8, 2025UNLV 42, Colorado State 10at Colorado State
Oct 21, 2023UNLV 25, Colorado State 23at UNLV
Nov 2, 2019Colorado State 37, UNLV 17at Colorado State
Oct 22, 2016Colorado State 42, UNLV 23at UNLV
Nov 14, 2015Colorado State 49, UNLV 35at Colorado State
Nov 10, 2012Colorado State 33, UNLV 11at Colorado State
Oct 29, 2011UNLV 38, Colorado State 35at UNLV
Oct 16, 2010Colorado State 43, UNLV 10at Colorado State
Nov 7, 2009UNLV 35, Colorado State 16at UNLV
Oct 4, 2008Colorado State 41, UNLV 28at Colorado State
Oct 20, 2007Colorado State 48, UNLV 23at UNLV
Oct 7, 2006Colorado State 28, UNLV 7at Colorado State
Nov 19, 2005Colorado State 31, UNLV 27at UNLV
Nov 13, 2004Colorado State 45, UNLV 10at Colorado State
Nov 22, 2003Colorado State 24, UNLV 23at UNLV
Nov 30, 2002UNLV 36, 16Colorado State 33at Colorado State
Oct 20, 2001Colorado State 26, UNLV 24at UNLV
Oct 14, 2000Colorado State 20, UNLV 19at Colorado State
Nov 27, 1999Colorado State 35, UNLV 17at UNLV
Sep 26, 1998Colorado State 38, UNLV 16at Colorado State
Nov 1, 1997Colorado State 45, UNLV 19at UNLV
Sep 21, 1996Colorado State 35, UNLV 16at Colorado State
Nov 6, 1982UNLV 36, Colorado State 31at Colorado State
Sep 27, 1980UNLV 56, Colorado State 15at Colorado State
Nov 17, 1979UNLV 21, Colorado State 21at UNLV
Oct 21, 1978UNLV 33, Colorado State 6at Colorado State

Every game is listed as played on the field.