UNLV vs. Utah State

UNLV and Utah State have 28 meetings on file, the first in 1971; officially, Utah State leads 20–⁠8; as played, 18–⁠10 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Utah State 6–⁠4, and UNLV has won the last 3. UNLV forfeited two games (1983 and 1984). This page counts every game as it was played.

Official series
Utah State leads 20–⁠8
UNLV wins on file
10
Utah State wins on file
18
Ties
0
Earliest on file
1971
Longest streak
6 Utah State
Current streak
3 UNLV
Last 10 meetings
Utah 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
1970s0–⁠2
1980s4–⁠3
1990s1–⁠5
2000s2–⁠2
2010s0–⁠5
2020s3–⁠1
Average margin
13.2 points; 13 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At UNLV
5–⁠9 UNLV’s record at home
At Utah State
9–⁠5 Utah State’s record at home
Shutouts
1

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

Games that tell the story

  1. UNLV’s biggest win1983: UNLV 28, Utah State 10by 18 points
  2. Utah State’s biggest win1995: Utah State 42, UNLV 0by 42 points
  3. Upset1994: UNLV 23, Utah State 21UNLV had a 29% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset2022: UNLV 34, Utah State 24UNLV had a 33% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsUNLVSeriesUtah State
1983–⁠1985Harvey Hyde3–⁠0Chris Pella
1986–⁠1989Wayne Nunnely1–⁠3Chuck Shelton
2005–⁠2008Mike Sanford Sr.2–⁠1Brent Guy

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from UNLV’s side (Hyde 3–⁠0 against Pella). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of UNLV and Utah State, 1971 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

Spencer Petras Utah State41 of 59, 461 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT2024 Passing
Jordan Love Utah State17 of 23, 322 yards, 5 TD2018 Passing
Charles Williams UNLV27 carries, 221 yards, 3 TD2021 Rushing
David Woodward Utah State12 tackles, 3 sacks, 3.5 for loss2018 Defense

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

Every game

Nov 15, 2025UNLV 29, Utah State 26at UNLV
Oct 11, 2024UNLV 50, Utah State 34at Utah State
Sep 24, 2022UNLV 34, Utah State 24at Utah State
Oct 16, 2021Utah State 28, UNLV 24at UNLV
Oct 13, 2018Utah State 59, UNLV 28at Utah State
Oct 21, 2017Utah State 52, UNLV 28at UNLV
Oct 25, 2014Utah State 34, UNLV 20at Utah State
Nov 9, 2013Utah State 28, UNLV 24at UNLV
Sep 29, 2012Utah State 35, UNLV 13at Utah State
Aug 30, 2008UNLV 27, Utah State 17at UNLV
Aug 30, 2007UNLV 23, Utah State 16at Utah State
Sep 24, 2005Utah State 31, UNLV 24at Utah State
Sep 25, 2004Utah State 31, UNLV 21at UNLV
Nov 11, 1995Utah State 42, UNLV 0at UNLV
Sep 24, 1994UNLV 23, Utah State 21at Utah State
Oct 23, 1993Utah State 33, UNLV 26at UNLV
Nov 7, 1992Utah State 48, UNLV 8at Utah State
Nov 9, 1991Utah State 27, UNLV 14at UNLV
Oct 27, 1990Utah State 31, UNLV 6at Utah State
Nov 18, 1989Utah State 27, UNLV 22at UNLV
Nov 5, 1988Utah State 17, UNLV 10at Utah State
Oct 10, 1987UNLV 28, Utah State 27at UNLV
Oct 25, 1986Utah State 7, UNLV 6at Utah State
Oct 5, 1985UNLV 14, Utah State 7at UNLV
Nov 17, 1984UNLV 36, Utah State 20forfeitedat Utah State
Oct 22, 1983UNLV 28, Utah State 10forfeitedat UNLV
Sep 29, 1973Utah State 7, UNLV 3at UNLV
Sep 25, 1971Utah State 27, UNLV 7at Utah State

Every game is listed as played on the field; a game one side later forfeited is marked “forfeited”; the official series above counts them the NCAA’s way.