Friday nights are for football and we’ve got you covered with our Nevada vs. Air Force prediction ahead of their showdown. With sports betting taking over college football and college fantasy football on the rise, here is everything you need to know from current betting odds to DFS picks and fantasy football players to play included in our Nevada vs. Air Force betting preview.
Nevada vs. Air Force betting preview
- Spread: Air Force (-24)
- Moneyline: Air Force (-2800); Nevada (+1300)
- Over/Under: 46 points
- Game time: Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 @ 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Predicted weather at kick: 60 degrees, clear skies
Nevada vs. Air Force prediction
It’s been a mixed bag for both programs to start the 2022 season. After looking like potential world-beaters in the first two games, Air Force threw up a dud against Wyoming while Nevada won their first two and have looked a shell of themselves since. With losses to Incarnate Word and a disaster against Iowa, Nevada is in need of a victory as badly as Air Force needs to prove that their performance against Wyoming is not the norm.
The Falcons are heavy favorites despite their loss and poor showing against the Cowboys, mainly because of Nevada’s last two games. Air Force runs wild in their offense, and it’s been a successful one-two punch with Brad Roberts and John Lee Eldridge III sharing the load. Eldridge has been the home-run hitter off the edge while Roberts continually grinds out the yards through the middle.
In this game, however, Nevada’s best players may bring an advantage for the Wolfpack. Dom Peterson should once again eat up the middle and cause disruption at the mesh point and first read. Bentlee Sanders should roam free and force early pitches or quick reads for QB Haaziq Daniels in the similar way Rashad Wisdom stymied the Army attack when UTSA met Army. Wisdom and Sanders are similar players in that regard, and Sanders should have even more experience in stopping the option attack.
Nevada is certainly outmatched on offense when it comes to much, but their defense may be able to cause enough frustration to limit the Falcons’ rushing attack. In the end, however, Nevada succumbs to too many issues and the Air Force rushing attack gets back on track. But it’s closer than many expect.
Prediction: Air Force 27, Nevada 20
Top DFS picks and fantasy plays
With your DFS lineup in need of some serious juice during only a three-game Friday night slate, both quarterbacks are always in play. But before we go any further, it’s important to look at their current values on FanDuel.
- QB Haaziq Daniels, Air Force, Air Force: $6,200
- QB Shane Illingworth, Nevada: $5,500
- QB Nate Cox, Nevada: $5,400
- RB Brad Roberts, Air Force: $8,400
- RB Toa Taua, Nevada: $6,200
- RB John Eldridge III, Air Force: $5,700
- RB Devonte Lee, Nevada: $4,000
- RB Emmanuel Michel, Air Force: $3,700
- RB Jalen Johnson, Air Force: $3,300
- WR B.J. Casteel, Nevada: $5,500
- WR Jamaal Bell, Nevada: $5,100
- WR David Cormier, Air Force: $4,900
- WR Dalevon Campbell, Nevada: $4,800
- WR Spencer Curtis, Nevada: $4,500
This one is relatively simple for the DFS plays. Stay clear away from either of Nevada’s quarterbacks as it’ll likely be Shane Illingworth but could just as easily be a game-time decision to play Nate Cox. For Air Force’s offense, expect Roberts’ yards per carry to be well below his average of 7.1 with Peterson clogging the middle. That means Haaziq Daniels is certainly in play just as much as Eldridge is.
For the Nevada ball carriers, Toa Taua presents an intriguing play with his role as a pass catcher out of the backfield, but he’s been wildly inconsistent in the run game. For the cheaper rate and a hotter hand, Devonte Lee is a far-reach as a starter in your DFS lineups but should have upside as he’s averaging more yards per carry for the season and over their most recent two outings than Taua.
Jamaal Bell is the smarter play at wide receiver if you need one, as he’s heavily outweighing the other Wolfpack receivers in target share. It’s been an ugly season throwing the ball for Nevada, but Bell is the most reliable of the bunch in terms of guaranteed targets.
With this in mind, and for CFF leagues, outside of Roberts, Daniels, Eldridge, and perhaps Taua/Lee, it’s a hard pass on any of the pass-catchers or either Nevada quarterback.