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  • California lost to SMU in their last game 38-6.
  • UNLV lost in the Mountain West Championship 21-7 to Boise State.
  • California beat UNLV 20-14 in September of 2022.

Here is our California vs UNLV prediction and preview article as the two teams play Wednesday in the LA Bowl. California fought their way to bowl eligibility, winning three of their last five games to get to 6-6. UNLV had a shot at the playoff this season and may have made it if they could have beat Boise State in the Mountain West Championship. UNLV has most of its key players playing and will have an advantage over Cal, who will be missing some crucial players.

Cal Trying to Pull an Upset With a Backup QB

The bad news for Cal is they will be missing their star quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, as the sophomore has entered the transfer portal. He will be hard to replace, as he threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns. That leaves Chandler Rogers and CJ Harris as the two players who will likely split time and be under center for the Bears.

It only makes things more difficult that the team’s leading receiver, Nzyiah Hunter, is also in the portal. He had 40 receptions for 578 yards and five touchdowns. Putting all this together leaves more questions than answers for the Bears coming into the LA Bowl.

UNLV Wants to Finish Strong After a Historical Season

UNLV has had one of the best seasons in program history, and of their three losses, two came to Boise State, which is in the CFP, and a three-point loss in overtime to Syracuse. Hajj-Malik Williams has been incredible at quarterback ever since Matthew Sluka stopped playing to save his eligibility and transfer. He has thrown for 1,845 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is also second on the team with 824 rushing yards, and that number comes from him only playing as the starter in nine of the 13 games.

It is not just him, though. Jai’Den Thomas has been great at running back with 846 yards and seven touchdowns, and Kylin James has been a great change of pace back with 616 yards, leading the team with 7.5 yards per carry. Defensively, Jackson Woodard leads the way as one of the best linebackers in the country with 124 tackles, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and nine passes defender.

California vs UNLV Prediction: UNLV’s Offense Too Much for Cal

If not for their starting quarterback and number-one wide receiver, Cal might be able to give UNLV a game. Without them, though, and UNLV having the majority of their team playing, it is hard to imagine this contest being close. UNLV’s offense should be able to score at will, while Cal will have a tough time putting up points.

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