Who Are the Announcers for UNLV vs Sam Houston State Football Game?

UNLV fans might be chilling after the Idaho State win, but let’s be honest, it wasn’t the best way to kick off the Dan Mullen era. The fact that the Rebels had to push hard to win 38-31 despite being 30-point favorites says a lot about how much work is still left on both sides of the ball. They will now travel to Houston to play Sam Houston under the Friday night lights in what is going to be their first true test of the season.

Meanwhile, Sam Houston is working on their own story of redemption. The Bearkats and WKU faced off neck and neck initially for 3 quarters before they ultimately lost to them 41-24. With Sam Houston in the comfort of their home, this one seems to be a must-win, and they should be ready to give it their all because it will be their only home game until October 9.

The game between UNLV and Sam Houston on Friday night will be broadcast on CBSSN. The kickoff is at 9:30 pm. The matchup will feature more than just incredible on-field action; it will also have an impressive broadcast team. Rich Waltz will be at the booth from CBS Sports Network, who’s been around the game forever. He served as the Miami Marlins’ TV voice for more than 10 years; the three-time Emmy winner Waltz got into college football, basketball, and even Major League Baseball on MLB Network and Apple TV.

Robert Turpin, an analyst, will accompany Waltz and will provide more in-depth insights from the booth. Joining Waltz and Robert is Tiffany Blackmon, who will be wandering the sidelines throughout the game. Blackmon has appeared everywhere from the NFL Network, ESPN, and now CBS Sports on a regular basis. Her father is former NFL linebacker and coach Donald Blackmon, so Blackmon has a sports background, and she combines insightful reporting with player-first storytelling so that she is the best at what she does.

UNLV favored, but Sam Houston will fight hard at home

Even though UNLV didn’t appear to be a formidable opponent against Idaho State, HC Dan Mullen is aware that the pieces are in place. With just 10 carries for 147 yards and three touchdowns, Jai’Den Thomas stole the show as the Rebels piled up over 500 yards of offense. Regarding Thomas’ lengthy TD run, Mullen stated, “That was just about 11 guys doing their jobs... A lot of our mistakes that game came when 10 guys did their job and one missed. All of a sudden, it’s a big error,” highlighting how minor mistakes last week resulted in major ones.

The quarterback situation still appears to be an interesting side story. Alex Orji adds the dangerous running element, while Anthony Colandrea appears to be the go-to arm after throwing for almost 200 yards last week. Mullen is convinced that both will play, which might be the ideal dual-threat combo against a Sam Houston defense that allowed WKU 401 passing yards. Meanwhile, after giving up 555 yards in Week 0, the Rebels’ defense knows that it needs to be fixed this time. “A lot more sense of urgency, a lot more focus… That performance we put on film last Saturday was not who we are, not who we want to be,” senior linebacker Marsel McDuffie.

But Sam Houston isn’t going to make it easy for the Rebels with their home crowd advantage. After winning 13 of their last 18 games and finishing 10-4 with a bowl victory in 2024, the Kats are coming off a winning run. Last week, Alton McCaskill added a 52-yard touchdown, and QB Hunter Watson displayed his dual-threat abilities with 209 passing yards, 91 rushing yards, and a 55-yard run.

“Mullen’s teams typically mirror his personality, which means they’re tough and hard-nosed and physical and well prepared,” Phil Longo admitted. And UNLV seems to be the favorite, withthe  ESPN predictor giving UNLV a 78.6 % edge over the Kats.