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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Arnie Bazemore
UNLV’s basketball team could have learned a lot from UNLV’s football team today.
The football Rebels moved the ball a lot and scored a lot. And like the basketball Runnin’ Rebels, the football team didn’t exactly play in front of a full house.
It certainly was an entertaining offensive game as both teams marched up and down the UNLV artificial turf. The synthetic rug was missing three weeks ago when UNLV demolished Idaho State in the Rebs’ season-opener.
But UNLV’s preferred playing surface was back in the building even if the fans weren’t. An usher told LVSportsBiz.com that about 3,000 people were in the stadium before the game started and about 8,000-10,000 fans were expected for the venue’s lower bowl. No reason to open the upper levels.
UNLV relied on the bulldozing runs of 230-pounder Aiden Robbins, who rammed his way through the North Texas Mean Green defense. Robbins blasted his way for 227 yards on 29 rushes and three touchdowns. Robbins, the transfer from Louisville, will likely get some kind of nickname for his physical runs.
Even lefty quarterback Doug Brumfield relied on his legs to run for 100 yards on 12 rushes and two touchdowns.
But the Rebels defense was not exactly Steel Curtain material, yielding 463 yards of offense to North Texas.
UNLV’s saving grace was that its defense did step up at several crucial junctures of the game to stop North Texas three times on fourth down runs.
UNLV now has two wins on the young season, which matches last year’s win total. In 2020, UNLV’s footballers were 0-6.
Early in the third quarter, the Rebels led, 30-27.
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And UNLV scored 28 straight points and polished off the Mean Green, 58-27, after a Cam Oliver pick-6 and a visit to the Turnover Slot Machine late in the game.
Only last week, UNLV lost a competitive game to Cal, 20-14, when the Rebs could not rally late in the game to pull off the upset. That same Cal team today lost to Notre Dame, 24-17. UNLV travels to Indiana to play Notre Dame Oct. 22.
One of UNLV’s strengths this season has been the poised quarterback play of Brumfield, who completed 21 of 27 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns. He threw no interceptions and scored on two flashy runs. In all, UNLV racked up 576 yards.
UNLV entered the game a 2.5 point favorite and the two teams easily smashed the over/under of 62.5 points.
UNLV hits the road next week for its first Mountain West Conference game when the Rebs travel to Utah State.
UNLV’s next home game here at Allegiant Stadium is against New Mexico for a Friday night game Sept. 30 at 8PM.
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Allegiant Stadium didn’t waste time starting to convert the domed stadium from today’s UNLV football game to Sunday’s Raiders’ season-opener against the Arizona Cardinals at 1:25 PM. The UNLV artificial turf will be moved out and the Raiders’ new grass field will be rolled into the venue.