Bottom line: UNLV 31 Northern Illinois 24
UNLV record: 5-3; Northern Illinois Huskies drop to 0-8
UNLV defense struggles: Rebels yield 493 yards
Rebs rely on trio: quarterback Jackson Arnold completes 20 of 30 passes for 3 TDs and two interceptions; Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas runs 16 times for 114 yards, including a 60-yard TD romp; receiver Kayden McGee, 5 catches for 112 yards and a 75-yard TD reception on UNLV’s first play
Next UNLV game: Rebels host Wyoming Nov. 7 at 7:30PM
Coach Dan Mullen: “We also made a lot of critical errors.”
Story by Alan Snel Photos by j. Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The UNLV Rebels started fast against winless Northern Illinois on Halloween and Nevada Day, scoring a touchdown in the first 11 seconds of the game on a 75-yard TD pass from quarterback Jackson Arnold to receiver Kayden McGee.
And the Rebs ended the first half with another Arnold touchdown pass, a two-yard throw to Taeshaun Lyons with 20 seconds left in the half.
In between, UNLV yielded 17 points and 229 yards to a spirited Northern Illinois Huskies squad, making its Mountain West Conference debut this season.
At halftime, the Rebs led NIU, 24-17, as Arnold threw for 223 yards and three TDs.
The Rebs were 4-3 coming into the game after a disappointing 41-31 loss to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Oct. 17.
Rebels Coach Dan Mullen could not have too pleased with UNLV’s first half performance, which included yielding 100 yards of NIU rushing by early in the second quarter.
UNLV opened a 14-point lead in the third quarter when Jet Thomas ripped off a 60-yard touchdown gallop.
But it was matched by a 61-yard touchdown pass by NIU quarterback Taron Dickens to receiver George Dimopolos. Jr.
UNLV held a 31-24 lead in the fourth before a crowd that was one of the smaller gatherings in recent Rebs football history of 22,000+. It was a tough weather day in metro Las Vegas with threatening skies and widespread rain in the forecast on a Saturday night in Sin City.
The Rebs ran out the clock and held on for the 31-24 win over an inferior opponent.
UNLV controls its fate: win out its Mountain West schedule of Wyoming, New Mexico, San Jose State and Nevada and the Rebs will be in the MWC championship game for a fourth straight season.
PSA
*