UNLV football returns to action on Halloween night when the Rebels host Northern Illinois at Allegiant Stadium following their second bye week of the season. The Rebels enter the Week 9 matchup with a 4-3 overall record and a 2-1 mark in Mountain West play, trailing conference leaders New Mexico and Wyoming, both of whom remain on UNLV's schedule.
The Rebels control their path to a fourth consecutive Mountain West championship game appearance. An undefeated finish in conference play would secure the opportunity to host the title game at Allegiant Stadium, a scenario that has occurred only once in the program's three previous trips to the championship, in 2023.
Senior running back Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas, a preseason first-team All-Mountain West selection, has rushed for 543 yards on 112 carries with three touchdowns this season. UNLV is 4-1 in games where Thomas carries the ball more than 15 times, and he has posted 256 total yards and two touchdowns against teams with two wins or fewer, similar to the Huskies.
Northern Illinois enters the game 0-7 in its first Mountain West season but has scored more than 20 points in two of three conference games. Wide receiver DeAree Rodgers leads the league in receptions, and a victory would give the Huskies their first win of the year while shaking up the conference standings.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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