UNLV loses key player to injury for conference opener at Hawaii

UNLV will be without senior offensive lineman Austin Boyd for its Mountain West Conference opener at Hawaii on Saturday night after he suffered an ankle injury in the season‑opening loss to Memphis. Boyd went down in the fourth quarter of the 27‑21 defeat and is expected to be sidelined for at least a few weeks. With Boyd absent, the Rebel offensive line struggled immediately. UNLV surrendered four sacks and committed a fumbled snap, resulting in a minus‑14‑yard total on 12 plays while Boyd watched from the sideline. The league’s availability report also lists freshman defensive lineman Poe Purcell as expected to miss the Hawaii contest. Purcell saw extensive action across the front in the Memphis game. UNLV now faces the challenge of adjusting its line‑up ahead of the conference opener.