The UNLV Rebels (1-0) has caught the attention of college football after delivering a dominant performance this past Saturday against the Houston Cougars. This victory marked the first time since 2008, when they defeated Iowa, that the Rebels have emerged victorious against a Big 12 team. The Rebels will return to Vegas to face the Utah Tech Trailblazers (0-1) this Saturday at noon inside Allegiant Stadium for their home opener.
UNLVβs Outstanding Defense of Performance
Last season, one of UNLV’s biggest weaknesses was their defense. Now, it seems like the defense is going to be the strong point for the Rebels. UNLV’s defense dismantled the University of Houston’s offense, led by Jalon Catalon, who finished the game with two interceptions. One of the interceptions was a 36-yard return for a touchdown in the third quarter. UNLVβs defense finished with 10 tackles for loss, six of those were sacks. The Rebels’ defense was also tremendous on third downs, only allowing the Cougars to convert 2 of 15 attempts. In addition, Linebacker and Captain of the Rebels, Jackson Woodyard, won national defensive player of the week..
Utah Trail Blazers Struggling Start.
Utah is coming off a challenging loss to Montana State, with a score of 31-7. The Trail Blazers managed to gain only 176 yards of offense and struggled to run the ball, accumulating just 73 rushing yards. They are currently on a six-game losing streak, extending from last season, and have not secured a victory since October 7th of last year when they played against SFA (Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Football).
UNLVβS Offense Off to a Good Start.
Quarterback Mattew Sluka had a solid debut with the Rebels. βI thought he managed the game well. I thought he made good decisions,β said UNLV head coach Berry Odom. The former Walter Payton Award finalist finished the game with 2 touchdown passes, both to Jacob De Jesus and 59 rushing yards. Most of UNLVβs offense came from the backfield racking up a total of 195 yards, led by Micheal Allen with 65 yards.
What to Expect From The Rebels?
With the Rebels going up against a lower-ranked Utah team, we could see Brennan Marion’s go-go offense take off and get a chance to witness more of what Matthew Sluka can bring to the offense. We can also expect the defense to maintain their dominance at the line of scrimmage and continue to apply pressure to Utah’s quarterback. With a sizable crowd expected at Allegiant Stadium, we will see if it can affect Utah’s hearing of play calls and give the Rebels momentum and a huge home-field advantage.
