The UNLV Rebels are coming off an impressive victory in Huntsville, Texas, after defeating the Sam Houston Bearkats this past Friday. The scarlet and gray will be back inside Allegiant Stadium to take on a Big Ten opponent, the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins faced a tough opener, suffering a loss to Utah, 43-10, and are looking to bounce back. The last time these two programs met was back in 2016 at the Rose Bowl in Pasedena, California where UCLA defeated UNLV 42-21.
UNLV enters this game with strong quarterback play from Anthony Colandrea. Colandrea has thrown for 444 yards with a completion rate of 77.3%, along with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. He has also excelled on the ground, rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Head Coach Dan Mullen has fully embraced a run-heavy approach, stating that “the line wins the game.” Jaiden Thomas leads the nation with 212 rushing yards and an impressive average of 11.2 yards per carry. The UCLA defense has struggled significantly to stop the run, giving up 286 rushing yards to Utah.
Although UCLA did not perform well offensively, they will face a Rebels defense that is still trying to establish its identity. UNLV has allowed a total of 887 yards and 52 points over the course of two games.
This matchup is shaping up to be a crucial early-season test for both programs. UNLV aims to build on their momentum, while UCLA looks to recover quickly from their difficult opener to avoid doubts early in the season.
Here is the full game recap:
