So far this season, the UNLV Rebels (8-2, 4-1) have been a notable story in college football. With an impressive record of 8-2, this season is shaping up to be one of the best in the program’s history. To continue this historic run, the Rebels will face a team they have historically struggled against: the San Jose State Spartans, at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose.
All-time, the Spartans hold a 21-6-1 record against the Rebels, with four consecutive victories. However, San Jose is going up against a UNLV team that is unlike any they have faced before, as the Rebels’ high-octane offense ranks among the best in the league. Leading this explosive offense is Hajj Malik-Williams, who has been putting up impressive stats. The Georgia native has thrown for 1,436 yards and 14 touchdowns, completing 64% of his passes. He has also excelled on the ground, recording a team-high 646 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Although both teams had the lowest yardage recorded in a quarter of any college football game this season, they stepped up offensively in the second quarter. The Spartans struck first, as Vegas native Isiah Revis, a former track athlete from Liberty High School, intercepted a forced throw from Malik-Williams. Revis then sprinted 40 yards into the end zone for a touchdown.
The Rebels quickly responded with an impressive 13-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in Hajj Malik-Williams connecting with tight end Kaleo Ballungay for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
The Rebels shot themselves in the foot to end the first half after allowing a 33-yard passing touchdown from Walker Eget to Mathew Coleman. With heavy rain and wind in San Jose, the Rebels snapped a high ball for a punt, causing punter Marshall Nicholas to swat it in the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety for San Jose. The Rebels found themselves down 16-10 at halftime.
On this rainy and windy night, both teams will need to focus on running the ball, which certainly favored the Rebels. They are ranked 8th in the nation for rushing, averaging 249.1 yards per game on the ground. One standout player is Jaiden “the Jet” Thomas, who scored a 25-yard touchdown to put the Rebels back on top, 20-16, marking his third 100-yard rushing game.
The Rebels continued to rely on their rushing attack, effectively running down the clock. A drive that lasted 6 minutes and 20 seconds in the fourth quarter concluded with a rushing touchdown from Kylin James.
The biggest story of this game is UNLV’s defense, which shut down one of the best passing offenses in the nation. Nick Nash, one of the top receivers in the country who entered this game with 14 touchdown receptions and 1,273 receiving yards, was limited to just 1 reception for 9 yards. The quarterback for San Jose State, Walker Eget, ended the night with a completion percentage of 18%, totaling 81 passing yards and throwing 1 touchdown.
The Rebels have now won 8 straight road games dating back to last season and are 6-0 this season on the road. Although the Rebels had not won a game in San Jose since 1993, their 27-16 victory over the Spartans has ended that streak.
UNLV will conclude their regular season back home next Saturday at Allegiant Stadium, taking on their in-state rivals, the Reno Wolf Pack, in the Battle of the Fremont Canyon. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 5 PM Pacific Time. The Rebels are aiming to finish the season with double-digit wins for the first time since 1984, when Randall Cunningham led the team to an 11-2 record.
Make sure to stay tuned here on Vegas Sports Today for more updates and highlights of UNLV football.
