LAS VEGAS – For the third consecutive year, the Fremont Cannon will remain red as No. 22 UNLV (10-2) took down UNR (3-10) 38-14 on Saturday in the classic Battle for Nevada.
The Rebels notched their 10th win of the season for the first time since 1984, moving into a tie for second place in the Mountain West standings with Colorado State. With no head-to-head matchup between the teams this season, the Mountain West tie-breaker rules default to the College Football Playoff Rankings, where UNLV ranks No. 22 while Colorado State remains unranked.
UNLV's win over UNR secured a spot in the Mountain West Championship, setting up a rematch with Boise State, who defeated the Rebels in last year’s title game. The stakes are even higher this year, as the winner will earn a berth in the College Football Playoff.
In his final game at Allegiant stadium, senior quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams drove the Rebels’ offense, passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-21 attempts and rushing for 104 yards and a TD.
Jai’den Thomas commanded the ground game, running for 135 yards and a score on 15 carries.
Senior All-American wide receivers Jacob De Jesus and Ricky White III combined for 11 of the 14 completions through the air. De Jesus logged 84 yards on six catches, while White went for 55 yards and a TD on five catches. Tight end Kaleo Ballungay scored his sixth TD of the year on his only catch of the night.
The Wolf Pack were led by quarterback Brendon Lewis in both phases of the offense. He threw for 292 yards and two TDs on 27-for-37, and ran for a team-high 30 yards on 15 carries. UNR amassed just 67 total yards rushing.
Both teams started the game with quick six-play drives ending in passing touchdowns, but UNLV pitched a shutout for the remainder of the half, going on a 17-0 run.
Early in the second quarter, UNLV defensive back Jarvis Ware delivered a clutch strip sack deep in UNR territory, allowing captain linebacker Jackson Woodard to recover the fumble at the goal line and stretch the Rebels’ lead. Before the break, Thomas punched in a 1-yard TD run to further extend the gap.
The Rebels’ defense remained steadfast in the second half, getting to the quarterback six times in total. They also accumulated 12 tackles in the backfield for a loss of yardage. On the other side, Williams’ found the end zone on the ground in the third quarter, and found White open in the end zone in the fourth to put the game on ice.
After the win, Boise State is the only thing standing between UNLV and a chance to compete for the National Championship. Boise State has come out on top in the previous eight matchups with UNLV, dating back to 1977. More recently, the Broncos won in the Mountain West Championship last season, and snuck out a 29-24 win earlier this year.
Since their narrow week-eight loss to Boise State, Williams has led the Rebels to four consecutive wins, showcasing significant offensive improvement.
“We’ve gotten extremely better, clicking on all cylinders,” Williams said. “Now, we have the opportunity to make history though, and that’s the beautiful thing about it.”