(Photo Credit - UNLV Athletics)
The undefeated UNLV Rebels (3–0, 0–0 Mountain West), receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches’ polls, travel east for their first-ever meeting with the Miami (OH) RedHawks (0–2, 0–0 Mid-American) on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Kickoff is set for 9:00 a.m. PT (Noon ET) at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio, a 24,000-seat venue with an artificial surface. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and carried locally on ESPN 1100 AM and 100.9 FM with Matt Neverett, Caleb Herring, and Steve Cofield on the call.
Coming Out of the Bye
UNLV has already written itself into the record book this fall. The Rebels are 3–0 for the second straight year, the first time since 1983–84 that the program has pulled off back-to-back 3–0 starts. Dan Mullen has joined Tony Knap (1976) as the only UNLV head coaches to win their first three games in charge, and the team is showing up in the “others receiving votes” section of both the AP and Coaches’ polls.
But the schedule presents a test of focus as much as talent. After a bye in Week 3, UNLV faces Miami (OH) in Week 4 and then heads straight into another bye in Week 5. That’s one game in a three-week stretch. In college football, rhythm matters, and Mullen’s team has to generate its own momentum across this stop-start September.
Star Power Driving the Start
QB Anthony Colandrea: 49-of-65 for 647 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT (75% completions, 186.4 passer rating), plus 175 rushing yards and a score. He’s the first Rebel QB ever to win Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week twice in a season, and he did it in back-to-back weeks.
WR Jaden Bradley: 13 receptions for 262 yards (20.2 per catch) and a touchdown. He currently leads the nation in receiving yards.
RB Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas: 32 carries, 273 yards (8.5 per carry), 4 TDs, with a long of 70 yards. Fifth in the FBS in rushing yards.
CB Aamaris Brown: 17 tackles, 3 INTs, two sacks, two pass breakups. The only player in the nation with an interception in every game this season.
This quartet has been the backbone of UNLV’s 3–0 start. Colandrea has been ruthlessly efficient, Bradley stretches defenses vertically, Thomas provides explosive balance on the ground, and Brown anchors a defense built to create turnovers.
Numbers Behind the Run
Scoring: UNLV averages 35.3 points per game while allowing 25.0.
Yards per Game: 429.0 (201 rushing, 228 passing).
Yards per Play: 7.3, compared to 6.0 by opponents.
Turnover Margin: +5 (tied for 4th nationally) with six interceptions and only two giveaways.
3rd Down Defense: Opponents have converted just 9 of 38 attempts (23.7%).
Streaks and Records
20+ Points Streak: 25 consecutive regular-season games scoring 20+ points, the second-longest active streak in the FBS behind Memphis (39).
Ball Security: 17 straight games with no more than one turnover, the longest streak in both school and Mountain West history.
Takeaways: UNLV leads the nation in interceptions since the start of 2022 with 54 (Texas is second with 49).
Miami (OH) Struggling for Rhythm
The RedHawks are 0–2 and have yet to find their footing under transfer QB Dequan Finn. Their offense has been among the least productive in the FBS:
Scoring: 8.5 points per game.
Total Offense: 242.5 yards per game.
Possession: Just 20:50 on average, meaning their defense is on the field nearly 40 minutes a game.
3rd Down Conversions: 3-for-17 (17.6%).
Individual Leaders
QB Dequan Finn: 23-of-40 for 334 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT (56.8 PFF grade); also 98 rushing yards and a touchdown.
WR Keith Reynolds: 7 catches for 120 yards.
RB Kenny Tracy: 12 carries for 28 yards (2.3 per).
LB Adam Trick: 12 tackles, two sacks, one pass breakup.
DB Eli Blakey: 18 tackles, 1 pass breakup.
Finn, now on his third team in as many seasons, has been both the RedHawks’ leading passer and rusher. But with no passing touchdowns and three interceptions, the offense has yet to produce any sustained drives.
Keys to the Game
Stay Sharp Between Byes - This is UNLV’s only live action across a three-week window. Avoiding mental lapses and penalty mistakes, particularly the pass interference and unsportsmanlike flags that have already cost 37 opponent points this season, is critical.
Start Fast - A 9 a.m. PT kickoff is always dangerous for a West Coast team. The Rebels need an early touchdown to set the tone and put pressure on a Miami offense that hasn’t scored more than 10 points in a game this season.
Feed Jet Thomas - With Miami’s defense averaging nearly 40 minutes on the field, a heavy dose of Thomas (8.5 yards per carry) could wear the RedHawks down before halftime and keep Colandrea in manageable situations.
Betting Snapshot
Spread: UNLV -3.5
Moneyline: UNLV -150 / Miami (OH) +130
Over/Under: 48.5–49.5
The Final Word
UNLV has the better quarterback, the more explosive weapons, and a defense built to generate turnovers. Miami, meanwhile, has struggled to sustain drives, control the clock, or finish possessions. This matchup is less about talent than it is about focus and discipline.
If the Rebels play with discipline in the middle of this choppy September schedule, they should leave Oxford at 4–0, carrying not just momentum, but an even louder national buzz.