(Photo Credit - UNLV Football)
The undefeated UNLV Rebels (3–0, 0–0 Mountain West), currently receiving Top 25 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. The game will air nationally on ESPNU and 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. The Rebels are 3–0 for the second straight season, marking back-to-back hot starts for the first time since 1983–84. First-year head coach Dan Mullen joins Tony Knap (1976) as the only UNLV coaches to open their tenure 3–0.
This run isn’t a fluke; it’s part of the program’s best three-year stretch since the mid-1970s. UNLV has 23 wins since 2023, already more than any other three-year span in school history, and six victories over Power Five opponents in the last three seasons (compared to just one in the 14 years prior).
The challenge is rhythm. UNLV had a bye in Week 3, faces Miami this week, and then has another bye in Week 5. That’s one game in three weeks, and finding focus in the gaps could be as important as anything that happens on the field.
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 became the first Rebel QB to ever win Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week twice in the same season, and he did it back-to-back.
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 rushing yards (8.5 per carry), 4 TDs, including a 70-yard lightning strike. He’s fifth nationally in rushing.
CB Aamaris Brown: 17 tackles, 3 INTs, two sacks, 2 PBUs. Only player in FBS with an interception in every game this season.
Colandrea and Brown swept the Mountain West’s offensive and defensive awards after the UCLA victory, making the Rebels the first to do so in the same week since 2016. And they’re not alone. Linebacker Marsel McDuffie (19 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT) has been a force inside.
Together, this emerging team has made UNLV a must-watch football program.
By the Numbers
Scoring: 35.3 points per game (25.0 allowed).
Yards per Game: 429.0 (228 passing, 201 rushing).
Yards per Play: 7.3 (opponents 6.0).
Turnover Margin: +5 (tied for 4th nationally).
3rd Down Defense: Just 23.7% allowed (9-for-38).
Streaks and Records
20+ Point Games: UNLV has scored 20+ points in 25 straight regular-season games, the second-longest active streak in the nation (Memphis leads with 39).
Ball Security: Rebels have gone 17 straight games with no more than one turnover, tying a Mountain West record.
Takeaways: UNLV leads the nation with 54 interceptions since 2022.
Crowds: Attendance is also rising. Eleven of the 30 most enormous home crowds in program history have occurred since 2022.
The Road Challenge
This is UNLV’s first-ever meeting with Miami (OH) and first trip to Ohio since 2017 (at Ohio State). The Rebels are 7–10 all-time against MAC programs. One stat stands out: since joining FBS in 1978, UNLV is 0–12 all-time in games played in the Eastern Time Zone.
Combine that with the 9 a.m. PT kickoff, and it’s the ultimate “trap scenario” for a West Coast team.
Miami (OH) at a Glance
The RedHawks are 0–2 but hardly inexperienced in big spots. Head coach Chuck Martin’s program has won 20 games over the last two seasons and reached two straight MAC title games.
The issue in 2025? Zero returning starters on offense.
QB Dequan Finn: A MAC champion at Toledo in 2022 and league MVP in 2023, he transferred to Miami for his seventh season. So far, his rhythm hasn’t clicked: 334 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT, though he leads the team in rushing with 98 yards and a score.
WRs Keith Reynolds & Kam Perry: Over 100 yards each through two games.
RBs: Just 53 combined yards on 21 carries behind an O-line replacing all five starters.
While the offense sputters, the defense is Miami’s backbone:
S Eli Blakey & S Silas Walters: Team leaders in tackles; Walters adds one sack, 1 INT, and 2 PBUs.
LB Adam Trick: Rising pass-rusher (12 tackles, 3 TFL, two sacks).
The RedHawk D held Wisconsin scoreless until late in the 3rd quarter, and was within a touchdown of Rutgers before the Scarlet Knights pulled away.
Keys to the Game
Stay Sharp Between Byes: This is UNLV’s lone matchup in a three-week window. Penalties and lapses have already gifted opponents 37 points this fall.
Break the Eastern Time Zone Curse: The Rebels must shake off their history and start strong in Oxford. An early score could swing momentum and rattle Miami’s struggling offense.
Feed Jet Thomas: Miami’s D has been stretched by time of possession, playing nearly 40 minutes per game. A steady diet of Thomas’ 8.5 yards per touch could break them before halftime.
Turnover Edge: Miami is -2 in turnover margin, while UNLV is +5. If the Rebels keep winning takeaways, Miami won’t have the firepower to chase.
Betting Snapshot
Spread: UNLV -2.5
Moneyline: UNLV -130 / Miami (OH) +110
Over/Under: 49.5
The Final Word
This game is a battle of contrasts: UNLV’s high-flying, turnover-happy style vs. a Miami defense built to hang around even with minimal offensive help.
The Rebels have the edge in talent, explosiveness, and momentum, but the task is mental as much as physical. Can UNLV break its Eastern Time Zone curse, stay disciplined between byes, and continue one of the hottest stretches in program history?
If they do, the Rebels will fly home 4–0, with history, hype, and a louder national buzz.
Prediction: UNLV 31, Miami (OH) 14.