Rebels Break Eastern Time Curse, Make History With 41–38 Comeback at Miami (OH)

(Photo Credit - UNLV Football)

For three quarters on a gray Saturday in Oxford, it looked like fate had followed the Rebels east. The dreaded early kick, the long trip into the Eastern Time Zone, turnovers, momentum‑killing mistakes, it all pointed toward yet another chapter in UNLV’s long, strange history of heartbreak games far from home.

And then, in the span of 15 frenzied minutes, it all flipped.

Down 14 points twice in the second half, UNLV showed the resilience and resolve that have defined its renaissance era, storming back to beat Miami (OH) 41–38 at Yager Stadium. The victory snapped the program’s infamous 0–12 all‑time Eastern Time Zone record and sealed the first 4–0 non‑conference start in school history. For the second straight season, the Rebels are perfect through September, but this time, they’ve done it in a way no prior team ever had.

The afternoon began as a gut check. Behind veteran quarterback Dequan Finn, Miami raced out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, then stretched it to 24–10 by halftime. UNLV looked sluggish, careless, and shaky under the weight of its longest trip of the year, outgained 304–161 in the first two quarters.

The Rebels turned to their playmakers to claw back in the second quarter. A 27‑yard field goal from freshman kicker Ramon Villela gave UNLV life, and minutes later, senior safety Aamaris Brown, already the nation’s interception leader, changed the game. Brown jumped a route, housed a 67‑yard interception, and suddenly the deficit was just four. It was the fourth straight game with an interception for Brown, who has transformed into the defensive heartbeat of Dan Mullen’s team.

But even resilience wasn’t linear. After tying the game 24–24 with touchdowns from running back Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas and receiver Jaden Bradley, UNLV immediately surrendered two scores in shocking fashion, a 100‑yard kickoff return touchdown from Keith Reynolds, followed just 86 seconds later by a 47‑yard interception return from Miami linebacker Corban Hondru. In the blink of an eye, Miami was back up 38–24, the Rebel sideline staring at a long‑standing curse roaring back in real time.

That was the breaking point in years past. Instead, Mullen’s team responded with its most impressive quarter of the young season.

Quarterback Anthony Colandrea, shaky in the first half and intercepted twice, turned steady. The Rebels mounted a 17‑play, 87‑yard drive that drained the air from Yager Stadium, capped by a touchdown toss to Taeshaun Lyons to pull within seven. Moments later, Keyvone Lee punched in the tying score from a yard out.

The defense, which had been leaky early, made the stop that mattered most. With Miami driving late in a tie game, safety Jaheem Joseph forced a fumble from Kenny Tracy, and linebacker Marsel McDuffie, who had 10 tackles on the day, fell on it at the Rebel 17. Colandrea and the offense did the rest, marching 78 yards to set up Villela’s ice‑cold, game‑winning 23‑yard kick with 15 seconds left.

Miami managed one last snap, but McDuffie intercepted a desperation heave to seal the win, fittingly closing a game that had turned on takeaways, swings, and resilience.

Colandrea finished with 293 yards passing and two touchdowns, and added 54 yards on the ground. Thomas powered for 118 yards at 8.4 per carry. Bradley reeled in seven catches for 93 yards and a score, continuing his torrid national pace.

The defense lived on big plays. Brown’s pick‑six was his second of the season. McDuffie not only recovered the game‑changing fumble but also ended the contest with an interception.

For Miami, there were also bright performances. Tracy finally broke out with 104 rushing yards while also catching two touchdowns. Reynolds delivered a career day with 122 receiving yards alongside the lightning‑bolt kickoff return touchdown. Hondru nearly stole the show with his two interceptions, including the 47‑yard touchdown that briefly felt like a dagger.

Saturday wasn’t just about a win in the standings. It was about the weight of a history finally shed. Since joining the FBS ranks in 1978, UNLV had been 0–12 in games played in the Eastern Time Zone. The streak included blowouts, heartbreaks, and close calls, but never triumph until now.

Even more, the Rebels have done what no UNLV team has ever managed: a 4–0 non‑conference start. In back-to-back years, the program has raced past September undefeated, but this particular script, the long trip, the curse, the comeback, the chaos might stand as one of the defining wins of the Mullen era.

This game proved something deeper about UNLV. Talent has never been the issue; it’s been mentality, focus, and culture. On a cloudy Ohio afternoon, all three showed through.

There was every reason for the Rebels to fold: early turnovers, back‑breaking special teams plays, a hostile road environment, yet they never blinked. They rallied, adjusted, and finished.

And in doing so, they didn’t just win a football game. They broke a curse, made history, and cemented a 4–0 start that could carry this program into the national conversation for the weeks to come.

UNLV 41, Miami (OH) 38 — Rebels undefeated, unflappable, and writing history as they roll west for Mountain West play.