Friday, August 29 | Shell Energy Stadium – Houston, TX | 6:30 PM CT (CBS Sports Network)
The Setup
UNLV opened the Dan Mullen era with a win, but hardly a convincing one. The Rebels were 30.5-point favorites over Idaho State and needed a fourth-quarter surge highlighted by four interceptions and Alex Orji’s 11-yard go-ahead touchdown run to escape with a 38–31 win. They gave up 555 total yards, including 395 through the air, and trailed into the fourth quarter.
Sam Houston, in Phil Longo’s debut, also left Week 0 with more questions than answers. The Bearkats lost 41–24 at Western Kentucky despite briefly leading in the third quarter. Hunter Watson’s 55-yard TD run, Alton McCaskill’s 52-yard burst and short TD, and Jamair Diaz’s 43-yard scoop-and-score gave SHSU life, but they surrendered 401 passing yards and couldn’t keep pace in the second half.
Both teams showed explosive playmakers. Both showed structural flaws. Now, under the lights in Houston, they’ll test who cleaned things up fastest.
UNLV: What We Learned vs. Idaho State
The Positives
RB Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas: 10 carries, 147 yards, 3 TDs the spark that kept UNLV afloat.
QB Anthony Colandrea: 15/21, 195 yards, 1 TD; added 93 rushing yards on scrambles.
WR Jaden Bradley: 6 catches, 131 yards, including a 47-yard bomb that flipped momentum.
Takeaways: Four interceptions, led by Laterrance Welch’s two.
The Problems
Run Defense: Allowed 160 yards at 6.4 per carry, with ISU’s Dason Brooks rushing for 132 and 2 TDs.
Pass Protection: Three sacks, eight pressures; left tackle play was shaky.
Coverage Discipline: 395 yards allowed; PI penalties extended drives.
Special Teams: K Ramon Villela went 1-for-3 on field goals.
Sam Houston: What We Learned at WKU
The Positives
QB Hunter Watson: 19/30, 209 yards passing, 91 rushing yards, 55-yard TD run.
RB Alton McCaskill: 11 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD; his 52-yard run was the longest of his career.
LB Jamair Diaz: 43-yard scoop-and-score that gave SHSU a brief lead.
Turnovers: Defense forced one for the 20th straight game.
The Problems
Pass Defense: WKU’s Maverick McIvor threw for 401 yards and 3 TDs.
Third Downs: Offense was just 2-for-14, killing momentum.
New Faces: Ten of 22 starters were first-time Bearkat starters, including seven on defense.
Players to Watch
UNLV Rebels
RB Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas – Exploded for a career-high 147 yards and 3 TDs vs. Idaho State, including runs of 39 and 70. If he’s rolling, UNLV can dictate tempo.
TE Var’Keyes Gumms – Only one catch in Week 0, but his size and playmaking history at North Texas make him a mismatch target. Expect him to be more involved.
Entire Secondary – Gave up 395 yards passing but also saved the game with 4 interceptions. Can Welch, Brown, Harris, and Pope tighten up without the costly penalties?
Sam Houston Bearkats
QB Hunter Watson – The engine of the offense. Went for 300 total yards and a 55-yard TD run at WKU.
RB Alton McCaskill – Looked healthy for the first time since 2021, posting a 52-yard run and short TD.
LB Jamair Diaz – Returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown. One of the tone-setters on defense.
Matchup Keys
Quarterback Runs – Watson broke WKU for a 55-yarder; Colandrea added 93 rushing yards in his debut. Both defenses have to prove they can contain mobile QBs.
Explosives – Thomas (70-yard TD), Bradley (47-yard catch) vs. McCaskill (52-yard run), Watson (55-yard TD). Limiting fireworks will decide momentum.
Secondary Survival – UNLV gave up 395 passing yards, SHSU allowed 401. The first unit to stabilize wins.
Execution – UNLV went 4-for-7 in the red zone and missed 2 FGs; SHSU went 1-for-2 inside the 20 and sputtered on third down. Clean football matters.
Betting Line
Spread: UNLV -10.5
Moneyline: UNLV -385 | Sam Houston +300
Total: 61.0
Oddsmakers expect points and have UNLV as a clear but not overwhelming favorite.
Prediction
Sam Houston’s backfield can land blows Watson’s legs and McCaskill’s burst are real stress tests for UNLV’s defense. But the Bearkats’ secondary is too green to slow Jaden Bradley or contain Thomas for four quarters. If UNLV cleans up just a fraction of its Week 0 mistakes, the Rebels should pull away late.
Prediction: UNLV 35, Sam Houston 17