UNLV wakes up in second half, pulls away from Akron in commanding win
· Yahoo Sports
It is somewhat concerning that September is nearly at an end and it’s still difficult to get a gauge on the UNLV Rebels.
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The first few games have been marred by inconsistency, and the Rebels approached the end of their non-conference schedule with more questions than answers. Jai’Den Thomas had games where opposing defenses were able to bottle him up, while Jackson Arnold and the Rebels defense had some Jekyll and Hyde moments. Even if a College Football Playoff berth is out of the question, the Rebels still had some work to do to make good on their status as a favorite in the Mountain West.
Fortunately, UNLV managed to make good in the final part of this three-game road trip, demolishing the Akron Zips 38-10 on Saturday.
While the final score indicates a game UNLV dominated throughout, the first quarter told a different story.
On Akron’s first drive, UNLV’s defense was unable to stop the run and gave up yardage by way of two costly personal fouls to give the Zips an early advantage. While the Rebels would ultimately pull even with Arnold finding Thomas deep downfield on a blown coverage, fans had every right to be concerned that this game could turn into a track meet.
However, the defense made their adjustments, keeping a bend but don’t break mentality throughout the remainder of the first half before shutting Akron out in the second.
Among the defensive stars today were safety Tre Fulton (six tackle, one sack and an interception) and linebacker Cam Santee (10 tackles and an interception). Andre Porter and Elias Rudolph would each record a sack in the second half as UNLV’s pressure reached Akron quarterback Brayden Roggow more often, and nickel cornerback Mumu Bin-Wahad would ultimately finish the Zips off with a 36-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.
The defense’s efforts gave Arnold the time he needed to get settled in and help the offense take control of the game.
Arnold himself put together his best day as a Rebel so far, going 17-for-29 for 290 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 31 yards on seven carries. Two of Arnold’s touchdowns would find their way to Thomas, who picked up another touchdown on the ground and recorded 167 all-purpose yards (113 rushing, 54 receiving). Leading the way in receiving yards was Taz Reddicks, who set up Thomas’s rushing touchdown with an impressive diving catch and picked up 116 receiving yards on four receptions, including a 59-yard touchdown where he got behind the Akron defense.
It was the type of performance UNLV was hoping for, especially with who is waiting for them when they return home.
Next Saturday, the Rebels are back at Allegiant Stadium to face quarterback and legitimate 2028 first-round prospect Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele and the California Golden Bears, who will come to Las Vegas eager to prove themselves after a rough showing against the Clemson Tigers on Friday.