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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – UNLV Rebels head to Oregon State for the first time in 22 years of program history.
SATURDAY’S PREVIEW
Finishing its only back-to-back road trips of the season, first-place No. RV/RV UNLV (5-1/2-0) closes out its non-conference schedule by traveling to Oregon State (4-2/0-0) for the first time in 22 years.
The game will be televised nationally on The CW Network. The Rebels have won their first three road games in a season for the first time ever and set a school record last week with their fifth-straight road victory, 50-34, at Utah State to stay unbeaten in MW play while the Beavers, who will face opponents from the Silver State in back-to-back weeks, fell at UNR 42-37.
UNLV, which made its first-ever appearance in the Coaches Poll on Sept. 15 (reaching as high as No. 23) and then joined the AP version for the first time one week later, is receiving votes in both polls this week.
UNLV, which is 5-1 for the second straight season, won its first four games this fall for the first time since 1984 when Randall Cunningham was playing QB.
With a win at Houston and a victory at Kansas, UNLV became the first non-conference team ever to have multiple road wins against Big 12 competition in the same season.
The 14 wins in 20 games under head coach Barry Odom represent the most victories over any two-season span since the Rebels went a combined 16-7-1 in 1984 and ‘85.
The Rebels are 13-0 under Odom when leading after the third quarter.
UNLV is tied with James Madison for the national lead in turnover margin at plus-12 as the Rebel defense has forced at least one turnover in 19 of 20 games under DC Michael Scherer.
This week’s MW Defensive Player of the Week, LB Jackson Woodard, leads the nation with 1.8 passes defended per game after posting a total of five at USU on Friday (2 INT, 3 PBU).
The Rebels have scored an eye-popping 67 total points off turnovers while allowing just seven such points from opponents.
REBELS vs. BEAVERS NOTES
The Rebels are 3-2 all-time vs. Oregon State but meet the Beavers for the first time since 2009 and for the first time in Corvallis since John Robinson’s UNLV squad traveled to face Dennis Erickson’s team in 2002.
The Rebels are playing a Pac-12 Conference team for the first time since going to then-member California in 2022.
Because of the one-year scheduling agreement between the two leagues, UNLV is the fourth of a total of seven Mountain West teams the Beavers will face this fall.
UNLV WR coach Del Alexander coached the same position at OSU from 2003-04.
OSU DC Keith Heyward filled the same position at UNLV in 2022.
OSU STC Jamie Christian coached the Rebel RBs from 2015-16.
OSU ILB coach AJ Cooper, an all-state player at Canyon Springs HS, is the son of UNLV Dir. of Player Development & Community Engagement and UNLV Athletics Hall of Famer Hunkie Cooper.
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