LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – No. 21/21 UNLV (10-2/6-1) rolled over in-state rival UNR (3-10/0-7) 38-14 before 40,122 fans at Allegiant Stadium Saturday night to post the program’s first 10-win season in 40 years.
With the win, the Rebels earned a spot in the 2024 Old Trapper Mountain West Football Championship Game vs. Boise State on Friday at 5 p.m. PT, marking a rematch of the 2023 game staged in Las Vegas.
After honoring 29 players during Senior Night festivities, UNLV jumped out to a 24-7 halftime lead and cruised to its third straight win vs. the Wolf Pack in what was the 50th all-time Battle for the Fremont Cannon. UNLV also earned three points in the Silver State Series presented by America First Credit Union.
Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams ran for 104 yards and a touchdown and threw for 168 and two more scores while Jai’Den Thomas posted 135 yards and a TD to lead a potent rushing attack that ended with 351 net yards on the ground as part of 519 yards of total offense.
Jacob De Jesus closed his regular season with a team-leading six receptions for 84 yards as part of his 121 all-purpose total. All-American WR Ricky White III’s five catches for 55 yards allowed him to become the first UNLV player in history to post two 1,000-yard receiving yards seasons in a career.
LB Jackson Woodard scored the first touchdown of his career by recovering a fumble in the end zone and added six total tackles, two TFL and one pass breakup to bolster his All-America-level season.
The Rebel defense finished with six sacks and 12 tackles-for-loss as a team while Cameron Oliver hauled in his 13th career interception, which ranks fourth all-time at the school.
STAT OF THE GAME:
UNLV reached double digits in victories for only the third time in history (12-1 in 1974 as part of Division II, and 11-2 1984).
REBEL OF THE GAME:
Hajj-Malik Williams completed 14-of-21 attempts for 168 yards and averaged 10.4 yards on 10 rushes to lead the ultra-efficient offense. He threw at least one score and ran for at least one score in the same game for the seventh time in his nine starts as a Rebel. He also became just the second Rebel signal-caller to post four 100-yard rushing games in a career – in just one season.
UNLV, which is also currently ranked 21st in both the AP and Coaches polls, is on a four-game winning streak and earned the spot in the championship game over Colorado State by being included in the most-recent College Football Playoff Committee Rankings.
By downing the Wolf Pack and earning three points in the Silver State Series presented by America First Credit Union, second-year head coach Barry Odom improved to 19-7 overall since coming to Las Vegas and will now look to lead his team to a win at Boise State for the first time since 1976.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets to the 2024 Old Trapper Mountain West Football Championship Game are available at unlvtickets.com.
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