Rebels Blow Past Mean Green - University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics (2024)

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) –The UNLV (2-1/0-0) football team scored the final 28 points of the game to pull away, 58-27, over North Texas (2-2/1-0) of Conference USA at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Rebels, who posted consecutive victories at home for the first time since 2018, ran for 365 yards, 227 from Aidan Robbins and 100 on-the-dot from quarterback Doug Brumfield. They scored their most points since 2016 and won two of their first three games in a season for only the second time since 2009 and first time since 2018.

Brumfield also completed 21-of-27 pass attempts for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 23-yarder to Kyle Williams on the game's opening drive. After UNT returned the kickoff 99 yards for a score, the Rebels eventually blocked a UNT punt that went out of the end zone and resulted in a safety. After the Mean Green kicked a go-ahead field goal, UNLV went back up on Robbins' first touchdown run and never lost the lead again.

Brumfield became the first Rebel to pass for at least 200 yards and rush for at least 100 in the same game since Armani Rogers (211 & 193) did it at New Mexico in 2017.

Senior linebacker Austin Ajiake led all tacklers with 12 total while UNLV won the turnover battle 2-0 with a pair of interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown to put the finishing touches on the victory.

REBEL OF THE GAME:
Louisville graduate transfer Aidan Robbins posted career highs in rushing attempts with 29 and yards with 227 to go with three touchdowns and give him seven overall TDs in just three games (six rushing, one receiving).

STAT OF THE GAME:
UNLV stopped UNT on three of four fourth-down attempts and turned all three into touchdowns, including a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter.

QUOTABLE:
"It's awesometo get our fan base excited and gassed up. It's been an awesome first couple weeks on getting engaged and excited about the brand of football that we are playing. It's a big deal for us, it fuels us to come in here and make this place hard to play in -- that's what we're trying to push for. "
-UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo

REBEL NOTES:
-UNLV, which put up 52 on Idaho State in its opener, scored at least 50 points at home in back-to-back games for the first time since 1974 (51 on Oct. 5 vs. Santa Clara and 63 on Oct. 12 vs. Prairie View A&M)
-RB Aidan Robbins' career-high 227 yards rushing marked the eighth-most in one game by a Rebel
-Cameron Oliver's 20-yard interception return for a touchdown with 42 seconds left in the game marked the first defensive score by a Rebel since future NFLer Javin White's 65-yard pick-six at Ohio State in 2017
-Robbins (227) and Brumfield (100) marked the first time UNLV boasted two 100-yard rushers in the same game since 2018 when Lexington Thomas had 120 and QB Armani Rogers finished with 122 vs. Prairie View A&M
-The Rebels did not commit a turnover for the second time in three games this season
-UNLV recorded its second blocked punt of the season when Spencer Briggs got to the ball
-The Rebels turned the block into their first safety since Sept. 15, 2018, vs. Prairie View A&M
-Doug Brumfield turned in his first career 100-yard rushing game with 100 on 12 carries, including two scores. It marked the 19^th 100-yard rushing game by a UNLV quarterback in history and the first since 2020 when Max Gilliam went for 139 vs. Fresno State
-Jerrae Williams became the ninth different Rebel to record at least one quarterback sack this season as he took down the UNT QB for a 10-yard loss on the opening drive
-CSU Pueblo transfer Nick Williams made a big impact with two receptions, both going for first downs, totaling 59 yards through the air

NEXT FOR THE REBELS:
UNLV opens Mountain West play by traveling to defending conference champion Utah State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. PT and the game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network.