UNLV Football Survives Scare to Defeat Winless Northern Illinois 31-24

The UNLV football team avoided a major upset on Saturday night, defeating the winless Northern Illinois Huskies 31-24 at Allegiant Stadium. Entering the Halloween matchup as heavy 24.5-point favorites, the Rebels found themselves tested throughout the contest before securing the narrow victory.

With the win, UNLV improved its season record to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in Mountain West play. Meanwhile, Northern Illinois dropped to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in conference action following the hard-fought road performance.

The game began with explosive offense when UNLV quarterback Jackson Arnold connected with wide receiver Kayden McGee on a 75-yard touchdown pass on the very first play from scrimmage. However, the Huskies responded immediately with a lengthy scoring drive, eventually claiming leads of 14-10 and 17-10 in the first half.

UNLV managed to regain control before halftime by scoring touchdowns on consecutive series, taking a 24-17 advantage into the locker room. Arnold delivered a stellar performance through the first thirty minutes, completing 12 of 16 passes for 223 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, while also contributing 68 rushing yards on 11 carries.

While the Rebels struggled to establish a consistent ground game early on outside of Arnold—notably holding running back Jai'Den Thomas to just 9 yards on six carries in the first half—the offensive dynamic shifted quickly after the break. On his very first carry of the second half, Thomas broke away for a 60-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead.

Northern Illinois relied heavily on its rushing attack to stay competitive, accumulating 124 yards on the ground before intermission alone. Despite holding leads and pressuring the favored Rebels deep into the second half, the Huskies ultimately fell short, keeping them winless for the season as UNLV closed out the 31-24 victory.