HONOLULU (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV (1-1/1-0) limited
Hawai'i (
0-2/0-1) to its fewest points ever against the Rebels in taking early charge of first place in the Mountain West with a 21-6 win on Saturday night at Ching Athletics Complex.
Quarterback
Jackson Arnold had two first-half rushing touchdowns and
Jet Thomas clinched things late with a 50-yard scamper to the end zone but it was the other side of the ball that really impressed the sold-out crowd of 15,014 on the islands.
All told, UNLV's defense posted five sacks, seven TFL, two forced fumbles, one interception by
Quandarius Keyes, and seven pass breakups.
The win kept the beloved Golden Pineapple trophy in Las Vegas as UNLV won its fourth straight Ninth Island Showdown sponsored by the California Hotel. The Rebels, who lead all of college football with 12 road wins since the start of 2024, won at Hawai'i in back-to-back visits for the first time in a series that dates to 1969 – just the second year of UNLV's program.
REBEL OF THE GAME: Safety
Tre Fulton shined with a dozen total tackles, including eight solo stops, to go with a sack, a forced fumble and a key pass breakup in the end zone on a play that was originally ruled a UH touchdown.
STAT OF THE GAME:
UH only managed two field goals in the game. Its previous lowest point total vs. UNLV was eight points in a 33-8 Rebel win in Las Vegas in 1974. It also marked the first time the Warriors failed to score a touchdown at home since Oct. 28, 2023.
QUOTABLE:
"A gutsy win for us. A great job defensively. Our defensive coaches did a fantastic job. And we battled it out, with a little bend, but don't break. We made plays we needed to, to win the game at the end, and I thought that was fantastic. It's always tough to come out here and play."
-UNLV Head Coach Dan Mullen
NOTABLE:
--UNLV has now won four straight vs. UH for the first time ever
--Jet Thomas posted his 10th career 100-yard game with 143 net yards on 20 carries
--He passed Michael Morton (2,536 yards from 1978-81) into seventh on the Rebel career rushing yards list with 2,644
--His first score of the season gave him 35 in his career, which ranks fourth in school history
--Rebel freshman punter
Matt Choules was outstanding, finishing with a 45.3-yard average on six boots, including a career-long 64-yarder that pinned the home team on its five-yard line
--TE
Keyan Burnett led the Rebels with three catches for 55 yards
--QB
Jackson Arnold now has three rushing TDs in his first two games as a Rebel
--Arnold finished with 89 net yards rushing
--Redshirt freshman
Kal-El Togafau recorded two of his team's five sacks
--UH QB Micah Alejado started the game just 2-of-11 in pass attempts and finished 17 of 41 for 176 yards
--This marked the earliest-ever meeting between the schools and the earliest Mountain West opener for UNLV since going to UNM to kick off the 2005 campaign
--UNLV has now scored at least 20 points in each of its last 36 regular-season games, which is by far the longest streak in the nation
--The Rebels have rushed for at least one touchdown in 29 consecutive games, which is the second-longest active streak in the FBS behind Jacksonville State's 30
--UNLV won a conference opener when it took place on the road for only the sixth time in 23 such outings
UP NEXT: UNLV will remain on the road with its first trip to North Texas since 1999. Kickoff is set for 12:45 pm PT and the game will be televised by ESPNU.
