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UNLV Escapes Upset vs. Winless NIU
1 Nov
Summary
- UNLV, a heavy favorite, narrowly defeated winless Northern Illinois 31-24.
- Quarterback Jackson Arnold threw for three touchdowns in the first half.
- Jai'Den Thomas scored a crucial 60-yard touchdown in the second half.
UNLV's football team narrowly avoided an upset on Saturday night, securing a 31-24 victory over the winless Northern Illinois Huskies at Allegiant Stadium. The Rebels, who were 24 1/2-point favorites, found themselves in a much closer contest than anticipated against a team yet to secure a win this season.
Quarterback Jackson Arnold had a strong first half, completing 12 of 16 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns, alongside one interception. He also contributed with 68 rushing yards on 11 carries. The Huskies, however, showed resilience, particularly in their ground game, and even held leads of 14-10 and 17-10 before UNLV scored consecutive touchdowns to end the half.
Despite struggles in the run game for much of the first half, Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas broke through with a pivotal 60-yard touchdown run on his first carry after halftime. This score helped UNLV secure the crucial win, improving their overall record to 5-3 and their Mountain West standing to 3-1, while Northern Illinois dropped to 0-8.
