UNLV had the yards, the ball and a strong debut from Jackson Arnold. It still left Allegiant Stadium with a loss.
Memphis scored the final 13 points and beat the Rebels 27-21 Saturday night in front of 31,384 fans. UNLV led three different times, including 21-14 in the third quarter, but failed to score over the final 19:32.
The Rebels outgained Memphis 460-418 and held the ball for 35:09. They also ran 79 plays to Memphis’ 60 and finished with three more first downs.
Those advantages disappeared in the situations that decided the game. UNLV scored on only two of four red-zone trips, went 3-for-15 on third down and allowed six sacks.
Head coach Dan Mullen pointed directly to those missed chances afterward.
“The game came down to red-zone scoring, which is a huge part of playing to win,” Mullen said in UNLV’s postgame media availability. “We came up short on fourth down twice and missed a field goal in the red zone.”
Arnold starts fast before pressure changes the game
Arnold looked comfortable for much of his first start at UNLV. The Auburn transfer completed 25 of 37 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
He was especially sharp before halftime, completing 17 of 21 passes for 203 yards. Arnold helped UNLV build a 14-7 lead with one touchdown through the air and another on the ground.
He opened the scoring midway through the second quarter with a 38-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman Tavian McNair. The catch was the first of McNair’s career.
After Memphis tied the game, Arnold answered with another 75-yard drive. He finished it with a 6-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left in the half.
UNLV then had a chance to create separation after Denver Harris forced and recovered a Memphis fumble. Taz Reddicks caught a 33-yard pass on the next play to move the Rebels to the Memphis 15.
The drive eventually reached the 4-yard line, but a false start pushed UNLV backward. Ramon Villela then missed a 32-yard field goal as time expired, leaving the Rebels ahead only 14-7 at halftime.
That missed opportunity became more important after Memphis tied the game on its opening possession of the third quarter. Marcus Stokes found Stonka Burnside for a 48-yard touchdown, wiping out UNLV’s halftime advantage.
Arnold responded with one of his biggest plays of the night, breaking a 54-yard run to move the Rebels deep into Memphis territory. He later found Kayden McGee for a 22-yard touchdown that restored UNLV’s seven-point lead.
Red-zone failures leave points behind
Memphis tied the game at 21-21 less than two minutes later when Jaylin Carter broke a 36-yard touchdown run. UNLV then had another chance after Jaylon Glover ripped off a 44-yard run to the Memphis 27.
Instead of turning that field position into points, UNLV stalled after Arnold took a sack. On fourth-and-16 from the Memphis 33, Arnold completed a 15-yard pass to McGee and came up one yard short.
Memphis took its first lead on Philippe Laforge’s 32-yard field goal with 43 seconds left in the third quarter. Laforge added a 36-yarder early in the fourth to extend the lead to 27-21.
UNLV answered with an 11-play drive that reached the Memphis 18. Arnold was sacked for an 8-yard loss on fourth-and-7, ending another scoring opportunity.
The pressure only increased from there. Memphis recorded four sacks during UNLV’s final three possessions and finished with six for 47 yards.
UNLV’s last chance began at its own 25 with 59 seconds remaining. Back-to-back sacks helped create fourth-and-26, and Arnold’s 17-yard completion to Keyan Burnett ended the game short of the sticks.
Thomas involved, but Memphis limits the run
Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas remained heavily involved in the offense, though Memphis prevented him from taking over on the ground. Thomas rushed 12 times for 44 yards and caught a team-high six passes for 54 yards.
His 98 yards from scrimmage came on 18 offensive touches. Glover added 49 rushing yards on five carries, including his 44-yard burst in the third quarter.
UNLV finished with 169 rushing yards, but the six sacks dragged down that total. Arnold gained 108 yards before losses and finished with 54 net rushing yards.
McGee caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. Reddicks added three receptions for 45 yards, while McNair’s only catch produced UNLV’s first score.
Alex Orji, who was expected to see action alongside Arnold, appeared for one recorded rush. He converted fourth-and-1 with a 2-yard gain late in the first half.
Defense creates one takeaway but allows big plays
UNLV’s defense forced Memphis into six punts and produced the game’s only turnover. Harris forced and recovered the second-quarter fumble.
The Rebels still gave up too many explosive plays at critical times. Burnside’s 48-yard touchdown erased the halftime lead, while Carter’s 36-yard run tied the game shortly after UNLV went back ahead.
Stokes completed 15 of 26 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 45 yards, while Carter led Memphis with 97 yards on 15 carries.
Jake Pope led UNLV with 13 tackles. The Rebels allowed 418 total yards, including 195 on the ground, while Memphis averaged 7 yards per play.
Strong crowd watches opener slip away
The announced crowd of 31,384 was the third-largest for a home opener in UNLV history, according to the school. It was also the largest home-opening crowd since the Rebels moved into Allegiant Stadium.
Mullen thanked the crowd afterward and said the support matters as UNLV continues building the program.
“That crowd support from the fans and the city was amazing,” Mullen said.
The loss ended UNLV’s four-game winning streak in season openers and dropped the Rebels to 0-1 for the first time since 2021. It also revealed an immediate issue for a roster with several new starters.
UNLV showed it can move the ball with Arnold, but red-zone execution and pass protection quickly became the first problems Mullen must solve. The Rebels travel to Hawai’i next Saturday for their Mountain West opener, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. PT on The CW.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
