UNLV 50-34 Utah State (Oct. 11, 2024) Game Recap

LOGAN, Utah – Hajj-Malik Williams threw three first-half touchdown passes, Kylin James ran for three touchdowns and UNLV scored 27 points in the second quarter as the Runnin' Rebels beat Utah State 50-34 on Friday night.

UNLV (5-1, 2-0 Mountian West) made its first AP appearance last week at No. 25 before a 44-41 overtime loss at home to Syracuse. The Runnin' Rebels rebounded with a dominant first half against Utah State, accumulating 367 total yards and setting a program record against FBS opponents scoring in a half as they took a 41-7 halftime lead.

Utah State (1-5, 0-2) has lost five straight games, the program's longest losing streak in a single season since it lost five straight games to close the 2016 season.

James finished with 101 yards rushing on 11 carries. Ricky White III caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns and Jai'Den Thomas had 17 carries for 139 yards rushing and a TD for UNLV.

Jacob de Jesus caught a short pass from Williams and went for a 38-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. James followed with a 33-yard run and then scored after an incomplete pass with a run from the 5 to give UNLV a 7-0 lead with 13:50 left in the first quarter and the Runnin' Rebels led the rest of the way .

Williams fought for a 3-yard gain on a fourth-and-1 from the Utah State 40 and then hit Ricky White III on three consecutive plays for gains of 14, 5 and 18 yards, the last of which gave UNLV a 14-0 lead led about 8 minutes later.

Utah State responded with an 11-play, 79-yard drive that culminated when Rahsul Faison scored on a 20-yard run to make it 14-7 heading into the second quarter.

Caden Chittenden hit a 33-yard field goal with 13:35 left in the first half to give UNLV a 10-point lead.

On the next play from scrimmage, Aggies quarterback Spencer Petras ran for a 12-yard gain before Charles Correa forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Jackson Woodard at the 37, and four plays later Williams threw an 18-yard touchdown -Pass to Casey Cain Woodard intercepted a pass and James followed with a 22-yard touchdown run to make it 31-7 with 9:24 left in the first half.

Las Vegas native Chittenden hit a 49-yard field goal late in the first half – set up when Jett Elad intercepted a pass – and his 13 made field goals this season are a program freshman record.

White caught a 31-yard TD pass with 1:53 left in the second quarter that gave the Rebels a 34-point halftime lead.

Petras was 35 of 48 passing for 358 yards and three touchdowns.

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