G5 Football Daily

RECAP: #24 UNLV Football Beat San Jose State 27-16 in Rainy Friday Bout

Joe Londergan

Nov 22, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; UNLV Rebels running back Jai'Den Thomas (9) looks for running room against the San Jose State Spartans during the second quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Nov 22, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; UNLV Rebels running back Jai'Den Thomas (9) looks for running room against the San Jose State Spartans during the second quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
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A rain soaked Friday night in the Bay Area yielded an exciting matchup between #24 UNLV and San Jose State with Mountain West championship implications. UNLV were able to grind out a 27-16 victory, despite the weather making things difficult for both sides.

The Rebels move to 9-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play. For the first time, UNLV will finish a season 6-0 in road contests. San Jose State drop to 6-5 overall.

This result keeps UNLV alive in the league title race, but they will need some help in the form of Colorado State losses in order to reach the championship game.

Jai'Den Thomas led the way offensively for UNLV, finishing with 26 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown. All-American receiver Ricky White also caught seven passes for 98 yards.

The Spartans' passing game, one of the nation's best coming into this game, struggled mightily with the rain. They totaled only 81 yards through the air, their worst performance in that stat since 2021. The Spartans couldn't find any answers in the running game either, managing only 31 yards on the ground.

Neither offense was able to get much going in the first quarter, with UNLV getting the only points of the frame from a 31-yard field goal.

UNLV's first possession of the second quarter turned out to be disastrous, with Hajj-Malik Williams getting picked off by Isiah Revis, who returned that interception for a 40-yard touchdown.

UNLV had their best possession of the first half on their next drive, traveling 75 yards in 13 plays, ending in Williams finding a wide-open Kaleo Ballungay for a five-yard score. Walker Eget countered for SJSU with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Coleman (the first of his career) to retake the lead.

The rain led the Rebels to another nightmare play soon after. A botched snap on a punt attempt eventually rolled out of the back of the end zone, despite the play starting near midfield. That safety, the Spartans' first since 2022, gave SJSU a 16-10 lead going into halftime.

To start the second half, UNLV kicker Caden Chittenden nailed a career-long, 52-yard field goal, despite the heavy rain continuing.

With 6:10 remaining in the third quarter, Williams appeared to break off a 45-yard touchdown run, but it was negated by a penalty for a block in the back by Ricky White. The Rebels made up for it later in the quarter, however. The Go-Go offense did what we've seen it do quite a bit this season, as they traveled 74 yards in five plays and 90 seconds to get back in front. A Jai'Den Thomas 25-yard rushing score capped that highly effective possession.

In the fourth quarter, UNLV extended the lead with a long 13-play, 80-yard possession that burned 6:20 off the clock. Kylin James rushed it in for seven yards to cap that off.

After the Rebels defense forced yet another three-and-out from the Spartans, UNLV took over with 7:21 remaining in the game and no timeouts left for the Spartans. San Jose State's final opportunity to get the ball back was squandered with 2:25 remaining when John Norwood picked up his second penalty for running into the punter. Williams kneeled the last three plays of the game to lock up their first win at San Jose State since 1993.

UNLV will wrap their regular season on November 30 against Nevada. A victory there would give UNLV their first double-digit win season since 1984.

San Jose State will host Stanford on November 29 to end their regular season with the hopes of improving their postseason resume.

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Joe Londergan
JOE LONDERGAN

Joe covers college sports from the Group of Five ranks and beyond. He has worked in the sports industry since 2008, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville, and a Master's degree from Seattle University.

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