October 10, 2026 - 8:18 pm

UNLV’s football team got a first-hand look at why North Dakota State’s defense has been highly regarded entering the two teams’ Mountain West matchup on Saturday.

North Dakota State, in its first season in the Mountain West, allowed just 9.8 points per game through a 5-0 mark entering Saturday. After 30 minutes against the Bison, UNLV had 135 total yards of offense with an average of four yards per play.

UNLV still couldn’t figure out North Dakota State in the second half, with a pair of offensive drives that went into the red zone ending with short field goals. UNLV’s defense stood tall to makeup for a struggling offensive performance as the Rebels held on for a 13-7 win over the Bison (5-1, 2-1) at Allegiant Stadium.

“They came in and we know (North Dakota State is) an extremely physical group,” UNLV coach Dan Mullen said. “They know how to win football games. They’re used to winning, and we found a way. We found a way to win that game at the end.”

UNLV (4-2, 2-0) had appeared to find its rhythm on offense after the Rebels were coming off wins of 38-10 at Akron on Sept. 26 and a 39-31 shootout victory over ACC opponent Cal.

North Dakota State’s stingy defensive performance against UNLV showed why the Bison are ready for the step up in competition from the FCS level. The Bison dominated some inferior opponents and were coming of a 28-0 shutout against Wyoming. The defense made life difficult for UNLV even in their first defeat.

“When you get into it, we knew it’s going to be a physical football game on both sides of the ball,” Mullen said of North Dakota State’s physicality. “We’re a pretty physical football team too, so I think we benefit from that. … Our guys coming into the game were ready for the physicality.”

Jai’Den Thomas, after 42 rushing yards in the first half, broke off several strong runs in the second half to finish with 112 yards. UNLV attempted three passes in the second half and was outgained overall in total yardage 300-255.

“We have to thank the defense for that one,” UNLV wide receiver Kayden McGee said. “They came up big for us.”

The Bison stood tall in the red zone in the second half. UNLV got a boost from a Peyton Zachary punt return near midfield, and after several runs from Thomas, UNLV had to settle for a 29-yard field goal after Jackson Arnold was stopped for no gain on a third-and-5.

UNLV got prime field position after North Dakota State went for it on fourth down, and the Rebels got a stop and the ball at North Dakota State’s 18. But UNLV was denied after getting a first-and-goal at the 4, settling for a 29-yard Ramon Villela field goal.

UNLV’s lone score in the first half was on a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown from former Liberty High standout Andre Porter, as the redshirt freshman who plays both on the defensive line and linebacker used his 6-foot-2 frame to leap at the line and grab a pass from North Dakota State’s Nathan Hayes and run for a score.

Other than that, the UNLV offense did not have much to hang its hat on sitting inside the locker room at Allegiant Stadium.

Arnold was 6 of 13 in the first half for 41 passing yards and totaled 49 rushing yards in the first half to lead UNLV and was sacked twice. The Bison had a sack of Arnold on a third-and-8 in the first quarter that resulted in a three-and-out.

Villela missed a 45-yard field goal in the first quarter after the Rebels moved the ball on nine plays for 49 yards on a drive that was stalled at the North Dakota State 28.

Arnold’s biggest mistake in the first half came after the missed field goal when he was intercepted by Ray James Jr., with the Rebels having the ball in North Dakota State territory. The Rebels’ other two first-half drives, excluding a drive that ended at the half, ended in punts with one being a three-and-out with negative-two yards.

Mullen pointed to several penalties as key in disrupting UNLV’s offensive production, with one being an illegal substitution and a few illegal shifts with wide receivers not lining up in the right spot.

“(North Dakota State) did a great job with red zone defense,” Mullen said. “That was disappointing not coming away with touchdowns down in the red zone and then the mistakes in the red zone. That last penalty was on me, the (illegal) substitution.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.