NIU visits Las Vegas for first meeting with UNLV since 2015

The Northern Illinois University football team travels to Las Vegas this Saturday for its fifth meeting against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This contest marks the first time the two programs have played since 2015. NIU enters the game with a 0-7 overall record and a 0-3 mark in the Mountain West Conference.

Historically, the Huskies hold a perfect 5-0 record against the Rebels. NIU defeated UNLV 38-30 in DeKalb in 2015, 48-34 in Vegas in 2014, and 62-14 in DeKalb in 1995. The two schools were both members of the Big West Conference from 1993 to 1995.

UNLV arrives in Las Vegas with a 4-3 overall record and a 2-1 conference mark. The Rebels entered this week ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in 16 statistical categories. They sit last in the FBS in red-zone offense, kickoff-return defense, and third-down conversion defense.

The Rebels' three-game winning streak ended last week when they lost 41-31 to Air Force despite holding a lead in the third quarter. Interim head coach Rob Harley noted that his team has had to adapt its game plan because it frequently falls behind early. He stated that the team has emphasized passing to find big plays rather than relying on the running game.

Junior running back Telly Johnson Jr. has rushed for 502 yards and four touchdowns this season. His 5.28 average yards per carry ranks 50th nationally and fifth in the Mountain West. However, the Huskies rank 132th in rushing offense nationally, averaging 100.1 yards per game. Johnson had his lowest output of the season last week against Hawaii, finishing with 63 yards on 14 carries.

Harley said the coaching staff is changing practice routines to reduce errors. The team is spending less time on scout team drills and more time running the first-team offense directly against the first-team defense. He explained that this approach creates organic situations that are harder to replicate in standard drills. His goal is for 75 percent of the team's plays to be high quality, ensuring that mistakes do not become catastrophic.

Junior defensive back Yassine Falke recorded his fourth interception of the season in the loss to Hawaii. He has an interception in each of his first three games of the season, followed by three games without one. Falke currently leads the Mountain West and ranks third nationally with an average of 0.57 interceptions per game.

The Huskies face a Rebels team that is 4-3 on the season. NIU has not won a game this year. The matchup represents a chance for NIU to improve its 0-7 record against an opponent that is 2-1 in conference play.