In 2024, the UNLV Rebels put together one of their most successful football seasons in program history. The team achieved an impressive 11 wins, something they hadn’t accomplished since 1984, long before the Mountain West conference. Decades later, the Rebels thrived within the Mountain West, earned a national ranking, secured a spot in the conference championship game, and finished their season strong with their first bowl game victory since 2000. Let’s recap how Las Vegas got here in this 2024 breakdown.
No NIL? No Problem!
UNLV burst onto the scene starting 3-0 with notable road victories over Houston and Kansas. Yet before heading into a Week 4 match-up with conference foe, the Fresno State Bulldogs, starting quarterback Matthew Sluka had decided to redshirt for the remainder of the year and head to the transfer portal due to a $100,000 NIL denial.
It played more like a pivot in what looked like a problem within the UNLV building, as the Rebels quickly turned to backup quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams. In a story that caused national headlines, UNLV did not skip a beat, blocking out any noise not coming from the Fertitta Football Complex, and went on to thump the Bulldogs 59-14.
At 4-0, UNLV debuted in the AP Polls, sitting at No. 25, as they welcomed in the Syracuse Orange for a Friday Night after-school special. In a back-and-forth match-up that went into overtime, UNLV just fell short by the score of 44-41.
In what may have been the first loss of the season, UNLV was building serious momentum within the city of Las Vegas. As the overtime shoot-out reeled in 31,329 fans in attendance, the third-highest for a UNLV football game in Allegiant Stadium, the first half of the 2024 season felt like a breakthrough was coming to the UNLV football program.
Confidence Within Conference
Throughout the college football season, teams are measured by how they play within their respective conferences. In 2024, the Mountain West had to get familiar with this UNLV Rebels football team.
On an October night in Las Vegas, UNLV was tasked with their first meeting with Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty. The Rebels could not do much to stop the nation’s leading rusher, as he carried the ball 33 times for 128 yards and the game-winning touchdown. However, they did push then-No. 17 ranked Boise State Broncos to the brink, losing by the score of 29-24.
Coming off of the loss to the Broncos, UNLV would go on to win out the regular season. Finishing with a 6-1 record within the Mountain West, holding five of those six wins with double-digit win margins.
Malik Williams and running back Jai’Den Thomas dominated opponents on the ground, combining 1,769 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Standout wide receiver Ricky White III became the first-ever Rebel receiver to post more than one 1,000-yard receiving season.
The Rebels’ defense, led by Jackson Woodard and Jalen Catalon, ranked first overall in total defense in the Mountain West Conference and 25th nationally, with a stop rate of 69.5 percent. The UNLV defense caused problems for conference opponents, tallying 42 sacks and 17 interceptions.
Rebounding With Redemption
UNLV earned their spot in the Mountain West championship game in a rematch with the Boise State Broncos. The Rebels made their way up to a frigid Albertsons’ stadium in hopes of a different outcome than the battle back in October. UNLV took another disappointing loss to Boise State, 21-7, ending their dreams of achieving their first-ever Mountain West championship.
As Boise State went on to the College Football Playoff, UNLV was invited to the LA Bowl, where they took on the University of California and the Golden Bears in SoFi Stadium. This may not have been the conference title game, but it posed a prime opportunity for the Rebels to rebound with redemption and end their season on a high note.
Not only was UNLV coming off of a title game loss, but in 2023, UNLV was invited to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, where they lost to Kansas 49-36. Clearly, this group did not want to waste an opportunity of an extra game and end such an impressive season on another bowl game defeat.
UNLV made the most of their final game together in the 2024 season, executing a beautiful fake punt that was perfection. It also featured stud running back Jacob De Jesus doing backflips in the endzone in his last game as a Rebel. UNLV would win by the score of 24-13, becoming their first bowl game victory since winning the Las Vegas Bowl in 2000 over Arkansas.
What’s Next for the UNLV Rebels football team?
UNLV has come a long way from the bottom of the Mountain West. After two years under Head Coach Barry Odom, the program has flourished and ended the season at #24 in the polls.
However, like earlier in the season, UNLV has to pivot again. Barry Odom has taken his talents to Purdue to become their next head coach, shifting the head coaching responsibilities to the newly hired Dan Mullen.
For the first time, maybe ever, a new coach steps foot onto the Ferritta Football Complex, not solely focused on rebuilding a program. Granted, Mullen will set his own standard for his team, but the energy around UNLV football is much different than it was three or four years ago.
UNLV closed the book in 2024 and immediately started writing the chapter for 2025 as it landed a new quarterback from the powerhouse, the University of Michigan, Alex Orji. UNLV will keep looking to grow through the portal and ensure the breakthrough from 2024 stays consistent for many more years.