The UNLV Rebels are playing in back-to-back home games for the first time this entire season. In an after-school special on a late Friday night kick, it will be the battle of the golden pineapple, as the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors make the trip in to take on the Rebels.
UNLV Rebels vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors: 2025 College Football Preview
UNLV narrowly escaped Utah State last Saturday in an overtime thriller. It may not have been pretty, but the Rebels persevered in the end, moving to 8-2. As for Hawaii, it has been an incredible season, sitting at 7-3, riding high off of their last win over San Diego State.
Let’s dive into how this one may shake out on Saturday.
Matchup History
Hawai’i leads the overall series 19-15, but UNLV has been able to win the last two meetings. Last year’s meeting was a nail-biter out on the island, where the Rebels were able to get by with a 29-27 win.
In this matchup, UNLV finds itself at a rest disadvantage. Not only is it a short week, but Hawaii is coming off a late bye. With the extra time to prepare for UNLV, in a historically close match-up, this makes for a litmus test for each squadron late in the season.
The Rebels are 14-16-1 all-time in games played on Friday night. However, they played on a Friday earlier this year against Sam Houston, where they came out with a win.
Seven of the last 12 meetings between the Rainbow Warriors and the Rebels have been decided by one score. With massive Mountain West championship implications riding in this game, expect no different.
Keys and Predictions
Key Players for UNLV
How about Kayden McGee last week for UNLV? The redshirt freshman running back was huge in the Utah State win. It may not seem like much, but the impact of his three carries for 54 yards actually led UNLV in rushing. Plus, he had the game-winning score.
This is not the first time McGee has appeared for UNLV. In fact, he won Mountain West freshman of the week after he blocked a punt, then scored on another against Wyoming.
Look for UNLV to find some type of way to get McGee the ball in this big-time match-up. As a true freshman, it is apparent that McGee is a part of the future for Mullen’s offense. They have enjoyed getting him out wide into space. So, there may just be a couple of slash plays for McGee that UNLV will need to get itself ahead of the Rainbow Warriors.
Key Players for Hawaii
Micah Alejado took the college world by storm back in August. The 5-foot-10, tough-as-nails freshman quarterback played through an injury to set up a game-winning field goal against Stanford to start the season.
Alejado was also a star at the notable Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. He returns home to take on a team in a building that he watched get built in his own backyard.
Now, grit has really stayed the course for the entire 2025 season for the Bows. Alejado has 2380 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions on the season. The Las Vegas local loves to find 6-foot-3 sophomore Jackson Harris, as Harris has 10 of Alejado’s touchdowns on the year.
That tandem is going to be something to watch, as UNLV’s secondary has been leaky all season long. With Alejado returning to his hometown and having extra time to prepare, this makes for a lot of fun to watch.
2025 Game Preview: How UNLV Wins vs. Hawaii in Week 9
UNLV has been a perfect example of a night on the Vegas strip with your closest friends. Many problems may arise, but man, are they fun to overcome together as one.
The Rebels have been in nail-biting situations time and time again, and at any level of football, it is tough to sustain success in winning those types of games. Hawaii poses many problems on Friday night, mainly the passing of Alejado and the rest of the team’s disadvantage.
But, it is senior night, and the final home game for Mullen’s 2025 Rebels. With the Mountain West standings about as tight as they may have ever been, both teams can not afford to lose. This very well could be a loser leaves town type of game.
It is the battle of the ninth island, for the Golden Pineapple, and for a chance to stay alive in the Mountain West title talks. And it is likely the toughest game to predict thus far for UNLV. Expect this game to come down to the leg of one of these two young kickers. If UNLV is able to generate two takeaways, they could win. However, if Alejado makes magic happen, Hawaii may pull off the upset.
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