Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at Yager Stadium was the place to be in Oxford and the weather couldn’t have been better for this one. I spoke with a couple of different groups of students who were tailgating; they said this was the most anticipated game on the schedule this year.

This game turned on it’s head when Kenny Tracy fumbled with ~ 2:00 to go in the game. UNLV recovered and was able to drive down and hit a FG to win the game. 

UNLV Won the coin toss and deferred to the 2nd. 

Miami started the game on the 17 yard line. UNLV immediately starts the game with an offside penalty, moving Miami to the 22 and a 1st and 5. The First offensive play goes to number 8 for a 39 yard completion. However, #8 ends up with a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty, backing things back up to the 46 yard line of Miami.  We had a total of 5 penalties on the first drive. 2 on UNLV and 3 on Miami. Miami’s first drive ends in a punt. 

UNLV’s first drive Was interrupted by a Corbin Hondru interception and return to the Miami 29! The first offensive play resulted in a 29 yard reception from Dequan Finn to Kenny Tracy and a TD. After the PAT, Miami leads 7-0.  

UNLV’s QB Anthony Colandrea with a ridiculous hurdle on a keeper for to open UNLV’s 2nd drive, however, UNLV fails to continue to move the ball after that.  

UNLV’s third drive finally found some rhythm, and they’re aided by a 15 yard late hit on Eli Blakey. UNLV opens the first Quarter with a key 3rd and 8 from the Miami (OH) 10 yard line.  The Redhawk defense holds and UNLV hits a 27 yard FG to make the score 14-3. 

The next RedHawk Drive ends with an interception and a hard hit on Finn. Finn was injured on the play and did not return the remainder of the game. The INT was returned for a Rebel TD. UNLV hits the PAT to make it 14-10. 

The entire vibe of this game changed in real time here. the stadium lost the energy it had. However, #12 Henry Hesson takes over for Finn @ QB seamlessly. 

Hesson finds Tracy for a 22 yard TD off of a designed shovel pass. Miami’s PAT is Tipped, but goes through. Miami 21, UNLV 10. 

UNLV’s next drive stalls out at the Miami 27 after a failed 4th down attempt and Miami takes the ball back with 1:45 left in the half. UNLV was able to hold the Redhawks to a 4th down, but another penalty results in a first down. Miami is able to get the ball down field and hit a 40 yard field goal, bringing the score to 24-10 with 0:24 left in the 1st. 

Miami kicked to UNLV to open the 2nd half, and keeping the theme going, Miami kicks it out of bounds resulting in a penalty,; UNLV takes it from the 35. #9 Jayden Thomas with a ridiculous 32-yard-run  and UNLV is in business! Thomas finishes it off with a TD run. UNLV has just hung around, Miami is now going to have to prove that first half of offense wasn’t a fluke. 

Hesson takes the field as Miami (OH)’s QB for the start of the 2nd half. The first possession is a 3 and out, and all of the momentum has swung back to The Running Rebs.

Jalen Thomas appears ready to take over this half, moving the ball seamlessly. Jayden Bradley brings in a pass from Colandrea and we suddenly have a 24-24 game! 

Just when all of the momentum had shifted back to UNLV, Redhawk Keith Reynolds takes the ensuing kickoff back for 100 yards to put Miami back up, this time 31-24. This was the first kickoff return for a TD since 9/29/2018. 

Adam trick deflects a pass on 2nd down and #12 returns the interception 47 yards for a touchdown. Miami back up by 14!

The crazy 3rd quarter ends with UNLV Driving but a 2nd and 15 coming up. 

UNLV is able to take it in for 7 as Taeshaun Lyons receives an 9 yard pass from Colandrea to bring this one back to a 7 point game. 

3:55 remaining: Miami OH ball on the UNLV 41. Miami goes for a 4th and one, with an innovative play where Hesson helped push Tracy forward for a 3 yard gain and a first down! 

A Kenny tracy Fumble after crossing the 100 yard mark and a new career high was caused by #3 Jaheem Joseph and recovered by #8 Marcell Mcduffie gives UNLV the ball with 2:32 remaining, roughly 45 yards from FG range! 

UNLV has used two 30+ yard completions to get them down to the 6 yard line with 1:33 remaining. UNLV hits a FG with 13 seconds left to go up 3! 

Miami gets into long FG range, however, they had trouble with the snap and throw an INT. Game over. 

UNLV 17–0 in the final 6:00 of this one. An absolutely epic collapse from the Redhawks who couldn’t fun the ball in the 2nd half. 

Key Players & Stats

Keys: Penalties and 3rd down conversions! 

• [Player Name], QB: [Stats: completions, yards, TDs, INTs]
  – [Player Name], RB: [Stats: carries, yards, TDs]
  – [Player Name], WR: [Stats: receptions, yards, TDs]
  – [Defensive Player]: [Stats: tackles, sacks, turnovers forced]
  – Opponent highlight: [Opponent’s standout player and stats].

 Miami (OH):

Hesson stats 134 passing, 1 TD, 1 INT

Finn stats 131 passing, 2 TD, 1 INT, 4 carries, 21 yards 

Tracy 16 carries, 107 yards, 0 TD, 6 rec, 84 yards, 2 TD 191 total yards! 

Kam Perry 5 rec, 122 yards (Make sure Reynolds KO TD is in here)

Keith Reynolds 1 rec, 3 yards, 0 td; Kick return TD 

Eli Blakey 10 solo tackles, 16 total, 1 TFL

Corban Hondru 3 solo, 9 total. 

B. Rice – 2 Sacks, Lyons and Washington 1 sack each. 

Blakey, Trick, O. Mcwood, B. Rice, J. Lukusa 1 PBU. 

Hondru 2 INT, 1 TD 

UNLV: 

Colandrea stats 293 passing, 2 TD, 2 INT, 15 carries, 79 yards. 

Jai’Den Thomas 14 carries, 118 yards, 1 TD, 7 receptions 93 yards, 1 TD. 

Troy Omeire 6 rec, 76 yards, 0 TD. 

DaeDae Reynolds 4 rec, 45 yards, 0 TD. 

Marsel. Mcduffie 3 solo, 10 total, 2 TFL

Jaheem Joseph, 7 solo, 9 total, 1 TFL

Sacks – None. 

Mcduffie, Brown, Fuller each with 1 PBU. 

Brown and McDuffie with 1 INT each. 

Impact & Context

With the win, UNLV solidifies themselves as a true competitor for the group of 5 auto-bid in this winters college football playoff.

Next up, UNLV will travel to Wyoming on 10/4. Miami looks to rebound against Lindenwood next Saturday! 

Final Score: UNLV 41, Miami (OH) 38

Scoring by Quarter:

• 1Q: Miami (OH) 14, UNLV 0; Miami (OH) Scoring: Finn to Tracy 29 yard TD, 10:15 1st; Finn to Reynolds 3 yard TD, 3:25 1st. UNLV Scoring: N/A
    
• 2Q: Miami (OH) 10, UNLV 10; UNLV Scoring: Villela 27 yard FG good, 14:18 2nd; Amaris Brown INT and 67 yard return for TD, 10:41, 2nd. Miami (OH) Scoring: Henry Hesson to Kenny Tracy for 22 yard TD, 8:10 2nd; Dom Dzioban 40 yard FG good, 0:24 2nd.
   
• 3Q: Miami (OH) 14, UNLV 14: UNLV: Jai’Den Thomas 3 yard rushing TD, 12:45 Remaining 3rd;  Colandrea 4 yard pass to Jaden Bradley for a TD, 7:45 3rd. Miami (OH): Keith Reynolds 100 yard kickoff return TD, 7:33 remaining 3rd. Adam trick deflects a pass on 2nd down and #12 returns the interception 47 yards for a touchdown, 6:19 3rd.  
• 4Q: Miami (OH) 0, UNLV 14: UNLV Scoring: Anthony Colandrea pass to Taeshaun Lyons for a 9 yard TD, 13:13; Keyvone Lee 1 yard RTD, 4:02; Ramon Villela 23 yard FG GOODMiami (OH) Scoring: N/A

Total Yards: Miami (OH) 386, UNLV 513.
Turnovers: Miami (OH) 2, UNLV 3. Both teams with an INT returned for a TD.