Game notes: Northern Illinois at UNLV
Saturday, October 31, 10:30 p.m. ET, Allegiant Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- Northern Illinois (0–6, 0–2 in conference) at UNLV (4–3, 2–1 in conference), Saturday, October 31, 10:30 p.m. ET, Allegiant Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their sixth meeting; Northern Illinois leads the series 5–0.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, September 5, 2015: Northern Illinois 38, UNLV 30.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1987: Northern Illinois 34, UNLV 31.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2015: Northern Illinois 38–30 (at Northern Illinois); 2014: Northern Illinois 48–34 (at UNLV); 1995: Northern Illinois 62–14 (at Northern Illinois); 1989: Northern Illinois 42–24 (at Northern Illinois); 1987: Northern Illinois 34–31 (at UNLV).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Northern Illinois
- Northern Illinois is 0–6 (0–2 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: L 0–40 at No. 22 Iowa; L 24–28 vs. Illinois State; L 17–42 at Arizona; L 14–35 at Georgia State; L 7–28 vs. Air Force; L 23–41 at Wyoming.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Northern Illinois has lost eight straight, since beating Massachusetts 45–3 (Nov. 12, 2025).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Northern Illinois is No. 134 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Rob Harley is 0–6 in his first season at Northern Illinois.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Rob Harley faces UNLV as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Taron Dickens (QB): 1,193 passing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Telly Johnson Jr. (RB): 439 rushing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jack Murray (LB): 43 tackles, 1 sack, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- On this date in 2023, Northern Illinois lost to Central Michigan 37–31.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
UNLV
- UNLV is 4–3 (2–1 in conference games).resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: L 21–27 vs. Memphis; W 21–6 at Hawai’i; L 6–44 at North Texas; W 38–10 at Akron; W 39–31 vs. California; W 13–7 vs. North Dakota State; L 31–41 at Air Force.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- UNLV is No. 47 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Dan Mullen is 14–7 in his second season at UNLV and 117–68 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Dan Mullen faces Northern Illinois as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Jackson Arnold (QB): 1,391 passing yards, 10 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jai’Den Thomas (RB): 543 rushing yards, 3 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jake Pope (S): 63 tackles, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jai’Den Thomas needs 155 yards to pass Mike Thomas (3,149, 1973–74) for third on UNLV’s career rushing yards list. He has 2,995 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jai’Den Thomas is tied with Charles Williams (34, 2016–21) for third on UNLV’s career rushing touchdowns list, at 34 so far; one more rushing touchdown breaks the tie.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2009, UNLV lost to No. 8 TCU 41–0.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- It is the first meeting of Rob Harley and Dan Mullen as head coaches.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
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