Game notes: UNLV at San José State
Saturday, November 21, 7 p.m. ET, CEFCU Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- UNLV (4–3, 2–1 in conference) at San José State (4–3, 2–1 in conference), Saturday, November 21, 7 p.m. ET, CEFCU 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 30th meeting; San José State leads the series 20–8–1 as played. Officially, San José State leads 21–7–1; as played, 20–8–1. UNLV forfeited the 1984 game.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Friday, November 22, 2024: UNLV 27, San José State 16.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1981: UNLV 16, San José State 6.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- San José State is 11–3–1 at home against UNLV.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2024: UNLV 27–16 (at San José State); 2023: San José State 37–31 (at UNLV); 2022: San José State 40–7 (at San José State); 2021: San José State 27–20 (at UNLV); 2020: San José State 34–17 (at San José State).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
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 San José State 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 2025, UNLV beat Hawai’i 38–10.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.
San José State
- San José State is 4–3 (2–1 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 26–42 at No. 14 USC; W 27–21 at Eastern Michigan; W 30–20 vs. Cal Poly; L 10–26 vs. Fresno State; W 20–16 at Hawai’i; L 13–16 vs. Wyoming; W 24–11 at UTEP.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- San José State is No. 108 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Ken Niumatalolo is 14–18 in his third season at San José State and 123–101 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Ken Niumatalolo is 0–1 against UNLV.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Luke Weaver (QB): 1,529 passing yards, 11 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jabari Bates (RB): 556 rushing yards, 1 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Dylan Lee (LB): 65 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INT, No. 10 in FBS in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- On this date in 2015, San José State beat Hawai’i 42–23.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 Dan Mullen and Ken Niumatalolo 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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