Opening a season on the road for the first time since 2020, UNLV football (1-0) started 2024 in dominating fashion, winning 27-7 at Big 12 Conference opponent Houston (0-1) Saturday night before 25,750 fans at TDECU Stadium.

Led by a suffocating defense that logged six quarterback sacks, second-year head coach Barry Odom became the first UNLV coach to win his first two season-opening games since Tony Knap did it in 1976-77.

The Rebels, who won on the road to kick off a season for the first time since 2007, held the Cougars under wraps for nearly the entire game, as UH didn't score until one minute left after not reaching the 100-yard mark in total offense until five minutes remained in the third quarter.

All-America candidate linebacker Jackson Woodard had three sacks as part of his 11-tackle night while a new Rebel, transfer safety Jalen Cataton, had two interceptions, including one he returned 36 yards for a touchdown.

Transfer Matthew Sluka started the game after a camp-long quarterback competition and threw a pair of first-half touchdowns to returning All-American Jacob De Jesus, as the Rebels led 14-0 at halftime.

Freshman Caden Chittenden kicked two field goals for the visitors' other six points as UNLV beat a Big 12 opponent for the first time since getting by Iowa State in overtime on Sept. 20, 2008.

QUOTABLES:

"I thought defensively, we played relentless all night. And I thought up front on the offensive line, we controlled the game. I thought Sluka, other than one throw, was efficient with the ball and was good with his reads. We did enough playing complimentary football to win a game on the road in the Big 12. Scratching the surface of where we're gonna go from there. Now there's a huge opportunity for us to go back home and play in Vegas, play in Allegiant. We're really excited about the opportunity to do that and play in front of our crowd. I want to thank the families and the fans we had that came tonight. You could hear them and feel 'em and that's fun when it's on the road."

 

"I'm proud and thrilled about the plan that our assistant coaches put together. Houston had 60-something newcomers on the roster, so piecing together their coaching staff and where those guys were previously, I thought our staff did a tremendous job. Then they were really good teachers as well and our kids executed game-plan-wise and that's fun to see as a coach. I'm excited about what this team can be, and we've got a long way to go, but that was a heckuva start for us tonight."

 

-UNLV Head Coach Barry Odom

STAT OF THE GAME: At halftime, UNLV led UH in total yards 252-59.

REBEL OF THE GAME: How do you pick between two defenders after such a stunning effort? Woodard had a game-high 11 tackles, including a career-high three sacks, while Catalon hauled in his first two interceptions as a Rebel, including the eye-popping pick-six where he tipped himself the ball.

NOTABLE: 
-UNLV earned its first win over Houston after being outscored 153-23 in three previous meetings
-The Rebels downed an opponent from a P5 conference on the road for the first time since upending Vanderbilt 34-10 on Oct. 12, 2019
-The Cougars will return the game when they come to Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 9, 2028
-The Rebels notched their fourth victory over a team that was part of the Big 12 at the time of the game, previously downing Iowa State, Kansas and Baylor
-Houston if one of 10 teams from the Lone Star State to face UNLV on the football field
-This game marked UNLV's first season-opener at a Big 12 team since going to Baylor in 1988
-These two teams also opened the 1989 season against each other
-This marked the second straight UNLV opponent from the Big 12 as the Rebels played Kansas in the 2013 Guaranteed Rate Bowl
-UNLV improved to 27-30 all-time in season-openers
-North Carolina State transfer Michael Allen came off the bench to lead all rushers with 65 net yards on 10 carries, including a 36-yard burst down the sideline
-The first completed pass of the season for UNLV came from WR DeAngelo Irvin, who used a flea-flicker to find Jaden Bradley down field for a 42-yard gain
-Making his first FBS start, former Holy Cross QB Sluka threw for 71 yards and two TDs to go with 59 net yards rushing on 11 carries
-The Rebel defense held the Cougars to just 50 net yards rushing
-Joining Woodard is posting a sack were Marsel McDuffie, Cameron Oliver and Keith Conley Jr.

UP NEXT FOR THE REBELS:
UNLV opens its home schedule on Saturday by hosting Utah Tech starting at noon at Allegiant Stadium.