UNLV stormed to a commanding 38-21 road victory over Sam Houston behind quarterback Anthony Colandrea's three total touchdowns, including two first-quarter scoring strikes. The Rebels' defense made a massive impact when Aamaris Brown returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown to build a 24-7 halftime advantage. Despite late scores from the Bearkats, including Landan Brown's explosive 53-yard touchdown run, UNLV maintained control throughout to secure the impressive season-opening win.