NIU Huskies Visit UNLV Rebels to End Seven-Game Losing Streak

Northern Illinois football travels to Las Vegas on Saturday to face the UNLV Rebels, seeking its first victory of the 2026 season and its first win in eight games against the Rebels. The Huskies enter the contest with a 0-7 overall record and a 0-3 mark in Mountain West Conference play. Their last win over UNLV came in 2015, a 38-30 decision in DeKalb.

The visiting team faces a Rebels squad that sits at 4-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play. UNLV entered the matchup following a 41-31 loss to Air Force, which ended a three-game winning streak despite a third-quarter lead. The Huskies currently rank in the bottom 10 nationally in 16 statistical categories, including 138th in red-zone offense, kickoff-return defense, and third-down conversion defense.

Junior running back Telly Johnson Jr. remains the primary offensive threat for a team that ranks 132nd in rushing yards per game. Johnson has rushed for 502 yards and four touchdowns this season, averaging 5.28 yards per carry. Interim head coach Rob Harley noted that the Huskies have relied more on the passing game while trailing, which has affected rushing statistics. Johnson finished with 63 yards on 14 carries in the 56-21 loss to Hawaii last week.

Harley stated the coaching staff is adjusting practice routines to reduce defensive anomalies. The team is spending less time on scout team drills and more time in good-versus-good scenarios between the first-team offense and defense. Harley explained that the goal is not perfection, but ensuring that when mistakes occur, they are not catastrophic. He indicated that if 75% of plays are executed well, the team can compete effectively.

Junior defensive back Yassine Falke recorded his fourth interception of the season during the loss to Hawaii. The play occurred early in the fourth quarter against Air Force quarterback Micah Alejado, allowing the Huskies to score a touchdown and cut the deficit to 49-21. Falke leads the Mountain West and ranks third nationally with an average of 0.57 interceptions per game. Harley described Falke as an athletic player who consistently finds himself near the football.

The two programs have met five times previously, with the Huskies holding a 5-0 all-time series lead. The most recent meeting before 2015 was in 2014, when NIU won 48-34 in Las Vegas. The teams were also members of the Big West Conference from 1993 to 1995, meeting once in 1995 with NIU winning 62-14.