Entering Week 4, the Miami (OH) RedHawks were one of 11 teams vying for their first win of the 2025 campaign.
Miami had been twice-tested in Big Ten country, playing Wisconsin and Rutgers competitively through two-and-a-half quarters before fading toward the finish. On Saturday, Chuck Martin’s team suited up in front of its home fans at Yager Stadium for the first time since Nov. 19, 2024.
Everything looked upward for the RedHawks, which never trailed all game and entered the fourth quarter clinging
onto a 38-24 advantage. But late turnovers, combined with an explosive UNLV offense flipped the script. The Rebels not only stormed back from the two-touchdown hole — they set up a chip shot 23-yard field goal for Ramon Villela with 15 seconds remaining. Villela’s kick lifted UNLV to a 4-0 record, remaining unbeaten in the Dan Mullen era while Miami fell to 0-3 as one of five remaining winless FBS teams.
The first-ever meeting between the MAC and Mountain West programs proved chaotic. There were five combined turnovers, three non-offensive touchdowns, and two 14-point deficits erased in an eventful three-and-a-half hour affair. The chaos initiated in the first quarter when Miami outside linebacker Corban Hondru perfectly jump a route near the sideline. Exactly one play later, Dequan Finn found running back Kenny Tracy completed unaccounted for on a 29-yard wheel route for a touchdown. Finn and Tracy continued their explosive playmaking — which Miami severely lacked in the first two weeks — driving 91 yards down the field. When the RedHawks flew to the UNLV 3-yard line, Finn delivered his second touchdown pass of the quarter to Washington transfer Keith Reynolds.
The former MAC champion quarterback produced a scalding start, firing 7-of-11 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. However, the 12th pass in the early second quarter would completely alter the trajectory of the game, in a multitude of ways. On a 3rd and 13, Finn rolled out and launched a deep shot, going airborne as he delivered the strike. UNLV’s Mumu Bin-Wahad led with the helmet, made contact with Finn’s lower body and completely flipped the seventh-year senior quarterback. The pass was picked by FBS interceptions leader Aamaris Brown who secured his fourth of the season, and for the second time, he raced it to the end zone.
Finn was shaken up on the play and never returned. Head coach Chuck Martin did not provide a definitive status on the quarterback’s timetable to return but said, “He’s going to be fine in the long run.” Down their experienced leader, the RedHawks turned to Henry Hesson who started the 2023 Cure Bowl at quarterback. The early offensive success continued under the backup, and Miami found itself right back in UNLV territory on a deep shot to Kam Perry. Upon reaching there, Hesson perfectly timed a shovel pass to Tracy who scored his second receiving touchdown of the day. The running back enjoyed the best overall showing in his six years in Oxford, accounting for 104 rushing yards and 84 receiving yards along with his two scores.
Miami led 24-10 at halftime, but UNLV was determined to rally under its quarterback-running back duo of Anthony Colandrea and Jai’Den Thomas. Colandrea finished with 293 passing yards while Thomas ran for 118 on a 9.1 average, consistently generating chunk plays in the second half. After a first half with zero offensive touchdowns, Thomas rushed one in and Colandrea fired a quick slant to his top receiver Jaden Bradley, tying the game at 24-24 by the 7:45 mark of the third quarter.
Suddenly, Miami’s most impressive rally of the day came to fruition, and the RedHawks didn’t even need the offense on the field to execute it. Reynolds fielded the ensuing kickoff from his own end zone and navigated through a sea of white jerseys for a 100-yard house call — Miami’s first kick return touchdown since 2018. Then, less than 90 seconds of action after UNLV’s tying touchdown, the RedHawks made it a 14-point lead. Adam Trick batted Colandrea’s pass at the line of scrimmage into the hands of Hondru. The outside linebacker secured his second pick of the afternoon and seventh in three seasons, finally reaching the end zone while high-fiving Trick right before the goal line.
Hondru, who also produced nine tackles in a stellar showing, put Miami ahead 38-24, but there still remained plenty of clock for Mullen’s team to match. UNLV utilized a 17-play, 8-minute drive, reaching paydirt at the beginning of the fourth quarter on Colandrea’s second passing touchdown. A Miami three-and-out then allowed running back Keyvone Lee to tie the score at 38 apiece with 6:50 remaining.
The RedHawk offense finally got back in gear for its first productive drive of the second half. However, upon reaching the red zone, Marsel McDuffie scooped up a Tracy fumble to dwindle Miami’s win probability in the waning minutes. Capitalizing on the fumble, Colandrea completed two significant passes — a 37-yarder to Jaden Bradley and a 36-yarder to Troy Omeire to position UNLV in field goal range for the win.
The Rebels’ last-second field goal was a history-maker. For the first time ever, UNLV defeated an opponent in the Eastern Time Zone, improving to 1-14 in such contests. UNLV sports one of 30 remaining unblemished records in the FBS and will take its second bye week of the season before facing Wyoming to open Mountain West play.
Meanwhile, Miami is 0-3 for the second consecutive year, but the RedHawks’ don’t traditionally let poor non-conferences start faze them. They rebounded to qualify for the MAC Championship Game and finish with a 9-win season last year. Next Saturday is the perfect opportunity to initiate that turnaround as FCS opponent Lindenwood pays a visit to Yager Stadium.
