The UNLV Rebels Are "Walking Into A Classic Trap" In Week 4 Against The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks

At this point, we are counting down the hours to the UNLV Rebels at Miami (Ohio) RedHawks game. At the 11th hour, we finally found someone who believes the RedHawks are going to win this game. To this point, every prediction we've seen has had UNLV winning and most by a comfortable margin. That includes us. However, Winners and Whiners sees this as a trap game for the Rebels and believes that Miami (Ohio) could pull off the upset.

Hustle Belt also weighed in, but like almost everyone else, they believe the Rebels will win this game by a double-digit margin. This is what both outlets had to say.

Winners and Whiners' Prediction

"Miami +2.5 is a strong value play rooted in both matchup and momentum dynamics. The RedHawks may be 0–2, but they’ve faced two Big Ten opponents—Wisconsin and Rutgers—and absorbed the kind of physicality and speed that UNLV simply doesn’t bring. Quarterback DeQuan Finn has shown flashes of dual-threat capability, and wideout Keith Reynolds gives him a legitimate vertical weapon. This is Miami’s first game against a non–Power Five opponent, and it comes at home, where they’ve historically been tough to put away. The offense should find more rhythm against a UNLV defense that ranks bottom-10 nationally in yards allowed and has struggled to contain mobile quarterbacks.

UNLV, meanwhile, is walking into a classic trap. They’re fresh off an emotional road win over UCLA and have a conference showdown with Wyoming on deck—a sandwich spot that often leads to flat starts and mental lapses. The Rebels have been efficient offensively, but they’ve also allowed over 430 yards per game and rank 123rd in pass defense. Anthony Colandrea has been sharp, but if Miami can pressure him early and control tempo with Finn’s legs, they’ll force UNLV into a grind they haven’t had to navigate yet. With the RedHawks playing at home and battle-tested against superior competition, this sets up as a prime bounce-back spot—and a live cover."

Hustle Belt's Prediction

"This game comes down to how well Miami can counter UNLV’s offense. A lower-scoring game greatly benefits the RedHawks, but their offense hasn’t shown the ability to go punch-for-punch with Anthony Colandrea, Jai’Den Thomas, and crew. UNLV is explosive and can score from anywhere on the field, and this will be quite a challenge for even a sturdy RedHawk defense.

UNLV’s defensive lapses could lead to Dequan Finn and the Miami offense gaining much-needed confidence. Miami stays close for a while, but unless the non-QB run game excels, the offense won’t have the firepower to outlast Dan Mullen’s team in Oxford.

Prediction: UNLV 28, Miami (OH) 16"

Obviously, we can't agree with both of their analysis, and we are siding with Hustle Belt. The Rebels should be fully prepared for this game coming off a bye, and we are not buying into that trap game narrative. UNLV is the better team, and that will show on the field on Saturday.

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