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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Football Prepares To Face UNLV For Homecoming
10/23/2000 | Football
Oct. 23, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. -- Coming off a loss at Alabama and an open date, the Ole Miss football team now turns its attention to Nevada-Las Vegas for its Homecoming game on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field.
This will be the first meeting between the two schools. This is also believed to be the first time that two Division I-A teams with the nickname "Rebels" have met on the football field.
"We are playing an outstanding UNLV team," said Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe. "They are a well-coached football team, and a very talented team on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game. We are going to have to make great strides from where we were the last time we played to compete with this team."
UNLV (4-3, 2-2 Mountain West) is coming off a 42-23 win over Wyoming last Saturday. UNLV has the 13th best rushing attack in the nation, averaging 212.9 per game. Senior running back Kevin Brown leads the UNLV ground game with 473 yards on 82 carries and two touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Jason Thomas has thrown for 1,066 yards on 57-of-99 passing with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Senior wide receiver Nate Turner leads the team in receiving with 36 receptions for 571 yards and six touchdowns. He ranks 27thnationally in receiving yards.
"On offense, they (UNLV) have two outstanding tailbacks, a good offensive line, and a very good athletic quarterback and athletic recievers," said Cutcliffe, who is 7-0 versus non- conference opponents.. "Defensively, they are aggressive, fast and physical. They are a good solid football team."
Ole Miss (4-2, 2-2 SEC) is led by senior running back Deuce McAllister, who has rushed for 446 yards and eight touchdowns. He has also caught 12 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Entering Saturday's game, McAllister needs 114 all-purpose yards to become the first player in school history to record three straight seasons with at least 1,000 all-purpose yards. Quarterback Romaro Miller has thrown touchdown passes in five of Ole Miss' six games this season. He has three 200-yard passing games this season, giving him a school record 16 for his career. He is third in the SEC in passing efficency with a rating of 127.8.
Ole Miss will be back in action on Nov. 4 when they travel to Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks in Fayetteville. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
