In a crippled that had a small spot of everything connected Saturday, UNLV’s shot squad outlasted Cal 39-31 astatine Allegiant Stadium.
And, man, this had immoderate brainsick back-and-forth action.
The Rebels mislaid each of a 17-point halftime pb earlier rallying successful the 4th fourth to adjacent retired the nonconference information of their schedule.
“Obviously, a tremendous triumph by our guys,” Rebels manager Dan Mullen said. “Showed a tremendous magnitude of toughness arsenic a shot team. So galore ups and downs for some sides of battling.
“The grit it showed for our guys to travel from down and get it done. We person a ton of guys banged up. They had guys banged up. Huge win. Huge occupation by our guys to decorativeness that crippled disconnected and get to the triumph against a Power 4 hostile from the ACC. We’ll instrumentality that.”
UNLV is present 7-2 successful its past 9 games against powerfulness league teams dating to 2023.
“Hey,” Mullen said, “that’s beauteous good.”
Here are 3 takeaways from the victory:
1. Explosive plays
Mullen talks astir them frequently. How important they are to a bottommost enactment of winning. Each squad had their stock connected Saturday, and those from UNLV led to the win.
The Rebels couldn’t person asked for a amended time from backmost Jackson Arnold, who would propulsion for 158 yards and 3 scores portion rushing for 110 and 2 more.
Think astir it: He deed wide receiver Kayden McGee with a 70-yard score, ran for a 55-yard touchdown and threw a 36-yard scoring walk to Taz Reddicks.
“Those were huge,” Mullen said. “Cal is simply a squad that has a large secondary and plays a batch of antheral coverage. You person your one-on-one matchups. Jackson did an astonishing occupation of knowing erstwhile it’s man-to-man.”
UNLV tried for different large play with a double-pass, but choky extremity Matt Byrnes had his effort intercepted successful the extremity zone.
“It was 3rd down, and we had it successful the reddish zone,” Mullen said. “We were going to beryllium assertive successful that game. They’re a precise bully defense. You saw them. Their safeties were flying up to the enactment of scrimmage each play. We thought, ‘Let’s deed them with a treble walk implicit the top.’ They did a bully occupation speechmaking the play and seeing the play.”
2. Crazy peculiar teams
Fake punts. Blocked punts. Kickoff returns for touchdowns nullified by penalty. Onside kicks.
Yeah. This 1 had everything.
“We did a mates bully things connected peculiar teams and immoderate truly atrocious things connected peculiar teams.” Mullen said. “We said they were going to astonishment (coming retired of halftime) with an onside footwear and had everybody lined up close and they executed that perfectly to (recover it).
“Then we fumble connected a kickoff instrumentality and springiness them 2 other possessions. I deliberation we shanked 2 punts to springiness them abbreviated fields. Things you can’t do. But we had a (successful) fake punt. So galore ebbs and flows. I’ll beryllium truly funny successful watching (the film) of the peculiar teams.”
UNLV’s fake punt came astatine its ain 39 with 5 minutes near successful the archetypal fractional and saw Matt Choules rumble 12 yards for the archetypal down.
The Rebels past yet cashed successful the play with a tract extremity that pushed their pb to 17-7 with 1:45 remaining earlier intermission.
3. Injured Cal quarterback
Much was made beforehand astir Cal backmost Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and his spot arsenic a potential aboriginal first-round NFL draught pick.
But his time ended aboriginal erstwhile Sagapolutele deed his caput connected the turf portion being tackled successful the last infinitesimal of the 2nd quarter.
He appeared woozy erstwhile getting up and trainers yet arrived erstwhile a teammate motioned for Sagapolutele to permission the field.
“Jaron was medically cleared, but I personally wasn’t comfy with the mode helium came disconnected the tract virtually wobbling,” Cal manager Tosh Lupoi said. “So I made the determination to spell with (backup) Jackson (Brousseau) and not jeopardize Jaron’s health. His health, his beingness and his vocation are overmuch much important than the game.
“I made that decision. I’m not going to enactment anyone successful harm’s way.”
Sagapolutele completed 19 of 27 for 195 yards with a 91-yard scoring walk earlier getting injured.
Contact Ed Graney astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney connected X.
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