Oct. 9, 1999

Game Stats

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Duane James caught a touchdown pass and returned a punt for another score as UNLV shocked Wyoming 35-32 Saturday for its first conference win on the road since 1994.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Rebels (3-3, 1-1 Mountain West Conference) and was their most points scored since Nov. 22, 1997, when they lost in overtime to San Jose State 55-48.

The loss ended a three-game win streak for Wyoming (3-2, 1-1) and spoiled its homecoming.

UNLV, which entered the contest averaging 15.8 points a game, scored on its first two possessions for a 14-0 lead. They were the first points the Rebels scored in the opening quarter this season.

In the first quarter alone, the Rebels rushed for 129 yards, nearly 20 yards more than the per-game average it entered with.

UNLV took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards with Jason Vaughan hitting James from 12 yards out.

After Wyoming went three-and-out on its first possession under quarterback Matt Swanson, who started his first game, UNLV scored again when tailback Coury Hankins sprinted through a big hole on the right side and went 47 yards untouched into the end zone.

After a Wyoming field goal, UNLV drove 83-yards and went ahead 21-3 on a 6-yard TD pass from Vaughan to Nate Turner. A 31-yard pass play from Vaughan to Turner sparked the drive.

The Cowboys could manage just three field goals by Aaron Elling for a 21-9 UNLV lead at the half. It was UNLV's largest halftime lead since Sept. 27, 1997, when it led Illinois State 31-0.

Vaughan, who entered the game averaging 137.4 yards passing, had 106 by halftime and finished with 186 in completing 12 of 27 passes and two TDs.

Wyoming gained momentum early in the third quarter and excited the 19,048 homecoming crowd when safety Matt Lehning intercepted a pass and the offense capitalized on the opportunity, driving 54 yards in four plays and scoring on Jon Jennings' 3-yard TD run.

But Wyoming's next four possessions ended with a fumble, a punt from its own end zone that James returned 43 yards for a touchdown, an interception that defensive back Quincy Sanders returned 34 yards for a score and an interception at the UNLV 5 yard line.

The result of the third quarter was a 35-16 UNLV lead that Wyoming couldn't recover from despite a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown by the Cowboys' Matt Koltz, a 31-yard fumble return for a score by Cortney Barnes and a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter.

Jeremi Rudolph led UNLV's ground attack with 149 yards on 39 rushes.

Swanson completed 21 of 45 passes for 244 yards but threw four interceptions.