Sept. 29, 2001
Recap?|? Box Score?|? Quotes?|? Photo Gallery
No. 20 BYU at UNLV
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Sept. 29, 2001
Temperature was officially 100 degrees at kickoff.
UNLV's Derek Olsen picked up a BYU fumble on the opening kickoff and returned it 22 yards for his first career score. It was only the second turnover of the season for the Cougars and the Rebels' second defensive score of the season along with a 30-yard fumble return at Arizona one week earlier.
Matt Payne's 50-yard field goal in the first quarter for BYU was the longest kicked against UNLV since Joe Furlow booted a 50-yarder for San Jose State on Oct. 14, 1995.
Sam Brandon grabbed his second career interception in the first quarter - just the second of the season for UNLV.
Freshman Dominique Dorsey scored his first career touchdown in the first quarter on an eight-yard run to give his team a 21-10 lead, the largest of the season for UNLV. Dorsey ran in another score later in the game.
BYU scored 18 consecutive points in the second quarter to take a 28-21 lead at halftime.
UNLV finished with a season-high 31 points and season-high 10 rushing first downs.
UNLV saw its record vs. ranked teams fall to 1-12 all-time. The Rebels have never defeated a ranked team at home. The program's only win over a ranked opponent came against No. 8 BYU in 1981 in Provo.
The attendance was 32,601 - the second-largest crowd ever to watch UNLV play at Sam Boyd Stadium.
The 2001 Rebels are the first John Robinson-led football team - pro of college - to begin a season 0-4. UNLV is 0-4 for the fourth time ever (1998, '96 and '82).
UNLV dropped its conference opener for the sixth consecutive season.
The Rebels have held 13 consecutive opponents to 200 yards or less (BYU: 167)
Senior LB James Sunia, who needed just 31 tackles to become UNLV's career leader, broke a bone in his left leg in the first half and is out for the season. Sunia had missed 10 consecutive games after two knee operations before getting back on the field last week at Arizona.
BYU POST-GAME NOTES
BYU vs. UNLV
Sept. 29, 2001
* BYU's victory at UNLV on Saturday is the Cougars' fourth straight win of the season, marking the first 4-0 start since the 1993 season. With tonight's win, the 20th-ranked Cougars improve to 1-0 in MWC play, marking the first league-opening victory since the 1999 season (vs. Colorado State). The win improves BYU's all-time record over UNLV to 8-1, including six straight wins over the Rebels.
* With Luke Staley's 15-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter , BYU extended its NCAA record streak to 328 games without being shutout. BYU was last shutout during the 1975 season (Sept. 27, 1975 vs. Arizona State.)
* UNLV's first-quarter touchdown, after a fumble on the opening kickoff, marked the quickest score against BYU to start a game since Utah's Andre Dyson returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown with only :52 off the clock. The Rebels scored just :13 into the game.
* Luke Staley's fumble on the opening kickoff marked only the Cougars second turnover of the season.
* UNLV's sack with 9:35 left in the first quarter marked only the second sack BYU has allowed on the season.
* Matt Payne's 50-yard field goal with 8:57 in the first quarter marked the longest of his career and his first from longer than 30 yards this season. The field goal also marked the first 50-yard field goal against UNLV since Oct. 14, 1995. Payne connected on a 42-yarder with 12:12 remaining in the second quarter to mark his second longest career field goal.
* UNLV's Sam Brandon's interception in the first quarter marked BYU quarterback Brandon Doman's first interception of the season and his first in 112 attempts.
* Luke Staley's six-yard run on fourth-and-one, with 14:04 left in the second quarter was the Cougars' first of two fourth-down conversions. BYU also converted a crucial fourth-and-four late in the fourth quarter to set up an eventual game-winning touchdown. The Cougars are 5-for-6 on fourth-down conversions this season.
* Justin Ena's interception with 13:02 left in the second quarter marked his first interception of the season. Jernaro Gilford also recorded his first interception of the season after picking Jason Thomas with :29 remaining in the first half. The Cougars held Thomas to just four completions on nine attempts with two interceptions in the first half.
* Brandon Doman's 54-yard touchdown reception to Rodney Wilkerson with :54 remaining in the first half gave BYU a 28-21 lead heading in to the half. The Cougars have never trailed at the half this season. The play also marked Doman's longest pass completion of the season. The 54-yard touchdown marked the third scoring play of over 50 yards.
* Brandon Doman's two-point conversion with :54 remaining in the first half marked the Cougars' first two-point conversion of the season.
* BYU committed two turnovers in the first half marking more turnovers in one half than the Cougars have committed all season. On the night, BYU committed a total four turnovers, marking the first time since giving up six turnovers against Colorado State last season.
* UNLV held BYU scoreless in the third quarter, marking only the third scoreless quarter for the Cougars this season.
* BYU's four-point victory marks the closet winning margin since Sept. 23, 2000 when the Cougars tallied only a three-point win against UNLV in Provo.
