Final Stats
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Brett Elliott threw three touchdown passes as Utah snapped a six-game losing streak with a 28-17 win over UNLV on Saturday night.
J.R. Peroulis ran for 110 yards on 17 carries and Brandon Warfield ran for 95 yards as the Utes avoided their first seven-game losing skid since 1986.
Utah (3-6, 1-4 Mountain West) has defeated UNLV (4-6, 2-3) seven straight times. Elliott, who became the starter in the sixth game of the season, completed 18 of 30 passes for 172 yards and no interceptions.
Trailing 28-7 in the fourth quarter, UNLV tried to rally after Dillon Pieffer kicked a 42-yard field goal. Then Earvin Johnson caught a 7-yard touchdown pass on a drive aided by two pass interference penalties to make it 28-17 with 8:03 to play.
But the Utes used long runs from Peroulis and Warfield on a drive that ate up the rest of the time. The game ended with the Utes downing the ball twice within the Rebels' 10-yard line.
UNLV's Jason Thomas was 14-of-34 with two interceptions. He threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Michael Johnson on the first drive of the second half.
But Utah answered when Warfield ran for a 61-yard touchdown. Elliott threw all three of his touchdown passes in the first half.
Paris Jackson made acrobatic grabs for the first two scores. Then, after Antwoine Sanders' interception, Elliott picked up a fumbled shotgun snap and threw a 13-yard strike to Devin Houston with 32 seconds left before halftime for a 21-0 lead.
The Rebels must win their last two games - against Air Force and Colorado State - to become bowl eligible.
