Nov. 3, 2012
Final Stats l UNLV Notes l UNLV Postgame Quotes l New Mexico Postgame Quotes l Post Game Press Conference
By W.G. Ramirez
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Bradley Randle ran for two touchdowns and caught a scoring pass Saturday and UNLV beat New Mexico 35-7.
The Rebels (2-8, 2-3 Mountain West) produced their second-biggest offensive effort of the season, tallying 530 yards. Nick Sherry was 17 of 27 for 289 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Randle finished with 113 yards on 12 carries, and his only catch of the game was a 17-yard touchdown. Tim Cornett also ran for 107 yards and a touchdown for UNLV. Sherry's other TD was a 75-yarder to Devante Davis.
It marked the first time the Rebels had two 100-yard rushers in nearly 10 years. The Rebels gained 241 yards rushing on 24 carries for an average of 10.0 yards per carry.
"Every (win) is critical toward us and when we go into a game like we did today, with a real legitimate chance to match up with someone, we need to win it," UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. "There have been times this year where we didn't. For our guys to go out and finish and play four complete quarters ... it shows a lot of character."
New Mexico (4-6, 1-4) was held to just 43 yards passing. The Lobos' only score came on Carlos Wiggins' 5-yard run in the third quarter to make it 21-7 Rebels.
The seven points was the fewest allowed by UNLV to an FBS opponent since Sept. 22, 2007, when the Rebels shut out Utah, 27-0.
"For our defense to come out and play really solid assignment football and not give up a big play all day is big," Hauck added. "Those guys have played 10 games this season and have given up big plays in every game; but they didn't give one up today."
Although six of the previous nine meetings had been decided by seven points or less, UNLV was comfortably ahead by halftime, 21-0 -- just the third time this season the Rebels took a lead into the break.
UNLV opened the game's scoring with a nine-play drive that was culminated by a 17-yard run by Cornett, who went untouched around the right side and into the end zone. UNLV was successful on its next possession, at the start of the second quarter, as Sherry ended up connecting on the pass to Randle for a 14-0 lead.
After UNLV's defense stifled the Lobos on their next drive, New Mexico punter Ben Skaer buried the Rebels on their own 3-yard line. It wouldn't matter, though, as Cornett erupted for 62 yards on the first play from scrimmage, putting UNLV on the Lobos' 35-yard line. Sherry hit Caleb Herring on a 26-yard strike to put the Rebels inside the 10 on the very next play, and immediately after that, Randle burst through the left side of the line for a 9-yard scoring run to give the Rebels their three-touchdown cushion.
"Credit goes to our offensive line, creating those big holes; we kind of put it together on offense," Sherry said. "I made a couple of mistakes with a couple of bad throws. But otherwise our line did a good job protecting and opening up holes. Our running game was good and our passing game was good."
Cornett became the third Rebel to post seven 100-yard rushing games in a single season, the first running back to do so since Ickey Woods in 1987. He also moved into a tie for fourth place on UNLV's career list for rushing touchdowns, with 20.
"We got whipped," New Mexico coach Bob Davie said. "We can look at the stats all we want, but they whipped us. ... I give them a lot of credit. They're a little bit bigger than us, they're a little bit faster than us, and a little bit stronger than us; but they outcoached us too.
"I appreciate the players' effort, but it's my responsibility."
