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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) - Playing here for the first time since 2013, the UNLV football team (2-4/1-2) built a 27-0 lead but could not hold off Air Force in a stunning 34-30 loss Saturday afternoon at Falcon Stadium.

The Rebels dominated action on both sides of the ball for the first half and eventually led 30-7 with 12 minutes remaining in the third quarter before going silent offensively.

UNLV forced and recovered four fumbles on the day but could only convert those turnovers into 10 total points as AFA quarterback Arion Worthman scored all five of his team's touchdowns on the ground as part of his 166-yard rushing day.

Despite the second-half drought, the Rebels seemed on their way to clinching the win when quarterback Armani Rogers was running down field as part of his career-high 148 yards rushing but fumbled the ball, which was booted 20 yards into the end zone and recovered by the Falcons for a touchback. AFA then drove 80 yards on 10 plays and punched it in for the game-winner with just over two minutes remaining.

THE TURNING POINT:

Even with Air Force mounting a methodical second-half comeback, UNLV looked to be on the verge of icing the victory until Grant Ross popped the ball loose from a streaking Armani Rogers to set up the Falcons' winning drive.

STAT OF THE GAME:

Remarkably, UNLV scored the first 27 points of the game and Air Force scored the final 27 points of the game.

REBEL OF THE GAME:

Walk-on defensive back Jocquez Kalili, who made his second career start at cornerback, had four total tackles, including two TFL, forced two fumbles that the Rebels recovered and recovered another one himself.

REBEL NOTES:

-Lexington Thomas took a handoff on third-and-one and turned it into a 55-yard rushing touchdown on the opening series. It marked the fourth time in the last five games that Lightning had at least one 55-yard rush

-Armani Rogers turned in his 100-yard rushing game as a Rebel and the 12th in history by a UNLV quarterback. His 148 yards on 16 carries ranked third in school history. The school record is 165 yards by Hunkie Cooper vs. Oregon State in 1991

-The game was played on a sunny but windy afternoon, which was quite a change from the last time UNLV played at Air Force in 2013 when the late November night game was played in snow, wind, ice and officially 11 degrees with wind chills well below zero

-UNLV junior placekicker Evan Pantels, who sat out last week's game while recovering from an injury, made all three of his field goals and all three of his extra point attempts to post 12 total points

-Devonte Boyd's three receptions moved him past Earvin Johnson (183 from 2001-04) into fifth place on the UNLV career catches list with 184

-UNLV had gone 10 quarters without a turnover when Armani Rogers threw a first-quarter interception

-JC transfer defensive lineman Roger Mann made his first start as a Rebel

-Redshirt freshman tight end Giovanni Fauolo hauled in his first career reception, which went for 13 yards

-Former starting quarterback Johnny Stanton, who has earned time on special teams this season, saw his first action on defense when he came in as a Rebel backer in the second quarter. Stanton finished with two tackles on assists.

NEXT FOR THE REBELS:

UNLV returns for Homecoming vs. Utah State Saturday at 3 p.m. The game will be televised by AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.