HONOLULU (UNLVRebels.com) -- Host Hawai'i (7-5/4-3) used big passing plays to score 22 points in the final 11 minutes of the game to rally past UNLV (3-8/1-6) Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.

The Rebels, who were looking to win road games against conference opponents in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1994, built a 21-3 lead in the first half and still led 28-13 in the final quarter before freshman Chevan Cordeiro took over at quarterback and threw the three TDs along with a two-point conversion. The Rebels saw their three-game winning streak against the Rainbow Warriors snapped after they looked to on their way to winning back-to-back trips to the islands for the first time in a series that dates back to 1969.

After starting QB Max Gilliam gave UNLV a 7-3 lead on a short TD pass to tight end Noah Bean, senior star running back Lexington "Lightning" Thomas found the end zone from 12 and then 45 yards out to build the 18-point advantage. On the second score, Thomas reached the 100-yard rushing mark, which allowed him to break the UNLV career record of 17 set 44 years earlier by two-time All-American Mike Thomas. He would finish with 129 yards on 28 carries. 

THE TURNING POINT:
UNLV was still in control midway through the fourth quarter when the Rebels faced a short fourth-and-one at the UH 44-yard line. The Warriors, however, stuffed Lexington Thomas on the play, took over on downs and scored the game-tying touchdown three minutes later.
 
STAT OF THE GAME:
UNLV was zero for three on fourth-down attempts in the second half, which allowed UH enough time to stage its big rally. 
 
REBEL OF THE GAME:
Lexington Thomas scored two touchdowns, which made him the first Rebel in history to rush for 40 touchdowns in a career. In four meetings with Hawai'i, Lex averaged 112 yards rushing per game, which is the most vs. any Mountain West opponent.

QUOTABLE:
"We had more than enough opportunity to put that thing away and win the football game and we just didn't. You have to be able to convert on fourth and short."
-UNLV Head Coach Tony Sanchez
 
REBEL NOTES:
-UNLV had entered the game having won nine of the last 14 meetings between these teams. 

-Including Saturday, five of the last six games in this series have been decided by one score.

-For one night only the UNLV game captains were the three Hawaiian players on the trip: DB Soli Afalava, OL Nate Oishi and DL Salanoa-Alo Wily.
 
-Because of a spate of injuries, sophomore WR Drew Tejchman was pushed into service in the UNLV defensive secondary and grabbed his first interception on the first series. He also started on offense and fielded a kickoff on special teams -- all in the first quarter alone.
 
-UNLV had two interceptions in the game (Tejchman and Demitrious Gibbs), which gave the unit five picks in the last three games after having just two in the first eight games combined.
 
-Sophomore quarterback Armani Rogers played for the first time since injuring his foot at Arkansas State on September 22. Rogers entered the game int eh second quarter and shared time with Max Gilliam the rest of the way. Rogers threw a 16-yard scoring pass to running back Evan Owens in the fourth quarter, which marked Rogers' first TD throw since September 15 vs. Prairie View A&M.
 
-The Rebel defense posted four quarterback sacks, including two by Gabe McCoy, which tied for a season-high along with the PVAMU game.

-The Rainbow Warriors won the rights to the golden pineapple trophy in what was the second installment of the Ninth Island Showdown sponsored by the California Hotel. 
 
NEXT FOR THE REBELS:
UNLV hosts UNR in the Battle for the Fremont Cannon Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for what will be Senior Night are available by calling (702) 739-FANS or visiting unlvtickets.com.