LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – In its 299th appearance at Sam Boyd Stadium, UNLV football (3-8/1-6) sent its home of 49 years out in style with a thrilling 38-35 victory over San Jose State (4-7/1-6) on Senior Day Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.
With more than 200 former UNLV football players on hand, including most taking part in the pre-game coin toss, the Rebels forced five turnovers in a game for the first time since Idaho State coughed up a total of six on Sept. 26, 2015. The most important came with just seconds remaining and the Spartans looking to get into the end zone to win or at least send the game into overtime with a chip-shot field goal. Instead, star SJSU quarterback Josh Love threw his fourth interception of the day when safety Greg Francis tipped a ball that defensive tackle Kolo Uasike came down with at the UNLV four-yard line.
UNLV improved its record at the stadium to 157-139-3 since it opened in the middle of October in 1971. The Rebels' next home game will take place August 29, 2020, when they host Cal at the new Allegiant Stadium closer to campus.
The Rebels were led offensively by junior running back Charles Williams, who finished with a career-high 186 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner from one-yard out with 1:15 left. Freshman quarterback Kenyon Oblad threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns while receiver Randal Grimes had his second 100-yard game as a Rebel, finishing with a career-high 130 yards on six catches, including one touchdown. The longest of those half-dozen receptions, a 38-yarder, set up the game-winner. Defensively, Rayshad Jackson led all tacklers with 12 total takedowns. Cornerback Jericho Flowers had perhaps his best game as a Rebel, totaling 10 tackles, one TFL, one fumble recovery and his team-leading fourth interception of the season.
STAT OF THE GAME:
SJSU entered the game having allowed just 7 points off turnovers this season and UNLV scored 21 points off of its five takeaways.
REBEL OF THE GAME:
Senior RB Charles Williams tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns while posting a career-best 186 yards on 27 carries. He became the ninth different Rebel in history to reach 1,000 yards in a season (12 total times) after opening the scoring with a 12-yard run into the end zone, and then a four- and one-yarder in the fourth quarter.
QUOTABLE:
"The guys played their tails off. We talked all week how big that turnover margin was and those early turnovers, turning them into points was a big deal. Then coming out in the second half, we made critical mistakes early on … Then it just came down to the guys. This game was about the players. They fought through adversity and made plays at the end. I'm really proud of the group."
-UNLV Head Coach Tony Sanchez
REBEL NOTES:
-19 Rebel seniors were honored on the field before the game
-Former UNLV quarterback great Randall Cunningham served as the final UNLV Honorary Captain for the season-long #SBSFarewell campaign, representing all 1,500 Rebel lettermen
-Kickoff temperature was 62 degrees on a gorgeous late-November day in Southern Nevada
-Javin White moved into a tie for sixth place at UNLV with his ninth career interception
-After forcing just one total turnover in the previous three games, UNLV's defense has forced a combined eight in the last two games (3 vs. Hawaii and 5 vs. SJSU)
-Tight end Shelton Zeon III hauled in his first collegiate catch -- a seven-yard touchdown pass from Kenyon Oblad in the second quarter
-Daniel Gutierrez hit a career-long 45-yard field goal in the third quarter to give UNLV a 24-14 lead
-Half of the Rebels' four interceptions came from their two team leaders in the category (one each for Javin White and Jericho Flowers) while the other half were brought in by defensive linemen (Jalen Graves and Kolo Uasike)
-Oblad threw for at least two touchdown passes for the sixth time in his seven starts as a Rebel
-UNLV got it first Mountain West victory of the season, helping it avoid just its second winless campaign in league action
-The Rebels defeated SJSU in back-to-back home meetings for only the second time and first time since 1992 and '94
-There were zero quarterback sacks in the game and Oblad finished with a career-best 23 net yards rushing on three carries
NEXT FOR THE REBELS:
UNLV closes out the 2019 season with a trip to Reno to play UNR in the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon next Saturday starting at noon.
