LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV football (2-9/2-5) saw its two-game win streak snapped by No. 19 San Diego State (10-1/6-1), 28-20, on a late Friday night Mountain West game before 16,713 at Allegiant Stadium. It marked the sixth time this season that the Rebels lost by just one score.
In a game that kicked off at 8:30 p.m., UNLV scored first for the fifth time this season with a pretty opening drive that reached the SDSU three-yard-line but resulted in a short Daniel Gutierrez field goal. After forcing a punt by the visitors, Cameron Friel's pass attempt was tipped and returned for a touchdown to get SDSU on the board.
Friel was later knocked out of the game with an injury on a sack but Justin Rogers came off the bench to complete his first six pass attempts, including a 43-yard touchdown to Zyell Griffin, that gave the lead back to the hosts. SDSU answered with a TD drive and then, after Rogers' first incompletion resulted in a turnover on downs, the Aztecs scurried into the end zone to suddenly take a commanding 21-10 lead at halftime.
The Rebels pulled to within one at 21-20 in the third quarter and were eventually attempting to drive for the tying touchdown when Rogers threw an interception on fourth down with under two minutes to go to end things.
REBEL OF THE GAME: Rogers became just the second UNLV quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a game since 2018. The former TCU transfer completed 15-of-21 attempts for 305 yards and two scores.
STAT OF THE GAME:
UNLV's average field position was its own 18-yard line while SDSU's was its own 36. Aztec punter Matt Araiza dropped five of his six attempts inside the 20, including pinning the Rebels at their own six in the third quarter and then at their own one with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
QUOTABLE:
"We're not where we want to be, we expect to win those games, especially against good opponents, because at the end of the day we've got to find a way. These guys have fought, they are tough, they've been growing, they are resilient, they've got a bunch of pride in the locker room and you can see that they are playing for each other. We've got another week to fight and I'm fired up to be next to them shoulder to shoulder."
-UNLV Head Coach Marcus Arroyo
REBEL NOTES:
-SDSU was the fourth ranked opponent to face UNLV this fall, the most since playing five in 2010
-14 Seniors were honored on the field in pregame ceremonies
-Legendary Rebel running back Ickey Woods was in attendance and met up with the man who broke his UNLV carries record last week, fellow Fresnan Charles Williams
-LB Jacoby Windmon turned in a career-best three quarterback sacks, which was the fourth-most in UNLV single-season history
-Windmon's game-high 12 total tackles pushed him past the 100 TT mark for the season at 102
-CB Ricky Johnson made the play of the game by breaking up a pass attempt and then catching it while lying on his back to mark his third interception in two games
-Steve Jenkins tied for the 15th-most receiving yards in UNLV history with a career-high 176 on just five catches
-Super Senior tight end Gio Fauolo, who returned from serious injury a few weeks earlier, caught a beautiful eight-yard touchdown pass for his first score of the season and fifth of his career
-Kicker Daniel Gutierrez made both of his field goal attempts to improve to 37-of-45 attempts in his career and 28-of-29 from 39 yards or shorter
-The Rebels have played the Aztecs more than any other original MW team (31)
-Former UNLV head coach Jeff Horton serves as associate head coach/RBs for SDSU
-Former Rebel great Hunkie Cooper is the SDSU WR coach
NEXT FOR THE REBELS:
UNLV will play its season finale next Friday at Air Force starting at 12:30 pm PT. The game will be televised by CBS Sports Network.
