BERKELEY, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV (1-1) football team was not able to convert a first-and-goal to take a late lead and fell, 20-14, in its first-ever meeting with California (2-0) of the Pac-12 Conference in front of 38,180 fans at Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.  
 
Following an early season bye week, the Rebels took the field for the first time in September and quickly fell behind 14-0 but would not surrender another touchdown to the Golden Bears. UNLV got into the game with an impressive second-quarter drive capped by a Doug Brumfield to Kyle Williams 11-yard touchdown play.
 
The Rebels trailed 17-7 at halftime after racking up 70 yards in penalties. After Cal made another field goal, UNLV pulled to within six after a 31-yard rushing score by Aidan Robbins. The Rebels would eventually have four shots at the end zone, getting as close as the eight-yard line, with just under three minutes remaining but were ultimately turned away. UNLV also forced another punt and had one last shot before Cal closed things out.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME:
Louisville graduate transfer Aidan Robbins rushed 14 times for a career-high 84 yards and his 31-yard touchdown scamper was the fourth overall of the young season (three rushing and one receiving).
 
STAT OF THE GAME:
UNLV was just 1-of-12 on third down vs. Cal.
 
QUOTABLE:
"We let that one get away. We have a locker room full of guys right now that are disappointed because they wanted to finish that game, but we've got to capitalize versus quality opponents. We had some things in this game we didn't do in the opener that put us in a situation where we had to make up a lot of ground and we're going to go back and look at that. We've also showed we'll fight. Our guys will fight, there's no doubt about it."
-UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo
 
REBEL NOTES:
-The Golden Bears are scheduled to return this game in Las Vegas to open the 2026 season
-UNLV fell to 6-33 all-time vs. teams from the current makeup of the Pac-12 Conference
-Four current UNLV coaches – including head coach Marcus Arroyo – previously coached at Cal
-Rebel tight ends coach Nate Longshore was Cal's starting quarterback in 2006-08
-UNLV posted four quarterback sacks all by different players
-Jerrae Williams picked off Jack Plummer deep in Rebel territory for the team's second interception of the season and the first for Williams as a Rebel
-UNLV suffered its first turnover of the season on the final play of the game when Brumfield was picked off
-Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen made his first career start on defense at cornerback after starting two games at wide receiver as a true freshman in 2021
 
NEXT FOR THE REBELS:
UNLV returns home for a high noon faceoff with North Texas on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium.