LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV (8-2/4-2), which was without leading rusher Jai'Den Thomas because of injury, survived in double-overtime, 29-26, over Utah State (5-5/3-3) on a rainy Saturday night before 31,682 fans at Allegiant Stadium.
 
UNLV trailed 13-10 at halftime but retook the lead in the third on QB Anthony Colandrea's 18th touchdown pass of the season, this one to DaeDae Reynolds in the back of the end zone. USU eventually regained the advantage in the fourth quarter, 23-20, before Ramon Villela's 32-yard field goal tied things with just over two minutes left in regulation. The Aggies would go on to miss a potential game-winning field goal and send the teams to overtime.
 
The Rebels failed to score, missing from 39 yards out, but then saw USU miss its third attempt of the ballgame and send it to a second session. This time the Aggies made the kick, from 39 yards out, to lead 26-23. Howevr, on its first play of the second OT, Colandrea handed off to WR Kayden McGee who dashed through the defense and dove for the end zone to end the nearly four-hour game.
 
UNLV's defense posted seven total sacks on the night, the most in a game since getting eight at New Mexico on Nov. 6, 2021.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME:
Kayden "Big Play" McGee lived up to his nickname again as the redshirt freshman took his three carries for a team-leading 54 yards on the ground, including the game-winner. McGee previously won Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt and scoring on another blocked punt at Wyoming.
 
STAT OF THE GAME:
UNLV won its first overtime game since a thriller at UNR in 2019. The Rebels had lost two straight OTs coming in and are just 7-12 overall all-time in extra sessions. This marked the first time UNLV won in two overtimes. The Rebels' only previous win in a game that went longer than one OT period was a triple-OT victory at Sam Boyd Stadium vs. Wyoming and QB Josh Allen in 2016.
 
QUOTABLE:
"What a great win for our guys, we continue to believe in our guys and they're fun to coach. They find ways to stick together and continue to make plays in critical moments. It's different people stepping up … You never know when your number will be called. Kayden's was called today in overtime and he delivered."
-UNLV Head Coach Dan Mullen
 
NOTABLES:
-UNLV improved to 8-2 for the third straight season
-The Scarlet & Gray have now won 15 of their last 20 games at Allegiant Stadium
-The Rebs improved to 24-1 since the start of 2023 when leading after the third quarter
-Before Saturday, the Rebels last defeated the Aggies in Las Vegas in 2008 before USU even joined the MW
-UNLV has now won three straight over USU for the first time since 1983-85
-13 of the 28 games between these programs were decided by a touchdown
-This game featured five missed field goals (three by USU and two by UNLV)
-Colandrea ran for his seventh rushing touchdown of the season
-Six different players were credited with at least a half-sack in the game, led by safety Jake Pope's 1.5 night to go with nine tackles
-LB Marsel McDuffie led the Rebels with 10 total tackles, including one sack
-DL Tunmise Adeleye led UNLV with two sacks to give him 6.0 on the season
-Villela saw his streak of made field goals snapped at 10 when his 59-yard attempt to end the first half fell short
 
UP NEXT: UNLV's final regular-season home game of the season and Senior NIght will be Friday at 7:30 pm vs. Hawai'i in the annual Ninth Island Showdown presented by the California Hotel. The game will be broadcast by CBS Sports Network.