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UNLV football continued to break down barriers this season but it still can’t clear the hurdle that is Boise State.
The No. 20 ranked Rebels were beaten, 21-7, by the No. 20 Broncos Friday, Dec. 6 from Albertson’s Stadium in this year’s Mountain West Championship. It was a rematch of last year’s title game from Allegiant Stadium, which was also claimed by Boise State.
At the time of kickoff, temperatures were hanging around 27 degrees before the first road loss of the season for UNLV in seven tries. The program hasn’t played the Broncos in Idaho since 2016 but it still hasn’t beaten in conference foe since 1976, dropping the last eight meetings. The Rebels trail the all-time series, 3-10.
Friday’s loss ends a four-game win streak for UNLV that it started following its, 29-24, mid-season loss to Boise State. Now, the team sports a 10-3 overall record heading into bowl season.
While the Broncos will move on to the College Football Playoff, it appears the Rebels are slated to play in the LA Bowl from SoFi Stadium.
Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty broke out for 18 yards on the first play from scrimmage and it served as the set up for a big night. In the first meeting of the season against UNLV, he compiled 128 yards on a then career-high 33 carries.
In the second quarter, Jeanty surpassed Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Marcus Allen for fourth all-time on the single-season rush yards list. On the very next play, he erupted for a 75-yard touchdown run for his 12th career score of 50 yards or more.
By halftime, Jeanty had already surpassed his first showing against the Rebels with 132 yards on 14 carries. He salted the game away as he did in Allegiant Stadium on his way to 209 yards on 32 carries.
With 2, 288 rushing yards accumulated on the season, he is 128 yards away from breaking the all-time single-season rushing yards record held by Hall-of-Famer Barry Sanders.
While Jeanty got Boise State off to a good start, UNLV’s start was anything but smooth. An early 3rd and 2 situation on the team’s first drive of the game was pushed back five yards due to a delay of game. Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams would be sacked and the team would be forced to punt.
Williams was sacked six times in the title game after being taken down another six times in the first meeting of the season against the Broncos.
UNLV’s second drive of the game opened with a fumble though the team recovered its own mishandle. It happened again on the second play, result and all.
With its first chance to score, freshman kicker Caden Chittenden had his lone field goal attempt clank off the crossbar. At the time, the Rebels were down, 7-0.
Just before halftime, Williams ended UNLV’s final first half drive with an interception as the team went into the break down, 21-0. It was the program’s first scoreless half since Week 2 of last season on the road against Michigan on the way to 50-plus minutes without points in this one.
Williams went 13-for-28 in the loss with 110 passing yards and an interception as the Rebels were held to a season-low seven points. He added 56 rushing yards on 21 carries.
Senior running back Kylin James had the longest play of the day with an 87-yard scamper to flip the field from the UNLV nine-yard line to the Boise State five. The Rebels would turn the ball over on downs from inside the red zone shortly after.
UNLV went 0-for-2 in the red zone in the loss.
The lone scoring play of the night for the Rebels came in the form of a 31-yard run from freshman running back Greg Burrell. In his limited action, he totaled 47 rushing yards on five carries.
As a team, UNLV rushed for 217 yards, two more than its opponent.
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