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UCLA came up short on the road Saturday, falling to UNLV 30-23 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The loss dropped the Bruins to 0-2 on the season and marked the Rebels’ first win over a Big Ten opponent in 22 years.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
UCLA came up short on the road Saturday, falling to UNLV 30-23 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The loss dropped the Bruins to 0-2 on the season and marked the Rebels’ first win over a Big Ten opponent in 22 years.
The crowd of 36,117 witnessed history as new UNLV head coach Dan Mullen became the first at the school to open 3-0 since 1976.
Early Hole Too Deep
The Bruins found themselves down 23-0 in the first half as quarterback Anthony Colandrea led the Rebels’ offense. The Virginia transfer completed 15 of 21 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns, adding 59 rushing yards to earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors.
“Our offense really showed up tonight,” Mullen said. “We got out of rhythm in the second half, but the guys did what they needed to do to finish. Couldn’t be more proud of them — and the fans gave us a true college football atmosphere. That was a huge win, not just for UNLV, but for the city of Las Vegas.”
Bruins Rally, But Fall Short
UCLA fought back in the second half behind quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The Tennessee transfer threw for 255 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 59 yards and another score. His 30-yard touchdown run capped a 78-yard drive and marked the longest scoring run of his young career.
Mateen Bhaghani added field goals from 36, 35 and 32 yards, while Noah Fox-Flores caught a 4-yard touchdown pass. UCLA outgained UNLV 318-101 after halftime and converted two of three third downs in the fourth quarter.
Still, the Rebels answered with a 17-yard touchdown strike from Colandrea to tight end Var’Keyes Gumms — their only points of the second half, but enough to hold off the Bruins’ comeback.
“I’m just frustrated because I know we can execute better,” UCLA coach DeShaun Foster said. “If we had played two complete halves, the outcome would’ve been different.”
Missed Chances
Penalties plagued both teams. Each lost 129 yards due to infractions, with UCLA flagged 14 times and UNLV 13. The Rebels’ late interception sealed the game — their 55th pick in the last four years, the most in FBS.
UNLV has now scored 20 or more points in 25 straight regular-season games, second only to Memphis (39).