Offense goes anemic as UNLV loses second bowl game in last three years

UNLV linebacker Marsel McDuffie takes down an Ohio offensive player during the team's loss in the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl. Photo Credit: UNLV Athletics

UNLV Football made the trek down south for the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl but came up short in postseason play for the second time in the last three seasons.

The Rebels lost, 17-10, to the Ohio Bobcats Tuesday, Dec. 23 from The Star at Ford Center. Despite going to a bowl game in each of the last three seasons for the first time in program history, UNLV is now 1-2 in such games.

In this one, the program had zero opt-outs.

The year ends with back-to-back losses for the Rebels after losing in the Mountain West Championship game for the third straight season. Through three bowl games so far this year, the Mountain West is winless.

In total, UNLV closes the year with a 10-4 overall record. It’s the fourth time the program has reached at least 10 wins including the last two seasons.

Moreover, it’s the fourth 10-win season in the head coaching career of lead man Dan Mullen, who made his return to the sidelines this season after three years of doing analyst work on television.

“I’d categorize this year with this team as ‘A lot of fun,’” Mullen said after the Mountain West Championship. “They were a lot of fun to be around. I really enjoyed coaching this group. We had a lot of characters on this team, they’re a wild crew. But it was a lot of fun for me to come in and have this crew believe and buy into what we were trying to do.”

The first half spelled nothing but doom for UNLV as it endured its first scoreless half of the season in addition to two turnovers. Entering the game, the team led the Mountain West with more than 34 points scored per outing.

Things even went array on the team’s first punt of the night after it went just 17 yards following a block by the Ohio special teams unit.

On the ensuing drive, Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Colandrea fumbled the ball away in a scoreless game. That play would be overturned after being reviewed.

Later in that drive, Colandrea fumbled again and Ohio recovered again. This time, the play would stand.

Every time it looked like UNLV was going to gain some traction, it was quickly ripped away.

Colandrea found senior receiver Koy Moore for a 42-yard touchdown on a 3rd and 4 late in the first quarter before it was nullified due to an ineligible man downfield.

Now trailing 6-0 and facing a 3rd and 6, senior receiver Jojo Earle was whistled for a false start to set up a 3rd and 11. A six-yard reception and one-yard reception would follow in order as the Rebels turned the ball over on downs.

“The mistakes we made in the red zone,” Mullen said. “You obviously want to get to score, play with a lead. [It] probably changes the style of the game.”

Just before halftime, Colandrea would commit the team’s second turnover of the night with an interception to solidify a scoreless first half for the Rebels. The team’s first points of the game came on a field goal just under four and a half minutes into the second half.

Colandrea went 19-for-30 in the loss with 184 yards and an interception through the air. His lone score of the game came on the ground from a yard out late in the fourth quarter.

Just before that touchdown run, the team had three consecutive tries from two yards out and could only muster a single yard. The 10 points scored mark a new season-low for the program after having a previous low of 21 points set in the Mountain West Championship against the Boise State Broncos.

“You give [the Bobcats] credit for being able to control that,” Mullen said. “We’re not going to be able to win playing and making the mistakes we’ve made. And that’s on me because you rate your performance based on your preparation. I didn’t do a good enough job of preparing us to get us ready.”

UNLV’s lack of offense came at the detriment of a defensive unit that gave its counterpart plenty of scoring chances. Senior defensive back Latterance Welch ended the first Ohio drive of the night with his fourth interception of the year.

That drive started from the Bobcats’ 47-yard line and began with a 27-yard run play on the first snap from scrimmage.

Later in that first quarter, senior linebacker Marsel McDuffie recovered a fumble for the defense’s second forced turnover in the first 10-plus minutes of the game.

“Guys like a Marsel McDuffie are very, very special,” Mullen said. “You want to leave a place better than you found it. I think UNLV is in a very different place than when he showed up – there were several guys.”

When not making game-changing plays in the turnover department, the Rebel defense had moments of mental lapses that resulted in decisive outcomes. After forcing a 4th and 2, it bailed the Bobcat offense out with an offsides call which provided a new set of downs.

Soon after, Ohio would score the first points of the game on an option play.

In total, UNLV was penalized five times for 40 yards.

“The critical errors,” Mullen said. “Whether it be turnovers, whether it be the penalties, when penalties occurred at the critical times pushing us back into long down situations or giving them first downs to keep drives alive.”

Ultimately, the Bobcats went up 14-0 on another long run, this time for 23 yards in addition to the two-point conversion.

Ohio had all things going for itself before a muffed punt in the third quarter led to the first UNLV points of the night. In addition, failure to recover a fumble on a Rebel kick return in the fourth quarter led to UNLV’s lone touchdown of the loss.