Rebels lose second straight as Mountain West standings shake up

UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea points to a receiver inside Allegiant Stadium while rolling out of the pocket. Photo Credit: UNLV Athletics

UNLV football may have been a pinstripe or two away from changing the outcome but it was not to be as the team continues to be winless since becoming bowl-eligible three weeks ago.

Most recently, the Rebels lost, 40-35, to the New Mexico Lobos Saturday, Nov. 1 from Allegiant Stadium after entering the weekend coming off the program’s first loss of the season followed by its third idle week.

The Week 10 loss goes down as UNLV’s first home loss after starting the year 3-0 from Allegiant Stadium.

“On our end, too many mistakes made by me in different situational football,” head coach Dan Mullen said. “It’s my responsibility within this team to make sure we perform the way we need to perform. There’s a lot of things we can look at, to me, it’s consistency. The consistency of our performance is not where it needs to be and that [goes on] the head coach.”

The 40 points given up was actually a step better after the Rebels allowed 52 points over their last two games.

Now with a 6-2 overall record, UNLV will look to get its first win in nearly a month when it heads back to the road for a conference date with Colorado State. The Rams are set to host that game Saturday, Nov. 8 with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.

“I’m going to have to make sure this week we’re doing a better job,” Mullen said. “One of the things in this league, there’s good teams in this league top-to-bottom. You don’t have a lot of easy games, you’re going to have to battle every single week. We know that, we see that.

Rebels running back Jai'Den Thomas fights off would-be tacklers during the team's five-point loss to the Lobos. Photo Credit: UNLV Athletics

“I’ve got to make sure we don’t make the errors and the mistakes we’ve made that cost us that game today.”

A pair of fourth and shorts could’ve ultimately told this story for UNLV as both came at the start of the game and near the conclusion of the contest.

Rather than take a chance at three points on the team’s opening drive, Mullen opted for his offense to go for it on 4th and 1 from the opponent’s 22-yard line of a scoreless game. That call would backfire as the pass attempt fell to the turf, incomplete.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Rebels faced another fourth down, this time a 4th and 5 from the team’s own 42-yard line. That one fell to the turf as well after the ball appeared to hit the back judge on what would’ve been a first down.

While the UNLV offense missed out on near chances in various spots, the defense had a tough time handling long plays. Something it’s struggled with all season long.

After that failed fourth and short early in the first quarter, New Mexico connected on a 30-yard passing touchdown to open the day’s scoring. Things continued to slide downhill once junior Jai’Den Thomas fumbled the ball away on the home team’s next possession.

New Mexico quickly responded with a 58-yard quarterback run on the first play of the ensuing drive. A drive that would end with a 12-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-0 visiting team lead.

UNLV defensive tackle Waisale Muavesi stares down the Fresno State offense ahead of the snap. Photo Credit: UNLV Athletics

In total, UNLV fell behind 21-0, lastly behind an 84-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the next New Mexico drive.

The Lobos rattled off 11 total plays of 15 yards or more including six of 30 or more. This includes another 80-yard touchdown through the air in the second half.

“We’ve got to make sure schematically we’re in the right looks,” Mullen said. “And that I don’t ask guys to do things that they can’t do. We’re being schemed so we were not causing enough confusion on defense right now and making it too easy on the offense.”

UNLV’s loss wasn’t for lack of effort as the team would fight back to tie the game at 21 apiece behind a feverous response led by quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who was a gametime decision after battling the flu all week.

Colandrea had some help on the outside from his receivers including junior receiver DaeDae Reynolds who made a leaping catch into the red zone on a second quarter drive. Two plays later he’d catch the touchdown pass from Colandrea, who went 36-for-46 with 382 yards, three touchdowns and a fumble just before halftime.

“I give Anthony a lot of credit,” Mullen said. “Anthony’s had the flu, been quarantined and hadn’t been to practice until yesterday. Came in yesterday with really bad flu symptoms.”

Rebels defensive back Mumu Bin-Wahad tries to pump up the crowd inside Allegiant Stadium during a Week 10 meeting against the Lobos. Photo Credit: UNLV Athletics

The game would be tied at 21-all behind a touchdown run by senior running back Keyvone Lee followed by a pick-six interception by junior defensive back Quandarius Keyes.

“I give our players a lot of credit for being down 21-0,” Mullen said. “And not blinking, coming right back and battling right back to get us back into that game and where we needed to be.”

However, that second 80-yard touchdown play after the game was knotted up by the home team. Soon after, Colandrea’s fumble would happen on the way to 13 straight points by the Lobos.

Briefly, the Rebels took its lone lead of the game late in regulation behind 14 straight points by the offense. The lead was taken on a touchdown catch by senior tight end Nick Elksnis.

The lead would be short-lived as New Mexico would regain the lead for good less than four minutes later.