UNLV can’t exercise demons against Boise State, win streak comes to an end

Junior receiver DeAngelo Irvin Jr. tosses the ball back to the referee during UNLV's, 56-31, loss at Boise State. Photo Credit: UNLV Athletics

While entering Week 8 of the college football season as one of the 10 remaining undefeated teams, UNLV football suffered a familiar setback amidst its conference schedule.

The Rebels came up short yet again against the Boise State Broncos, this time by a final score of 56-31 Saturday, Oct. 18 from Albertsons Stadium. It marked the fourth meeting in the last 23 months between the Mountain West programs including last year’s conference championship which was also won by Boise State on its home field.

Additionally, UNLV has not beaten its conference foe since early November of 1976. Boise State has now won 91 of its last 98 home conference games since 2000.

“We’ve lived dangerously for weeks now,” head coach Dan Mullen said. “We found ways to win games but when you’re going to play a really good team like Boise [State], you can’t play and make the mistakes we’ve made and expect to win.”

After having won six straight games to start the season, Mullen and company have suffered its first loss as the program falls to 6-1. Up next, the Rebels will embark on its third idle week in the last seven weeks of the season.

Upon returning, the team will play five straight contests to conclude the regular season.

“It’s not a bad time,” Mullen said. “Because now we have a bigger body of work for us to really evaluate and really look inside and self-evaluate.”

A big second half for the home team set up the eventual 25-point loss for UNLV. It was outscored 21-0 in the third quarter by the reigning Mountain West champions. Overall, Boise State won the second half, 28-7.

“All of a sudden, you go to the third quarter and we have a chance,” Mullen said. “I think the big part of the third quarter was we get a stop and we have a chance at a third down and we don’t get it. We end up a little bit short.”

It was a big rushing day for the Broncos to the tune of 294 rushing yards in the win. Over the last seven meetings, the Rebels have given up 240 rushing yards on average.

“You give up all the explosive plays defensively,” Mullen said. “Forty-nine points the defense gave up – you’re not going to win games doing that at a high level.”

Sophomore running back Dylan Riley was the workhorse in this one 201 yards on the ground in the win. As a team, Boise State pumped out six long runs of 25 yards or more while completing seven passes of 20 yards or more.

Junior quarterback Maddux Madsen threw for 253 yards and four touchdowns on 14-of-23 passing.

“It’s a combination of everything,” Mullen said. “And that’s coaching. We’ve got to be a much better coached team moving forward.”

Transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea didn’t have the same success as Madsen to start the game. At one point of the first quarter, he was 1-for-3 through the air with a negative yard to show for it.

Colandrea began to find success when he started opting to use his legs rather than his arm. He ultimately rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on 13 tries.

Sophomore Jaylon Glover touched the ball just six times on the ground in the loss but rushed for a team-high 112 yards.

“It’s tough because you want to get all those [running backs] touches,” Mullen said. “I think you see that. The one benefit now, we’ve got a bye week then we’ve got five straight weeks [of games].”

In the second half, Colandrea began to hit his outside playmakers including two touchdown strikes in the second 30-minute half. Senior receiver Jaden Bradley and Troy Omeire caught both of those touchdown strikes from 35 yards and 17 yards out.

Colandrea ended the game with 215 yards and two touchdowns with a 18-for-30 passing mark.

“Missed a throw or two,” Mullen said. “We’ll get him better. Again, he’s seven games into this system, running this offense. Lot of new faces for us so a lot of what we looked for at the beginning of the year was looking to be a better team at the end of the year then in the beginning of the year.”