UNLV stays undefeated as Villela nails game-winning field goal on road

UNLV only led for 15 seconds in its most recent contest. But it was the final 15 seconds of the game.

The Rebels stayed undefeated after taking down the Miami (OH) Redhawks, 41-38, Saturday, Sept. 20 from Yager Stadium in a Week 4 meeting. It was the team’s first win in the Eastern Standard Time Zone in 15 total tries with this 9 a.m. kickoff.

Entering this week coming off a bye week, UNLV will head into another bye week before taking the part of its schedule where it will play three straight games to open Mountain West play. Two of those three games will take place on the road beginning Saturday, Oct. 4.

Kicker Ramon Villela gave the Rebels their first and only lead in the game.

Before that game-saving boot, UNLV had faced its largest deficit of the season on two separate occasions at 14 points. Turning to junior running back Jai’Den Thomas in the second half changed the story.

Thomas rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown in the win on 13 carries. Eleven of those 13 carries came in the second half after the game opened with six straight pass attempts from junior quarterback Anthony Colandrea including an interception.

Thomas’ rushing touchdown early in the third quarter was followed by the first Miami (OH) punt of the day. Soon after, the game would be tied at 24 apiece on a passing touchdown from Colandrea to senior Jaden Bradley.

The tie would be short-lived as the Rebels fell behind by 14 points yet again.

The Redhawks scored immediately on a 100-yard kick return touchdown before adding another interception, this time returning it for six points.

Colandrea would make up for the early mistakes with his second touchdown strike of the day in the fourth quarter to redshirt sophomore Taeshaun Lyons. While that score trimmed the deficit back to seven points, the game was tied at 38-all on a rushing touchdown by senior running back Keyvone Lee.

Fresh off back-to-back Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week awards, Colandrea went 29-for-43 for 293 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the win.

Senior defensive back Aamaris Brown snagged his nation-leading fourth interception of the year in the second quarter. Just making the catch wasn’t enough, he sprinted past the Miami (OH) offense on the way to a pick-six of his own.

Brown now has interceptions in all four games this season.

Senior inside linebacker Marsel McDuffie was responsible for the other interception hauled in by the UNLV defense. He added 10 tackles, a tackle for loss, that interception and a fumble recovery.

That fumble was forced by senior safety Jaheem Joseph.