It was all going so well for the UNLV Rebels, and then they fell victim to the (might as well be) patented triple option.
On Saturday, the Rebels allowed a key Mountain West victory to slip through their fingers, falling for the first time in conference play 41-31 to the Air Force Falcons.
The culprit for UNLV’s downfall was not too difficult to spot, as Air Force ran for 430 yards against the Rebels, including 126 in a fourth quarter that saw the Falcons get a 21-7 edge.
After a North Dakota State game where the Rebels defense stepped up to earn the victory, it was disappointing to see them revert back to the inconsistency that has plagued the unit so far this season.
The Rebels allowed three players to average over eight yards per carry, with quarterback Evan Medders and running back Rocco Conti leading the way. Both players ran for over 100 yards, with Medders going for 152 and three touchdowns and Conti adding 103 and a touchdown of his own. Fellow running back Owen Allen lead the Falcons in carries with 19, recording 96 yards and a touchdown on his own.
The inability of UNLV to stop the run allowed the Falcons to score on all but one of their offensive drives, excluding the final kneel downs.
While UNLV’s offense was ultimately unable to keep pace, they did do their best to get back on track after a challenging game last week.
Quarterback Jackson Arnold put up 246 passing yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 78 yards and another score on the ground. Wide receiver Kayden McGee also put together his best outing of the season, hauling in five passes for 99 yards and both receiving touchdowns.
However, the offense’s execution was far from as flawless as it needed to be.
Arnold was responsible for an interception in the second quarter, while receiver Troy Stellato’s fumble in the fourth quarter ultimately lead to the drive that put the Falcons in the lead for good. Running back Jai’Den Thomas also continued his up-and-down season, producing only 48 yards on 17 carries in a surprisingly inefficient outing (he also tacked on 32 yards on five receptions).
With the College Football Playoff now well out of reach, the Rebels will have another bye week to lock their wounds and hope to keep their Mountain West championship hopes intact on Halloween against Northern Illinois.