Rebels punish Idaho State 80-8, break scoring marks
September 26, 2015 - 12:51 pm
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_005_4.jpg)
Rebels defensive back J.T. Nettleton blocks a punt from Idaho State punter Sean Cheney during the first quarter at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_003_6.jpg)
The UNLV Rebels warm up before the Idaho State game at Sam Boyd Stadium. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_004_6.jpg)
Rebels wide receivers Stephen Sweeney (85), Devonte Boyd (83), and Stephen Sweeney (85) head to the field for warm-ups before the start of the game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/unlv_endzone_13.jpg)
(@unlvfootball/Twitter)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_002_6.jpg)
UNLV Rebels kicker Nicolai Bornand (40) warms up before the start of the game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_006.jpg)
Idaho State Bengals wide receiver CJ Hatchett (86) catches a pass as UNLV Rebels linebacker Tau Lotulelei (55) defends in the second quarter their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_007.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Blake Richmond (2) breaks up a pass intended for Idaho State Bengals tight end Josh Cook (11) in the first quarter their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_008.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Tim Hough (13) breaks the tackle of Idaho State Bengals offensive lineman Christian Diehm (75) after UNLV blocked an Idaho State field goal attempt in the first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_009.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Torry McTyer (4) breaks up a pass intended for Idaho State Bengals wide receiver Tom Jewell (8) in the first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_010.jpg)
UNLV Rebels running back Xzaviar Campbell (35) jumps over Idaho State Bengals defensive back Erik Collins (8) while rushing the ball in the first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_011.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Troy Hawthorne (11) breaks up a pass intended for Idaho State Bengals tight end Josh Cook (11) in the first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_012.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Troy Hawthorne (11) breaks up a pass intended for Idaho State Bengals tight end Josh Cook (11) in the first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_013.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Jay‘Onn Myles (1) breaks up a pass intended for Idaho State Bengals wide receiver Madison Mangum (7) in the first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_017.jpg)
Idaho State Bengals wide receiver Cody Sorensen (29) is tripped up after UNLV Rebels defensive back Troy Hawthorne (11) broke up a pass in the second half of their NCAA Football game at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_021.jpg)
UNLV Rebels defensive back Blake Richmond (2) forces Idaho State Bengals tight end Tyler Wright (87) to fumble in the first half of their NCAA Football game at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. UNLV defeated Idaho State 80-8, setting a new school record for points scored in a single game. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10036657222520fbc-unlv_092615jh_022.jpg)
UNLV Rebels wide receiver Aaron Criswell (9) returns the opening kick-off 58 yards as the UNLV bench reacts first half of their NCAA Football game against Idaho State at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. UNLV defeated Idaho State 80-8, setting a new school record for points scored in a single game. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
As UNLV ran off the Sam Boyd Stadium field at halftime, its long-suffering football fans stood and gave the football team a big ovation.
They had a lot to shout about and no reason to be nervous.
At least not about the game’s outcome. There was still some drama remaining, but even that wouldn’t last until the fourth quarter.
With 2:59 remaining in the third quarter — third quarter! — Troy Hawthorne returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown, and with Nicolai Bornand’s extra point, UNLV reached a school-record 73 points.
And a Mountain West record.
The Rebels’ 80-8 victory made a statement Saturday night, one to be heard in Reno and all the Mountain West cities. UNLV’s 72-point victory was the largest in school history.
This was first-year coach Tony Sanchez’s first victory, and it broke a nine-game losing streak for the Rebels.
“Really, at the end of the day, I wish we wouldn’t have gotten there (to 80 points),” Sanchez said. “We played well. The biggest thing is we won the game. I don’t care if we won by one. I don’t care if we won by 50. For as long as I’m here, and I hope to God that’s a long, long time, we want to win by one single point, and I don’t care who we’re playing.”
For at least one night, UNLV (1-3) affirmed the promise it hinted during the first three games of a demanding schedule that included Northern Illinois, UCLA and Michigan.
— UNLV’s 72-point margin of victory beat the previous mark set in a 69-0 victory in 1968 over Caltech.
— The Rebels’ 35 points in the first quarter broke the school record for any quarter, which had been 33 in the fourth in that Caltech game.
— Their 52 points at halftime broke the record of 38 set in 1977 in the first half against Western Illinois and in 1980 in the second half against New Mexico.
— Also falling was the 72-point total the Rebels hung on the Lobos in the 1980 game. UNLV also broke the Mountain West record of 72 points that Air Force scored against Nicholls State in 2009 and New Mexico put on Texas State in 2003.
— UNLV’s 517 yards rushing was second in school history to the 523 against Santa Clara in 1973. The Rebels’ six touchdowns on the ground were just one behind the mark established in 1974 against Prairie View A&M.
“We challenged our (offensive) line and our backs this week,” Sanchez said. “I don’t know if anybody knew it, but going into this game, we had not had a rushing touchdown by a running back, and that irks you a little bit.”
Now, for UNLV, it’s a matter of carrying this performance forward, and next up is the team’s most intense rival. The Rebels play at UNR on Saturday as Sanchez introduces himself to the series. He will try to have more success than his predecessors, who lost nine of 10 meetings against the Wolf Pack.
“I think anybody’s that going to turn on the film these next couple of weeks and watch tonight’s game is going to be a little scared to come up against us,” UNLV quarterback Blake Decker said.
Including UNR?
“I would think so, yeah,” Decker said.
If UNLV plays like it did against Idaho State (1-3), the Rebels will get back the Fremont Cannon. The Wolf Pack, of course, are a considerable step up in competition from Idaho State.
For a UNLV program, however, that has been on the wrong side of so many one-sided scores, the Rebels will take this kind of night no matter the caliber of opponent.
They took control from the start when Aaron Criswell returned the opening kickoff 58 yards, and two plays Decker completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to running back Keith Whitely.
Midway through the first quarter, Dominic Baldwin blocked a field-goal attempt, and Tim Hough picked up the ball and ran this way and that way and the other way and finally found his way 44 yards down the field to the 23-yard line to set off a scoring avalanche.
“I saw a green light, and our coach always preaches about getting into the end zone every chance we can,” said Hough, who went to Desert Pines High School. “You don’t know normally get a chance to recover a field goal, so I tried my best to get in the end zone.”
He didn’t get there, but plenty of his teammates did in scoring four touchdowns in the final 5:54 of the quarter to take a 35-0 lead. The Rebels led 52-8 at halftime and 73-8 after the third quarter.
Players from both sides of the ball had starring roles, with Hough intercepting two passes to go with that crazy return of a blocked kick.
The Rebels also intercepted four passes. UNLV last had that many in 1993 against Louisiana Tech. With eight interceptions through four games, the Rebels already have topped their total of seven from last season.
Offensively, UNLV’s strong run games was led by freshman backs Xzaviar Campbell (139 yards, two touchdowns) and Lexington Thomas (106 yards, one TD) each breaking 100 for the first time.
“It was unbelievable,” Campbell said. “You think about practice. Coach always says the practice is going to be harder than the real games.”
UNLV’s passing game did its part, with Decker and Kurt Palandech each throwing for two touchdowns.
This was far from the struggle UNLV has experienced in recent seasons against Football Championship Subdivision teams. The Rebels lost twice and struggled to beat Northern Colorado by a point.
The only drama late in this game involved what records would be broken.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him: @markanderson65
Check our GameDay page for all the news leading up to the UNLV-Idaho State game.