BYU ground game grounds Rebels

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Brigham Young entered the locker room at halftime and came out as Air Force.

The Cougars wore down UNLV’s tiring defense — which put in an otherwise tremendous effort — to take control Saturday night, running 31 times for 158 yards in the second half.

Halfback Harvey Unga carried the biggest load, weaving and pounding his way for 118 of his 177 yards to lead the Cougars to a 24-14 victory before a sellout crowd of 38,026 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

“We didn’t stop the run,” UNLV coach Mike Sanford said. “That’s kind of the story, really,”

The Cougars (4-2, 3-0 Mountain West Conference) took another step toward a third consecutive appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl. UNLV (2-5, 1-2) lost for the third time in a row and made next Saturday’s home game against conference cellar dweller Colorado State especially important.

Whether UNLV quarterback Travis Dixon starts against the Rams remains to be seen. He sprained his left knee and ankle, and Sanford didn’t guarantee anything.

“We’re going to have to see how Travis is, or I’m going to have to evaluate the situation, but there is a chance,” Sanford said.

Dixon, though, said he would be fine. His performance was far from fine against BYU. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 78 yards with an interception.

“I really couldn’t find the rhythm early on in the game until late in the fourth quarter,” Dixon said. “By that time, it was a little too late.”

Backup Omar Clayton made a case for more playing time, producing both times he was in. He led the Rebels on an eight-play, 57-yard drive that ended with a 43-yard field goal by kicker Sergio Aguayo.

Clayton went back in near the end of the game when Dixon got hurt and threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rodelin Anthony and a 2-point pass to receiver Casey Flair.

Sanford said the coaches considered bringing Clayton back sooner.

“We made a decision based on the situation to leave Travis in, especially there at the end,” Sanford said. “(Clayton) has not done as much 2-minute situations as Travis has, and I thought it was unfair to that young man to put him in that situation where he wasn’t as prepared as he should be.”

UNLV’s coaches need to figure out something to jump-start an offense that has become allergic to the end zone.

The Rebels averaged 16 points over the past three games.

The Cougars had 27 more plays than UNLV and sustained second-half scoring drives of 10, 14 and 15 plays, taking advantage of a defensive line that became so worn out and banged up that offensive lineman Perry Eppenger and walk-on Anthony White played.

BYU followed Air Force’s model. The Falcons dominated the second half the week before by scoring 24 points in a 31-14 victory over UNLV.

“The way we’re playing in the second half in the past two games, it’s not looking too good right now,” UNLV linebacker Beau Bell said. “I wouldn’t say we were out-physicaled. We were tired, and we allowed them to do it.”

That second-half dominance masked what was a respectable performance by UNLV’s defense. The Rebels forced four turnovers, intercepting BYU quarterback Max Hall three times.

Bell made two of those interceptions to go with a game-high 13 tackles and a forced fumble and probably wrapped up conference Defensive Player of the Year should he stay healthy. Several BYU players showed their respect afterward by going over to Bell.

“Every game when we lose is always a frustrating game no matter what,” Bell said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.