Falcons run (and run and run) past UNLV

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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Doesn’t matter whether it’s UNR, Texas Christian or Air Force, if the opponent has a quality running attack, UNLV is in trouble.

And the Rebels were in big trouble Saturday night at snowy Falcon Stadium.

Air Force ran all over the Rebels, rushing for 431 yards and six touchdowns to beat UNLV 45-17 and end its slim bowl hopes.

Now that the issue of bowl eligibility is settled — UNLV misses the postseason for the ninth consecutive year — the question turns to whether coach Mike Sanford returns next football season.

His future already was in doubt, and this loss ensures the Rebels (4-7, 2-5 Mountain West Conference) a losing season all five years under Sanford. His record is 15-43.

“I’m not going to comment any further,” UNLV interim athletic director Jerry Koloskie said. “When the timing’s right, we’ll make the appropriate decision. We just want to get home tonight, regroup and go from there.”

Unless an announcement is made in the coming days, this figures to be a quiet time for the Rebels, who have a bye. They finish their season Nov. 28 at home against San Diego State.

“We have a senior class that deserves to go out with a win,” Sanford said.

Against Air Force (7-4, 5-2), UNLV once again failed to properly defend the run. Tailback Asher Clark led the Falcons with 160 yards and three touchdowns.

The Falcons are the fifth team to rush for more than 200 yards against UNLV and the third to break 300.

“I think today the main issue was the perimeter,” Rebels defensive end/linebacker Jason Beauchamp said. “We started to control the stuff straight up the middle, and then all of a sudden, we got the speed-option game.”

The Falcons entered this game leading the conference in rushing at 264 yards per game, and UNLV’s run defense was last, allowing 211.2 yards. Those rankings don’t figure to change.

Also not likely to change is Air Force’s nation-leading pass defense (127.2 ypg). UNLV totaled 135 yards from quarterbacks Omar Clayton and Mike Clausen.

Clayton also threw an interception that ended any hopes the Rebels had.

Trailing 17-3 late in the first half, UNLV drove to Air Force’s 11-yard line. On first down, Clayton threw into double coverage in the end zone to wide receiver Ryan Wolfe, and Falcons safety Chris Thomas intercepted.

“I didn’t see the guy trailing Ryan,” Clayton said.

If UNLV had scored a touchdown, it would have trailed by seven points and taken momentum into halftime. The Rebels also were to receive the second-half kickoff.

The Falcons made the mistake more damaging by then going 80 yards and scoring with 36 seconds left on tailback Savier Stephens’ 10-yard run for a 24-3 lead.

“I think it is a different game (without that interception),” Sanford said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.