Sam Boyd Stadium memory: Nolan Kohorst’s kick lifts UNLV over Hawaii

Note: This is the ninth installment of a weekly feature, except for UNLV’s two bye weeks, that will look at a notable Rebels game at Sam Boyd Stadium. UNLV moves to Allegiant Stadium next year.

Nolan Kohorst didn’t know how to react, taking off running while his ecstatic UNLV teammates chased him down.

He was caught up in the euphoria of making a 44-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Rebels to 39-37 victory over Hawaii in the 2013 meeting.

His kick saved the game for the Rebels, who had blown a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead. It also helped save the season, putting UNLV at 4-2 on its way to what would become an invitation to the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Victory didn’t look like it would be a problem when UNLV took a 36-17 lead with 13:11 left. Hawaii, however, scored the next 20 points, going ahead 37-36 on Steven Lakalaka’s 15-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left.

UNLV got the ball five seconds later at its 23-yard line, and quarterback Caleb Herring led the Rebels 51 yards, converting a third-and-10 from their 46-yard line on a 2-yard pass to Marcus Sullivan and 15-yard facemask penalty.

The Rebels soon reached the Rainbow Warriors’ 26-yard line with five seconds remaining.

Kohorst trotted onto the field, and Hawaii called timeout to ice him. It didn’t work. Kohorst easily made the field goal to give the Rebels the victory.

“I loved the timeout,” he said after the game. “It gave me 30 more seconds to warm up, 30 more seconds to evaluate everything.”

Then the celebration began.

More Rebels: Follow at reviewjournal.com/Rebels and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.