Rebels’ resolve on display in statement victory over Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — There will be days when the wins come easier for UNLV and the anxiety level doesn’t soar as high as it did Friday night.

But it might be a while before the Rebels’ resolve gets challenged — or rewarded — the way it was in their 23-20 upset of Kansas at Children’s Mercy Park.

When it comes to turning programs around and never going back, it’s nights such as Friday that often become transformational moments. Not for the outcome necessarily, but for the obstacles overcome on the road, against a quality opponent, in a game in which the Rebels were on the wrong end of nearly every statistical category.

The Rebels, before a national TV audience and hostile crowd that made communication nearly impossible at times, found a way to win and open a season with three straight victories for the first time since 1984.

“You’ve got to stay in the arena, you gotta continue to trust your preparation and your habits,” coach Barry Odom said. “And you have to play six seconds at a time. And when you do those things, you have an opportunity to win games in the fourth quarter.”

Overcame slow start

It wasn’t just having to dig themselves out of a 17-6 hole or figure out how to slow a Kansas offense that was gashing them on the ground and through the air during a frustrating first half.

Nor was it surviving the times they finished promising drives without points, or by trading field goals for touchdowns.

When the Rebels look back on this victory, it will be the game-winning drive that began at their 25-yard line with 11:25 left and ended with backup running back Kylin James’ second-effort push over the goal line from the 1-yard line on fourth down to put UNLV ahead 23-20 with 1:55 remaining.

The drive lasted 14 plays and 9½ minutes. The Rebels converted two fourth downs, overcame a costly penalty that turned what would have been a first and goal from the 1-yard line into a first and 10 from the 16. And they somehow survived quarterback Matthew Sluka’s fumble that was nearly scooped up by three defenders, only for James to finally fall on it for UNLV.

Knowing they had no choice but to score a touchdown, the Rebels answered every desperate moment with the appropriate action.

“It was a must-have drive,” said center Jack Hasz, whose big push at the point of attack helped James score the winning touchdown.

“A field goal wasn’t going to do it for us,” said Sluka, who finished with a team-high 124 yards rushing on 19 carries and completed 7 of 18 passes for 86 yards. “So it was just a matter of getting it into the end zone, and however we did it, we did it.”

It was the only fourth-quarter score for the Rebels, who managed just 10 points in the second half. But it was enough because of a defense that overcame a sloppy first half to hold Kansas to three points in the half.

Defense rises in second half

UNLV surrendered 17 points and 260 yards in the first half, but allowed just 92 yards the rest of the way. By locking down the Jayhawks in the second half, Sluka and the offense had just enough wiggle room to mount the comeback.

“A lot of it was just doing our job, and it started with me,” said linebacker Jackson Woodard, who had one of two UNLV interceptions. “I felt like we were a little jittery, doing a little too much. Everyone just settled in and did their job.”

UNLV’s first interception helped change the direction of the game. It came late in the first half with the Jayhawks ahead 17-6 and driving after Devin Neal’s 24-yard run set them up at the UNLV 44 with 57 seconds left.

But quarterback Jalon Daniels, who has thrown six interceptions in three games, overthrew his target and into the arms of safety Jalen Catalon, who returned the ball 46 yards to the Kansas 33.

UNLV made it count, albeit barely. With the clock running after Sluka’s 6-yard throw to Jacob De Jesus pushed the ball to the Kansas 27, the Rebels appeared confused while simultaneously trying to get lined up for second down and get the play communicated from the sideline. Sluka even raced to the sideline to get the play, then sprinted back to the field to call the signals.

The snap arrived with six seconds remaining in the half, giving Sluka just enough time to throw a swing pass to Jai’Den Thomas, who secured the ball at the 15 with two seconds left and raced into the end zone. Just like that, the Rebels had cut their deficit to 17-13.

It was a stunning turn of events given how Kansas (1-2) had been moving the ball at will.

“Time management … at the end of the half, obviously I wouldn’t script it that way,” Odom said.

But just as the Rebels did all night, they got a big play when they needed it.

“All the credit on going and making impact, huge plays when we needed it,” Odom said.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.