UNLV’s two-touchdown lead turns into washout at Fresno State
FRESNO, Calif. — The rains came and they came hard late Friday, an appropriate conclusion to a disaster of a game for UNLV as the Rebels watched their season get washed away.
“I take full blame for the effort we put out there tonight,” UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said. “That was an abomination. That was bad football.”
There was plenty of blame to go around from the coaches who couldn’t figure out how to take advantage of a two-touchdown lead in the second half to the players who played not to lose.
And divine intervention even played a part in the 31-28 loss at Bulldog Stadium, the downpour making it nearly impossible for UNLV to even think of trying a long field goal to force overtime.
Marteze Waller completed the rally from 28-14 down for the Bulldogs (2-5, 1-3 Mountain West) by rushing for a 38-yard touchdown with 2:37 left. That and a 2-point conversion provided the final points.
UNLV (2-5, 1-2) watched its hopes of competing for a West Division title wiped out and its chances of going to a bowl all but erased.
“We don’t reset goals,” Sanchez said. “We eliminate goals.”
The bye week comes at the perfect time for UNLV, which absorbed a wrenching loss for the second time in a row. UNLV lost 33-27 in overtime to San Jose State a week ago after taking the lead late in regulation.
“We felt we let this one slip away, too,” UNLV quarterback Kurt Palandech said. “This can’t happen. We’ve got to learn from it, but it doesn’t feel good at all.”
Sanchez told his players to stick together and not give up on each other.
“It ain’t last year’s team,” Rebels wide receiver Devonte Boyd said. “It’s a new environment. We’re going to step up to this challenge and get better.”
The Rebels have plenty to figure out, such as getting its offense out of neutral. UNLV finished with 299 yards behind Palandech, who has good athletic ability but seldom is able to throw the ball downfield. He completed 12 of 24 passes for 111 yards against Fresno State.
UNR in the second half on Oct. 3, then San Jose State and now Fresno State didn’t respect the pass enough to back off on the run. Though Keith Whitely rushed for 98 yards against the Bulldogs, he alone couldn’t sustain drives. UNLV went three-and-out five times during a six-drive stretch in the second half.
“You go out there and you get one yard on first down, and you’re sitting there second-and-9 and you’re trying to kill the clock,” Sanchez said. “At the same time, you’re trying to get first downs. It puts you in a tough situation.”
Sanchez said he never considered going to Blake Decker, who started the first five games. Decker has a separated nonthrowing shoulder.
“Once he’s healthy, he’ll be right back in there,” Sanchez said. “It’s a preparation issue. We spent the entire week preparing with Kurt. He did some good things and moved the ball, and that was the decision I made.”
This was a game UNLV had to have against a Fresno State team that had lost by an average of 22.3 points per game, third-worst in the nation.
And it looked as if the Rebels were on their way after a mostly sluggish first half. They went 75 yards on 15 plays, using 5:25 to score 42 seconds before halftime. Palandech’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Kendal Keys made the score 14-14.
That late touchdown gave the Rebels the life they needed, and they scored two touchdowns to build a 28-14 lead with 5:13 left in the third quarter.
The two-score possession dried up, with Fresno State getting a 44-yard field goal by Jimmy Camacho late in the third quarter and quarterback Kilton Anderson rushing for a 12-yard touchdown early in the fourth to make the score 28-23.
Then Waller provided the game-winner late in the game, and he finished with 111 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Anderson passed for 193 yards and rushed for 78.
UNLV had one last shot, but then the skies opens. Palandech, though, found an opening and rushed 39 yards to the Bulldogs’ 36-yard line. But the drive stalled, and Palandech was sacked on third and fourth downs.
Making the night worse for the Rebels, there was a snafu with arranging for Transportation Security Administration agents to clear them for their flight home. The problem was solved before the team left the stadium.
All that remained was a quiet ride home.
“For a long, long time in this program, we found a way to lose,” Sanchez said. “It’s been kind of the nature of who we are, and that’s got to change.”
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65
Check our GameDay page for all the news leading up to the UNLV-Fresno State game.
