UNLV absolutely snatched a wild 39-31 victory over the California Golden Bears on Saturday, a game that was pure pandemonium with big plays and swings happening all afternoon at Allegiant Stadium. This one went nearly four hours, but when the dust settled, the Rebels had improved their record to 3-2, just in time to dive back into their Mountain West Conference schedule. What a win to show everyone where this program is, as coach Dan Mullen put it.
Jackson Arnold Was EVERYWHERE, For Better Or Worse
If you were watching, you know Jackson Arnold was at the center of pretty much everything for UNLV, hitting big throws and making plays with his legs. He’s looking way more comfortable running Mullen’s offense, and we saw both the good and the wild side of that against Cal. Early on, after the UNLV defense gave up a whopping 91-yard touchdown pass, Arnold fired back with a 70-yard touchdown hookup to Kayden McGee, tying the game 7-7. Then, in the second quarter, after a totally botched flea flicker where tight end Matt Byrnes tried to chuck it into the end zone only for it to get picked off, Arnold made up for it with a ridiculous 55-yard touchdown run. Just before halftime, he kept the foot on the gas, connecting with Taz Reddicks on a 36-yard touchdown. Reddicks ran a fantastic route, beat the secondary, and hauled in a perfect throw, giving UNLV a solid 24-7 lead. Seriously, this kid’s a playmaker.
Big Plays Kept Flying, And The Game Got WILD
The craziness didn’t stop with Arnold. Quandarius Keyes grabbed an interception on Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s ill-advised pass at the Rebels 25-yard line, returning it to the Cal 28. That pick came right after Cal blocked Matt Choules’ punt at the UNLV 34. But Choules, to his credit, turned around and faked a punt, running for a first down which eventually led to a 31-yard field goal from Ramon Villela. Even in the second half, the game was pure drama. Cal recovered an onside kick and drove all the way to the UNLV 22 before being stopped cold on 4th-and-2. Later, after Sagapolutele got sacked and injured, backup QB Jackson Brousseau came in, found Carson Perry-Smith on a 53-yard wheel route for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 24-15. Then, UNLV fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Cal recovered, and tacked on another three points, making it 24-18. Despite all that, the Rebels held on, proving they can weather a storm. It was also interesting that Jet Thomas, usually their most exciting player, was largely contained with only 47 yards rushing on 16 carries and two catches for two yards, but that just opened things up for Arnold to go off.
What a ride. UNLV now stands at 3-2 as they get ready to jump back into their Mountain West schedule. Next Saturday, they’ll face North Dakota State, which is proving their move from the FCS ranks is no big deal. The Bison are leading the conference and are currently sitting pretty at 5-0 overall. If UNLV brings this kind of big-play energy and gut-check defense, that NDSU game is going to be a must-watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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