LAS VEGAS — For the first time in more than a month, the scarlet and gray were back inside Allegiant Stadium.
And for a while, it looked like the UNLV Rebels were going to cruise to another convincing victory.
Instead, they had to fight for it.
Behind a career-defining performance from quarterback Jackson Arnold, UNLV overcame a second-half collapse and a fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the California Golden Bears, 39-31, Saturday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium. Arnold accounted for five total touchdowns — three through the air and two on the ground — while throwing for 158 yards and rushing for 110 yards as the Rebels improved to 3-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
The victory gives UNLV its first win inside Allegiant Stadium this season and extends its winning streak to two games. For Arnold, it was another chapter in what has quickly become an impressive stretch. After throwing for 3 touchdowns in last week’s 38-10 road win over Akron, Arnold continued his surge against the Golden Bears, accounting for seven touchdowns over his last two games without throwing an interception.
ARNOLD SETS THE TONE
UNLV wasted little time establishing its offense. Arnold connected with Taimane Purcell on a 91-yard touchdown pass, finding him down the right sideline for one of the longest plays of the Rebels’ season.
Arnold later found Kayden McGee deep down the field for a 70-yard touchdown, with McGee making an outstanding over-the-shoulder catch before making a defender miss and taking it the rest of the way.
And Arnold wasn’t finished making plays with his legs. The UNLV quarterback broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown run, giving the Rebels another explosive play and putting his athleticism on full display. By halftime, Arnold had accounted for three touchdowns. He completed 8 of 15 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns while posting a 183.0 passer rating. UNLV carried a 24-7 lead into the locker room.
CAL FINDS LIFE
California suffered a major blow late in the first half when starting quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele left the game with an injury. Jackson Brousseau stepped in, and despite the Golden Bears trailing by 17 points, Cal refused to go quietly.
The Golden Bears began chipping away at the deficit. A blown coverage in the UNLV secondary resulted in a 53-yard touchdown pass to Carson Perry-Smith, immediately shifting the momentum. A field goal later cut the Rebels’ advantage to 24-18.
Then Cal struck again. The Golden Bears put together a four-play, 46-yard touchdown drive that ended with Ashton Emory finding the end zone on a seven-yard rushing touchdown. Suddenly, the team that had trailed by 17 points had taken control. Cal led 25-24 in the fourth quarter. For the first time all afternoon, UNLV was staring at adversity. And Arnold answered.
ARNOLD RESPONDS
With the Rebels needing a response, Arnold took matters into his own hands.
He ripped off a 42-yard run, putting UNLV deep into Cal territory and immediately changing the complexion of the drive.
The Rebels eventually reached the end zone when Arnold connected with Keyan Burnett on a 10-yard touchdown pass. UNLV then converted the two-point attempt, reclaiming a 32-25 lead. He added another rushing touchdown late in the game, his second of the afternoon, putting the finishing touches on a performance that carried the Rebels through one of their biggest tests of the season.
Five total touchdowns.
158 passing yards.
110 rushing yards.
WHAT’S NEXT
UNLV improves to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play and has now won two straight games.
Arnold has emerged as the centerpiece of the Rebels’ offense, and his ability to hurt defenses both through the air and on the ground has given UNLV another dimension as the season progresses. The Rebels will look to keep that momentum rolling next Saturday when they welcome North Dakota State to Allegiant Stadium for the first meeting between the two programs.
