UNLV comes back, edges Hawaii 34-33 in thriller
Fade passes to sophomore receiver Phillip Payne are nearly automatic, and UNLV couldn’t have picked a better time to call one Saturday night.
Quarterback Omar Clayton’s 15-yard pass to a leaping Payne over Hawaii cornerback Tank Hopkins in the right corner of the end zone with 36 seconds remaining gave the Rebels a 34-33 victory at Sam Boyd Stadium before a crowd of 29,717.
Clayton said he was surprised to see Payne in single coverage, especially in that situation. Payne has made a habit of catching fade passes in the end zone.
“A lot of teams in the red zone like to have the safety over to double cover Phil,” Clayton said. “They didn’t, so it was an opportunity to get to the jump ball, and he did what he usually does.” Payne also did that in the third quarter, his 8-yard catch of a fade giving the Rebels their first lead, 21-20.
He expected double coverage in the final minute with the Rebels trying to take the lead. “I was real surprised,” Payne said.
The play gave the Rebels (2-1) a big victory. Their fortitude was tested after losing a 23-21 decision the week before to Oregon State.
And that fortitude was challenged several times by Hawaii (2-1). The Warriors twice took the lead in the fourth quarter, and both times UNLV responded immediately with touchdown drives.
“I think the big thing that we talked about this week is people who are successful in the clutch love being in the clutch,” UNLV coach Mike Sanford said. “Instead of being afraid of it, look at it as a great opportunity, and our guys did.”
The Rebels, who will play at Wyoming on Saturday to open Mountain West Conference play, got some big performances in totaling 460 yards.
Clayton completed 28 of 43 passes for a career-high 340 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Ryan Wolfe caught nine passes for 130 yards — he also went over 3,000 career yards — and Payne had eight receptions for 94 yards.
But so many plays went against UNLV, in some ways it was amazing the Rebels were in the game. Hawaii quarterback Greg Alexander completed 31 of 48 passes for 477 yards and three touchdowns, and three Warriors receivers broke 100 yards. Plus, Clayton threw two interceptions, including one near Hawaii’s goal line.
UNLV had another drive stall in the red zone, and kicker Kyle Watson missed a 24-yard field goal. That same drive, however, opened the second half by taking almost nine minutes off the clock. It not only kept Hawaii’s offense off the field, but gave the Rebels confidence they could move the ball. And they did. Their next — and final — three drives ended with touchdowns.
The Rebels’ decisive series covered 67 yards on 14 plays, consuming 4:40 and ending with the fade to Payne. The Warriors took a chance leaving Payne in single coverage, and it cost them.
“Yeah, it was a mismatch,” Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said. “But we had a full-out blitz and hit (Clayton) the two times before he got that one off.”
Hawaii had one last shot, reaching midfield in the closing seconds, and a desperation pass by Alexander as time expired fell incomplete in the end zone after Wolfe and safety Chris Jones knocked it down.
“We just laid it out all on the line today,” Wolfe said.
INJURY UPDATE — UNLV wide receiver Rodelin Anthony suffered an apparent concussion and isn’t expected to play at Wyoming. Guard Sean Tesoro is out for the season with a broken right ankle.
HOW THEY SCORED
UNLV 34, Hawaii 33
Hawaii- 10- 10- 0- 13 — 33
UNLV- 7- 7- 7- 13 — 34
FIRST QUARTER
Hawaii 3, UNLV 0, 11:23 — FG Scott Enos 20. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 3:37. Key play: On third-and-1, Greg Alexander completes a 32-yard pass to Kealoha Pilares to Rebels’ 3-yard line.
UNLV 7, Hawaii 3, 4:12 — Mike Clausen 2 run (Kyle Watson kick). Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:47. Key play: Rebels tailback Channing Trotter starts right, but there is no running room, so he breaks to left for a 15-yard run to Hawaii’s 2.
Hawaii 10, UNLV 7, 1:23 — Greg Salas 54 pass from Alexander (Enos kick). Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:11. Key play: UNLV defensive end Jason Beauchamp pressures Alexander, who zips a pass on the run to a wide-open Salas.
SECOND QUARTER
Hawaii 17, UNLV 7, 3:24 — Rodney Bradley 39 pass from Alexander (Enos kick). Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 3:25. Key play: The Rebels are in position to score at Hawaii’s 12, but Omar Clayton forces a pass into triple coverage that’s intercepted by Warriors safety Richard Torres.
Hawaii 17, UNLV 14, 1:35 — Jerriman Robinson 42 pass from Clayton (Watson kick). Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 1:43. Key play: UNLV looks as if it will face third-and-13 after Clayton loses 3 yards, but Hawaii defensive tackle Tuika Tufaga is called for taunting, giving the Rebels a first down at the Hawaii 47.
Hawaii 20, UNLV 14, 0:00 — FG Enos 47. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 1:29. Key play: On third-and-2, Alexander tosses a short pass to Bradley, whose catch and run goes 26 yards to the Rebels’ 37.
THIRD QUARTER
UNLV 21, Hawaii 20, 0:29 — Phillip Payne 8 pass from Clayton (Watson kick). Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:58. Key plays: The Rebels convert third downs with passes to Payne of 7 and 16 yards.
FOURTH QUARTER
Hawaii 27, UNLV 21, 3:24 — Salas 23 pass from Alexander (Enos kick). Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 3:49. Key play: Alexander converts on fourth-and-1 with a 2-yard sneak to the Rebels’ 23.
UNLV 28, Hawaii 27, 8:53 — Clayton 11 run (Watson kick). Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:34. Key plays: UNLV opens the drive with a 52-yard pass to Ryan Wolfe to the 23.
Hawaii 33, UNLV 28, 5:27 — Alex Green 2 run (pass failed). Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 3:17. Key play: Pass interference penalty on UNLV cornerback Mike Grant gives Hawaii the ball at the Rebels’ 2.
UNLV 34, Hawaii 33, 0:36 — Payne 15 pass from Clayton (Watson kick). Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 4:40. Key plays: UNLV picks up five first downs.
TEAM STATISTICS
HAW--- UNLV
First downs-- 23-- 28
Rushes-yards-- 15-28-- 35-120
Passing yards-- 477-- 340
Passes-- 31-48-1-- 28-43-2
Return yards-- 21-- 0
Punts-avg-- 1-39.0-- 2-44.5.
Fumbles-lost-- 0-0-- 0-0
Penalties-yards-- 5-40-- 6-60
Time of possession-- 25:46-- 34:14
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Hawaii, Alexander 9-17, Green 3-10, Wright-Jackson 3-1. UNLV, Trotter 15-68, Clayton 9-19, Cox 4-12, Wolfe 2-10, Clausen 2-5, Johnson 1-3, Brogdon 1-3.
PASSING — Hawaii, Alexander 31-48-1 477. UNLV, Clayton 28-43-2 340.
RECEIVING — Hawaii, Pilares 13-146, Bradley 8-189, Salas 6-104, Pollard 2-22, Wright-Jackson 2-15. UNLV, Wolfe 9-130, Payne 8-94, Robinson 3-69, Watkins 2-17, Johnson 2-13, Trotter 2-7, Anthony 1-5, Barrett 1-5.
MISSED FIELD GOALS — Hawaiii, 1-31. UNLV, 1-24.
A — 29,717.
