5 takeaways from UNLV’s Saturday win over Wyoming

Five takeaways from UNLV’s wild 69-66 triple-overtime win over Wyoming on Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. Improved Palandech

Junior quarterback Kurt Palandech struggled with his passing accuracy last season but was on target in his first start this year, completing his first six passes and finishing 20 of 32 (62.5 percent) for a career-high 252 yards, three touchdowns — including two in overtime — and no interceptions. Palandech’s running ability was never in question and he showed why, rushing for a career-high 157 yards and a key 76-yard go-ahead score in the fourth quarter. It was the second-most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback in school history, behind Hunkie Cooper’s 165 vs. Oregon State in 1991.

2. Running Rebels

UNLV has run the ball well all season but its backfield depth was on full display Saturday, when five players not named Lexington Thomas combined for 401 yards rushing — the sixth-highest total in school history — and five rushing touchdowns against a Cowboys team that entered with the nation’s 37th-ranked rushing defense (138.4 yards per game).

With starting running back Thomas out with a high ankle sprain, fellow sophomore Xzaviar Campbell rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown and added a 18-yard touchdown catch in his first significant action since the season opener. Senior David Greene had 70 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-long 27-yard score. Charles Williams was a little banged up but still ran for 65 yards as he broke the school’s freshman record for rushing yards in a season with 645 (624, James Wofford, 1997). Jericho Flowers, a converted defensive back who started at receiver, added a 34-yard touchdown run for the Rebels, who climbed to 14th in the country in rushing offense (252.7 ypg).

3. Boyd back on track

Catching passes from his third different quarterback this season on an injury-depleted receiving corps, junior Devonte Boyd exploded for a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and has 16 catches for 263 yards in his last two games after compiling 20 catches for 264 yards in his six previous outings. Palandech has clicked with Boyd, who finally got some help from his teammates as five other Rebels caught passes, with Flowers, Campbell and tight end Andrew Price reeling in touchdown receptions.

4. Special teams persevere

UNLV struggled in its return game and surrendered a 60-yard punt return touchdown and a 59-yard kick return. But the Rebels’ special teams also made some big plays. Arbor View High School product Salah Boyce delivered the hit of the game to force D.J. May to fumble a kick return in the second quarter and Campbell scored on the next play, hurdling a defender on his way to the end zone.

Before kicker/punter Evan Pantels left the game with a full body cramp in the fourth quarter, he was 3-for-3 on field goals and averaged 45 yards on four punts, including a 66-yarder. Nicolai Bornand came off the bench and averaged 46.7 yards on three punts, drilling a 52-yarder to pin Wyoming at its own 3-yard line with 1:06 left. Bornand then booted a game-winning 40-yard field goal on his first attempt of the season.

5. November to remember

UNLV (4-6, 3-3 Mountain West) surpassed last season’s win total in what was the second-highest scoring game in Football Bowl Subdivision history (one point behind Boise State’s 69-67 quadruple-overtime win over UNR in 2007). In beating the best team under second-year coach Tony Sanchez — Wyoming (7-3, 5-1) received votes in last week’s Associated Press poll — the Rebels have improved their record in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2003. With two games remaining in the regular season, UNLV, which historically hasn’t hadmuch to play for in November, still has two of its biggest goals in sight — to become bowl-eligible and keep the Fremont Cannon. The Rebels are at Boise State (9-1, 5-1) on Friday before their Nov. 26 battle against UNR (3-7, 1-5) at Sam Boyd Stadium.

After Saturday’s shootout, anything is possible.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.