Rebels win 38-35 thriller over Colorado State to end losing streak

UNLV coach Bobby Hauck watched his players practice with determination that seemed to contradict the team's dour situation.

He just didn't know if their effort, their refusal to give in, would translate into a game during which adversity would inevitably strike.

And it struck several times Saturday -- a two-possession lead lost in the fourth quarter, a blocked kick nearly returned all the way, an interception returned for a touchdown -- but Hauck's players refused to fold against Colorado State.

Quarterback Caleb Herring, who had faced the most adversity of any Rebel, led UNLV on a 68-yard comeback drive, capping it on a 5-yard run with 1:20 to play for a 38-35 victory.

Linebacker Tani Maka's interception with 35 seconds left sealed the victory at Sam Boyd Stadium, ending a three-game losing streak for UNLV (2-5, 1-1 Mountain West Conference) and dealing the Rams (3-5, 1-2) a crushing defeat.

"We've practiced with a lot of intensity, and it's physical on Tuesday and Wednesday," Hauck said. "We've got a tough-minded, hard-nosed team, and we kind of expect that out of our guys. It was rewarding to see some of that show up tonight on the game field, because we as coaches see it and our players see it daily."

Just before the postgame news conference ended, someone asked Hauck about his next opponent, fifth-ranked Boise State at home Saturday. Hauck said he first wanted to enjoy this victory, and after the month the Rebels just experienced -- having been outscored a combined 119-30 by Southern Utah, UNR and Wyoming -- it was difficult to blame him for wanting to live in the moment.

It also would be hard to blame Herring if he wanted to take some time to enjoy the victory.

He struggled badly in the Southern Utah and UNR losses, losing his job to Sean Reilly, who started at Wyoming. But after Reilly threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown with 5:14 left in the first quarter by the Rams, Herring entered the game for good.

He took time to find a rhythm, but after a muffed punt late in the half gave UNLV the ball at Colorado State's 11-yard line, Herring fired an 8-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Phillip Payne three plays later.

"Any time you do something like that, something positive for the team and the team is getting fired up, it settles you down a little bit," Herring said. "It lets you know that what we're doing works."

Herring threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Payne, who was open by about 15 yards, with 2:47 left in the third quarter to give UNLV a 24-20 lead. It was Payne's 25th career TD, setting the school record.

The Rebels extended their lead to 31-20 with 11:35 to play on a 1-yard run by Dionza Bradford, who gained 122 yards on 21 carries.

But Colorado State scored two touchdowns to wipe out UNLV's two-possession lead. The second score, which put the Rams ahead 35-31 with 4:06 left, was set up by a blocked field goal by Shaq Bell that Rams teammate Austin Gray returned 61 yards to the 4-yard line.

UNLV then picked up three first downs in six plays to move to Colorado State's 34. Herring read an out-all blitz, took a shotgun snap, spun to his left and saw plenty of running room.

"That's something we saw on film," Herring said. "There's nobody in zone. There's nobody spying the quarterback. I knew if I got by that first wave of blitzes, everybody was going to be occupied with his man."

Herring ran 29 yards to the 5, and on the next play faked a handoff to Bradley Randle and ran into the end zone.

But this wasn't just about Herring. It was a big play for a UNLV team that badly needed one.

"We got together as a team, and we said, 'We are either going to take this game, or we're going to give it away,' " Maka said. "We ended up taking it."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.