New FSM Essential Recap: UNLV vs Fresno State - Week 11

New FSM Preview: UNLV vs Fresno State – Week 11

Franchise Sports Media

UNLV Rebels (4-6)  |  Fresno State Bulldogs (6-4)

 

UNLV’s valiant effort falls short as Fresno State takes over Las Vegas with a 37-30 victory.

 

UNLV has now dropped five games in a row after a fantastic start to the season. The Rebels played much better in this outing than the previous losses on this snide, yet it was not enough to at least beat a Bulldogs team that traveled with fans in bunches.

UNLV was able to find some fluidity within their offense in the first half of the game, as the Rebels took a 16-14 lead into halftime. Behind the hard rushing efforts of the Aiden Robbins and Doug Brumfield duo, UNLV did not have any turnovers in the first 30-minutes and went into the break with a lead rather than a deficit.

Robbins and Brumfield got things going on the ground in the first half. Brumfield scored another rushing touchdown on the year and escaped multiple sacks from a Bulldogs defense that was bringing a ton of pressure. Before the half, Brumfield was the last Rebel to the locker room, hampering some sort of injury. The sophomore had battled the previous few weeks with lower body and concussion ailments to hold him out for a few games.

 

No quit from Robbins and Brumfield tandem.

 

Brumfield would find a way to stay in this game, though, thankfully for UNLV, his toughness shined through again as, towards the back end of the third quarter, he made one of his best throws of the season to keep UNLV in the game. A rope down the seam to Shelton Zeon III led UNLV to another field goal from Daniel Gutierrez.

Fresno State had used their high-paced offense to open the second half and put UNLV on the back foot. After an opening half 10-play drive that led to a short Haener touchdown pass, UNLV instantly had to play catch up.

Leading 24-19, the Bulldogs started to dial up the deep ball, and although they were not completing their passes, pass interference was called to keep Fresno State moving into UNLV territory. However, the Rebels would stuff a third-and-one to force the Bulldogs to settle for a field goal and take a 27-19 lead.

Trailing in the fourth quarter, UNLV’s offense would explode on a fourth-and-one with a 61-yard Robbins touchdown run. UNLV would go for the two-point conversion and break out the Philly special to tie the game at 27-27.

 

The bulldogs make the bigger plays late. 

 

In the final 10 minutes of an arduous Mountain West battle, Haener would find Moreno-Cropper for another touchdown, a massive 65-yard catch and run that had put Moreno-Cropper at six total touchdowns against UNLV in their last two meetings.

In response, UNLV would need the drive to come down the field and tie the game on a crucial fourth, and once again, they would be stopped short, turning over downs and giving the ball to Fresno State, to the pleasure of a very noticeable Fresno State fan base.

Fresno State would drive through a field goal to give them a 10-point lead, and they would close this game out with that lead, winning 37-30 after a spread covering Gutierrez. 

 

UNLV travels to Hawaii to take on the Rainbow Warriors next Saturday at 8:00PM on CBSS.

UNLV vs Fresno State                             UNLV vs Fresno State                                  UNLV vs Fresno State                     UNLV vs Fresno State                             UNLV vs Fresno State                                  UNLV vs Fresno State                                                                                

– Brandon Steele – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Brandon on Twitter and IG @SteeleBomb17

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