FSM Essential Recap: Week 8 - UNLV vs San Jose State

FSM Essential Recap: Week 8 – UNLV vs San Jose State

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UNLV Rebels (0-7) | San Jose State Spartans (4-4)

 

The Rebels started off fast, but couldn’t put the game away in the 4th quarter and fell to the Spartans 27-20 in another heartbreaking loss in their homecoming game.

 

The Rebels started off the game with the momentum in their favor. On the opening kickoff, UNLV pooch kicked the ball in-between two Spartan players. The ball bounced back into the diving arm of UNLV linebacker Vic Viramontes. The Rebels took over at their 19-yard line and looked to put the first points of the game on the board. Quarterback Cam Friel threw a touchdown pass to Stevie Jenkins in the back of the end zone and the Rebels took a 7-0 lead with just under 12 minutes left in the first quarter.

San Jose State came right back and drove down the field, but the Rebels defense forced the Spartans to a field goal and UNLV led 7-3. On the Rebels’ next possession they were forced to punt before forcing the Spartans to give the ball up on downs on the following drive. Daniel Gutierrez then kicked a 53-yard field goal, his school-record sixteenth make in a row, to give the Rebels a 10-3 lead.

Each of the team’s next possessions ended in punts. The Rebels then forced a Spartans fumble, which led to a Charles Williams touchdown and gave UNLV a commanding 17-3 lead. The Rebels were playing fast, physical, confident, mistake-free football and looked to have control of the game. Friel was throwing the ball on schedule, wide receiver Kyle Williams was having his break-out game, and the defense was making plays. Until this point, they bent but they did not break.

After a San Jose State field goal that cut the Rebels lead to 17-6, and with just under a minute left in the first half, Williams uncharacteristically fumbled. The Spartans took full advantage of it as they scored a touchdown with just under 15 seconds left in the half to make it a UNLV 17-13 halftime lead.

 

The Rebels had to get the momentum back to start the second half after giving up 10 points in under 2 minutes.

 

UNLV opened the second half with an 11 play, 57-yard drive that saw Gutierrez kick another field goal to increase their lead to 20-17. San Jose State once again turned the ball over on downs, but the Rebels couldn’t capitalize as they punted on their next possession. This is where the momentum changed and the game started to slip away from UNLV.

The Spartans went on an 11 play, 88-yard drive that saw them cash in with a touchdown. The Rebels drove down the field and on 4th and 1 had a decision to make. UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo elected to attempt a field goal, but Gutierrez’s school-record streak of consecutive field goals ended after his attempt was blocked. The Spartans took full advantage of the momentum they now controlled and drove down and scored another touchdown. The score gave them a 27-20 lead.

With 7:14 left in the game, UNLV took over at their 8-yard line. The Rebels were flagged for a block in the back, otherwise, they would have had the ball near the 30-yard line. it was only the third penalty of the game for either team. Friel led the Rebels offense down the field using the entire clock. With 14 seconds left in the game, at the 11-yard line, Friel dropped back to pass. He was crushed by San Jose State’s Kyle Harmon, who should have been flagged for targeting. The Rebels couldn’t get back to the line, as Friel was on the ground in pain, as was tight end Shelton Zeon III. The Rebels lost another heart breaker 27-20.

“I know we’re crushed. It’s the fifth game now in the 4th quarter. We feel like we’re matched up. We have to make sure we go back and look at exactly how we finish a game,” coach Arroyo said after the game.

 

Rebels News and Notes:

 

• Charles Williams’ first-half touchdown gave him 26 in his career, breaking a tie for fourth at the school with Mack Gilchrist (1968-71)
• Williams’ 94 yards rushing gave him 3,659 yards for his career, which is 74 yards short of school-record holder Tim Cornett (2010-13)
• Kyle Williams posted his first 100-yard game of the season and the third of his young career with seven catches for 117 yards
• This marked the fourth time this season that UNLV led at halftime (17-10) and the second straight outing the team held a lead after the third quarter this fall (20-13).
• UNLV fell to 26-27 all-time on Homecoming.
• The Rebels lost by a touchdown or less for the fourth straight outing and fifth time this season.

 

UNLV will now travel to Reno to take on UNR on Nevada Day, next Friday. The annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm kickoff and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.

UNLV vs San Jose State                            UNLV vs San Jose State                         UNLV vs San Jose State                 UNLV vs San Jose State                            UNLV vs San Jose State                         UNLV vs San Jose State                 UNLV vs San Jose State                            UNLV vs San Jose State                         UNLV vs San Jose State                                          

– Joe Arrigo – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Matt on Twitter @JoeArrigoFSM

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