Hitting The Wall: UNLV Football Gets Buried For Second Straight Week, Losing, 42-7, to Air Force Saturday
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Get better soon, Doug Brumfield, because the Cinderella Rebels’ season looks like it hit midnight in San Jose last week when UNLV’s star quarterback was injured.
The UNLV quarterback, who sparked the Rebs to a 4-1 start, was out against Air Force at Allegiant Stadium Saturday night. He — like the rest of the UNLV faithful — witnessed the Colorado Springs-based military academy ease to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter en route to an easy Air Force win over UNLV in the teams’ 24th all-time matchup.
The damage began a week again in San Jose, where San Jose State toyed with UNLV. The overwhelming loss slowed UNLV’s quick start this season and also cost Brumfield playing time with an injury.
Brumfield’s backup, Cameron Friel, fumbled twice in the first half tonight and another UNLV fumble on a kickoff return added up for some easy Air Force scores.
UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo said he was disappointed with the fumbles.
Disappointed in the way we took care of the ball offensively and put ourselves behind the stakes, that’s the bottom line. I’m disappointed in the way we started the game, moved the ball and didn’t take care of it. We’ve done a good job this season, for the most part, but you can’t put yourself behind the eight ball versus a team that is that effective. — Marcus Arroyo
Air Force led 28-0 in the second quarter before Friel tossed a touchdown pass to Ricky White to make the score, 28-7, at the half.
The Falcons took the third quarter kickoff and methodically ran the ball down the field, chewing up nearly seven minutes of clock for a 35-7 lead.
The beatdown left UNLV with a 4-3 record after seven games a week before the Rebels hop a flight to South Bend, Illinois when they play Notre Dame in storied Notre Dame Stadium.
After UNLV defeated Utah State on the road for its third win of the season on Sept. 24 and New Mexico, 31-20, for win number four on Sept. 30 there was so much hope that this was the season that the Rebels would turn the corner and be respectable after 0-6 and 2-10 records the past two seasons.
UNLV entered the Air Force game tonight with a 4-2 record and a win would have given the Rebels a 5-2 record for the first time since the Randall Cunningham days in 1984. But tonight’s Mountain West contest was never competitive.
Air Force tacked on another short touchdown later in the third quarter and led, 42-7, after three quarters.
Arroyo then pulled Friel and replaced him with Harrison Bailey, the transfer from Tennessee.
By the end of the third quarter, Air Force had outgained UNLV, 349-160. The run-based Air Force attack churned out 335 yards rushing of that 349.
The fourth quarter mercifully zipped along and your final score: Air Force 42 UNLV 7. Air Force piled up 420 total yards, including 406 on the ground. UNLV mustered only 179 total yards. Brad Roberts ran for 144 yards and four touchdowns, while John Eldridge ran for another 116, including a 60-yarder after a Friel fumble.
Air Force attempted three passes and completed one throw for 14 yards.
UNLV announced attendance at 23,847.
