UNLV football loses to Boise State in front of record home crowd | UNLV football | sport

The UNLV football team lost its heavyweight match against No. 17 Boise State 29-24 at Allegiant Stadium on Friday.

It was a rematch of the 2023 Mountain West championship game — with implications for the College Football Playoff — and it delivered on its promise of delivering a historic performance to fans.

The announced attendance of 42,228 exceeded the program’s previous attendance record of 42,075, set in 2002 during a game against Wisconsin at Sam Boyd Stadium. The previous best for UNLV at Allegiant Stadium was 35,193 against Iowa State in 2021.

UNLV (6-2, 2-1 Mountain West) took a 24-23 lead on Jaden Bradley’s 34-yard touchdown catch with 1:03 left in the third quarter. Boise State (6-1, 3-0) responded with a 1-yard touchdown run from Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty that gave the Broncos a 29-24 lead with 12:38 to play.

Boise State then forced a UNLV punt and ran the final 8:09 to seal the victory.

UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams completed 12 of 21 passes for 179 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He ran for 105 yards on 19 carries for another score.

Jeanty had 128 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. He came into the game with the most hype, but the Broncos wasted no time in making it clear they have more than one pressing threat.

On the third play of the game, quarterback Maddux Madsen unleashed a 49-yard run that brought Boise State to the UNLV 26-yard line and helped his team score a 37-yard field goal for the lead.

Williams answered for the Rebels with a 71-yard run on the next possession, giving UNLV its first score. Unable to score a touchdown from the 3-yard line, the Rebels tied the game with a 28-yard field goal from freshman kicker Caden Chittenden.

Boise State followed up the punt after gaining just five yards on four plays, setting the stage for UNLV’s ensuing touchdown drive. It included a 50-yard pass from Williams to wide receiver Casey Cain, followed by another dime to tight end Kaleo Ballungay, who was wide open in the end zone for a 9-yard score.

The Rebels ended the first quarter with a 10-3 lead – and the impressive performance of limiting Jeanty to five yards on 12 carries.

UNLV tried to start the second quarter with a bang, running a trick play that tasked backup Cameron Friel with targeting Williams, but the Broncos defense wasn’t fooled.

The Rebels couldn’t recover from the incompletion. On the next play, they were accused of a false start and Williams was sacked before Chittenden missed a 52-yard field goal that went way too far and too short.

Boise State opened the second quarter with a 39-yard drive that featured Jonah Dalmas hitting another field goal, this time from 44 yards, to bring the Broncos within four points, 10-6.

After another empty drive for the Rebels, Boise State’s Madsen scrambled into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown, giving the Broncos a 13-10 lead with 1:50 left in the second quarter.

UNLV’s mistakes continued to compound when Williams threw an interception on the next possession that nearly gave Boise State a score. A Jeanty touchdown was called back by a penalty, but Madsen still found Matt Lauter for a 2-yard touchdown pass that gave Boise State a 20-10 halftime lead.

Williams rushed for a 5-yard touchdown to open the third quarter, then Boise State answered with a 29-yard field goal to protect the lead at 23-17.

With 1:03 remaining in the third quarter, Williams connected with Bradley for UNLV’s first touchdown. He joined the team this summer after transferring from Charlotte.

As soon as the fourth quarter began, Boise State reclaimed the lead by sending Jeanty up the middle for a series of short runs that brought the Broncos to the UNLV 1-yard line. Jeanty rushed for a touchdown again at the same spot and took the lead back 29-24 after an unsuccessful 2-point conversion.

UNLV failed to score on its next possession and punted after an unsportsmanlike conduct call by senior offensive lineman Jalen St. John before Williams was sacked.

Boise State was able to run out the clock after getting the ball back.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.