UNLV vs. New Mexico (Football)

Rebs Turnover Game to Lobos
By ARNOLD KNIGHTLY
Published: Monday, October 18, 2004


New Mexico took advantage of the six turnovers and an uninspired second half performance by the Rebels to defeat UNLV 24-20 in front of an announced homecoming crowd of 19,065, although the actual on hand crowd looked a lot smaller in numbers.

Early in the second quarter following a quarterback change, the Rebels took a 17-7 advantage. Whether it was complacency or overconfidence at that point, UNLV started making mental errors in all parts of the game that would help lead to a New Mexico victory.

Also, the defensive unit got no turnovers for the game.

"I thought when we came out we were doing things I thought were positive," coach John Robinson said. "We came out in the second half and it just seemed to stop."

UNLV drops to 1-2 in the Mountain West and 2-5 overall. With only four games left, the opportunity for a winning season looks remote.

The Rebels started out slow when quarterback Kurt Nantkes threw an interception on their first possession. The Lobos scored five plays later to take an early 7-0 lead. UNLV answered with a 35-yard field goal by Sergio Aguayo on the ensuing possession.

Following the next Rebels possession, Robinson pulled the ineffective Nantkes for Shane Steichen. Nantkes had completed only two of five passes for 14 yards and one interception in three possessions. It was a maneuver that coaches and players said was planned during the week, although it had not been done in the past two victories.

The move paid immediate dividends. On his first series, Steichen found Earvin Johnson for a 19-yard touchdown. On his next possession, Steichen again found Johnson for a 47-yard touchdown. On the afternoon, Johnson got 144 yards on six catches.

"It doesn't really matter to me who's in," Johnson said. "I think whoever's in is going to get the job done."

With 10:39 left before halftime, the Rebels were seemingly on the verge of taking control of the game, but it did not work out that way.

When the Lobos punted on their next possession, Donell Wheaton tried to catch the ball in traffic instead of calling for a fair catch. The ball bounced off Wheaton, and New Mexico recovered. An ensuing field goal cut the lead to 17-10.

UNLV had another chance to extend their lead, but Steichen under threw a pass in the end zone intended for Johnson that was intercepted.

Despite these two errors, the Rebels still headed into halftime seemingly in control of the game with a seven point lead. But, the two errors would carry over into a second half, where the Lobos seemed to make adjustments to what UNLV had been doing, and the Rebels got caught.

"We thought we had it coming in at halftime," senior offensive lineman Joe Critchfield said. "A lot of people were just kinda gigglin' around thinking we had it and that's where it started. We just started shooting ourselves in the foot."

On New Mexico's second possession of the second half, Marcus Smith came around the right side and ran for a 65-yard touchdown to tie the game at 17. After Steichen fumbled to give the ball back to the Lobos, Kole McKamey got behind the Rebels defense for a wide open 34-yard touchdown catch.

On the first play of the ensuing possession, Steichen fumbled again, giving the ball back to the Lobos on the UNLV 17. Although Joe Miklos blocked the field goal attempt by New Mexico to keep the Rebels within a touchdown, Steichen was sent back to the bench by Robinson.

"We had five turnovers, all at the quarterback position," Robinson said. "Neither quarterback was able to function enough for us to win the game."

The Rebels were able to get in position for a 40-yard field goal by Aguayo, but that was largely due to a pass interference call. Any hopes for a Rebel comeback ended with 1:07 in the game when Natkes fumbled the ball back to New Mexico.

After the loss, the UNLV was searching for answers to what had gone wrong in a game they felt they should have won.

"We came out hard in the first half and just came out flat in the second half," senior running back Dyante Perkins said. "And if you come out flat you're not gonna win a game, and that's just the facts of the matter. That's the truth."

Junior free safety Joe Miklos, who had nine tackles to go along with the blocked field goal, agrees with Perkins.

"I don't know if we thought we had it won at halftime or something like that." Miklos said. "As a team I don't think we came out as hard as it would be necessary to come away with a win in the second half."

Notes:
Dominique Dorsey rushed for 110 yards on 18 carries. It was his fourth 100-yard game of the season and ninth in his career.

Sergio Aguayo has hit six consecutive field goals after missing three of his first five this season.

Erick Jackson blocked a punt in the first quarter, the first in 18 games for UNLV.

Joe Miklos' blocked field goal was the first since Greg Estandia's last year against San Diego State on Nov. 8.

Next Saturday, the Rebels travel to Salt Lake City to play Utah. The Utes are 6-0 and ranked in the top 10 in every poll. It will be UNLV's third game against a ranked opponent. They lost to Tennessee 42-17 and Wisconsin 18-3 earlier this season.