(Photo Credit - Paloma Villicana)
UNLV wanted a stage, and on Saturday night, Allegiant Stadium gave them one. Under the lights on Hispanic Heritage Night, the Rebels landed their biggest punch yet in the Dan Mullen era: a 30–23 win over UCLA, their first victory against a Big Ten opponent.
It wasn’t pretty all the way through. It didn’t have to be. The Rebels built a 23–0 cushion with layered tempo, clean possessions, and quarterback Anthony Colandrea’s sharp execution. Then, when UCLA clawed back to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, UNLV found the counterpunch and closed the door.
“Great team win,” Mullen said afterward. “We were really efficient in the first half. They got us out of rhythm in the second, but we did what we needed to finish.”
First Half: Efficiency and Edge
UNLV dictated terms early. Ramon Villela’s 50-yard field goal capped an 11-play opening drive that chewed nearly seven minutes. Colandrea then found Nick Elksnis and Troy Omeire for touchdown strikes of 21 yards apiece. When Keyvone Lee darted in from 19 yards after a Bruin fumble, the Rebels led 23–0 and Allegiant roared.
The Bruins managed a field goal before halftime, but the Rebels had already shown the blueprint: long drives, precision passing, and no turnovers.
The Third-Quarter Gut Check
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star, steadied his team with a touchdown and field goal drive to trim the deficit to 23–13. By then, the Bruins had flipped rhythm, controlling the ball and pushing UNLV into quick three-and-outs.
But unlike Rebel teams of the past, this one didn’t fold. Early in the fourth, Colandrea hit tight end Var’Keyes Gumms on a 17-yard strike to restore a two-score cushion. UCLA closed again behind Iamaleava’s legs and Mateen Bhaghani’s third field goal, but the final drive ended with an interception in Rebel territory.
Ballgame.
By the Numbers
Plays vs. efficiency: UCLA ran 72 plays for 428 yards; UNLV 53 for 351. Rebels averaged 6.6 yards per snap to the Bruins’ 5.9.
Money downs: UNLV went 5-of-10 on third down. UCLA went 3-of-13.
Red zone: UNLV 2-for-2 with both trips ending in touchdowns. UCLA 4-for-4, but three were field goals.
Turnovers: Rebels committed none, extending their Mountain West record streak to 17 games with one or fewer. UCLA gave it away twice.
Penalties: Sloppy night — 27 combined flags for 259 yards, with both teams gifting momentum.
The Headliners
Anthony Colandrea: 15-of-21, 203 yards, 3 touchdowns, no picks; added 59 rushing yards. Efficient and decisive.
Keyvone Lee: One carry, one score: a 19-yard burst that pushed the lead to three scores in the second quarter. Added two catches for 27 yards.
Var’Keyes Gumms: Transfer tight end sealed it with a 17-yard touchdown grab.
Aamaris Brown: Tone-setter on defense, part of a unit that forced two turnovers and held UCLA to field goals in the red zone.
From the Podium
Mullen on the atmosphere: “That was a big-time college football atmosphere. The fans created noise that caused penalties. It was a huge win for UNLV — and for Las Vegas.”
On rhythm swings: “We had it in the first half, they had it in the third. Our answer plays in the fourth were the difference.”
Colandrea on chemistry: “We’ve been together since January. We’re a family off the field — if you’re close off the field, you win ball games.”
Brown on defensive culture: “It’s Monday-through-Thursday. Do your 1/11th. We executed from play one to the last — that’s why we won.”
Why It Matters
UNLV is 3–0 in back-to-back seasons. They’ve beaten a Big Ten team, protected Allegiant, and continued to stack evidence that this program’s ceiling is higher than outsiders want to admit.
“It’s Vegas versus L.A.,” Mullen said. “That’s a rivalry game to me. We want to schedule up, bring big games here, and play in those atmospheres.”
For a program that’s gone from 0–6 to 11 wins in four seasons, Saturday wasn’t just a result; it was validation. Culture confirmed. Ceiling raised.
Final: UNLV 30, UCLA 23.