UNLV Rebels quarterback Doug Brumfield (2) passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against the Idaho State Bengals at Allegiant Stadium Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, in Las Vegas.
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 | 8:42 p.m.
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It’s all coming together for UNLV football.
The Scarlet and Gray added another tally to the win column on Saturday, as they traveled to Logan as 3-point road favorites and toppled Utah State, 34-24. UNLV led by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter and the contest was not as close as the final score might indicate.
The facts as things stand today:
UNLV is 3-1.
UNLV has a burgeoning star at quarterback.
UNLV won by double digits for the second straight week, and third time in four contests.
UNLV forced six more turnovers against Utah State, bringing the defense’s total to 10 on the season (nine interceptions).
It all added up to another cruise-control victory for a team that is looking more legitimate with each passing week. UNLV is already halfway to the six wins needed to qualify for a bowl berth, and with the way Marcus Arroyo has his team playing through the first month of the season, there are suddenly a lot of games on the remaining schedule that look decidedly winnable.
Doug Brumfield — the aforementioned star — turned in another superlative performance, which is becoming a regular occurrence. The sophomore connected on 21-of-31 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown and also added a pair of rushing TDs, leading the Scarlet and Gray to points on six of their first nine drives.
UNLV raced out to a 27-16 halftime lead and added a third-quarter touchdown on an Aidan Robbins 5-yard plunge. The offense went into safe mode from there and punted on its final four possessions, but the defense made it hold up.
Junior cornerback Nohl Williams picked off two passes, including the game-ender as the buzzer sounded. Junior defensive back Jerrae Williams added an interception, as did sophomore DB Cameron Oliver and senior linebacker Austin Ajiake.
Ajiake was proud but not surprised to see his unit step up and protect the lead down the stretch.
“It’s hard to lose a game when you get six turnovers like that,” Ajiake said. “It’s something we pride ourselves on throughout practice, making sure we’re stripping at the ball and getting picks.”
The postgame celebration inside the UNLV locker room was audible through the walls at Merlin Olsen Stadium, and with good reason, as the Scarlet and Gray now look like a team to be reckoned with in the Mountain West.
“It’s too loud right now in there. The boys are too excited,” Brumfield said with a grin. “Another win. Opening conference with a W against last year’s champion is a great feeling.”
After nine straight losing seasons, UNLV fans have been conditioned to expect the worst, but the 2022 team appears talented enough to win even when they don’t play their best. They committed several errors on Saturday — Jerrae Williams was flagged for running into the kicker on a Utah State field goal in the first quarter, extending a drive that ended in an Aggies touchdown, and UNLV later had a punt blocked for a safety — but still strolled to a comfortable victory on the road.
Arroyo seemed particularly encouraged by that aspect of the win.
“We were pretty sloppy in some instances that we haven’t been all season,” Arroyo said. “That’s going to happen when you play on the road against a good, quality opponent. You’re going to have some times when you’ve got to really focus. I think our program has come a long ways to be able to win a game like that and to play imperfect. That’s exciting.”
UNLV isn’t leaving Logan completely unscathed. Wide receivers Kyle Williams (leg) and Jeff Weimer (shoulder) both left the game early due to injuries, a situation that threatens to thin the Scarlet and Gray’s most talented and explosive unit. But all things considered, 3-1 and halfway to a bowl game is a great place to be.
“It’s big,” Ajiake said. “It’s a big momentum boost for sure. The thing is, we’re not satisfied yet. The guys in the locker room are excited and we want to go back and be ready for the next one. It feels good being 3-1, but we know we have a lot of work to do still.”
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
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