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Rebels end season in San Diego.

Welcome UNLV fans to "Scarlet & Play: The UNLV Football Blog", a season-long, inside look at the Rebels. The blog will be updated during the week with news and notes, and also on game day, allowing fans to get an inside look at the happenings at Sam Boyd Stadium and on the road.

A TOUGH ENDING TO A SEASON OF IMPROVEMENT:That was a long bus ride home following UNLV's 42-21 loss to San Diego State at Qualcomm Stadium on Saturday night, which ended the Rebels' bowl hopes.

UNLV ends the year with a 5-7 record, which is more than twice the win total from last year.

This will not be the final blog post, as I will update it a couple more times before the new year.

WOLFE FOR THE TD: Ryan Wolfe just hauled in a 24-yard TD reception to pull the Rebels to within one at 28-21 with 9:48 remaining in the game. It was Wolfe's second TD catch of the game and Clausen's second scoring pass as well.

I am now heading down to the field for the end, so lets hope the Rebels get some stops on defense and the offense can continue to move the ball down the field.

SDSU ANSWERS: Following the Rebel score, the Aztecs moved the lead back to two scores with a long TD drive that was capped by a 12-yard TD pass from Lindley to Henderson.

That made the score 28-14 with 11:20 remaining in the game.

PICK WORTHEN!:Rusty Worthen corraled a tip pass for his first career interception, returning the ball to the 24-yard line and giving the Rebels great field position.

Worthen picked off the pass after it was deflected by Geoffery Howard, and UNLV now has six interceptions on the year, all by different players.

TANK YOU VERY MUCH: Frank "The Tank" Summers capped a 15-play, 69-yard drive with a one-yard scoring burst, giving the Rebels a 15-14 lead at the 14:55 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Rebels then went for two but Clausen was stopped on a run after he tried to scramble for the conversion.

The drive was kept alive on a 19-yard pass from Dack Ishii to Jerriman Robinson on a fake punt near midfield. It was the first completion of the season for Ishii, who attempted a pass earlier in the year against BYU.

This is shaping up for yet another dramatic finish between the Rebels and the Cowboys at Sam Boyd Stadium.

COWBOYS BACK IN FRONT: Wyoming didn't take long to regain the lead, marching down the field on the opening drive of the first quarter and scoring a TD on a 28-yard pass from Chris Stutzriem to Chris Johnson. The TD made it 14-9 and it capped a seven-play, 71-yard drive that featured six runs before the scoring pass.

HALFTIME MUSINGS:As the 7-6 score would indicate, it is a pretty even game so far when glancing at the stats.

UNLV has 166 yards of total offense, (96 on the ground and 70 through the air) while Wyoming has 162 (88 on the ground and 74 coming via the pass). Frank "The Tank" Summers has 43 yards on nine carries, Clausen is 8-for-17 for 70 yards while also picking up 30 on the ground, and Casey Flair has three catches for 31 yards.

The league's leading rusher, Devin Moore, has 51 yards on just seven carries, while Chris Stutzriem is 8-for-14 for 74 yards and the game's lone TD, an eight-yard toss to Greg Bolling.

Dack Ishii has booted a 58-yard punt for the Rebels as well.

ANOTHER DRIVE, ANOTHER WATSON FIELD GOAL:Kyle Watson just hit his third field goal of the half to give the Rebels a 9-7 lead with 56 seconds left in the half. The three field goals are the most in a game since Sergio Aguayo hit three against Utah State in last year's season opener.

ANOTHER THREE FOR WATSON: Kyle Watson just hit his second field goal of the half, this one a 36-yard boot that pulled the Rebels to within one at 7-6.

It capped an 11-play drive that featured an 11-yard catch by Casey Flair, giving him a catch in 46 consecutive games, which is a UNLV record and is now tied for the longest active streak in the nation.

FIRST QUARTER THOUGHTS AND ONE PLAY OF THE SECOND QUARTER: On its first play of the second quarter following the break between quarters, Greg Bolling hauled in an eight-yard TD pass from Chris Stutzriem. It gave the Cowboys a 7-0 lead five seconds into the second quarter.

In the first quarter UNLV got just 46 yards of total offense compared to 110 for the Cowboys, but the Rebels were able to get into field goal range thanks to three Wyoming penalities.

Clausen was a little shaky in the first quarter, completing just three of his nine passes for 25 yards, including a pair to Wolfe. On the bright side though, Clausen started slowly against New Mexico but settled in as the game wore on and turned in a strong performance.

Pomers, who currently lives in Las Vegas, is working on a pilot for MTV.

REBS ON THE BOARD FIRST - 8:19 1st Q: Kyle Watson remained perfect on the season in the kicking game, drilling a 38-yard field goal to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead.

Watson is now 5-of-5 fields and 31-for-31 on extra points.

The game has been choppy, with a pair of punts and no flow offensively by either team to start.

Although the Thursday night tilt is a bit odd, the Rebels have actually faired quite well in games staged on this day of the week, owning an all-time record of 7-3 on Thursdays.

The weather is almost perfect with game-time temps hovering in the 60s, and Rebel fans should make the trek out to the Boyd for what should be an entertaining game. Despite Wyoming winning the last four games, this series is tied 8-8 all-time and UNLV has scored 243 points in its last seven games vs. the Pokes, which included three of UNLV's four best scoring totals since joining the MWC (49 in 2002, 47 in 2001 and 45 in 2004). These two teams have played into overtime two of the last three meetings (and three overall) staged in Las Vegas. In the last four games played at Sam Boyd Stadium, the winning team has not scored less than 34 points while the losing side has always reached 23. In fact, the average score of a UNLV-WYO game in Las Vegas since the MWC began in 1999 is 45-35.

Freshman quarterback Mike Clausen will be making his second career start and he led the Rebels to a 27-20 victory over New Mexico last Saturday, throwing for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

A group of 16 Rebel seniors will be honored during pregame ceremonies.

GETTING READY FOR THURSDAY: It has been a different schedule for the Rebels with the Thursday game as well as the Veterans Day holiday.

The team practiced longer than usual on Sunday and had an early-morning session on Monday that was finished at 8:00 a.m., and today the Rebels are going in the early morning and will finish at noon.

On Wendesday the Rebels will hold a walk through and then head to the team hotel for Thursday's game against the visiting Cowboys from Wyoming.

REBS WIN!Rodelin Anthony returned a blocked punt for a TD and the Ryan Tillman picked off a pass with less than a minute remaining in the game to seal the 27-20 win. It kept the Rebels in the hunt for a bowl bid, improving to 4-6 while earning their first conference win of the season in the process. New Mexico fell to 4-7 on the year, ending its shot at a bowl bid.

Will be putting some game notes up a little later in the evening.

TD TANK, REBELS TAKE THE LEAD! - 5:52 3rd Q: On fourth-and-two from four, Mike Clausen hit Frank "The Tank" Summers on a swing pass that he took into the end zone for a TD. The score gives the Rebels a 20-17 lead, their first of the game.

On the drive junior WR Ryan Wolfe's 11-yard reception that moved the Rebels down to the four-yard line gave him seven catches for 100 yards. That gives Wolfe nine career 100-yard receiving games, which is a UNLV record.

The Rebel defense then forced a three-and-out, giving the ball back to the offense. Also, another UNLV player is out for the game after Ronnie Paulo sprained his right ankle.

LOBO FG - 10:59 3rd Q: James Aho knocked in a 30-yard field goal to give the Lobos a 17-13 lead.

On the injury front Phillip Payne and Lorenzo Bursey Jr. will not return to tonight's game. Also, LB Ronnie Paulo is having his right ankle re-taped and hopefully he returns to the game on defense.

The Rebels are driving down the field on their first possession of the second half and have the ball at the 22-yard line.

AT THE HALF: UNLV got a 10-yard TD pass from Clausen to Rodelin Anthony with three seconds left in the half to pull within a point, 14-13, heading into the locker room. It was the first career TD pass for Clausen, who threw for 124 yards and the score.

UNLV WR Ryan Wolfe has five catches for 76 yards, and the receptions have moved him into second all-time in career receptions.

Nate Carter and Jason Beauchamp lead the Rebels with seven tackles each.

UNM will get the ball to start the second half.

PICK POINTER: For the first time in 28 quarters the Rebels recorded an interception when Quinton Pointer stepped in front a pass and returned it 77 yards down to the 19-yard line. It looked like Pointer was going to score but he cramped up before he got to the end zone.

Four plays later the Rebels got three points off the foot of Kyle Watson, a 29-yard FG that made it 14-6 with 7:39 left in the half.

UNLV's defense then forced a punt, giving the ball back to the offense with a little over six minutes remaining in the half. The Rebel offense has moved the ball well at times, especially on the ground, and getting points off of this drive would be huge.

FERGUSON WITH THE UNM TD - 11:47 2nd Q: Rodney Ferguson capped a Lobo drive with a five-yard TD run that gave UNM a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. UNM's drive was kept alive by a personal foul on UNLV DT Jacob Hales, giving the Lobos a first down instead of what would have been third-and-long, roughly 25 yards.

The Rebels are in great field position following the kickoff after Deante Purvis returned the kick 55 yards, the longest kick return for the Rebels since 2004, when Dominic Dorsey returned a kick 59 yards.

Lorenzo Bursey was injured on New Mexico's last drive and is currently on the sideline.

TD NEW MEXICO - 5:13 1st Q: UNM got on the board first, using a reverse pitch to Bryan Williams, who rambled down the right side line 40 yards for the score. He picked up a pair of big blocks that sprung him for the score.

UNLV came back and put its own points on the board, a 52-yard three-pointer off the foot of Ben Jaekle at the 2:44 mark of the opening quarter. It was the first made FG for the Rebels in 19 quarters, dating all the way back to the Nevada, Reno game. That converted boot was also a 52-yard kick by Jaekle.

JAEKLE WIDE RIGHT - 10:12 1st Q: Ben Jaekle pushed a 45-yard FG attempt wide right early in the first quarter, but the Rebel defense forced a New Mexico punt.

It is a warm evening here at Sam Boyd, with virtually no wind and temps in the low 70s at kick.

UNLV WILL RECEIVE: New Mexico won the toss and deferred, giving UNLV the ball first while the Lobos will defend the south end zone.

Mike Clausen will be making his first career start, becoming the third freshman quarterback in two years and eighth overall in Rebel history to start a game.

Former UNLV and current Cleveland Browns linebacker Beau Bell is in the press box tonight, along with former Rebel great WR Keenan McCardell is also in attendance.

The pregame meal tonight is Metro Pizza, the first time they have catered the press box here at Sam Boyd Stadium.

UNLV Drops Second-Straigh Game To A Ranked Opponent: The final score of tonight's game a 44-14 UNLV loss to No. 12/12 TCU, marking the second time in as many weeks the Rebels lost to a ranked team. UNLV dropped a tough 42-35 game at then-No. 18/17 BYU last Saturday.

Casey Flair caught a pass on the last drive of the game to extend his streak to 44 consecutives games with a catch.

Omar Clayton was on crutches following the game and will have an MRI on his right knee on Monday.

Chris Brogdon recovered a pair of muffed punts for the Rebels.

Freshman WR Phillip Payne did not play tonight because of a concussion suffered at BYU.

I apologize for the blog entries tonight. Perhaps it was a Halloween hangover, but there were technical difficulties getting it up and running tonight and then there are things going on in the press box that kept popping up. Will have things ironed out next Saturday for New Mexico.

Thanks as always for following along!

TCU TD - 2:38 3rd Q:TCU scored its second TD of the third quarter, a 13-yard pass to Jimmy Young, which was Andy Dalton's third of the game, making it 37-7.

Clayton is still on the sidelines with a hurt knee and his return is doubtful.

UNLV QB Omar Clayton was knocked out of the game on his team's first possession of the half, getting hit in the leg by a TCU defender.

The wind has calmed down a lot since it came howling in early in the first quarter.

Nate Carter has nine tackles and Ronnie Paulo has seven.

TCU TACKS ON A FG - 10:18 2nd Q: TCU just added a short field goal to extend its lead to 17-7 after a short punt into the wind by Rebel booter Dack Ishii, who was featured in this week's Gametime.

Spotted down on the Rebel sideline is former Dallas Cowboy defensive lineman Leon Lett, who is currently taking classes at UNLV.

DELAY IN THE BLOG - END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Due to technical difficulties I could not get the blog up and running until about five minutes ago -- or after three touchdowns combined in the first quarter.

It is 14-7 TCU after one quarter of play as the Horned Frogs scored the first two TDs of the game on short runs by Justin Watts (1 yard) and Joseph Turner (3 yards). TCU's second TD was set up by an intercetion by Robert Henson, who caught a tipped ball and returned it to the 34-yard line. Three plays later TCU scored to go up 14-0.

UNLV also took advantage of a turnover, getting the ball in excellent field position following a muffed punt which Chris Brogdon recovered on the 12. Three plays later Omar Clayton hooked up with Rodelin Anthony for a 15-yard TD.

The wind has really picked up out here at Sam Boyd Stadium, with it howling from the open end of the stadium.

BYU just added another field goal to go up 34-28 with 8:36 remaining in the game.

UNLV HOLDS BYU TO A FG - 14:11 4TH: For the first time today a team had to settle for a FG, as the Cougars moved back out in front on a 25-yard three pointer. Before that each team had eight TDs between them, four each.

Clayton, despite taking big hit after big hit, is back in the game at quarterback for the Rebels.

It was announced that today's crowd was 64,081, marking a sellout of LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Clausen is back in the game as starter Omar Clayton was forced to the sidelines once again after taking a hard hit midway through the drive. Clausen also had a nice pass to Summers on a sideline route that went for 22 yards.

BYU BACK OUT IN FRONT - 7:52 3RD Q:BYU just regained the lead on Max Hall's third TD pass of the game that gave his squad a 28-21 lead.

UNLV got the ball to start the half and moved to midfield, but its drive stalled and the Rebels were forced to punt for just the second time in the game.

Here are some halftime notes:

-Summers has two TD runs, giving him 18 career scores through 20 games, including 13 rushing TDs.

-Clayton is a crisp 11-13 for 159 yards while Flair and Wolfe each have four receptions.

-BYU QB Max Hall is 10-15 for 110 yards and two scores.

-BYU will be kicking off and defending the north end zone to start the second half.

It gave the senior from Anchorage, Alaska, 188 career receptions. setting the UNLV career record, passing the old mark of 187 set Damon Williams (1995-98). Flair currently has four catches for 69 yards today.

Clayton is showing no ill effects from the late hit, going 11-for-13 for 159 yards and spreading the ball to five different receivers.

JUST BAD NEWS - 7:59 2nd Q: BYU just blocked Dack Ishii's punt from his own end zone and following a penalty, the Cougars took over on offense at the five.

It was the first blocked punt allowed all season by the Rebels and two plays later Harvey Unga scored on a two-yard TD run to give BYU a 21-14 lead. It was the first time since 2006 that the Rebels had a punt blocked against them.

On the Rebels' offensive position that started at the one, Clausen tried hitting Payne on a fade route down the left side line to give his team breathing room, but the ball was knocked down. C.J. Cox was then ran the ball twice to the five yard line, setting up the punt.

Clausen has remained in the game at quarterback as the Cougar fans have come to life.

Two plays before the TD run, starting QB Omar Clayton was scrambling to his right and tossed a perfect strike to Casey Flair for a 29-yard gain on third-and-long, giving the Rebels a first down. Clayton took a late hit after the throw, getting drilled helmet-to-helmet. He was on the ground for a few minutes but left the field under on his own.

He is currently on the sidelines with the rest of the offensive unit and looks like he will come back in the next time the Rebels get the ball.

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER:BYU moved back out in front on a Max Hall's second TD pass of the game, a 20-yard strike to O'Niel Chambers that gave the Cougars a 14-7 lead.

Hall is 8-for-8 for 86 yards and the two TD passes after the first quarter and his signal-calling counter part for the Rebels, Omar Clayton had a five quarter as well, going 8-for-10 for 68 yards.

The crowd has filled in nicely at the stadium and nearly all the seats are filled.

Matching the Cougars' score was key, as the Rebels have really quieted the crowd here at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

The Cougars had a short field to work with after Austin Collie returned the opening kick 75 yards to the 25-yard line.

Las Vegas natives Rusty Worthen and Jason Beauchamp made the first starts of their careers today on defense.

Today's game will be carried live on ESPN Radio 1100 and also show live on the Mtn. Also, this is the second game this season that the Rebels will be playing on natural grass. UNLV is 1-0 on the real stuff after beating Arizona State in overtime in Tempe, Ariz.

The food in the press box was Tucanos Brazillian Grill and as an added bonus there were fresh donuts when we arrived at 9:45 this morning. The internal P.A. touted Tucanos as the best pregame meal in the country but the Las Vegas media disagreed, going with Memphis BBQ and Outback, which is served in the pressbox at Sam Boyd Stadium.

AFA answered right back with a three-play drive that covered 55 yards, the final 44 of those coming on a TD pass from Tim Jefferson to Kyle Halderman. UNLV kept Air Force out of the end on its two-point conversion attempt, keeping the score 28-26 in favor of the Rebels. Jefferson is 3-for-4 for 131 yards and two TDs.

TD TO FLAIR - 3:09 3rd Q: UNLV wide receiver Casey Flair hauled in a nine-yard TD from Clayton, giving the Rebels their first lead of the game, 21-20.

With that catch, Flair moved into a tie for second place in the school's career receptions list with 183. The Alaska native needs just five more to pass Damon Williams as the Rebels' all-time leader with 188. The TD catch was Flair's fourth of the year, matching his season high, which he set in 2006.

Also, rookie wide out Phillip Payne now has a career-high 102 yards receiving on five catches, including a 28-yard TD catch in the second quarter.

The TD capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that followed Air Force having to settle for a FG instead of a TD after it had moved inside the five yard line.

AFA FG - 7:22 3rd Q: Air Force scored the half's first points, a 23-yard FG by Ryan Harrison that made it a 20-14 game midway through the third quarter. It was actually a win for the UNLV defense, which held the Falcons to the three pointer after they had moved the ball inside the five yard line.

UNLV LB Ronnie Paulo, who injured his left ankle, will not return to tonight's game.

Phillip Payne caught his seventh TD of the year, which is the most in that nation among freshman.

HOUSE OF PAYNE - AT THE HALF: With just 14 seconds left in the half, Phillip Payne hauled in a 28-yard TD pass from Omar Clayton, pulling the Rebels to within three at 17-14.

It was the seventh TD catch for the rookie, which leads the nation and is just one shy of tying the UNLV record of eight set by Lenny Ware in 1996.

NOTES AT THE HALF:

-Omar Clayton is a sparkling 9-for-10 for 115 yards and a TD in the first half and also has nine yards rushing on four carries. That TD pass gives him 15 on the year, the most for a Rebel QB in a single season since Jon Denton threw 18 in 1997.

-Ryan Wolfe has four receptions and Payne has hauled in three balls for 66 yards and the score.

-C.J. Cox has carried the ball seven times for a career-high 30 yards, including his first rushing TD, a five-yard run in the first quarter.

-Todd Newell has rushed for 100 yards on 12 carries for Air Force with a 52-yard TD run for the game's first score. QB Tim Jefferson has rushed for 59 yards and completed one pass, a 28-yard TD strike to Josh Cousins. Overall, the Falcons have 219 yards on the ground.

-UNLV LB Ronnie Paulo went to the locker room before the end of the half to have his left ankle x-rayed.

FLAIR NEW CONSECUTIVE CATCH KING: Casey Flair's reception on the Rebel scoring drive marked his 42nd consecutive game with at least one catch, which broke the UNLV record set by Earvin Johnson from 2001-04. It is also the second-longest active streak in the nation behind Rice's Jarrett Dillard, who has 43.

The drive was capped by a five-yard TD run by C.J. Cox, his first career rushing touchdown and it brought the Rebels within a score at 14-7. The score came after the Falcons took a 14-0 lead on a 28-yard TD pass from Tim Jefferson to Josh Cousins which was the first completion of the game for AFA.

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Air Force has established its option attack with 129 yards on the ground in the first quarter on 19 carries. Four different Falcons had carries to rack up the yardage.

UNLV had the ball twice but punted both times, including a three-and-out on its second possession.

Air Force brought down its band, the first visiting team to do so this season.

AIR FORCE STRIKES FIRST - 5:48 1st Q: The Falcons strike first on a 52-yard TD run by Todd Newell for a 7-0 lead. Newell broke free from the arms of UNLV LB Ronnie Paulo at the line of scrimmage and ran down the middle of the field.

UNLV then went three-and-out and had to punt the ball from inside its own end zone, giving AFA the ball back at its own 46-yard line.

In a first for the UNLV pressbox pregame meal, Qdoba served up a delicious steak and chicken tacos, along with chocolate chip cookes and brownies.

Freshman linebacker Beau Orth, a native of Las Vegas and Bishop Gorman product, started for the first time in his short Rebel career.

1968 TEAM HONORED: As part of the Homecoming ceremonies the 1968 UNLV football team, the first ever team called Nevada Southern Rebels, were honored before the game. UNLV's first QB, Bill Casey, took part in the coin toss at midfield. In all there were 16 members of the first football team that took place in the pregame ceremonies.

UNLV won the toss and deferred to the second half. Air Force will receive the opening kickoff while the Rebels will defend the north end zone.

HALF HOUR TO KICK: There is a half hour before kickoff for tonight's Homecoming game between UNLV and Air Force at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Fans are starting to trickle into the Boyd on a warm but pleasant evening for football and the opening kick is set for 7:06 and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1100 AM, with Dave McCann and Mike Pritchard calling the action. The game will also be shown live on the Mtn., and the audio feed is available the Rebels' website, www.unlvrebels.com.

Tonight's captains for the Rebels are QB Omar Clayton, LB Ronnie Paulo and PK Kyle Watson.

I know this is actually going to jinx the team but UNLV is the only team in the country that is still perfect in the red zone, as the Rebels have scored on all 18 trips inside the 20. Entering the day Oklahoma and Pitt were also perfect but Oklahoma missed a FG inside the 20 and the Panthers went 4-5 on its red zone trips. UNLV has scored 15 TDs and added a trio of field goals on its ventures inside the 20 this season.

And since I said it was a jinx, consider that a reverse of the jinx, so we are good to go for the game.

BACK AFTER THE BYE WEEK - OCT. 13: Just like the Rebel football team needed a break to recover a bit and get ready for the final six games of the regular season, Scarlet & Play is back after resting last week.

UNLV is back in action this week, hosing Air Force in a key MWC contest that will also serve as the Rebels' Homecoming, with kickoff slated for 7:06 p.m. (PT) at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Former UNLV players who RSVP will receive two complimentary tickets (with an option to purchase additional seats at a special rate) and will be invited to a pregame tailgate dinner outside Sam Boyd Stadium. Football lettermen will also receive a UNLV football T-shirt and will be invited to help welcome the current Rebels on to the field for their game vs. Air Force. This year's event will include a pregame salute to the very first Rebel football team from 1968 in conjunction with the program's 40th anniversary celebration.

UNLV running back Frank "The Tank" Summers will hold a live chat with Rebel fans Tuesday beginning at 10:00 a.m. Fans can submit their question now or live during the chat.

TEAM PHOTO DAY - Oct. 6 To open up the Rebels' bye week, the team photo was taken on Sunday, as well as a series of group shots and individual photos with head coach Mike Sanford.

Fans can look at a photo gallery of the day. Thanks again to UNLV Photo Services for their great work yesterday.

During the bye week, the Rebels will have Monday off, practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then have Friday and Saturday off.

Clayton, while scrambling, found Jerriman Robinson in the end zone for a 21 yard TD pass to give the Rebels the lead once again. But the Rams methodically moved the ball down the field on the ground as Gartrell Johnson ate up yardage and the clock. On second-and-two from the 10, Johnson rumbled in from 10 yards out for the TD, and he added the two-point conversion to give the Rams a 35-28 lead.

It was a back-and-forth game as the Rebels came out and scored two touchdowns in the first quarter for a quick 14-3 lead. After the Rams scored 24 unanswered points in the second and third quarters, UNLV regained the lead with a pair of scores in the fourth. Frank "The Tank" Summers capped a 10-play drive with a one-yard burst on fourth-and-goal to pull UNLV within six. Then Clayton directed a seven-play march that covered 94 yards and culminated with his TD pass to Robinson.

Summers finished the game with 109 yards on 10 carries and the one TD, while Clayton was 14-for-26 for 173 yards, two TDs and one interception, just his second of the season. Flair led all UNLV receivers with five catches for 47 yards and a score, extending his consecutive games streak with a catch 41. Jason Beauchamp had a game-high 12 tackles, while Terrance Lee and Ronnie Paulo each had 10.

Gartrell Johnson had 191 yards rushing on 33 carries and scored three TDs, while Ram wide out Rashaun Greer caught eight passes for 211 yards and a TD. Billy Farris went 15-for-21 for 294 yards and the one scoring pass.

UNLV enters its bye week with a 3-3 record, 0-2 in Mountain West Conference play, and will have two weeks to prepare for Air Force, which comes to town on Oct. 18. The game at Sam Boyd Stadium is schedule to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. (PT) and fans can get tickets by calling 739-FANS or by going to www.unlvrebels.com.

Thanks to everyone who followed along today.

HEADING DOWN TO THE FIELD: I will be heading down field to help with postgame, so I will not be able to close out what should be an exciting end to this game.

Summers has now hit 100 yards on the ground, with 105 on 19 carries and the score.

REBELS FORCE A PUNT - 8:30 4th Q: UNLV's defense came up with the stop it needed, stopping the Rams on third-and-five at midfield, and the Rebels get the ball back with 8:15 to go.

Due to a block in the back on the return, UNLV will need to drive 95 yards to reach the end zone. Clayton is 11-of-22 for 97 yards with a TD and a pick, while Summers is nearing the century mark with 91 yards and a TD on 17 carries.

Wolfe and Flair each have four catches, but they have covered just 24 yards each.

THE TANK IS IN - 12:56 4th Q: On a big fourth-and-goal from the one, Frank "The Tank" Summers rumbled in up the middle for the score, using a great second effort to reach pay dirt. That cuts the CSU lead to 27-21, getting UNLV back to within a score.

Now the Rebels will have to step up on defenese and either force a turnover or a punt to get the ball back.

END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: Since the Rebels went ahead 14-3, the Rams have scored 24 unanswered points to take a 27-14 lead after three quarters of play.

The Rebels will start the fourth quarter with a first-and-goal at the eight yard line as C.J. Cox has 29 yards on a pair of carries on this drive. CSU has 390 yards of total offense compared to 245 for the Rebels, and 153 of those Ram yards have come on the ground.

Summers has 88 yards on 15 carries for the Rebels.

MISSED LONG FG: Ben Jaekle just missed a 53-yard field goal attempt wide right, turning the ball back over to the Rams.

If you were listening on the radio as well as following along on the blog, there were technical difficulties but the broadcast is back live. That was just in time for Greer to haul in a 46-yard TD pass from Farris, making it a 27-14 ball game. Greer now has seven catches for 203 yards and the long touchdown. Farris is now 10-16 for 237 yards and the TD toss.

And as quickly as the Rams scored, the radio broadcast got kicked off, forcing Dave McCann to call the play-by-play via cell phone, with Mike Pritchard doing color on his cell phone. We are trying to figure out what the problem is, but the signal in the press box keeps dropping out. We apologize for the difficulties.

CLAYTON PICKED - 10:30 3RD Q: Clayton was intercepted for just the second time this season when CSU defensive end Tommie Hill deflected a pass into the air and then caught it.

CSU started its drive on the 24, but UNLV's defense stiffened and forced the Rams to settle for a 29-yard field goal, making it a 20-14 game.

START OF THE SECOND HALF: CSU will get the ball to start the second half, and following the opening kickoff of the half, the Rams will start at the 22.

RAMS TAKE THE LEAD: Using two big pass plays, the second a 62-yard connection from Billy Farris to Rashaun Greer that put the ball on the three-yard line, the Rams scored a TD to give them a 17-14 lead.

Johnson capped the quick-scoring drive with his second TD run of the game, and it came after a long review as Greer fumbled the ball but recovered it at the three following the long completion.

Farris has just four completions, but the shortest one is a 24-yard gainer to Kory Sperry and the other three have gone to Greer and have covered 129 yards.

Gartrell Johnson rumbled through the Rebel run defense on his way to a three-yard TD run, making it a 14-10 game. Johnson now has 69 yards rushing on nine carries, and was the main weapon on the Rams' 10-play, 85-yard drive. Johnson ran straight ahead on most of the carries, and that will have to be an adjustment that UNLV will need to make as the game continues.

On the kickoff it looked like Rebel returner Michael Johnson fumbled, but the officials ruled that the ball came out after the play. CSU head coach Steve Fairchild challenged the play and the replay official upheld the original ruling on the field. That makes it two straight reviews that have gone the Rebels' way today.

On the injury front, Kubiak is now on the sidelines wearing a boot and not in pads, and although I am not a doctor, I am assuming he will not be playing again today.

Clayton was efficient at quarterback, throwing for 36 yards and a TD while also rushing for 11 yards. Flair has hauled in two passes for nine yards and a TD, extending his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 41.

Wolfe ran in an option play for a 13-yard TD and Frank "The Tank" Summers has 17 yards on eight carries.

The Rebel defense is playing well after giving up a big play early on, limiting CSU to just one pass completion, although the Rams do have 33 yards on the ground on seven carries.

CSU safety Klint Kubiak injured his ankle and his return is questionable.

Earlier in the drive Clayton had thrown an interception, but it was called back due to a roughing the passer penalty, giving the Rebels new life, which the took advantage of.

On the following kickoff Beau Orth forced a fumbled that was grabbed by Chris Brogdon as he was sliding out of bounds at the nine yard line. The ball was originally awarded to the Rebels, and following a review, the call was upheld.

It is a late arriving crowd and it may be due to the cannon they fire, which is abnormally loud and shakes the press box every time it is fired. It was fired at kickoff and then following every score. To ease my nerves, hopefully the Rebel defense keeps it silent the rest of the afternoon.

EATING FRESH BEFORE THE GAME: The meal in the press box was Subway sandwiches, chips and cookies, along with fountain soda.

The sun has disappeared behind the overcast sky and it looks as thought it is going to stay that way the entire game. The captains are walking out to the field for the coin toss and the Rebels who will be calling heads or tails are Ryan Wolfe, Ben Jaekle, Richie Plunkett and Jason Beauchamp. Plunkett originally enrolled at CSU before transferring to UNLV, and the Las Vegas native's father, Art, played at UNLV from 1977-80

UNLV won the toss and will receive while the Rams will kickoff and defend the south goal.

90 MINUTES TO KICKOFF: UNLV has arrived at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium on an overcast morning in Fort Collins, and the Rebels going through final preperations for their game against the Rams. This is the first day game of the season for the Rebels, and they will also kickoff at 11:00 a.m. when they travel to play BYU on Oct. 25.

Looking at the weather report there is a 20 percent chance of rain/snow, but if it does arrive, it should get here well after the game is over. It is currently 63 degrees right now with no wind and it should get to about 66 degrees at kickoff.

After years of having a grass surface, it is a turf very similar to Sam Boyd Stadium, which was installed in 2005. The press box was also renovated, as well as closing the north end zone with seats.

Making the trip with the the team were most of the coaches wives, who pick one road game a year to attend and chose to travel to Fort Collins.

Here are a few photos take before the game.

The game will be carried live on the Mtn., and the radio broadcast can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1100 AM, with Dave McCann and Mike Pritchard handling the play-by-play and color duties.

To help counter that the Rebel coaching staff is having the team get up and leave UNLV earlier than normal, with the team slated to get to be ready to meet at the Lied Athletic Complex and leave for the airport at 8:30 tomorrow morning. UNLV's other day game is in three weeks at BYU on Oct. 25, with another 11:00 a.m. start time.

The latest edition of Gametime With UNLV Football is also available for fans to watch.

Omar Clayton finished with 327 yards passing and three touchdowns and Ryan Wolfe hauled in eight passes for 167 yards and a score.

Jason Beauchamp brought down a career-high 21 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and a fumble return of 11 yards.

The pick came after UNR had extended the lead to 42-27 on a four-yard TD run by Vai Taua.

UNR then moved the lead to 49-27 when Colin Kaepernick scored on a 28-yard run, his third rushing touchdown of the game. Kaepernick currently has 231 yards rushing on 17 carries while also throwing for 167 yards and two scores.

UNLV forced Nevada, Reno to punt on its next two possessions, and between that the Rebels cut into the lead on a seven-yard TD pass from Clayton to Wolfe, the third TD pass for Clayton. The sophomore quarterback has now gone over the 300-yard mark with 318 while Wolfe has eight catches for 167 yards and a score.

Former UNLV lineman and rap mogul Suge Knight, who earned first team All-Big West honors in 1986 for the Rebels, is in the crowd. Also, former NFL Pro-Bowl offensive lineman Jonathan Ogden spoke to the Rebels yesterday and is on the sidelines. Ogden was coached at UCLA by current Rebel assistant Gary Bernardi.

Omar Clayton threw two TDs in the first half.

Phillip Payne hauled in the game's first TD on a fade in the first quarter.

Casey Flair turned this reception into a 41-yard TD.

UNR will get the ball coming out of halftime.

Ben Jaekle's second-quarter field goal went 52 yards, which tied for the sixth-longest in UNLV history and was the longest for the school since Sergio Aguayo's 52-yarder vs. TCU in 2006. Jaekle's boot bested his career long of 47 yards, which came in the first quarter of Saturday's game. Jaekle, a sophomore, is the younger brother of UNR senior PK Brett Jaekle.

When Jason Beauchamp recovered a fumble from UNR QB Colin Kaepernick, it marked only the second fumble recovery by UNLV this season.

Casey Flair's first quarter reception extended his streak with at least one catch to 40, which ranks second in the nation for active streaks to Rice's Jarret Dillard (41) and is second all-time at UNLV behind Earvin Johnson's school-record 41 games.

UNLV true freshman WR Phillip Payne's first quarter TD catch was his sixth of the season. The Las Vegas native has at least one score in all five games this season and incredibly has six scores in just 15 catches. Payne came into the game tied with two others for the national lead for touchdowns by a freshman in 2008.

Chris Wellington's 70-yard touchdown first-quarter catch for UNR marked the third consecutive season that the Wolf Pack threw a scoring pass of least 70 yards vs. the Rebels. Chris McCoy hauled in a 79-yarder in the 2006 meeting and then he brought in a 90-yarder in 2007.

UNLV QB Omar Clayton's lost fumble in the second quarter was the team's second turnover of the entire season (both fumbles). UNLV entered the game with the national lead with only one turnover (previous leader Florida had three turnovers earlier in the day in a loss to Ole Miss).

The drive was kept alive by an incredible catch by Wolfe, who snared a low pass on a post pattern over the middle for 26 yards that came on third-and-20. Wolfe was hit right as he caught the ball, but held on for the first down.

UNR added to its lead on a seven-yard TD run by Courtney Randall that capped a nine-play, 82-yard drive that moved the margin to 28-17.

Clayton was hit at the 40 yard line by Daryll Hill that was picked up by Mike Bethea.

Following two incompletes Kaepernick scrambled on third-and-10 before finding Virgil Green for a 40-yard TD that went down the left side line.

UNLV was then forced to punt itself for the first time after going three-and-out, giving the ball back to UNR at its own 18-yard line.

FIRST QUARTER THOUGHTS: Offense, offense...and more offense. Both teams are having no problem moving the ball down the field, combining for 339 yards of total offense in the opening 15 minutes of the game.

Clayton has thrown for 142 yards and two scores while adding 10 yards on the ground, while Wolfe has hauled in three catches for 65 yards.

Kaepernick picked up 44 yards on the ground on three carries while also completing two passes, both to Chris Wellington, for 77 yards and a score which covered 70 yards.

To start the second quarter UNR has moved the ball to the four yard line and has a first-and-goal. The Wolf Pack used its first time out to talk things over, the first one that was called tonight.

Clayton is now 7-10 for 142 yards and two scores while four different receivers have made receptions thus far.

UNLV's defense then forced the first punt of the game, backing UNR into a third-and-18 at its own 12. UNR's punter Brad Langley booted a 77-yard punt that went into the end zone, giving UNLV the ball at its 20.

Payne has now caught a TD pass in all five games, and has six overall on the season and 15 catches overall. Not bad for a true freshman.

Casey Flair also caught a pass in the drive, extending his streak to 40 straight games with a catch, which is one behind the school record.

Two connections from Clayton to Wolfe covering 54 yards moved the ball into UNR territory, but a penalty and two incompletions forced the long field goal.

Nevada, Reno won the toss and deferred and UNLV will recieve the ball and defend the south goal.

Stephanie Calvert sang the national anthem before the game.

HOUR BEFORE KICKOFF: About an hour before kickoff and there is a unique buzz in Sam Boyd Stadium that can only mean UNLV is getting ready to play Nevada, Reno, with the Fremont Cannon on the line. A large number of fans are already in the stadium and tailgating has been going on for most of the afternoon. The game-time temperature should be in the low 90s, a little warm for an evening kickoff in late September. The average high at this time of year should normally be 90, with it a lot cooler at 7:06 p.m., which is tonight's kickoff.

UNLV graphic artist Paul Palmer had a new phone delivered to him this afternoon, and before the game two special guests of the Sports Information Office -- Wendy and Tricia -- were seen chatting it up in the press box.

Outback is catering the press box tonight and as always, it is a huge hit. Without question, the pregame meal in the SBS is usually among the best in the nation.

NFL scouts have taken an interest in tomorrow's tilt, with the Titans, Packers, Patriots, Buccaneers, Saints, Eagles and Ravens all sending representatives to the game. The seven scouts is a big jump from the normal number of 0-3 that usually attends games. The school record was set last season, when 17 NFL scouts took in the UNLV-Hawaii game due to a certain quarterback for the Warriors.

ESPN blogger Graham Watson showed Frank "The Tank" Summers some respect, ranking him as the No. 10 running back among non-BCS schools in her blog.

Another ESPN blogger, Graham Watson, answered a lot of fans questions regarding the MWC, BCS busting and possible expansion in a mailblog.

Here is the latest update on Jason Beauchamp's season-long blog that is keeping for the Las Vegas Sun.

The latest episode of Gametime With UNLV Football is available, as are game highlights and coach Sanford's postgame press conference.

The MWC has three ranked teams for the first time ever, with No. 24/23 TCU joining No. 11/11 BYU and No. 17/17 Utah in the national rankings. That shows a lot of respect for the conference from most writers and coaches across the country.

The TD came after Iowa State kicked a 37-yard FG to go out in front for the first time in the game.

LETS GO TO OVERTIME: Iowa State just tied the game on a 28-yard TD pass from Arnaud to Sumrall with just three seconds left to knot the game at 28.

The TD pass capped a stunning drive in which the Cyclones got the ball at their own two yard line with no time outs, but drove the length of the field to force extra football.

UNLV won the toss and chose to play defense first to see what Iowa State does on offense. ISU will be going toward the north end zone and start at the 25, and each team will have a time out.

UNLV is 2-7 all-time in OT following its upset of then No. 13 Arizona State, 23-20, last week in Tempe.

CYCLONES CUT IT TO SEVEN...AGAIN: On fourth-and-goal from the one, Austin Arnaud took advantage of a great play fake and ran in for the TD, making it a 28-21 game. Arnaud took the snap and showed the ball as if he was handing it off and then tucked it, turning the right corner and going in untouched for the score.

It capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive that covered 7:24 on the clock.

Jacob Hales and Daryl Forte made great stops on consecutive plays to force the fourth-and-goal at the one yard line to set up the fourth down play.

The big play of the drive was a 22-yard connection from Clayton to Flair on a crossing route over the middle of the field on third-and-10.

It was reviewed, as was the Wolfe fumble, but both plays stood as called on the field.

What was once looking as comfortable victory for the Rebels has now turned into a dog fight with 5:41 left in the third quarter.

FIRST TURNOVER OF THE SEASON: UNLV just turned the ball over the first time this season when Ryan Wolfe fumbled the ball at midfield. ISU returned the ball to the 10 yard line, setting the Cyclones up with great field position.

Wolfe was hit hard in the chest when he turned to go upfield after making a short reception and the impact jarred the ball loose.

CYCLONES ON THE BOARD: Iowa State got on the board midway through the first quarter on its first sustained drive of the game, which was capped by a 28-yard pass from Austin Arnaud to R.J. Sumrall. The Cyclones picked up four first downs on the drive, giving them five total for the game after they had one at the half.

AT THE HALF: It was an impressive first half for UNLV, which rolled to 288 total yards of offense while limiting Iowa State to just 38 yards and one first down as the Rebels lead 21-0.

The 21-point lead is the largest for the Rebels at the half since they lead 30-3 against Idaho State on Sept. 2, 2006.

Thor Pili's first-quarter sack was the first of his Rebel career.

Omar Clayton's 20-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter was his first of the season and the longest rushing score by a Rebel QB since Clayton's 52-yarder vs. Colorado State on Oct. 20, 2007.

Frank Summers' 48-yard catch and run for a touchdown was his first receiving score of the season. The big senior tailback led UNLV with four TD catches in 2007.

UNLV led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. It marked the program's biggest lead at the end of the opening period since the Rebels led 27-3 vs. Wyoming in Laramie in 2001.

Casey Flair's first-quarter catch extended his streak to having at least one reception to 39 games (or every game of his career). That tied the senior for second place on UNLV's all-time list with Damon Williams (1995-98) and put him just two behind record-holder Earvin Johnson (2001-04). Flair's streak currently ranks second in the nation behind Jarett Dillard of Rice's 40.

Flair later added a three-yard TD reception to push the lead to 21-0, the first of the season for the senior wide out.

CLAYTON TAKES A HIT BUT KEEPS ON TICKING: UNLV sophomore quarterback Omar Clayton got the Rebels on the board first, scoring on a 20-yard run before taking a late hit in the end zone.

Clayton shrugged it off and moments later hit Frank "The Tank" Summers on a swing pass that went 49 yards for another TD and a 14-0 UNLV lead.

BLOG DELAY: Sorry for the delays in the posts, but there were some technical difficulties in the press box with the stat crew system, so I had to fix that right before kickoff. The most important thing, as always, is to be sure that the stats are right!

It is a full press box, as there are four writers from the Review-Journal and three from the Las Vegas Sun, the most I have seen in the press box in my time here, including Las Vegas Bowls.

Memphis BBQ was the pregame meal for a second consecutive time, which with their pulled pork and bbq chicken, is always a hit in the press box.

There is a big contingent of Iowa State fans in Sam Boyd Stadium, with probably close to 5,000 Cyclone fans on the east side of the stadium.

UNLV women's golf head coach Missy Ringer is an Iowa State alum, and a writer for Des Moines Register asked her three questions about Las Vegas and her ties regarding Saturday's game between the Rebels and the Cyclones. Scroll down to near the bottom of the story for her answers.

Barack Obama, who was in Elko, Nev., earlier today, flew over UNLV's campus as the Rebels were beginning practice around 4:15 p.m. The 757 with the Obama Campaign logo on the tail and "Change We Can Believe In" slogan on its side was in clear view to those who looked up.

UNLV head coach Mike Sanford, who has conducted his fair share of practices with planes buzzing above Rebel Park and is used to the noise, didn't know that Obama had flown over until someone had told him.

There was also a good story by Graham Watson on the espn.com blog network on the Rebels' win over Arizona State.

TAUMUA MWC POW: Malo Taumua's clutch block of ASU's field goal attempt in overtime earned the sophomore MWC Special Teams Player of the Week honors on Monday, the first weekly award of his career and the first for a Rebel in 2008.

Fans can watch HIGHLIGHTS of UNLV's upset of Arizona State and also catch the latest episode of Gametime With UNLV Football.

We also have Mike Sanford's postgame interview right after the dramatic ending to what he called the biggest win of his career.

Phillip Payne's amazing, one-handed TD catch to force overtime was the No. 4 play of the day on ESPN last night. The freshman has made an immediate impact with four TD catches in the first three games of his career.

There is a great Photo Gallery of the game and Malo Taumua was awarded a Helmet Sticker as well for the blocked field goal.

The Las Vegas Sun has also been doing sit-down interviews with a different Rebel each week called "Killin' Time". Here are the episodes featuring Casey Flair and Frank Summers

UNLV KNOCKS OFF No. 13 ASU!!! Behind the acrobatic TD catch of Phillip Payne to force overtime, a 20-yard FG by Kyle Watson to start the extra session and a blocked field goal by Malo Taumua, UNLV upset No. 13 Arizona State at Sun Devil Stadium.

Just the second OT win in school history was delivered by Taumua, who broke through the line and sent back the Sun Devil FG try, sending the Rebels into a wild celebration and hushing the Sun Devils' fans.

Payne's TD came with just 18 seconds left, as Omar Clayton scrambled before finding Payne, who snared the pass with one hand, his second TD of the game.

Now the Rebels, fresh off their fifth win over a ranked opponent in school history, return to Sam Boyd Stadium next week for a matchup with Iowa State. I hope all the Rebel fans enjoyed the thrilling victory and thanks to everyone who followed along on the blog tonight.

Hope to see you all out at Sam Boyd Stadium next Saturday at 6:00 p.m. (PT). Fans can purchase tickets by calling (702) 739-FANS or at www.unlvrebels.com.

The Rebels moved the ball down the field methodically and used up more than eight minutes of the clock in the fourth quarter. Summers carried the ball eight times on the drive to take his team down to the two yard line. On third-and-goal Clayton was stopped short and the Rebels had to settle for a 20-yard FG by Kyle Watson, making it 20-13.

UNLV has the ball at its own 21 yard line to start the fourth quarter on a possession that the Rebels need to get points from.

Five plays later Carpenter hooked up with Kyle Williams down the seam for a 49-yard scoring strike and a 20-10 lead minutes into the second half.

Clayton is back in at quarterback now for the Rebels.

Here are some notes from the first half:

The Rebels played their fifth game ever in the state of Arizona tonight but the first vs. Arizona State as UNLV had never faced the Sun Devils in football.

This marked the second time in history that UNLV played back-to-back road games vs. ranked teams (2007) and only the third time playing back-to-back ranked teams home or away (2004). The Rebels lost at then-No. 23/22 Utah last week in Salt Lake City 42-21.

After only posting one QB sack in the first two games of the season, UNLV brought down ASU signal-caller Rudy Carpenter on back-to-back plays in the first quarter. The first by Heivaha Mafi and the second by Isaako Aaitui.

ASU's field goal marked the first score by a Rebel opponent in the first quarter this season. UNLV has now outscored opponents 14-3 in the opening period.

Ben Jaekle's 44-yard field goal in the second quarter was a career-long for the sophomore from Las Vegas.

Casey Flair's second-quarter catch extended the senior's streak of getting at least one reception to 38 games - or every game of his career. The streak currently ranks second in the nation behind Rice's Jarett Dillard's 39. The catch also moved Flair into third place on the school's career list with 161 all-time.

True freshman safety Beau Orth picked off Carpenter right before halftime for his first career interception. It marked the third pick of the season by UNLV - all by different players.

True freshman Phillip Payne caught his third touchdown pass in as many games this season to tie the game at 10 late in the second quarter.

SUN DEVILS STRIKE THROUGH THE AIR: The passing game started to click for ASU, with Carpenter directing a quick five-play drive that covered 78 yards and was capped by a 22-yard TD pass.

Carpenter used two big plays -- a 42-yard toss to Kyle Williams down the left side line and then the 22-yard TD connection to Chris McGaha -- to give ASU a 10-3 lead. The scoring strike came in double coverage, as Carpenter floated a perfect pass between Rebel defensive backs Terrence Lee and Lorenzo Bursey Jr.

Carpenter is now 8-for-12 for 147 yards and the TD.

TIE BALL GAME: UNLV kicker Ben Jaekle got the Rebels on the board, drilling a 44-yard field goal to cap a seven-play drive. The 44-yard boot was the longest of his career, as he kicked a 42-yard FG in the season opener against Utah State and he is 2-for-2 on the season overall.

The Rebel offense is going no huddle but with a twist, as Clayton gets everyone to the line quickly in the formation and then look at the Rebel coaches, who call the play based on how ASU lines up.

REBELS HOLD ON FOURTH DOWN: ASU moved the ball from their own one to the UNLV 35 but the drive bogged down and on fourth-and-nine, the Rebels deflected a pass by Carpenter, getting the ball back.

ASU chose to run the ball, as the first six plays of the drive were runs and the Sun Devils ran the ball nine times overall on the drive.

FIRST QUARTER THOUGHTS: The Rebel defense opened up the game strong, getting to Carpenter without having to bring the blitz while also forcing the Sun Devils to settle for a field goal.

The crowd has been rather loud early on, especially the student section.

After a three-and-out on its first possession, the Rebels moved the ball into ASU territory before the drive stalled. Clayton converted a fourth down on a QB sneak and is 3-for-5 in the air for 26 yards.

It was a 50-yard punt for Ishii.

On the following third-down play, Isaako Aaitui and Preston Brooks combined to sack Carpenter, giving the ball back to the Rebel offense at their own 33-yard line.

It was the first career sack for Mafi and the first time this year that the Rebels had more than one sack in a game.

But the Rebel defense stood strong, forcing a 20-yard field goal for the first points of the game.

READY TO KICK: Arizona State has won the toss and will receive the ball to start the game while UNLV will defend the south end zone.

ASU came out to pregame fireworks and the haze is still in the air, adding to what is actually still quite a hot night at Sun Devil Stadium. ASU officials were expecting about 60,000 for tonight's game, but outside of a large student turnout, the stadium has yet to fill in.

Ben Jaekle gets his foot into the ball and we are now underway.

The view from the press box down to the field. Yes, we are a ways up from the action.

Fans are reminded that they can watch tonight's game on both Cox Digital Cable and satellite television, which is being broadcast by Fox Sports Network.

The live broadcast at 7 p.m. PT is scheduled to appear on Fox College Sports Pacific (Cox Digital channel 332) and live on Fox Sports Arizona on DirecTV and Dish.

UNLV's game with No. 13 Arizona State is the final game of the day for the Mountain West, and thus far the conference has turned in a strong day, going 4-0. Air Force, Wyoming, TCU and the Cougars all won. No. 22 Utah is at Utah State, New Mexico hosts Arizona and San Diego State is at San Jose State tonight, along with the Rebels-Sun Devils tilt.

For those of you wondering at home what the press box meal is, it is an array of hot dogs with a big plus of Coke Zero flowing on tap.

REBELS-SUN DEVILS AVAILABLE ON TV: Rebel fans with Cox Digital Cable and satellite television can watch Saturday's football game in Tempe, AZ, between UNLV and Arizona State, which is being broadcast by Fox Sports Network.

The live broadcast at 7 p.m. PT is scheduled to appear on Fox College Sports Pacific (Cox Digital channel 332) and live on Fox Sports Arizona on DirecTV and Dish.

The first-ever meeting between the Rebels and Sun Devils is also scheduled to be shown on various Fox Sports Net channels on a tape-delayed basis beginning at 9 p.m. PT and then replayed throughout the weekend.

Fuimaono, who was the team's leading tackler after posting 14 takedowns in the season-opening victory over Utah State, left last week's game at Utah early in the second quarter and did not return. Fuimaono missed three games at the end of last season with a shoulder injury but still ranked third on the team with 68 total tackles, including four for loss.

"Unfortunately, the results were what we expected," Sanford said. "He tore an ACL and sprained an MCL. The good news is that he is eligible for a redshirt season and we will have Starr back with us for two more seasons."

For the second week there was a stat change, this one benefitting WR Ryan Wolfe, who is flying up the UNLV all-time record charts. Wolfe was shorted one catch against the Utes, as he should have had 10 grabs for 64 yards, which he was awarded on Sunday. The change is a big one, giving Wolfe three double-digit reception games, the only Rebel in program history to have that many in a career.

Fans can watch the most recent episode of "Gametime With UNLV Football", head coach Mike Sanford's weekly TV show on KLAS-TV 8. Highlights of the Rebels' game against the Utes are also available.

Sanford also held his weekly media luncheon on Monday, and between bites of sandwiches and red beans and rice, here are quotes from the head man on the previous game at Utah and the upcoming tilt with No. 15/13 Arizona State.

The score was knotted at 14 all at the intermission but before the half Starr Fuimaono and Ronnie Paulo, a pair of linebackers who combined for 26 tackles last week, were injured and lost for the rest of the game. With the UNLV defense missing two of its key playmakers, Utah scored 21 points coming coming out of break to blow open a close game.

UNLV remains on the road next weekend, traveling to Arizona State for a first-ever meeting with the Sun Devils in Tempe.

Check back throughout the week for blog updates on Rebel football and thanks to all the fans who followed along tonight.

FOURTH QUARTER DRIVE: UNLV put together its first sustained drive of the second half, moving the ball down to the 10-yard line with a nice mix of runs and passes.

It was capped with a nice fad pass to Phillip Payne in the right corner of the end zone for a 10-yard TD, making the score 42-21. It was the fourth catch of the game for Payne.

Wide receiver Ryan Wolfe has put together a strong game, hauling in a game- and season-high nine balls for 61 yards.

PRESSURE ON CLAYTON: Clayton has been under pressure during the second half, as the Utes have been able to get to him. He has been sacked once and hit several times right when he is throwing the ball.

That has caused a distruption in the Rebel offense, which played well in the first half, when UNLV took leads of 7-0 and 14-7.

THIRD QUARTER BLITZ: Behind a quick-strike offense, the Utes turned a tied game into a 35-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Utah scored three TDs, two through the air and one on the ground, taking advantage of a stagnent UNLV offense.

The Rebels picked up just one first down in the third quarter, going three-and-out on their first two series of the second half. The lack of production on offense kept the UNLV defense on the field for the majority of that third quarter.

Utah then converted on third down to keep the drive alive and move into UNLV territory.

UTES STRIKE QUICKLY: Following a strong return to midfield, it took the Utes five plays to reach the end zone and take a 21-14 lead.

Johnson sat in the pocket and found Freddie Brown streaking down the sideline past Quinton Pointer for a 32-yard TD. UNLV then went three-and-out and was forced to punt the ball back to the Utes less than five minutes into the third quarter. Dack Ishii nearly had his punt blocked and John Peel returned the kick all the way to the 26-yard line before Ishii forced him out of bounds.

Utah will get the ball coming out of the intermission and will be going toward the south end zone.

Now some notes:

-Casey Flair's first-quarter catch meant the senior has now caught at least one pass in every game of his Rebel career. His 37-game streak currently ranks second in the nation behind Jarett Dillard of Rice (38 games) and third in school history.

-UNLV safety Daryl Forte hauled in his third career interception in the first quarter. The pick made the Rebels plus-three in turnovers on the young season.

-UNLV QB Omar Clayton completed the first six attempts of the game.

-True freshman Phillip Payne took an Omar Clayton pass 45 yards in the second quarter to mark the longest passing play of the season after two games.

The officials ruled it was a fumble but Utah challenged the call and following the review, it was ruled that Mack's knee had hit the ground before he fumbled.

Utah kept the ball and took advantage of a stunned Rebel defense, moving down the field quickly and scoring four plays later on Matt Asiata's two-yard TD run on a direct snap to tie the game. That knotted the game at 14.

The big play of the drive was a 45-yard pitch-and-catch from Clayton to Phillip Payne that took the Rebels to the Red Zone, where they cashed in for a 14-7 lead.

Backup linebacker Rusty Worthen then had a chance to sack Ute QB Brian Johnson on third-and-long, but he wriggled away and because of the Rebel blitz, he took off down the left sideline 44 yards for the game-tying touchdown.

If fans are wondering why I am not updating the blog more, I am also spotting for ESPN 1100 AM for play-by-play man Dave McCann, and people can listen to the broadcast live in the all-access area of our website.

So during timeouts I update the blog.

Between the third and fourth quarters at Camp Randall Stadium, the Badger student section jumps while House of Pain's "Jump Around" is blasted over the loud speakers. It is an amazing experience if you have ever been there, as the whole stadium shakes and it feels like the press box is going to tumble down.

Here at Rice-Eccles, the student section jumps around on every third-down play in an effort to disrupt the offense. While effective early on, hard to imagine that same enthusiasm being kept up the entire game. Even in the beginning of the second quarter, some of the Ute students in the Muss were not jumping around with great fervor.

Some notes from the first quarter: Omar Clayton is a perfect 6-for-6...UNLV has 109 total yards to just 35 for Utah...UNLV has five first downs and Utah just two.

Although it is a large crowd, it is not quite a sell out and the Ute fans have been a little quiet following the fast start by the Rebels.

Both teams are rolling with no-huddle offenses right now, but perhaps the Utes should have met before that last play, as Daryl Forte stepped in front of a pass from Brian Johnson for the game's first turnover. It is the first pick of the season for Forte.

Starting quarterback Omar Clayton was 2-2 for eight yards on the drive, including a completion to Casey Flair, which extended his consecutive catch streak to 36 games.

But the story of the drive was the running attack, as Channing Trotter added a 30-yard run with Summers reaching pay dirt on a two-yard rumbling run.

Q GOOD TO GO: UNLV sophomore cornerback Quinton Pointer, who dislocated his elbow early in fall camp, is slated to start tonight when the Rebel defense takes the field. Senior defensive tackle Jacob Hales, who is also rehabbing a dislocated elbow that happened during the final week of fall camp, is a game-time decision.

Thor Pili's fan club is out in full force, with a large group setting up shop in the corner of the south end zone. They are all wearing black shirts Pili's name and No. 94 on the back of them.

GAME DAY IN UTAH: The Rebels have arrived at Rice-Eccles Stadium and have began warming up for their clash with the No. 22-ranked Utes, which is about an hour-and-a-half away from kicking off. Fans can watch the game on the Mtn. tonight in Las Vegas on Cox Digital Cable 334 and on DirecTV channel 616.

Everyone in the press box were glued to the television sets for the end of BYU's game at Washington, which went down the final seconds. Clapping could be heard throughout following the Huskies' touchdown with two seconds let. But following the blocked PAT, only a few snide comments about the Cougars' luck and the fact that the unsportsmanline penalty should not have even been called were uttered.

The Rebels are in their new road uniforms and the white-on-white pants and jerseys look sharp for the league and road debut of 2008.

Utah is expecting a sell out for its home opener, especially following its win over Michigan. Also, it is the 10th anniversary of Rice-Eccles Stadium and among the various festivities planned tonight is a post-game fireworks show.

The Rebels will meet tonight for dinner and meetings to cap the travel day.

UNLV defensive end Thor Pili will have quite the cheering section on Saturday afternoon, as the Orem, Utah, native expects to have about 40-50 family and friends in Rice-Eccles Stadium.

BEAUCHAMP DIARY UPDATED: Junior linebacker Jason Beauchamp is keeping a season-long journal for the Las Vegas Sun, and his latest entry has been posted HERE.

Sept. 4, 2008 - ON THE RADIO: UNLV head coach Mike Sanford held his weekly radio show last night, chatting about Rebel football with hosts Dave McCann and Mike Pritchard. The show normally airs on Thursday nights, but with the start of the NFL season tonight, it was moved to Wednesday.

Fans can listen to the show online by going HERE and logging into the All-Access area on the right side of the home page.

DORSEY DOES IT AGAIN: Another week, another special-teams player honour for Toronto Argonaut Dominique Dorsey.

Dorsey was named the CFL's special-teams player of the week for the fourth time this season. The second-year Argo registered 135 yards on kickoff and punt returns and amassed 265 all-purpose yards in Toronto's 34-31 Labour Day win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Monday.

Dorsey leads the CFL with 1,859 all-purpose yards and is also first in punt return yards (573), third in kick-off returns (745) and second in missed field goal returns (120).

FROM REBEL PARK: The team practice in shoulder pads and helmets Wednesday night instead of full gear as the Rebels continue to prepare for their MWC opener at Utah. Senior defensive tackle Jacob Hales (Las Vegas, NV/Las Vegas HS) and sophomore cornerback