UNLV outlasts New Mexico in a 56-42 shootout.
The UNLV duo of quarterback Caleb Herring and receiver Devante Davis hooked up on three touchdowns Saturday to overcome New Mexico's record-setting ground attack in the Rebels' 56-42 victory Saturday.
The win snaps UNLV's 23-game road losing streak.
Herring, who finished with four touchdown passes, found Davis on a 7-yard scoring pass with 4:46 to go to put UNLV (3-2, 1-0 Mountain West) up to stay. And Rebels running back Tim Cornett capped his career night with a 75-yard scoring run 1:31 later for his third touchdown, finishing with a career high 179 yards on 25 carries.
The Lobos had three rushers gain more than 100 yards for the first time in school history, led by Kasey Carrier's 192 yards on 25 carries.
Carlos Wiggins had three touchdowns while combining for 176 yards rushing and receiving while quarterback Cole Gautsche completed the 100-yard trio with 108 yards on 18 carries.
Davis finished with a career-high 10 catches for 164 yards while Herring went 24-34 for 293 yards.
The Lobos (1-3, 0-1) built an early 14-0 lead with Gautsche tossing an option pitch five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, leading to a 62-yard scoring run down the sidelines for Wiggins.
UNLV began its comeback midway through the first quarter when Marcus Sullivan took an end around 69 yards for a score. Then the Rebels quickly cashed in a New Mexico fumble at its own 34 with Cornett going in from four yards out to tie it.
The teams traded touchdowns the rest of the half as defense was a mere rumor, leaving it tied at 35-35 at the break. Early in the second quarter, Herring hit Davis for a 47-yard touchdown.
The teams combined for 749 yards at halftime, including 400 yards rushing for New Mexico.
The Rebels were able to continue their offensive onslaught in the second half with Davis taking another Herring pass from 11 yards out for the score and the first UNLV lead at 42-35.
Although New Mexico was able to respond late in the quarter on a Gautsche to Wiggins 43-yard scoring strike off a play-action fake to tie it at 42-42, the UNLV defense began to assert itself from that point on.
The Lobos gained 67 yards the rest of the game and lost a fumble, getting no closer than midfield at any point.
The teams still combined for 1,149 total yards, but UNLV held New Mexico to 140 yards in the second half, 97 of that coming on the ground.