UNLV triumphs over UCLA 30-23, securing their initial Big Ten victory in two decades

UNLV Defeats UCLA, Marking First Victory Over Big Ten Opponent in 22 Years

In a thrilling game of college football, the UNLV Rebels secured a 30-23 victory over the UCLA Bruins, marking their first win against a Big Ten Conference opponent in 22 years.

The Rebels, coached by Dan Mullen, started strong, building a 23-0 lead with just 1 minute and 49 seconds left in the first half. UCLA managed to score just before the break with a short field goal, but the damage was already done.

Despite being outgained 250 yards to 110 in the first half, UCLA created a late scoring drive. However, UNLV sealed the victory with a crucial turnover. Marsel McDuffie tipped a pass, and Aarmaris Brown intercepted it with 52 seconds left, securing the win for the Rebels.

Quarterback Anthony Colandrea played a pivotal role in UNLV's success, completing 15 of 21 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. His counterpart, Nico Iamaleava, was 29 of 41 for 255 yards passing with a touchdown and interception for UCLA.

UNLV's impressive performance has made an early case for them to be the Group of Five representative for the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, UCLA's second-half rally might carry over to winnable games against New Mexico and Northwestern.

The Rebels will visit Miami (Ohio) on September 20 to close their non-conference schedule, but specific representatives or players for that game were not detailed in the search results. However, Colandrea and Alex Orji have been prominent in recent UNLV games under Mullen's coaching.

On the other side, UCLA will host New Mexico on Friday, and later face Miami (Ohio) as well. The Bruins will be looking to bounce back from their loss to UNLV and start their conference schedule on a positive note.

It's worth noting that Miami (Ohio) is also an opponent for UNLV in upcoming games. The last time UNLV beat a Big Ten team was on September 13, 2003, against No. 14 Wisconsin. The Rebels will be hoping to repeat their success against the Bruins and continue their winning streak.

UNLV triumphs over UCLA 30-23, securing their initial Big Ten victory in two decades