What a win! UNLV football rallies to knock off No. 23 New Mexico

Dan Mullen said earlier this week he didn’t believe his UNLV football team had played a complete game yet this season.

He still might not think so — Mullen is a self-proclaimed perfectionist — but it sure came close in the second half Saturday night.

How is that for a bounce back?

UNLV beat No. 23 New Mexico 21-17 before a packed University Stadium in Albuquerque, ending the Lobos’ streaks of 11 straight conference wins and 11 straight home victories.

It means UNLV (6-4, 4-2 Mountain West) is bowl eligible for the fourth straight season and keeps the Rebels in the hunt to play for a conference title.

An often maligned UNLV defense this season came through in the final 30 minutes of the game, ending this thing officially via a Tony-Louis Nkuba interception.

It played out like the past three weeks — halftime adjustments led to a much better defensive effort.

UNLV has now allowed just 17 second-half points in those past three games.

It held New Mexico (8-2, 5-1) to 88 yards after intermission.

21 is key

“Our defense played its butts off,” UNLV quarterback Jackson Arnold said. “No joke – the conversation all week was we needed to get three touchdowns to win this game. We had that much faith in our defense.

“Their offense was a lot like North Dakota State, and we shut them down so we just needed 21 points in this one.”

Arnold was terrific in the second half, scoring what proved to be the game-winner with a 44-yard run.

He finished 11 of 26 for 201 yards passing with two scores and one interception.

New Mexico led UNLV 14-7 at halftime in what saw the Rebels make a late surge to get close at intermission.

It was early on what most expected — one of the nation’s best defenses in New Mexico making things all-so-difficult on UNLV.

The Lobos struck first thanks to a 65-yard wide receiver pass that set New Mexico up at the 15. Two plays later, a 3-yard touchdown run from Scottre Humphrey opened the scoring.

UNLV went three-and-out over its opening three possessions, not helped by two dropped passes to open the game.

The Rebels also saw Arnold fumble off a strip sack when driving deep into New Mexico territory.

The Lobos would open up a 14-0 lead on their first possession of the second quarter when Cade Keith hauled in a 9-yard scoring pass.

The drive included New Mexico converting on a third-and-20 via a long run from Kiefer Sibley.

But the Rebels finally put a drive together, going 55 yards in nine plays, finding themselves on the scoreboard when Arnold hit a wide open Keyan Burnett from 16 yards out.

New Mexico would run for 139 yards over the half compared to 63 for the Rebels. The Rebels also threw for 63, as Arnold was 6 of 13 passing. Alex Orji played one series at quarterback for the Rebels in the half, completing an 8-yard attempt.

The Lobos totaled 10 first downs to nine for UNLV. Self-inflicted wounds just hurt the Rebels enough to keep them down at halftime.

Second-half magic

But then the second half began and UNLV was a much different team on both sides of the ball. Arnold kept making big plays, eventually to get UNLV the lead with his long scoring run. The defense was then stellar over a final 30 minutes.

And Mullen, who enjoyed the biggest win of his two-year tenure as UNLV’s head coach, was showered with water afterward and handed the game ball.

What a win, is right.

“It’s great,” Arnold said. “Beating a ranked team is fun and all that but to still be in that championship hunt is the best. I really don’t know what needs to happen for us to get there. I know we have to win out, so that’s our main focus.”

Their next challenge: At San Jose State next Saturday night.

Contact Ed Graney at [email protected]. Follow @edgraney on X.