UNLV-BYU Analysis: Rebel offense struggles; late drive boosts Cougars

the Numbers

Monday, Oct. 1, 2001 | 9:54 a.m.

First Quarter: UNLV 21-10

The Man: UNLV tailback Joe Haro had 40 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown as the Rebels rushed for 64 yards.

Turning Point: Safety Sam Brandon intercepted a Brandon Doman pass and returned it 24 yards to the BYU 24 to set up the Rebels' third touchdown.

Throwing the Flag: A clean quarter. BYU had the only penalty, a five-yarder for a false start.

Game Within the Game: BYU showed why it has one of the most exciting offenses in the nation by trying a reverse, a flea flicker and a halfback option pass in the first 15 minutes.

Second Quarter: BYU 28-21

The Man: Doman had 171 all-purpose yards in the first half and threw two touchdown passes.

Turning Point: Doman hit wide receiver Rod Wilkerson with a 54-yard touchdown pass with 54 seconds left in the half to give the Cougars the lead. Cornerback Jamal Wynn, who was covering Wilkerson on the play, slipped and fell, leaving the Cougar receiver wide open.

Throwing the Flag: UNLV did not have a penalty in the first half.

Game Within the Game: With the Rebel passing game once again sputtering, BYU turned its attention to stopping the run and held UNLV to just two yards on seven attempts in the quarter.

Third Quarter: UNLV 28, BYU 28

The Man: True freshman tailback Dominique Dorsey scored the tying touchdown on a 12-yard cutback run. He also had a 49-yard kickoff return.

Turning Point: Ryan Claridge forced a Reno Mahe fumble and tackle Ahmad Miller recovered at the BYU 24 to set up Dorsey's game-tying touchdown run.

Throwing the Flag: Another pretty clean quarter. Wynn picked up UNLV's first penalty of the game with a pass interference call.

Game Within the Game: Dorsey, seeing his first extended action of the season, seemed to provide a much-needed spark to the sluggish UNLV offense.

Fourth Quarter: BYU 35-31

The Man: Doman rolled left, then scrambled right 21 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 1:14 remaining.

Turning Point: With less than three minutes to go and facing a third-and-two at the BYU 48, the 153-pound Dorsey was stopped for a one-yard loss on a run into the middle. If UNLV had been able to get a first down on the play, the Rebels would have had a good chance of running out most of the clock.

Throwing the Flag: BYU's game-winning drive was aided in a big way by a 15-yard facemask penalty on UNLV defensive end Anton Palepoi, who had sacked Doman for a big loss on 2nd-and-13 at the Cougar 17.

Game Within the Game: With Sam Brandon out with an elbow injury, UNLV's secondary had a couple of key breakdowns on BYU's game-winning drive, including a 42-yard pass play to wide receiver Mike Rigell on 4th-and-five at the Cougar 37.