virt(UNLV): Rebels come up short in shootout, BYU prevails 42-35

the virtual Ryan Greene

Friday, Oct. 24, 2008 | 4:47 p.m.

virtUNLV: BYU 42, UNLV 35

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Check out how the Rebels fare in virtual competition against the BYU Cougars.

The virtual Rebel defense for the fourth straight week had a tough time consistently slowing down an opposing offense, but Omar Clayton & Co. kept things interesting until the end.

BYU only totaled 299 yards of total offense, but the big plays came back to bite UNLV and kept the Rebels fighting from behind.

Michael Reed caught a 48-yard pass from Max Hall midway through the first quarter to start off the scoring, but Casey Flair caught a four-yarder from Clayton to cap UNLV's responding drive with a score.

The Cougars' big push came on the ensuing kickoff, when Austin Collie went 92 yards to fire up the LaVell Edwards Stadium crowd. An interception return a few minutes later put the Cougs up 21-7.

Phillip Payne tied the school's freshman receiving touchdown record with his eighth scoring grab of the season just under the two-minute mark in the first half, and then the Rebel defense came through. Lorenzo Bursey Jr. picked off a Hall pass as time expired in the second quarter, shot towards the sideline and returned it 75 yards to pay dirt.

Three straight BYU offensive scores made it 42-21 through three quarters and made it look like a laugher as the game headed to the fourth quarter. Clayton, though, scored on touchdown runs of four and two yards to cut the Cougars' lead to seven points.

UNLV got one final shot with the ball with 1:14 to play, but on a corner blitz, Clayton threw a ball towards the sideline for Payne, which was intercepted, giving the Cougars a 42-35 virtual victory.

Some final numbers of note ...

Clayton went 27-of-40 for 275 yards and two TD passes. He was intercepted five times, though. He also ran for 104 yards and two scores ... Payne caught six passes for 70 yards, while Frank Summers had 112 receiving yards out of the backfield ... Reed led BYU with 106 yards on seven catches ... Hall was an efficient 22-of-28 for 242 yards, four touchdowns and just one interception.