Turnovers plague Rebels in loss

September 28, 2009 by Sage Sammons 

Four total turnovers are key reason UNLV fell to Wyoming

At 7,200 feet, the Wyoming Cowboys took UNLV’s breath away and the Rebels suffocated.

The Rebels suffered their second loss of the season, as they lost to Wyoming 30-27.

Wyoming kicked the go-ahead field goal with just over four minutes left in the game and UNLV couldn’t answer. The Rebels had a chance to tie the game with a 1:19, but the field goal wasn’t even kicked, as they fumbled the snap and the Cowboys recovered. Wyoming ran the clock down to eight seconds and the Rebels couldn’t convert.

“We had our opportunities to win the game and we didn’t play well enough to win. That’s all it comes down to,” said head coach Mike Sanford. “On this day, they played better than us.”

The one player who visibly outplayed the Rebels was Wyoming quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels. The true freshmen went 24-37 for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Outside the pocket, he created havoc with his legs, rushing for 34 yards.

“[Carta-Samuels] had his coming out party. He did a phenomenal job,” said Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen. “We were put in a situation two or three times where the offense had to answer and they came out and did it.”

With this defeat, UNLV’s streak of conference losses on the road was continued to a school record of 20 losses.

Ryan Wolfe, who ended the day with 96 yards and his first touchdown of his senior season, led the Rebels on the receiving end. On the ground, Channing Trotter rushed for 90 yards and had an 18-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Omar Clayton passed for 260 yards but had two interceptions, including one in the red zone.

“Today, we didn’t do what we do. We score in the red-zone and today we didn’t score in the red-zone,” Sanford said.

Some Rebels were quoted saying that the team was taking the game too lightly and possibly looking forward to next weeks game against rival Nevada, Reno.
Both Clayton and Wolfe disputed that there was a lack of seriousness coming into this game.

Either way, the Rebels will travel to Reno next weekend to fight for the Fremont Cannon. This will be another big test for the Rebels, as Reno is coming off a close loss to Missouri, where they were defeated 31-21.

This loss stings the Rebels, but Sanford still believes in his team’s potential.

He said, “Do I think we are a good team? Yes. Did we play as well as we could play? No.”