Cannon remains red as Pack drops 16th straight

RENO — The cannon will stay red.

Nevada fans will continue to feel blue.

UNLV came up with almost all of the big plays Saturday to beat Nevada, 45-27, in the 49^th edition of the battle for the Fremont Cannon. It was the Rebels’ second straight win in the series, which now stands at 28-21 in the Pack’s favor.

UNLV improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Mountain West; the Rebels now need only a single win to reach their first bowl game since 2013.

Nevada dropped to 0-6, 0-2 and suffered its program-record 16^th straight loss. It’s the nation’s longest current losing streak.

“I told (the players) to just worry about getting better,” Nevada head coach Ken Wilson said. “I’m a fighter, and I can handle all the stuff outside (the program); they just need to worry about getting better every day, like they have been.

“They have a great knack for playing really hard. And now we’ve got to play hard and better. And we’ve got to do better coaching to get that done.”

THE KEY PLAY

On a third-and-long play in the second quarter, UNLV receiver Ricky White got behind the Pack defense and hauled in a strike from quarterback Jayden Maiava. The 82-yard throw-and-catch turned a potential punting situation into a 28-7 lead for the Rebels.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UNLV jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and never looked back. The Rebels came up with most of the game’s big plays, including two long passes to White (59 and 82 yards), two long TD runs from Donavyn Lester (16 and 66 yards), and all three of the game’s turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble recovery).

The Rebels led by as much as 35-7 following Lester’s 66-yard dash on the third play of the third quarter. Nevada, though, showed a lot of fight in the second half, which the Wolf Pack actually “won,” 20-17.

Quarterback Brendon Lewis, in his best game at Nevada, scored on a 6-yard run in the third to end the Pack’s scoring drought and later finished the game’s scoring with a 55-yard strike to wideout Isaah Crocker.

PACK PERFORMERS

• Lewis threw for 287 yards and two scores. He also led Nevada in rushing, with 115 yards on 15 attempts.

• Running back Sean Dollars had 66 yards on 19 attempts.

• Both John Jackson III and Keleki Latu had four receptions. Letu was hurt after a long completion in the fourth quarter; his status is uncertain.
• Dalevon Campbell led the Pack with 93 yards receiving, including a 43-yard TD for Nevada’s first score.

NEXT UP

Nevada begins the second half of the season with a road game at San Diego State on Saturday.

UNLV returns home to play Colorado State, also Saturday.

UNLV 45, NEVADA 27

UNLV          14   14   10    7 — 45

Nevada        7     0     7   13 — 27

First quarter

UNLV — White 59 pass from Maiava (Pizano kick)

UNLV — Lester 1 run (Pizano kick)

N — Campbell 43 pass from Lewis (Talton kick)

Second quarter

UNLV — Lester 16 run (Pizano kick)

UNLV — White 82 pass from Maiava (Pizano kick)

Third quarter

UNLV — Lester 66 run (Pizano kick)

N — Lewis 6 run (Talton kick)

UNLV — Pizano 25 FG

Fourth quarter

N — Dollars 3 run (pass failed)

UNLV — Davis 9 run (Pizano kick)

N — Crocker 55 pass from Lewis (Talton kick)

Passing: UNLV — Maiava 20-25-257; Nevada — Lewis 16-31-287.

Rushing: UNLV — Lester 10-99, Davis 17-71; Nevada — Lewis 15-115, Dollars 19-66.

Receiving: UNLV — White 8-174, DeJesus 3-17; Nevada — Latu 4-81, Jackson 4-31.

Tackles: UNLV — Woodward 9, Baldwin 6; Nevada —Johnson 12, three with 5.