After an up-and-down season marked by departures that tested a program gearing up for success, the UNLV Rebels came together with the goal of winning their 11th championship.
It took nearly 40 years, but No. 24 UNLV (11-3) tied the program’s single-season Football Bowl Subdivision record with a 24-13 win over California (6-7) on Wednesday. He won 11 games this season, tying his total. The LA Bowl was held at SoFi Stadium.
The Rebels were led by two-way quarterback Haji Malik Williams in the bowl game, just as they were in their best season decades ago when Randall Cunningham led the UNLV offense.
Described as a winner by teammates and coaches, Williams transferred to the Football Championship Subdivision in his first and only season at UNLV and took over as the starting quarterback after the first three games of the season, leading the Rebels to the 24th season. He led them to their first bowl victory.
Although Williams’ performance was not as dominant as expected, he did enough to ensure the Rebels’ victory. He ignited the offense, completing 5-of-18 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns, gaining 27 yards on 10 carries.
While UNLV entered the game with clarity at quarterback, Cal considered two options: veteran CJ Harris and true freshman EJ Kaminon.
Golden Bears coach Justin Wilcox elected to start Harris, but replaced him as a signal caller in the third quarter. The move proved costly late in the quarter when Kaminon’s backward pass led to a turnover and UNLV’s Kylin James scored a rushing touchdown to extend the Rebels’ lead to 21-13.
UNLV continued its solid defense with Caden Chittenden adding a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Harris completed 13 of 20 passes for 109 yards and added 23 yards on 12 carries before being benched. Kaminon completed 6-of-19 passes for 57 yards and also had a costly fumble.
California tight end Jack Endries, 87, is tackled by UNLV’s Antonio Doyle Jr. (2) and Jonathan Baldwin (3) during the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium on Wednesday.
(Ryan Sun/Associated Press)
Cal took the lead with a 43-yard field goal by kicker Derek Morris, but the attempt bounced off the uprights and spilled, giving the Bears an early 3-0 lead.
UNLV responded with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Kayden McGee. McGee sprinted through the California secondary for a deep strike to give the Rebels a 7-3 lead.
The Golden Bears regained momentum on their next possession, marching down the field with a series of big plays. Tight end Jack Endries made two key catches on passes from Harris, one for 16 yards and the other on a screen pass for 22 yards.
Endries emerged as a reliable security blanket for Harris, who targeted him throughout the game. Endries finished as Cal’s top receiver with seven receptions for 61 yards.
The drive culminated in a reversal to wide receiver Josiah Martin, who powered into the end zone to give Cal a 10-7 lead.
The Rebels were aggressive on their next drive as well. Marshall Nichols connected with Cameron Oliver on a 52-yard fake punt, putting UNLV in the red zone.
Shifting to rushing offense, Williams connected with Jacob De Jesus for a 9-yard touchdown pass.
UNLV looked to establish the run, carrying the ball 18 times in the first half, sparking Williams’ passing game.
Cal struggled to keep up with the rebels’ pace. Morris missed a 41-yard field goal attempt to his left in the second quarter. Instead, Ryan Coe made a 30-yard field goal just before halftime. These were the final points of the game for the Golden Bears.
Despite a strong start to the season, Cal ended its ACC debut season with a loss. The program has now lost 13 straight against opponents ranked in the top 25.
UNLV finished one of the best seasons in school history on a high, with L.A. native Dell Alexander winning as interim coach before new head coach Dan Mullen took over the program.
