Kansas Staves Off UNLV, 49-36, At The Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Double-Digit Loss For The Rebels
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UNLV Ends Season With Bowl Loss To Kansas
In a high-scoring bowl game, Kansas held on for a 49-36 win over UNLV at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix on Tuesday evening.
There were 85 total points scored between UNLV and Kansas. The 2015-2016 Guaranteed Rate Bowl was the last time two teams combined for 85 points in the bowl game.
Kansas jumped on UNLV in the first half and had a 28-7 lead in the first half. Despite being down by 21 points, UNLV took advantage of Kansas’s penalties. Kansas racked up 135 yards of penalties in the first half.
The momentum shifted in UNLV’s favor after halftime and the Rebels scored 17 unanswered points in the second and third quarters. Kansas quarterback Jason Bean was intercepted twice in the third quarter by UNLV defensive back Cameron Oliver.
At the start of the fourth, Kansas reclaimed a double-digit lead following Bean’s 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lawrence Arnold. Kansas led UNLV, 35-24. UNLV quickly responded with a Jacob De Jesus 11-yard touchdown run with 12:06 to go in the game. With a failed two-point conversion, UNLV trailed by five points, 35-30.
Arnold added to Kansas’s lead following a 56-yard receiving touchdown at the 11:10 mark in the fourth quarter. Kansas was ahead 42-30.
By the end of the game, the Jayhawks capped off a 49-36 win. Even with 49 points scored, Kansas finished the game with 18 penalties.
Kansas closed out its season with a 9-4 record. For UNLV, head coach Barry Odom posted a 9-5 record in his first season. This was the most single-season wins for UNLV since 1984.
The future is promising for UNLV after the program reached a bowl game and had a winning season for the first time since 2013.
UNLV and Kansas are scheduled to meet again next season in Lawrence, Kan., on Sept. 14, 2024.
