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UNLV |
HOU |
Matthew Sluka spoils debut of Houston coach Willie Fritz as UNLV rolls past Cougars 27-7 in opener
HOUSTON (AP) Matthew Sluka threw for 71 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 59 yards as UNLV beat Houston 27-7 Saturday night in the season opener for both teams and Willie Fritz’s first game as the Cougars’ coach.
Sluka, who was 6-of-13 passing, threw touchdown passes of 13 and 24 yards to Jacob De Jesus in the first half as the Rebels (1-0) led 14-0 at the half.
“I thought he managed (the game) well and … it seemed like on the headsets, the things I was hearing the offense talk about, I thought he made good decisions,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said of Sluka. “We’ve got a number of playmakers on that side of the ball, and the thing we need the quarterback to do is we need him to be a playmaker as well but also distribute the ball, be efficient with it, don’t turn it over and make really good reads.”
Jalen Catalon, who finished with two interceptions, had a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter.
“He’s a playmaker,” UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard said of Catalon. “He went out and made a play.”
Michael Allen rushed for 65 yards and Jaden Braden caught two passes for 60 yards. UNLV outgained Houston 308-247 yards.
UNLV got its first win over a Big 12 team since beating Iowa State 34-31 in overtime on Sep. 20, 2008.
“It’s good to see a win on the road,” Odom said. “I’m more excited about that than I am the logo of the school.”
Donovan Smith finished 15-of-30 passing for 135 yards with two interceptions. Mekhi Mews caught three passes for 57 yards for Houston (0-1).
“Very disappointing,” Fritz said. “I thought we’d play better than that. I did a poor coaching job as a head coach. Poor job by my assistant coaches and poor job playing. I didn’t see much good out there.”
The Cougars avoided a shutout on a 2-yard touchdown pass from sophomore backup Ui Ale to Joseph Manjack IV with a minute left in the fourth quarter. Ale was 7 of 8 for 74 yards and a touchdown on the drive.
THE TAKEAWAY
UNLV: The Rebels dominated both lines of scrimmage. UNLV rushed for 195 yards. The UNLV defense finished with 10 tackles for loss, including six sacks. Jackson Woodard finished with 11 tackles, including three sacks.
“I thought defensively, we played relentless all night,” Odom said. “I thought up front on the offensive line, we controlled the game.”
Houston: The Cougars struggled with UNLV’s rush throughout. Houston had 59 yards in the first half. The Cougars finished 2 of 15 on third downs.
“We didn’t tackle really well at the beginning of the game,” Fritz said. “That hurt us. We didn’t get some knock-backs. They knocked us back. Then, offensively, boy, we had a hard time protecting.”
UP NEXT
UNLV: Hosts Utah Tech on Saturday.
Houston: At No. 16 Oklahoma on Saturday.
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Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 14 | 15 |
Rushing | 8 | 4 |
Passing | 5 | 9 |
Penalty | 1 | 2 |
3rd Down Conv | 6-15 | 2-14 |
4th Down Conv | 0-1 | 1-3 |
Total Net Yards | 308 | 247 |
Total Plays | 62 | 64 |
Avg Gain | 5.0 | 3.9 |
Net Yards Rushing | 195 | 38 |
Rush Attempts | 48 | 26 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.1 | 1.5 |
Yards Passing | 113 | 209 |
Comp. - Att. | 7-14 | 22-38 |
Yards Per Pass | 7.3 | 3.6 |
Penalties - Yards | 6-48 | 10-74 |
Touchdowns | 3 | 1 |
Rushing TDs | 0 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 2 | 1 |
Other | 1 | 0 |
Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. Thrown | 1 | 2 |
Punts - Avg | 5-40.6 | 7-37.7 |
Return Yards | 23 | 89 |
Punts - Returns | 1-6 | 2-41 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 2-17 | 1-48 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
M. Sluka
3 QB
|
M. Sluka | 6/13 | 71 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Irvin Jr.
10 WR
|
D. Irvin Jr. | 1/1 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Allen
4 RB
|
M. Allen | 10 | 65 | 0 | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Sluka
3 QB
|
M. Sluka | 11 | 59 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. James
20 RB
|
K. James | 6 | 28 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Thomas
9 RB
|
J. Thomas | 8 | 15 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. De Jesus
21 WR
|
J. De Jesus | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Irvin Jr.
10 WR
|
D. Irvin Jr. | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Moore
44 TE
|
C. Moore | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. White III
11 WR
|
R. White III | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Bradley
0 WR
|
J. Bradley | 3 | 2 | 60 | 0 | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. De Jesus
21 WR
|
J. De Jesus | 3 | 3 | 42 | 2 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. White III
11 WR
|
R. White III | 5 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Ballungay
19 TE
|
K. Ballungay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Irvin Jr.
10 WR
|
D. Irvin Jr. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
J. Woodard
7 LB
|
J. Woodard | 7-3 | 3.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. McDuffie
8 LB
|
M. McDuffie | 4-2 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Baldwin
3 DB
|
J. Baldwin | 4-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Catalon
1 DB
|
J. Catalon | 3-0 | 0.0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Chavis
4 DB
|
M. Chavis | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Conley Jr.
99 DL
|
K. Conley Jr. | 2-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
O. Egbase
26 DL
|
O. Egbase | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Powell
16 LB
|
M. Powell | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Whitmore
95 DL
|
A. Whitmore | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Dixon
50 DL
|
J. Dixon | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Grigsby
14 DB
|
J. Grigsby | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Oliver
5 DB
|
C. Oliver | 1-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
F. Camac
28 DL
|
F. Camac | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Wiley
21 DB
|
L. Wiley | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Alualu-Tuiolemotu
53 LB
|
B. Alualu-Tuiolemotu | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. DeCambra
24 DB
|
K. DeCambra | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ware
13 DB
|
J. Ware | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Webb
91 DL
|
C. Webb | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Elad
9 DB
|
J. Elad | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Grimes
0 DB
|
T. Grimes | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
M. Nichols
90 P
|
M. Nichols | 5 | 40.6 | 2 | 54 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Woodard
7 LB
|
J. Woodard | 1 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. De Jesus
21 WR
|
J. De Jesus | 1 | 30.0 | 30 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. De Jesus 21 WR
|
J. De Jesus | 1 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
D. Smith
1 QB
|
D. Smith | 15/30 | 135 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
U. Ale
10 QB
|
U. Ale | 7/8 | 74 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Mews
83 WR
|
M. Mews | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
P. Jenkins
23 RB
|
P. Jenkins | 2 | 17 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Z. Chriss
2 QB
|
Z. Chriss | 3 | 16 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Sanford II
26 RB
|
R. Sanford II | 4 | 13 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Shoulders
14 WR
|
M. Shoulders | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Johnson
5 WR
|
S. Johnson | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
U. Ale
10 QB
|
U. Ale | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Sneed
21 RB
|
S. Sneed | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Mews
83 WR
|
M. Mews | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Smith
1 QB
|
D. Smith | 12 | -24 | 0 | 10 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Mews
83 WR
|
M. Mews | 5 | 3 | 57 | 0 | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Johnson
5 WR
|
S. Johnson | 6 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Carr
6 TE
|
M. Carr | 5 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Sanford II
26 RB
|
R. Sanford II | 3 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Shoulders
14 WR
|
M. Shoulders | 1 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Wilson
4 WR
|