3 takeaways: UNLV knocked from ranks of unbeaten by big-play Broncos

BOISE, Idaho – Yeah. It finally caught up with UNLV’s football team.

The mistakes that were hidden by an unbeaten start through six games couldn’t be disguised Saturday.

For it, the Rebels fell to Boise State 56-31 at Albertsons Stadium.

It means the Rebels drop to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in Mountain West play. It means the upcoming bye week — UNLV’s third and final one this season — will be focused on cleaning up all that led to what turned into a rout for the Broncos (5-2, 3-0).

“You can’t obviously make the mistakes we did and expect to win a football game,” coach Dan Mullen said. “It starts with coaching, making sure everyone is in the right position. You definitely can’t give up more than 10 yards a play and over 200 yards rushing in a big game. We had opportunities at different points but you have to make a play.

“We’ve been saying, ‘Hey, we’re finding ways to win even though we hadn’t played exceptionally well.’ Well, against a really good football team — and that’s a really good team — you make mistakes and it all catches up with you. It certainly did today.”

Here are three takeaways from the UNLV loss:

1. Big plays, as in B-I-G

The Broncos shredded UNLV’s defense with large gains all afternoon.

Boise State had 12 plays of 20 yards or more, including touchdowns of 35, 49, 29, 32 and 22 yards.

Get this: In the first half alone, Boise State had four scoring drives of six plays or fewer while UNLV totaled seven more minutes of playing time. In the end, the Rebels controlled the ball for 32:05 as compared to 27:55 for the Broncos.

Boise State rolled up 558 yards a week after Air Force had more than 600 in a defeat to UNLV.

“It’s very difficult to win when they’re getting so many (big plays), especially on first down,” UNLV linebacker Marsel McDuffie said. “You’re playing right into their hands with that. We have to be better as a defense on early downs and setting a tone and being the ones to push them behind the sticks. That’s everyone, from defensive line to linebackers to the secondary. We all have to do it.”

2. Quarterback battle

The game featured two of the league’s top quarterbacks in Anthony Colandrea from UNLV and Maddux Madsen from Boise State.

Both had their moments but it was Madsen’s team that came out on top fairly easily.

He completed 14 of 23 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.

Colandrea again produced with his arm and legs.

He was 18-of-30 passing for 215 yards with two scores, but also threw a pick that was returned 60 yards for a touchdown.

The UNLV junior would also run 18 times for 87 yards and a TD.

“I don’t think I played that well, and when your quarterback doesn’t play well you don’t have a shot,” Colandrea said. “We killed ourselves with penalties and missed assignments. But that’s a good defense we played, a really good team.”

3. Another bye week

Well, here goes UNLV again.

The season’s third bye might come at the best time.

It should allow the Rebels to take a breath and reassess what transpired here.

“We finally have a bye where our sample size is big,” Mullen said. “Before, it was more ‘What the heck is going on?’ because the sample size was small. This gives us time to really evaluate what we are doing and what we need to do with the players we have to be successful.”

From its bye, the Rebels will play five straight weeks against conference teams to conclude the regular season.

UNLV is already bowl eligible. Its next game is against New Mexico at noon on Nov. 1 at Allegiant Stadium.