UNLV rallies with late touchdown to stun Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — UNLV, despite getting outplayed in nearly every statistical category, upset Kansas 23-20 on Friday night with some late-game heroics.

Trailing the entire game, the Rebels mounted a game-winning drive that began with 11:22 left and ended with Kylin James' 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down with 1:51 remaining.

The Rebels (3-0) had to overcome the Jayhawks and themselves on the drive. Facing a fourth-and-inches from just outside the Kansas 1-yard line, UNLV picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak by quarterback Matthew Sluka. But Rebels tackle Will Thomas was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, so instead of a first-and-goal from the 1, the Rebels got pushed back to the Kansas 15, where they faced a first-and-10.

Sluka miraculously escaped a potential sack on third down to set up fourth-and-goal from the 1, where James pushed past the goal line on a second effort to put the Rebels up 23-20.

Sluka rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries.

On Kansas' ensuing drive, the Jayhawks were called for a chop-block penalty on a fourth-down run by Devin Neal that went for a first down.

That meant the Jayhawks faced a fourth-and-15 instead. UNLV sacked quarterback Jalon Daniels to take over on downs, and the Rebels then ran out the clock.

UNLV, which lost to the Jayhawks in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Dec. 26 in Phoenix, has started a season with three straight wins for the first time since 1984.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.