Winning in Vegas: Rivers run at history fuels Fresno State in victory at UNLV
Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers made a run at history and the Bulldogs needed every bit of it Saturday to take down UNLV 40-27 at Allegiant Stadium.
Rivers rushed 19 times for 133 yards and three touchdowns, caught six passes for 99 yards and one touchdown, and was within one yard of becoming the first Fresno State player to have 100 or more yards rushing and receiving in the same game since Dale Messer in 1960.
Messer, who is one of seven Bulldogs’ football players to have a uniform number retired in their honor, rushed 10 times for 111 yards and one touchdown, and caught six passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns against Cal Poly.
In addition, Rivers was one touchdown shy of tying the school record of five touchdowns, set by Don Driscoll against Cal State Los Angeles in 1954.
The senior running back Rivers also now has 43 career touchdowns, one off the school record of 44 set by Anthony Daigle from 1991 to ‘93.
“It’s a very overwhelming feeling knowing that I’m accomplishing these great things,” said Rivers, who on Saturday passed Ryan Mathews (41 career TDs) and Robbie Rouse (42) on the all-time scoring list.
“Ever since I was little, I always told my dad that I wanted to come here and break records,” Rivers said. “Just being able to do a little bit of that is just amazing.”
Rivers’ father, former Bulldogs’ running back Ron Rivers, holds the school record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown with 12.
Rivers’ fourth score, a 10-yard run, gave the Bulldogs a 34-27 lead with 14:55 remaining.
The Bulldogs (2-1) added two short field goals to secure the win against the winless Rebels (0-3).
Fresno State moves on to face another opponent still looking for its first win, traveling next week to Utah State (0-3).
The Aggies have scored four touchdowns in three games — as many as Rivers had against UNLV and four fewer than his season total.
The Bulldogs did have some trouble with the Rebels.
Saturday’s game was tied 27-27 after three quarters.
But Rivers produced his fourth score, and the defense got two interceptions from cornerback Chris Gaston in shutting out the Rebels in the final 15 minutes.
On both interceptions, Gaston said he was in man coverage and ended up draped in a new takeaway cape emblazoned with dollar signs on the Bulldogs’ sideline.
“Basically, the cape is when you get takeaways,” he said. “If you get a takeaway in the game you get the cape put on you. I don’t really know what the dollar signs mean. I think it just means you’re getting paid. You’re getting money. That’s it.”
Bulldogs extend lead to 37-27, 7:14 to go
Fresno State is up by two scores again, turning an interception by Chris Gaston into a short field goal by Cesar Silva.
The turnover set up the Bulldogs at the UNLV 21-yard line, but they could gain only eight yards on three plays before the field goal.
Fresno State TD record
The Bulldogs’ record for touchdowns in a game is five, set by Don Driscoll against Cal State Los Angeles in 1954.
Rivers has four touchdowns with 11:06 remaining.
Bulldogs’ fourth-quarter failures
Fresno State went into the fourth quarter with the score tied. The Bulldogs have not had great success lately when going into the fourth quarter in a one-score game …
- Hawaii down 24-16, lost 34-19
- Minnesota up 21-14, lost 38-35 OT
- Air Force down 29-24, lost 43-24
- Colorado State up 28-24, lost 41-31
- Hawaii up 31-24, won 41-38
- Utah State down 31-28, lost 37-35
- San Diego State down 10-7, lost 17-7
- Nevada tie 28-28, lost 35-28
- San Jose State up 16-10, lost 17-16
The Bulldogs scored only 58 fourth-quarter points in 11 games last season against FBS competition and their average of 5.3 points left them ranked 11th in the Mountain West and 101st in the FBS.
On the flip side, the Bulldogs’ defense allowed 100 points and with an average of 9.1 points allowed they were ranked ninth and 114th.
Rivers on run (and catch) to history?
Ronnie Rivers just went over the 100-yard mark on a 11-yard run and now through three quarters has 110 rushing yards and 94 receiving yards.
The senior running back could become the first Fresno State back with 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game since Dale Messer against Cal Poly in 1960.
Messer rushed for 111 yards and one touchdown on 10 plays and caught six passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Rivers with career-high 4 TDs, ‘Dogs back in lead
Ronnie Rivers just scored his fourth touchdown of the game, his third rushing, to give the Bulldogs a 34-27 lead with 14:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The TD run was from 10 yards and the Bulldogs’ drive was 79 yards in 11 plays.
Rivers now has 120 rushing yards and three TDs on just 14 plays.
The Bulldogs’ back had scored three touchdowns in a game twice before Saturday – he had three rushing touchdowns last season in a loss to Utah State and two rushing touchdowns and one receiving in a victory over New Mexico in 2018.
Bulldogs running into trouble in Paradise
UNLV has tied the score at 27 with quarterback Max Gilliam racing down the sideline on a 71-yard touchdown runs with 3:41 to go in the third quarter.
The Rebels have rushed for 216 yards and two touchdowns on 37 plays – they already have run the ball more than they did in either of their first two games.
UNLV cuts deficit to 27-20
The Rebels are back within one score, driving 72 yards in 13 plays to a 27-yard field goal with 6:35 remaining in the third quarter.
Bulldogs turn turnover into points
Ronnie Rivers has his third TD of the day and the Bulldogs now have a 27-17 lead with 13:14 to go in the third quarter.
Rivers scored on a 16-yard run, his second rushing touchdown. The touchdown followed a UNLV turnover forced by defensive end David Perales, who came off the edge and stripped the football from UNLV quarterback Max Gilliam. The fumble was was recovered by Kurtis Brown.
Rivers on Bulldogs’ rushing TD list
The rushing touchdown for Ronnie Rivers was the 32nd of his career. He is fourth on the all-time Fresno State list.
1 – Ryan Mathews (2007-’09) 39
2 – Robbie Rouse (2009-’12) 37
3 – Anthony Daigle (1991-’93) 35
4 – Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 32
5 – Bryson Sumlin (2002-’05) 29
Michael Pittman (1993-’97) 29
Dean Philpott (1954-’57) 29
Rebels flipping the script with run
UNLV running back Charles Williams had 18 rushing plays for 50 yards and a touchdown in the first half, carrying the football almost as many times as he had in the Rebels’ first two games.
Williams had 20 plays for 80 yards in an opening loss at San Diego State and 19 plays for 99 yards in a loss to Nevada the first two weeks. UNLV had given their lead back the majority of those carries in the second half, after they had fallen behind.
It was a key point coming into this game.
UNLV rushed the football 27 times in the first half, while quarterback Max Gilliam is 11 of 18 for 124 yards with one touchdown. In the Rebels’ first two games, they had thrown the ball 34 times while running it 23 in the first half.
Rivers’ second TD has ‘Dogs back up
Ronnie Rivers has his second touchdown, this one on a 33-yard pass from Jake Haener to give the Bulldogs a 20-17 lead with 1:25 to go before halftime.
The Rebels had a chance to get to the end of the half, taking a Fresno State punt at their 31 yard line with 2:54 to play, but they went three-and-out to give the Bulldogs a chance before the end of the half.
Rivers has six rushing plays for 49 yards and one touchdown and six receptions for 91 yards and one touchdown in the first half.
Bulldogs’ can’t protect passer
UNLV came into this game with four sacks, tied for ninth in the Mountain West. The first half is not yet over, but the Rebels already have four sacks against Fresno State for a minus-28 yards.
Jackoby Windmon has 2.5 of the Rebels’ sacks.
UNLV answers, leads 17-13
UNLV quarterback Max Gilliam hit Tyleek Collins with a 43-yard touchdown pass to put the Rebels back in the lead with 6:12 to go before halftime.
It’s 17-13, Rebels.
Collins had been quiet for much of the first half with the Rebels pushing their run game, but put a nice double move on safety Evan Williams and was wide open for the score.
It was only the Rebels’ fifth pass play of 20 of more yards this season.
Rivers’ TD has Bulldogs back on top
Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers got the Bulldogs into scoring position on a 35-yard pass play from Ben Wooldridge and just put them back in the lead, scoring on a 6-yard run with 9:34 remaining in the second quarter.
It was the 40th career touchdown for Rivers.
The Bulldogs went 73 yards in 5 plays, and Rivers has not scored at least one touchdown rushing or receiving in 11 games in a row.
Ronnie Rivers’ rather, Ron Rivers, holds the school record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown with 12 set between 1992 and ’93.
UNLV extends lead to 10-6
UNLV put together another long scoring drive, settling for a 28-yard field goal and 10-6 lead after driving 74 yards in 18 plays. The elapsed time on the drive was 6:13.
The Rebels’ touchdown drive was 74 yards and 12 plays.
UNLV has run 32 plays to 16 for the Bulldogs.
First quarter: UNLV 7, Fresno State 6
The Rebels ran the football 13 times in the first quarter, throwing just 10 passes. They are averaging just 4.4 yards per play, but have a 7-6 lead on a 2-yard run by Charles Williams.
Fresno State is averaging 8.6 yards per play, with a 54-yard touchdown run in there, and is just 1 of 3 converting third down plays.
UNLV takes 7-6 lead on Williams TD run
The Rebels used more of their run game in answering the Bulldogs score and have taken a 7-6 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by UNLV running back Charles Williams, the former Bullard High star.
UNLV went 74 yards in 12 plays, including seven runs. Williams had runs of 11, 4, 1 and 4 yards before scoring his first touchdown of the season.
This is Williams’ final game against Fresno State, a program that didn’t offer him a scholarship coming out of high school.
Williams’ previous performances vs. Fresno State:
2019: 16 carries for 121 yards (Fresno State won 56-27)
2018: 25 carries for 82 yards (Fresno State won 48-3)
2017: Did not play due to injury (UNLV won 26-16)
2016: 18 carries for 153 yards, 1 TD (UNLV won 45-20)
Bulldogs take lead on Haener TD run
Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener just ripped off a 54-yard touchdown run with 10:20 remaining in the first quarter to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead.
The point-after was missed.
The drive was 78 yards in five plays, and the 54-yard run by Haener is the longest from scrimmage for the Bulldogs this season.
The longest play had been a 51-yard pass from Haener to Chris Coleman against Hawaii.
The longest run had been a 32-yard touchdown by Ronnie Rivers against Colorado State.
‘Dogs short of Derek Carr territory
Fresno State picked up one first down and its opening possession, but ended up punting away the football after missing on a 3rd-and-6 pass.
The Bulldogs had scored a touchdown on their opening drive in their opener against Hawaii and second game against Colorado State.
They have not scored a touchdown on an opening drives in three games in a row since 2013, when Derek Carr took them 58 yards for a score against Boise State, 53 against Hawaii, 81 against Idaho and 75 against UNLV.
Fresno State career rushing leaders
Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers could move into the Top 10 on the Bulldogs’ all-time rushing list with just 21 yards against the Rebels and with a big game could make a big jump up.
Rivers has rushed for 2,296 in his career, 12th in school history. He is just 110 yards from moving into eighth place, and passing a lot of Bulldogs’ history. From No. 5 to No. 10 on the career rushing list …
5 – Michael Pittman (1993-97) 3,017
6 – Dwayne Wright (2003-04, ‘06) 2,683
7 – Dean Philpott (1954-57) 2,533
8 – Lorenzo Neal (1990-92) 2,405
9 – Bryson Sumlin (2002-05) 2,398
10 – Aaron Craver (1989-90) 2,316
Wendell Mathis (2004-05) ranks 11th with 2,308 yards. Robbie Rouse (2009-12) is the all-time leader with 4,647 yards.
UNLV is ranked ninth in the Mountain West in rushing defense, allowing 6.0 yards per play and 217.0 yards per game.
Bulldogs’ running back depth
Rivers with 41 rushing plays has handled 82% of the carries by Bulldogs’ running backs, with Jordan Mims carrying the ball six times and Jevon Bigelow two times.
At some point the Bulldogs could roll out some two-back formations, which they did in 2017 when Mims was healthy and the backfield also included Josh Hokit. Fresno State was able to play its running backs in different combinations, with a different upside to each one.
That season Mims led the Bulldogs with 151 carries, Hokit had 128 and Rivers had 101. They also were involved in the passing game with Rivers catching 20 passes, Mims 14 and Hokit 13.
“I definitely think that’s a chance, and we’ll see on Saturday,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said of the two-back sets.
“But, yeah, having a guy like Jordan back and things like that has been excellent and getting Jevon Bigelow back healthy, having three backs like that can step on the field at any time has been something we definitely want to get rolling a little bit more.”
Pressure on UNLV quarterbacks
UNLV quarterbacks don’t hold the ball long, making a lot of short, quick throws. The Rebels still have absorbed 4.0 sacks per game, starting the week 11th in the Mountain West and tied for 108th of 115 in the nation.
The Bulldogs were second in the conference with 4.0 sacks per game and tied for sixth in the nation.
Interestingly, they haven’t had to do a lot of blitzing to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks, especially with a relatively inexperienced front other than senior defensive tackle Kevin Atkins.
All eight of their sacks have come from defensive linemen led by end Kwami Jones with 3.0. End David Perales has 1.5 sacks, end Da’Marcus Johnson has 1.0, tackle Alex Dumias has 1.0, tackle Kurtis Brown has 1.0 and Atkins has 0.5 sacks in the first two games.
This story was originally published November 7, 2020 at 11:13 AM.