Fullerton Is Doing Better but Still Loses to Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS —  Cal State Fullerton continued its five-week string of futility, losing to Nevada Las Vegas, 29-10, Saturday night before 13,791 in the Silver Bowl.

The Titans, 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the Big West Conference, committed only one turnover Saturday night as opposed to 16 in the last three games.

But Fullerton’s turnover was crucial, and the Titans made two other mistakes on punt plays that helped the Rebels (3-3, 2-1) score a touchdown and a field goal in the first half.

Trailing, 23-10, in the fourth quarter, Fullerton drove from the Rebel 44-yard line to the 20, where quarterback Paul Schulte passed over the middle to Richard Harrison. Harrison appeared headed for the end zone but ran into a teammate, lineman Tim Drevno, and fell at the four.

On the next play, Schulte fumbled the snap--the Titan quarterback lost two fumbles on snaps inside the Fresno State 12-yard line in last week’s 38-3 loss--and Jody Reinoehl recovered for the Rebels with 9:56 to play. Fullerton was not able to mount a scoring threat the rest of the way.

In the first half, Titan punter Phil Nevin attempted a fake but was sacked by Raymond Walters at the Rebel 20. Two plays later, Hunkie Cooper scored on an 18-yard run for a 14-3 Las Vegas lead.

On Fullerton’s next possession, Nevin, in punt formation, bobbled a low snap and was tackled by Walters at the UNLV 19, resulting in Todd Amrein’s 39-yard field goal and a 17-3 lead.

The Rebels drove 80 yards in 15 plays, Derek Black scoring on a one-yard run, to take a 23-3 lead late in the second quarter, but Fullerton cut it to 23-10 on Schulte’s five-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Celestine with 5:26 left in the third quarter.