No. 24 UNLV beats California 24-13 in the LA Bowl Game

UNLV Rebels #6 Hajj-Malik Williams (QB) is scrambling for a nice gain in the LA Bowl.

Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

 INGLEWOOD, CA - The Mountain West Conference UNLV Rebels (11-3) took on the ACC Conference California Golden Bears (6-7) in the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium, and after the dust settled, the Rebels won 24-13, their first bowl game victory since 2000.

What is so amazing about their win, they lost their starting quarterback several games back, and their head coach 10 days ago, and still managed to have their best season.

"It means a lot. I've done this so many times that it is a big deal for the players to experience. For them to feel it and get the reward and establish the legacy, it's important for them," Interim Head Coach Del Alexander said.

The Rebels quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams completed 5 of his 18 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Kylin James carried the football seven times for 37 yards and one touchdown, Kayden McGee one catch for 49 yards, one touchdown, and Jacob De Jesus two catches for 38 yards and one touchdown.

The Golden Bears quarterback CJ Harris threw for 109 yards, EJ Caminong completed 6 of 19 passes for 57 yards, Jaydn Ott carried the football 11 times for 84 yards, Josiah Martin one carry for 29 yards and one touchdown, and Jack Endries seven catches for 61 yards.

California Golden Bears #1Jaydn Ott (RB) 48-yard scamper down the right sideline in the LA Bowl.

Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Cal, on their 29-yard line, CJ Harris would hand off the football to Jaydn Ott, who broke downfield for 48 yards to UNLV 's 29-yard line. The Golden Bears would lead 3-0 after Derrick Morris kicked a 43-yard field goal.

UNLV would take the lead 7-3 with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Kayden Magee after going 75 yards on nine plays. Cal would regain the lead 10-7 when Josiah Martin ran in for a 29-yard touchdown for the final score of the first quarter.

The Rebels would bounce back in the second quarter and retake the lead 14-10 after Hajj-Malik Williams threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jacob De Jesus.

The Golden Bears had a chance to trail by one point, but Morris missed a 52-yard field goal with 8:56 left before halftime.

Cal trailed at halftime 14-13 with a 30-yard field goal by Ryan Coe after going 32 yards on 13 plays.

UNLV Rebels #20 Kylin James (RB) scored on a 23 yard touchdown run in the LA Bowl.

Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

UNLV would capitalize on the first turnover of the game in the third quarter when Cal's EJ Caminong (QB) fumbled the football and recovered by Jett Elad (FS) at Cal's 23-yard line, and on the next play would go up 21-13 on a 23-yard touchdown run by Kylin James (RB).

The Rebels would score the final points of the game in the fourth quarter when Caden Chittenden kicked a 48-yard field goal to make the final score 24-13 to end their season with smiles on their faces and all the hard work paid off.