KANSAS CITY, Kansas — There will be days when the wins come easier for UNLV and the anxiety level doesn’t run as high as it did Friday night.

But it may be a while before the Rebels’ resolve is tested – or rewarded – as it was in their 23-20 win over Kansas at Children’s Mercy Park.

When it comes to turning programs around and never looking back, it’s nights like Friday that often become transformative moments. Not necessarily because of the outcome, but because of the obstacles overcome along the way, against a quality opponent, in a game where the Rebels were on the wrong side of the fence in almost every statistical category.

In front of a national TV audience and a hostile crowd that at times made communication nearly impossible, the Rebels managed to win and start the season with three straight wins for the first time since 1984.

“You’ve got to stay in the arena, you’ve got to continue to trust your preparation and your habits,” coach Barry Odom said. “And you’ve got to play six seconds at a time. And if you do that, you’ve got a chance to win games in the fourth quarter.”

Slow start overcome

It wasn’t just about clawing back from a 17-6 deficit or figuring out how to slow Kansas’ offense, which ravaged them on the ground and in the air during a frustrating first half.

The team also failed to survive the times when they ended promising drives without scoring, or by trading field goals for touchdowns.

As the Rebels look back on this victory, it will be the game-winning drive that started at their 25-yard line with 11:25 left on the clock and ended with reserve running back Kylin James’ second attempt to cross the goal line from the 1-yard line on fourth down, putting UNLV up 23-20 with 1:55 left.

The drive lasted 14 plays and 9½ minutes. The Rebels converted two fourth downs, overcame a costly penalty that turned what should have been a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line into a first-and-10 from the 16. And they somehow survived quarterback Matthew Sluka’s fumble that was nearly picked off by three defenders, only to have James fall to the ground for UNLV.

Knowing they had no choice but to score a touchdown, the Rebels responded at every desperate moment with the right play.

“It was a drive I absolutely had to have,” said center Jack Hasz, whose big push at the point of attack helped James score the winning touchdown.

“A field goal wasn’t going to do it for us,” said Sluka, who finished with a team-high 124 yards rushing on 19 carries and completed 7 of 18 passes for 86 yards. “So it was just a matter of getting the ball in the end zone, and however we did it, we did it.”

It was the only fourth-quarter score for the Rebels, who scored just 10 points in the second half. But it was enough, thanks to a defense that overcame a sloppy first half, to hold Kansas to three points at the half.

Defense rises in second half

UNLV gave up 17 points and 260 yards in the first half, but allowed just 92 yards the rest of the way. By shutting down the Jayhawks in the second half, Sluka and the offense had just enough room to mount the comeback.

“A lot of it was just doing our job, and it started with me,” said linebacker Jackson Woodard, who had one of UNLV’s two interceptions. “I felt like we were a little nervous, like we were trying a little too much. Everybody just sat down and did their job.”

UNLV’s first interception helped change the course of the game. It came late in the first half, with the Jayhawks leading 17-6, and the drive after Devin Neal’s 24-yard run put them at the UNLV 44 with 57 seconds left.

But quarterback Jalon Daniels, who has thrown six interceptions in three games, threw the ball over his target and into the arms of safety Jalen Catalon, who returned the ball 46 yards to the Kansas 33-yard line.

UNLV made it, albeit just barely. With the clock ticking down after Sluka’s 6-yard toss to Jacob De Jesus pushed the ball to the Kansas 27, the Rebels looked confused as they simultaneously tried to line up for second down and call the play from the sideline. Sluka even ran to the sideline to get the play, then sprinted back onto the field to call the signals.

The snap came with six seconds left in the half, giving Sluka just enough time to throw a swing pass to Jai’Den Thomas, who secured the ball at the 15 with two seconds left and raced into the end zone. Just like that, the Rebels had cut their deficit to 17-13.

It was a stunning turn of events as Kansas (1-2) was able to move the ball around at will.

“Time management… at the end of the half, I obviously wouldn’t plan it that way,” Odom said.

But like the Rebels all night, they managed to make a great play at the right time.

“Comments to you guys for stepping up and making an impact and making big plays when we needed them,” Odom said.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.