Arnold answers Cal comeback with two late touchdowns in UNLV’s 39-31 win

Jackson Arnold threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score after California took a fourth-quarter lead, carrying UNLV to a 39-31 win Saturday at Allegiant Stadium. The Rebels had led 24-7 at halftime, but needed that late response after the Golden Bears scored 18 consecutive points.

Arnold accounted for five touchdowns: three passing and two rushing. ESPN's final box score lists him at 11 completions in 22 attempts for 177 passing yards, with 110 rushing yards on 15 carries. His ability to produce long scores early and finish drives late kept UNLV ahead at the final whistle.

An explosive first half

California opened the scoring when Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele found Taimane Purcell for a 91-yard touchdown with 11:30 left in the first quarter. UNLV answered through the air, with Arnold connecting with Kayden McGee for a 70-yard score.

Arnold then ran 55 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. A 31-yard field goal by Ramon Villela and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Taz Reddicks sent the Rebels into halftime leading by 17 points. Each of UNLV's first three touchdowns came on a play of at least 36 yards.

Cal's offense changed quarterbacks before halftime. Sagapolutele left the game, and Jackson Brousseau handled the remaining passing work. The final box credits Sagapolutele with 195 passing yards and Brousseau with 200, giving the Bears 395 through the air.

ACC Digital Network published highlights from the October 3 matchup. The final score and player totals reported here come from the completed game box and scoring log.

Cal erases the deficit

Brousseau's 53-yard touchdown pass to Carson Perry-Smith, followed by a successful two-point conversion, cut the lead to 24-15 in the third quarter. A 38-yard field goal by Towns McGough brought California within six.

Ashten Emory's seven-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter completed the comeback and put Cal ahead 25-24. The Bears had turned a sizable halftime deficit into a lead, with enough time remaining for both offenses to answer.

UNLV took the lead back on Arnold's 10-yard touchdown pass to Keyan Burnett. Arnold ran in the two-point conversion to make it 32-25. He later scored from two yards out, extending the advantage to 39-25 with a little more than three minutes remaining.

Brousseau connected with Ian Strong for a 10-yard touchdown in the final minute. That produced the final eight-point margin, but did not undo UNLV's two fourth-quarter scoring possessions.

Yardage advantage does not decide the result

California finished with 464 yards to UNLV's 350. Purcell led the Bears with 102 receiving yards, while Strong caught six passes for 49. The Rebels held Cal to five conversions in 18 third-down attempts and one in four fourth-down attempts. California also committed 16 penalties for 147 yards.

UNLV improved to 3-2 and next hosts North Dakota State on October 10. California fell to 2-3 and returns home to face Virginia Tech that day. The Golden Bears' second-half comeback left them close, but Arnold's late scoring drives supplied the decisive response.