UNLV Rebels

Hill sets school rushing record as Wyoming beats UNLV 35-28

Published Nov. 28, 2015 7:02 p.m. ET

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LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) Brian Hill's record-setting day helped keep Wyoming from setting a dubious team record.

Hill rushed for 232 yards and a touchdown, breaking a 21-year-old school record for rushing yards in a single season, and Cameron Coffman tossed three touchdown passes as the Cowboys beat UNLV 35-28 Saturday in the season finale for both teams.

Hill, who is just a sophomore, said throughout the season that he wouldn't grade his performance until after the last game.

''When I look back, I'm proud to do it,'' he said.

Wyoming (2-10, 2-6 Mountain West) finishes the season with its worst record since 2002 but it avoided what would have been a school record 11 losses in one season had it lost to the Runnin' Rebels.

It was Hill's fifth 200-yard game of his career and fourth of the season.

Hill finished the season with 1,631 rushing yards. Wyoming's previous rushing record was 1,455 yards set by Ryan Christopherson in 1994.

Hill broke the record with a 72-yard TD run on a third-and-2 play in the second quarter. He took a handoff up the middle, broke to the outside and raced down the sideline, breaking a couple of tackles in the process.

''Brian is a champ, works hard and is competitive,'' Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said. ''Everything he has done all summer, all season, been a team player and today is another example of his ability.''

Coffman completed 14 of 24 passes for 248 yards. His final TD pass, a 64-yarder to Jacob Hollister with 2:20 left in the game, broke a 28-28 tie.

He also had a 35-yard TD pass to James Price and a 19-yard score to Jake Maulhardt. Hollister led the team with 119 receiving yards on five catches.

UNLV (3-9, 2-6) was led by Blake Decker who passed for 270 yards and three TDs.

Devonte Boyd caught six passes for 122 yards and a score - a 22 yarder.

Decker's other TD passes came on 8 yards to Kendal Keys and 13 yards to Brandon Presley.

Kurt Palandech had a 10-yard TD run to tie the game with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter.

But Wyoming needed just three plays for the winning score on Coffman's pass to Hollister, who was left all alone behind the UNLV defense on a well-executed run fake.

UNLV turned the ball over on downs at its own 15 yard line on its ensuing possession. The key play defensively for Wyoming was defensive end Eddie Yarbrough's sack of Decker on first down, pushing the Runnin' Rebels back to their own 1-yard line.

UNLV coach Tony Sanchez lamented lost scoring chances and giving up too many big plays to Wyoming.

''We've got to continue to work hard and stick to the plan,'' Sanchez said. ''We know how we need to improve.''

The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 total yards on offense.

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