UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus flips after running for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal tight end Jack Endries lunges short of the goal line during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal wide receiver Josiah Martin (17) celebrates with fellow receiver Mavin Anderson after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus catches a pass during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV fans cheer during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal tight end Jack Endries, center, catches a pass for first down before being wrapped up by several UNLV players during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal wide receiver Josiah Martin (17) celebrates with fellow wide receiver Mavin Anderson after running for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus catches a pass and runs for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus catches a pass and tumbles into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal wide receiver Josiah Martin runs for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV running back Kylin James, center, is tackled for a loss of yards by several Cal defenders during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV tight end Kaleo Ballungay, top, leaps for yardage as Cal linebacker Liam Johnson (15) tries to bring him down during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV tight end Kaleo Ballungay, top, leaps for yardage as Cal linebacker Liam Johnson (15) tries to bring him down during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal defensive back Matthew Littlejohn, left, knocks away a pass intended for UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal tight end Jack Endries catches a pass for a first down during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal fans cheer and comment on LA Bowl host Rob Gronkowski during the first half of the LA Bowl between Cal and UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal quarterback CJ Harris scrambles with the ball during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal quarterback CJ Harris scrambles during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal wide receiver Josiah Martin runs for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV running back Greg Burrell runs for a first down during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV wide receiver Kayden McGee catches a pass and runs for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV defensive back Jett Elad, left, knocks away a pass intended for Cal wide receiver Trevor Rogers, right, as defensive back Tony Grimes (0) looks on during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal running back Jaydn Ott runs for a first down during the first half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal quarterback CJ Harris, center, is sacked by UNLV defensive back Johnathan Baldwin, left, and defensive end Antonio Doyle Jr. during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal quarterback CJ Harris, front, is sacked by UNLV defensive back Johnathan Baldwin (3) and defensive end Antonio Doyle Jr. (2) during the first half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams scrambles during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams dives for yardage during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal running back Jaydn Ott can’t reach the ball on an errant pass during the second half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV defensive back Jett Elad, right, recovers a Cal fumble as Cal running back Jaivian Thomas reaches for the ball during the second half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV defensive back Jett Elad (9) celebrates with fellow defensive back Johnathan Baldwin after recovering a Cal fumble during the second half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV running back Kylin James runs for a touchdown past Cal defensive back Ryan Yaites during the second half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV linebacker Marsel McDuffie (8) reacts after tackling Cal wide receiver Isaac Torres (26) for a loss of yards during the second half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus runs for yardage during the second half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal wide receiver Trevor Rogers runs with the ball after a catch during the second half of the LA Bowl against UNLV on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal linebacker Liam Johnson can’t hold on to a UNLV fumble during the second half of the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cal head coach Justin Wilcox walks off the field after their 24-13 loss to UNLV in the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV interim head coach Del Alexander holds up the championship belt as game host and former NFL star Rob Gronkowski, right, looks on after UNLV defeated Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard holds the championship belt after UNLV defeated Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard celebrates with the Defensive Player of the Game trophy after they defeated Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus, left, and linebacker Jackson Woodard, right, show off their Offensive and Defensive Player of the Game trophies after they defeated Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV players celebrate after defeating Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
UNLV linebacker Marsel McDuffie, center, celebrates with teammates after they defeated Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LA Bowl host and former NFL star Rob Gronkowski holds up the championship belt after UNLV defeated Cal, 24-13, to win the LA Bowl on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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UNLV wide receiver Jacob De Jesus flips after running for a touchdown during the first half of the LA Bowl against Cal on Wednesday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
INGLEWOOD — In an era of college football when transfer portal movement completely overshadows bowl season, UNLV was an unexpected outlier. Despite the departures of head coach Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, just four players had entered the portal prior to Wednesday night’s LA Bowl.
Credit Jackson Woodard for the collective loyalty. Soon after learning of Odom’s move to fill the head coaching vacancy at Purdue, the Rebels’ senior linebacker and team captain spent hours on the phone with additional team leaders, convincing them to finish what they had started.
“I just made a lot of phone calls, and said, ‘We’re gonna go do this,’” Woodard said. “We obviously lost in the Mountain West (Conference) championship (game), which was gut-wrenching. But it’s hard to describe what this team went through in the last week and a half to come out and stay together.”
Coincidentally, Cal was also in the minority, with just six players in the portal. There wasn’t as strong an alignment on the Golden Bears’ side, however, as some veterans, according to head coach Justin Wilcox, had decided to play a limited number of reps.
Those differing approaches proved crucial as the UNLV stalwarts who started the game stuck it out for all four quarters, while the Golden Bears were decimated by in-game business decisions. Cal (6-7) did not score a point in the second half as 24th-ranked UNLV (11-3) turned a one-point halftime advantage into a 24-13 win. It marked the Rebels’ first bowl game victory since 2000, the victory bringing them to 11 wins for the first time in 40 years and the first time ever as an FBS program.
“Not many people can say they won 11 games in a season,” said Woodard, who was named the Defensive Player of the Game. “This is exactly how we wanted to finish it.”
One Cal player who didn’t exit the game on his own accord was quarterback CJ Harris. With Golden Bears starter Fernando Mendoza in the portal and second-stringer Chandler Rogers questionable, fifth-year sophomore Harris stepped right in, keeping the team afloat through 2½ quarters.
Then, on Cal’s third drive of the second half, freshman EJ Caminong took Harris’ place. Harris was seen walking to the locker room with a towel draped over his head and Wilcox said after the game that he sustained an injury. Harris had completed 13 of 20 passes for 109 yards before his departure. Caminong was unable to build on his performance. He completed just 6 of 19 attempts and committed a turnover on his second drive when he threw a risky backward pass that UNLV cornerback Jett Elad scooped up, and with it, grabbed the momentum of the game.
On the following play, Kylin James ran for a 23-yard score, the only touchdown of the second half.
Apart from that play, UNLV’s second-half offense looked just as lifeless as Cal’s did. Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams threw two touchdowns in the first half, but he completed just one pass in the second half, finishing 5 of 18 for 96 yards.
The Rebels’ offensive struggles were masked by a defense that pitched a second-half shutout and a special teams unit that came through with a trick punt and returns that set up multiple scoring situations.
Early in the second quarter, the Rebels lined up to punt on fourth-and-7 from their 39-yard line. Instead, punter Marshall Nichols used both hands to push a pass to Cameron Oliver for a 52-yard gain to the Cal 9. They capped that drive with senior Jacob De Jesus taking a shovel pass 9 yards for a touchdown that he celebrated with a backflip in the end zone.
In addition to 38 receiving yards and that touchdown, De Jesus accounted for 123 return yards and was named the Offensive Player of the Game. His 38-yard punt return set the Rebels up for a 48-yard Caden Chittenden field goal that put the game on ice with 6:01 left.
“Jacob was special back there,” interim head coach Del Alexander said. “He’s one of the best punt returners that I’ve seen and coached.”
De Jesus’ impact on special teams provided a much-needed spark for an offense that couldn’t string together drives in Marion’s absence. The Rebels patched together play-calling through a collaborative approach with the coaching staff meeting before each series and funneling decisions through offensive analyst Kenneth Merchant.
“It was just a matter of everybody being on the same page,” Alexander said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”
It didn’t help that the Rebels’ leading receiver, Ricky White III, who was expected to play, didn’t suit up.
USC’s Zachariah Branch reportedly enters transfer portal, continuing receiver exodus
With White in street clothes on the sideline, underclassmen stepped up, such as Kayden McGee, who hauled in a 49-yard touchdown pass on a post route for the game’s opening touchdown.
Following the game, both Woodard and De Jesus expressed an understanding toward White’s last-minute opt-out. Wednesday, however, wasn’t about whether that decision was justified or not. It was a rightful conclusion to a season for a team whose bones have remained intact despite so many off-field obstacles popping up (UNLV’s original starting QB, Matthew Sluka, left the program three games into the season because of an NIL dispute).
“We fought through so much adversity and just went through so many things,” De Jesus said. “We wanted to go out with the win and end the season off, you know, the way we should, because this season has been a great season.”
NOTES
UNLV running back Jai’Den Thomas had 18 carries for 72 yards. … Cal’s Jayden Ott rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries. … Dan Mullen, who will take over UNLV’s program next season after being hired last Thursday, was in attendance. … Cal hasn’t had a winning season since 2019.
