The UNLV (11-3) offense looked equally as lifeless as Cal (6-7) did under Caminong, but the Rebels capitalized on his turnover and shut the Golden Bears out in the second half.

UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams completed just 5 of 18 passes for 96 yards, but threw for two touchdowns in the first half.

Jacob De Jesus helped the Rebels’ offense, totaling 123 return yards. His 38-yard punt return set UNLV up for a field goal that put the game on ice.

De Jesus’s impact on special teams provided a much-needed spark for an offense that seemed to struggle in the absence of offensive coordinator Brennan Marion.

At the LA Bowl press conference on Tuesday, UNLV interim head coach Del Alexander explained that the Rebels put forward a collaborative effort over the last week to cover for the loss of Marion. That patchwork had its kinks as an offense that had averaged 36 points per game rarely strung drives together on Wednesday.

It didn’t help that UNLV’s leading receiver Ricky White, who was expected to play, didn’t suit up.

With White in street clothes on the sideline, and Cal’s leading receiver Nyziah Hunter in the transfer portal, underclassmen stepped up.

In the first quarter, Rebels freshman Kayden McGee hauled in a 49-yard touchdown pass on a post route for the game’s opening touchdown. Then Golden Bears freshman Josiah Martin scored on a fake read-option turned end-around.

Neither McGee or Martin had scored a touchdown before Wednesday’s game, but each were heavily involved.

With 5:26 remaining in the second quarter, Harris found Martin on a fourth-and-1 to keep a Cal drive alive. Four plays later he held onto a pass, while surviving a simultaneous collision to set up a first-and-goal at the 4-yard line. The drive concluded with a 30-yard field goal, but wouldn’t have resulted in any points if not for Martin’s reliability.

The emergence of younger players was expected, but with each team having fewer opt outs than most of their peers, there were still stars showing up.

UNLV cornerback Jett Elad had 13 total tackles and snagged Caminong’s backwards pass, while senior Jackson Woodard had 11 tackles and three pass break-ups.

UNLV’s defense were quick to adjust to Cal’s quarterback change.

Despite playing without their offensive coordinator and head coach, the Rebels scraped together a win to cap off their best season, record-wise, since 1984 and their first bowl game victory since 2000.