Fullerton Defeats UNLV

Dan Speltz, Cal State Fullerton’s quarterback, has had bad days and good days this season.

Against Nevada Las Vegas in a Big West Conference game Saturday at Santa Ana Stadium, he had a good one, passing for 297 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-20 victory before 3,900 at Santa Ana Stadium.

Speltz, who had nine passes intercepted in his first three games, was not intercepted for the second consecutive game Saturday. And he completed 19 of 28 passes.

The rest of the Titans were good, too, for the most part. Fullerton scored on five of its first seven possessions in taking a 27-0 halftime lead before stumbling through the third quarter, allowing UNLV to cut the lead to 13. The Titans regained control with a six-minute, 16-play touchdown drive at the start of the fourth quarter.

UNLV (1-3, 1-1) lost to Fullerton for the third consecutive time. Until 1987, the Titans hadn’t beaten UNLV in 15 years.

Fullerton (2-2-1) defeated a Division I opponent for the first time this season, and opened its conference schedule with a victory. Before Saturday, the Titans’ only victory was over Division II Cal State Northridge.

“Going in this game, I had no idea how we were going to do,” said Titan Coach Gene Murphy, whose team has been error-prone this season. “All I know is this is a big win for us.”

Fullerton’s Mike Pringle, who was second in the nation in all-purpose running this week, rushed for 117 yards, his fourth consecutive 100-yard game. He added 74 yards on four receptions, including a short pass from Speltz in the first quarter that Pringle turned into a 47-yard touchdown pass play.

Against Colorado State two weeks ago, a blitzing defense got the better of the Titans, and Speltz had four passes intercepted. But this time, Speltz picked UNLV apart, completing short passes to Pringle that turned into big gains, and relying on Rocky Palamara, who caught 11 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns, including a 59-yard touchdown play in the first quarter.

UNLV quarterback Derek Stott, playing in place of Chuck Price, who injured a finger in a victory over New Mexico State last week, completed 12 of 21 passes for 133 yards with one interception and one touchdown. Darin Brightmon rushed for 59 yards, and Kyle Toomer for 44.

Murphy said the Fullerton defense had its best game of the season.

But the shutout got away in the second half when, the Rebels scored three touchdowns.