There is no doubt at all that the stupid playing calling at the end of the first half lost UNLV the game. UNLV had any of three options in the last minute of the first half, and they picked the one that only an idiot would have picked:
1) Go after a score and throw the ball downfield in which case a turnover would have forced SJSU to go at least 60-70 yards or more to score. UNLV would either lead 17-6 or add to that score.
2) Take a knee and run time UNLV would lead 17-6
3) Try to take short meaningless runs that had no chance of scoring but would give a chance of a turnover. UNLV leads 17-13 at the half.
After a first half of a decent job of coach until the last minute of the first half, UNLV staff went back to coaching the second half to not lose instead of coaching to win, and this lost all of the aggresive play from the first half