When UNLV quarterback Shane Steichen’s touchdown pass was ruled incomplete as time expired, nearly everyone inside Jack Trice Stadium thought the game was over.

Cyclone players and coaches made their way to the locker room, celebrating a 16-10 win over a pesky Rebel team and a 2-0 record early in the season.

The game’s officials ran off the field.

The game was over – except in the mind of UNLV coach Mike Sanford.

Sanford wanted the final play of the game reviewed, and when he didn’t get his wish he chased the officials into the Jacobson Athletic Building and kept his team on the field, refusing to hit the showers even as the stadium emptied around him.

Two plays earlier, officials had stopped the game to review a catch and fumble by Rebel receiver Casey Flair. The catch was overturned, setting up a third down-and-eight with seven seconds to play.

The next play saw Steichen attempt a pass to the back of the end zone to Aaron Straiten, who caught the ball but came down out of bounds. The pass was called incomplete, but Sanford wanted another look.

“Our team has worked so hard and given so much that at the end I thought the play should have been reviewed,” Sanford said. “Nowadays in college football we have instant replay for a reason. It was a catch on the boundary and I needed to get an answer that the game was over.”

Sanford admitted his confusion and frustration regarding the final seconds of the game.

“There was time that was added back on the clock [on the play that was reviewed] and I’ll be honest, I don’t completely understand what they did there,” he said. “To me, as much time as they spent on that one, they at least could have looked at the replay on that last one before the officials left the field and before Iowa State left the field. That’s why we have instant replay in college football.”

When he didn’t get an answer immediately, UNLV stayed on the field for nearly 20 minutes after the game ended before Sanford finally led his team to the locker room.

While on the field, several UNLV players stood on the 50-yard line, taunting ISU players and fans.

“They disrespected us by doing that,” said ISU linebacker Tyrone McKenzie. “But if that’s what they want to do and that’s how they take a loss, I guess let it be.”

In a statement released after the game, review official Tom Ahlers said the play was looked at in the replay booth.

“I deemed it a reviewable play, reviewed it and did not overrule the play,” Ahlers said.

Sanford didn’t buy the explanation.

“No one ever gave me an answer that the review had been done and that he was out,” Sanford said.

ISU coach Dan McCarney led his team off the field when the final play was over.

“The officials officiate, I coach,” McCarney said. “The officials told me the game was over. Period, end of story.”

UNLV controlled the clock in the fourth quarter, mounting a 12-play scoring drive to pull within six, 16-10, with just under 11 minutes to play.

Iowa State got the ball and went three-and-out, returning possession to the Rebels with 8:15 to go.

UNLV drove the ball down the field, working their way into the red zone as time dwindled. Steichen completed six of eight passes on the drive, giving his team a chance to win the game with a touchdown and extra point.

“I don’t believe we lost, I believe we ran out of time,” Sanford said. “In reality on the scoreboard and in all the statistics it’s going to be a loss. I felt like we had an opportunity to win. We should have put the game away in my mind.”

“We had opportunities to do that and we didn’t do it.”