MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- The power did not fail, but the offense of Wisconsin did.
Kurt Nantkes threw two touchdown passes and safety Jamaal Brimmer had a 55-yard fumble return and two interceptions as Nevada Las Vegas took advantage of five turnovers for a 23-5 upset of the 15th-ranked Badgers.
Nantkes completed just 12-of-25 passes for 93 yards, but was helped by two interceptions deep inside Wisconsin territory as UNLV (2-1) rebounded from a 46-24 loss to Kansas last week.
"I think it was a great win for us and we deserved it because we played just about every phase of the game as hard as we could," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "Our defense has kind of a Jekyll and Hyde team. We were good the first game and atrocious the second game and they were very good in this game."
Jim Sorgi was 11-of-25 for 222 yards and two costly interceptions for Wisconsin (2-1). He also was sacked eight times.
"All we can do is go back to the drawing board and get our guys to bounce back and get them playing football like they're capable of," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said.
"They were bringing a lot of stuff," Badgers offensive lineman Dan Buenning said. "They had a good package against us and they knew what they wanted to do and they did it well."
Last year, Wisconsin held a 27-7 lead at UNLV when the game was called with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter after a power outage left Sam Boyd Stadium in darkness. Wisconsin, which took advantage of five turnovers by the Rebels in that contest, was declared the winner.
Anthony Davis, who ran for 81 yards against UNLV last year, had just two carries for 11 yards before leaving with an ankle injury. Dwayne Smith carried 18 times for 92 yards.
"We tried to put pressure on their quarterback from a variety of ways and we got them good," Robinson said. "Their receiving corps is a formidable looking group and when they get you on the field if he (the quarteback) has time, it's hard to defend. But for us, it was a great day."
"Anthony, obviously, is a large part of our offense but there are no excuses in this game," Alvarez said. "Their top tailback was out also."
Tremaine Kirkland had a 37-yard punt return to set up Dillon Piefer's 26-yard field goal that gave the Rebels a 3-0 lead 6:09 into the game.
The Badgers marched down the field on the ensuing possession with Sorgi completing a 37-yard pass to Smith on 3rd-and-10 from the Rebels 43. But on the next play, defensive end Chris Eagen recovered a fumble by Smith on the Rebels 5 and returned it four yards.
After stopping UNLV, Wisonsin began its next possession on the Rebels 49. But Smith again fumbled after being hit by defensive end Leon Moore and this time Brimmer picked up the ball and sprinted 55 yards to give the Rebels a 10-0 lead with 4:26 left in the opening quarter.
Wisconsin cut the deficit to 10-2, when linebacker Alex Lewis blocked a punt out of the end zone five seconds into the second quarter. The Badgers started at midfield after the free kick, but managed just a 27-yard field goal by Scot Campbell to make it 10-5, 1:56 into the second.
Brimmer had a 36-yard interception return to set up Nantkes' six-yard pass to Earvin Johnson, giving UNLV a 16-5 lead after the extra point failed with 8:03 left in the first half.
On Wisconsin's first possession of the second half, Brimmer had a 29-yard interception return to the Badgers 24. The Rebels were helped by a pass interference penalty and Nantkes again hooked up with Johnson for an eigh-yard TD to make it 23-5 just 2:46 into the quarter.
Wisconsin again moved the ball on its next possession, but linebacker John Andrews recovered Brandon Williams' fumble at the Rebels 18. Two of the Badgers' next three possessions ended with Sorgi getting sacked.
