UNLV football played inside SoFi Stadium with a completely overhauled roster and interim head coach. However, that didn't prevent the Rebels from sparking excitement against Cal off of a wild fake punt. The kind that Pat McAfee approved when watching the L.A. Bowl.

In what looked like a simple punt, Rebels punter Marshall Nichols appears ready to lift his leg for the booming kick. Except, he pushes the pass to Cameron Oliver, who slipped behind the Golden Bears' punt return team. Oliver proceeded to get the Rebels inside the red zone.

That play erupted with the game's host Rob Gronkowski watching. The Pro Bowl punter and popular ESPN radio personality immediately approved on social media.

For McAfee to approve means this was flawlessly executed. UNLV scored the next play — as Hajj-Malik Williams hit Jacob De Jesus for a nine-yard touchdown strike to go ahead 14-10.

UNLV fake punt sparks other wild reactions

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McAfee wasn't the only notable reaction. Coaches and fans joined in on the reaction side.

Dan Casey, best known for posting various formation clips on social media, revealed what the play call really was.

“They just ran a Shallow Screen Fake Punt,” Casey posted on X with a laughing face emoji.

Another radio personality, Ken Thomson of Sports X Radio, hailed it “one of the best I've seen in years” on his social media page.

Even the X account for the L.A. Bowl couldn't help but react on X. They posted “the Rebels cooked” with a red hot face emoji. However longtime Las Vegassports personality Tony Corsasco of The BET Las Vegas said UNLV has been practicing that play all season. They just happened to run it during the Rebels' bowl appearance.

UNLV entered Inglewood as the underdog, but only at 1.5-points. Both the Rebels and Golden Bears engaged in a highly competitive first half. UNLV, the designated home team, took a 14-13 lead at halftime.