Robinson eyes role of spoiler vs. CSU

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1999 | 10:26 a.m.

The word of the week around UNLV's football practices this week?

How about "spoilers?"

The Rebels (3-7, 1-5) find themselves with a chance to spoil Colorado State's hopes of earning a share of the Mountain West Conference title on Saturday afternoon at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Rams (7-3, 4-2) are still hopeful of landing a postseason bowl berth, too.

So UNLV, which will also be trying to snap an 11-game home losing streak, would like nothing better than to send its seniors out with a big upset of the Rams.

"We got our dream spoiled of going to a bowl game, so why not do it to them?" senior defensive tackle Rod Jones said.

"It would be nice to ruin their shot at the title," senior safety Quincy Sanders echoed.

"Hey, you have to have something to play for," junior linebacker Randy Black said. "Why not be a spoiler this week?"

If the Rams do win their fifth straight game as expected on Saturday, they could end up back in Las Vegas in a few weeks playing Fresno State in the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl.

* MR. NOVEMBER? You might say that Colorado State head coach Sonny Lubick is to November what baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was to October. ... a big winner.

Entering Saturday afternoon's season finale against UNLV, Lubick has compiled a 16-2 record in November games since arriving in Fort Collins.

The Rams have gone undefeated in 1997 (3-0), 1995 (3-0), 1994 (3-0) and 1993 (2-0) in November games and so far are 2-0 this season.

* CHEETANY HONORED: For the second straight year, UNLV will have a player on Sports Illustrated's list of Top 10 special teams players.

Last year consensus All-American punter Joe Kristosik made the list. And in this week's edition, which will hit the newsstands on Thursday, punter/placekicker Ray Cheetany will make the list.

Utah kick return star Steve Smith also made the Top 10.

* THIRD BOWL? The Mountain West Conference will be rooting hard for West Virginia in Saturday's Backyard Brawl with Pitt.

Reason? If Pitt (5-5) loses, it could open a spot for a third Mountain West team in a bowl game.

The Motor City Bowl, which pits the MAC champion -- that's Marshall, barring a huge upset by Western Michigan -- against an at-large team, is tentatively scheduled to take Pitt if the Panthers can get the required sixth win on Saturday. If not, MWC officials will push hard for one of their teams to get picked.