Rebels looking for strong finish, bowl appearance

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 | 10:53 a.m.

There's been a sense of deja vu surrounding the UNLV football team this week as it prepares for Saturday's game at Wyoming.

The Rebels (2-5, 1-2) must win their final four games of the season to finish with a winning record and possibly go to a bowl game. And it doesn't take a keen memory for John Robinson's squad to realize that it is a big challenge that can be met.

"It's just like last season," senior wide receiver Bobby Nero said. "It's kind of eerie in that way."

Actually, UNLV had to win its final three regular-season games a year ago to earn a Las Vegas Bowl berth. But the Rebels closed out the season with four victories, including a 31-14 upset of Arkansas in the bowl game.

"Last year we had to win those last four games to get any respect," Nero said. "I think what we need to do now is win these last four games to get our respect back."

"We did it before," quarterback Jason Thomas said. "If we work hard, cut down the mistakes and stay together, we can do it again."

At a team meeting on Sunday, Robinson sat his team down and went over what a strong finish could mean for the 2001 squad.

"He told us what our options were in terms of our bowl chances," Nero said. "We'd have a chance to go to the New Orleans Bowl. If we could win these last four games, we'd finish 6-5. That's a decent season."

And after stumbling out of the gate with an 0-4 record, decent doesn't sound all too bad around Rebel Park these days.

It could be worse. A lot worse. Just ask the Wyoming Cowboys.

The Cowboys (2-5) have not won a Mountain West Conference game in 11 tries since Vic Koenning took over for Dana Dimel in 2000. Wyoming has gone just 3-15 in that span with victories over Central Michigan, Division I-AA Furman and Utah State, not exactly the Murderers' Row of college football opponents.

Following a 35-0 spanking by Utah last week, the Cowboys held a players-only meeting to discuss the remainder of their season.

"We've got to believe in ourselves because no one else does," Koenning said. "What we have to do is go back and take this personally -- players and coaches -- and do something about it."

Sounds like advice the Rebels could use, too.

"We're really upset about our last game (a 26-24 loss to Colorado State)," freshman outside linebacker Adam Seward said. "I think we'll try and take a little bit of that anger out on our next opponents. I think everything is going to be OK."

* REBEL NOTES: Starting fullback Steven Costa (turf toe) practiced briefly on Thursday and is listed as questionable by UNLV trainer Kyle Wilson. "It probably will be a decision made during pregame warmups whether he plays or not," Wilson said. ... Freshman tailback Dominique Dorsey (sprained ankles) did not practice all week but is still expected to make the trip. "I think the only way he'd play is in an extreme emergency," Wilson said. ... Two other key starters, defensive end Anton Palepoi (knee) and offensive tackle Brandon Bair (thigh bruise), both practiced Wednesday and Thursday and will play. ... It looks like the Rebels will get a break on the weather. Forecasts call for sunny skies and highs in the low 60s on Saturday in Laramie. However, it could get a little chilly in the second half when the sun sets. Lows are expected to reach the 30s. "I don 't feel the issue this week is Wyoming or the cold or the altitude or anything," Robinson said. "I feel the issue is playing at the level we can play at and go on from there."