Special section: Rebels to face tough games early

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 29, 2002 | 9:08 a.m.

UNLV's largest margins of victory, defeat

And you thought last year's schedule was challenging.

UNLV stumbled out of the blocks to an 0-4 record in 2001 thanks in part to a demanding early schedule that included road trips to Arkansas and Arizona and home games against Northwestern and eventual Mountain West champion Brigham Young. But it's possible the 2002 schedule could be even tougher.

Besides opening against perennial Big Ten powerhouse Wisconsin on Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium, the Rebels must travel to Oregon State, which may have the best defense in the Pac-10 this year, and defending MAC champion Toledo. And UNLV also hosts a team from arguably the nation's toughest conference this year, Kansas of the Big 12.

Toss in three tough Mountain West Conference road games -- BYU, Utah and Colorado State -- and it won't be easy for John Robinson and company to turn around a disappointing 4-7 mark.

Here's a game-by-game rundown of the Rebels' 2002 schedule:

Wisconsin, Saturday, 5:45 p.m. Sam Boyd Stadium

A record crowd of almost 43,000 is expected for this game between two teams trying to put disappointing 2001 campaigns behind.

The Badgers, who eked out a 23-21 victory over Fresno State in their season-opener last Friday in Madison, will have the advantage of already having played and won a game.

Barry Alvarez's squad, coming off an uncharacteristic 5-7 season, will be without star wide receiver Lee Evans, who suffered a knee injury in spring practice and isn't expected back until October. However, the Badgers will have a big, veteran offensive line to go along with super soph running back Anthony Davis, who rushed for 1,466 yards and was 2001 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. They also have a steady senior quarterback in Brooks Bollinger.

The game marks a homecoming for former Rebel coaches Jeff Horton, Brian White and Ron Cooper. Horton was head coach at UNLV the last time the teams met in 1998 in a game at Madison easily won by the Badgers, 52-7.

Kansas, Sept. 7, 7 p.m. Sam Boyd Stadium

The Rebels are 0-3 against Big 12 Conference competition at Sam Boyd Stadium and will be playing a Jayhawk squad that returns just nine starters from a 3-8 team.

Kansas also has a new head coach in Mark Mangino, offensive coordinator of Oklahoma's 2000 national championship squad. He will try to pump some life into a Jayhawk offense that ranked 113th in the nation.

Kansas also rated 111th in rush defense, allowing 237 yards per game. Remember, however, that KU plays in perhaps the toughest division in college football, the Big 12 North, against the likes of Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas State and Iowa State.

Kansas' top returning players are running back Reggie Duncan, 227 yards against Texas Tech last season, and linebacker Leo Etienne, 94 tackles and two sacks last year.

At Oregon St., Sept. 14, 4 p.m. Reser Stadium

In a rare matchup of coaches who have won national championships, John Robinson's Rebels face Dennis Erickson's Beavers at Reser Stadium.

Barring a major upset, Oregon State, which faces Eastern Kentucky and Temple in its first two games, should be 2-0 and possibly ranked in the top 25 heading into this nationally televised contest.

UNLV will have to find a way to slow former Eldorado High star Steven Jackson, arguably the top back in the Pac-10 Conference.

At Toledo, Sept. 21, 4 p.m. Glass Bowl

The Rebels begin a home-and-home series at the Glass Bowl with the defending MAC champion Rockets, coming off a 23-16 victory over Cincinnati in the Motor City Bowl.

The good news for the Rebels is that this is supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Rockets, who have the fewest returning starters in the MAC (11) and lost their two best offensive players, running back Chester Taylor (1,430 yards, 20 TDs) and quarterback Tavares Bolden (200 of 291, 2,331 yards, 13 TDs), to graduation.

Still, the Rockets' defense, led by senior linebacker Tom Ward and junior defensive tackle Chaz Williams, figures to be one of the best in the MAC.

Nevada-Reno, Oct. 5, 7 p.m. Sam Boyd Stadium

There's never any love lost when these in-state rivals get together in the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon.

Nevada-Reno players were smarting after UNLV added a late touchdown by quarterback Jason Thomas with just eight seconds left in a closer-than-the-score-would-indicate 27-12 victory at Mackay Stadium last year. And this could be a key year for third-year Wolf Pack coach Chris Tormey, 5-18 in two years at Reno.

However, UNR returns 19 starters from a team that defeated Hawaii 28-20 last year. They include sophomore running back Chance Kretschmer, who led the nation with 1,757 yards last season.

UNLV will be trying to defeat the Wolf Pack three straight times for the first time since a program-best four-game series win streak from 1974-77.

New Mexico, Oct. 12, 4 p.m. Sam Boyd Stadium

The Rebels open Mountain West Conference play against a Lobos team that hammered them 27-17 last year in Albuquerque.

The good news? New Mexico has never won a game in Las Vegas (0-3 vs. UNLV), including falling 41-13 to Colorado State in the 1997 WAC title game.

The bad news? New Mexico has a bye before this game and figures to benefit from two weeks of preparation.

At BYU, Oct. 19, TBA LaVell Edwards Stadium

The defending champion Cougars will no doubt be happy to welcome the Rebels to LaVell Edwards Stadium after playing four straight road games (Nevada-Reno, Georgia Tech, Utah State and Air Force).

UNLV has dropped six straight to BYU, but lost 35-31 in the final minutes last year at Sam Boyd Stadium and 10-7 in Provo two years ago.

For the Rebels to be considered a top-echelon MWC team, they'll need to snap their losing streak to Gary Crowton's high-scoring Cougars.

At San Diego St., Oct. 26, TBA Qualcomm Stadium

Former Palomar (Calif.) JC coach Tom Craft, an offensive coordinator at San Diego State in the '90s, takes over for Ted Tollner as Aztecs coach and figures to be throwing the ball in this game -- a lot.

San Diego State returns 12 starters from a disappointing 3-8 squad, including standout wide receiver J.R. Tolver and cornerback Ricky Sharpe.

UNLV has two straight wins against the Aztecs, including a huge 31-24 victory that helped propel the Rebels to the 2000 Las Vegas Bowl.

Wyoming, Nov. 2, TBA Sam Boyd Stadium

It's no secret third-year Cowboys coach Vic Koenning is on the hot seat after compiling a 3-19 record (0-14 MWC) in his first two years in Laramie since replacing popular Dana Dimel.

UNLV defeated the Pokes 47-26 last year in Laramie and has won three straight against the Cowboys.

Keep an eye on Casey Bramlet, the Cowboys' talented junior quarterback, who has an NFL-caliber arm and threw for 3,069 yards and 20 touchdowns a year ago. The Wyoming wide receiving group, led by junior Ryan McGuffey (65 catches) and 6-6 Malcom Floyd, could give UNLV's rebuilt secondary some problems.

If it comes down to a field goal, Wyoming has one of the nation's top placekickers in senior Jarvis Wallum (20 of 23 FGs), a Lou Groza semifinalist last year.

At Utah, Nov. 9, TBA Rice-Eccles Stadium

The defending Las Vegas Bowl champion Utes have manhandled the Rebels in their last three meetings, including a 42-14 victory at Sam Boyd Stadium last fall. Utah has outscored UNLV 132-44 over that span.

UNLV has never won in Salt Lake City (0-3) and has lost six in a row to the Utes.

Utah, led by defensive ends Jason Kaufusi and Garrett Smith, linebacker Sheldon Deckert and defensive backs Antwoine Sanders and Las Vegan Arnold Parker, should field one of the nation's top defenses.

Air Force, Nov. 16, TBA Sam Boyd Stadium

The Rebels conclude their home schedule against an Air Force squad they've defeated two years in a row, including 34-10 last year in Colorado Springs.

One thing that plays into UNLV's favor this year is the schedule. The Falcons play at rival Army the week before in a game that could decide the Commander in Chief Trophy.

Before that, Fisher DeBerry's team plays a four-game stretch that includes BYU, a much-anticipated home game against Notre Dame and in-state rival Colorado State.

At Colorado St., Nov. 30, TBA Hughes Stadium

Sonny Lubick rarely loses in November.

That is bad news for the Rebels, who have lost their last two meetings with the Rams by a combined five points and figure to be playing in ice cold temperatures at Hughes Stadium on Thanksgiving weekend.

Colorado State was the preseason pick to win the Mountain West. The Rams return a strong offensive line to go with exciting quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt and running back Cecil "The Diesel" Sapp. And the CSU linebacker corps, led by Eric Pauley, Drew Wood, David Vickers and Adam Wade, is the most talented in the conference.

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