Rebels get some breaks in 2002 football schedule

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002 | 9:44 a.m.

The Mountain West Conference released its 2002 football schedule on Monday. And for the UNLV Rebels, there was reason to smile.

Unlike in 2001, the Rebels appear to have gotten a break. Actually a couple of them.

John Robinson's squad, which went 12 straight weeks with only the Sept. 11 respite off en route to a disappointing 4-7 record last year, got a couple of well-placed byes in their 2002 schedule, including one before their season finale at Colorado State.

And unlike last year, when UNLV bounced around between Saturday and Friday night games, all 12 contests will be played on Saturday this season, including six at Sam Boyd Stadium. It's the first time in six years the Rebels have played that many home games.

UNLV opens its season on Aug. 31 against Big Ten power Wisconsin at Sam Boyd. The game has already been picked up by ESPN2 cable to be nationally televised and marks the first time since 1994 that the Rebels will have opened a season with a home game.

UNLV hosts Kansas the following week before back-to-back nonconference road games at Pac-10 power Oregon State and Mid-American Conference champ Toledo.

This is where the byes come in. Following that tough four-game stretch, the Rebels get a bye the week of Sept. 28 before hosting in-state rival Nevada-Reno on Oct. 5 in the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon.

"I think the bye comes at a good time after those first four games," Robinson said. "You kind of use spring practice and fall to prepare your team for the types of teams you are going to play those first four games. Then to have a bye after that should hopefully help us get ready for that next stretch of games."

Following the Nevada-Reno game, UNLV opens Mountain West play with a home date against New Mexico. Four of the Rebels' first six games will be at Sam Boyd Stadium when heat could still be a factor for opposing teams.

However, starting with an Oct. 19 game at defending MWC champion BYU, the Rebels will play four of their final six games on the road, including potentially cold weather dates at Utah (Nov. 9) and the Thanksgiving weekend finale in Fort Collins against Colorado State on Nov. 30.

The good news is that the Rebels have an extra week to get ready for Sonny Lubick's squad in a game that could have bowl ramifications. Meanwhile, the Rams must entertain New Mexico the preceding week.

"The only negative I see with the schedule is we could have a couple of cold weather type of games at the end," Robinson said. "It's a very challenging schedule again for us both in and out of the conference, especially on the road."