Friday, Nov. 1, 2002 | 9:35 a.m.
NEXT UP
What: Wyoming at UNLV
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Sam Boyd Stadium
TV: KLAS, Channel 8
Radio: KBAD 920-AM
Line: UNLV by 8, total is 51 1/2
At first glance, the bowl game hopes for the UNLV Rebels might look pretty bleak.
UNLV (3-5, 1-2) must win at least three of its four remaining games starting Saturday afternoon against Wyoming (2-6, 1-2) at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Rebels also play road games at Utah (2-6, 0-4) and Colorado State (8-2, 4-0), two places that have not been kind to UNLV in recent years, and host Air Force (6-3, 3-2) on Nov. 16th.
But the Rebels only have to look back to the 2000 season to see what can be done.
That year UNLV had to win its three final games of the season to earn a Las Vegas Bowl berth. The Rebels eked out a tough 18-14 victory over New Mexico at home, then won back-to-back road games at San Diego State (31-24) and Hawaii (34-32) to earn the right to play Arkansas in the bowl game. UNLV closed out that streak with a convincing 31-14 victory over the Hogs.
So even though the Rebels have a tough road ahead to get the 6-6 record necessary for post-season play, they know it can be done.
"The seniors talk about (the 2000 finish)," quarterback Jason Thomas said.
"We know that's the kind of roll that we have to get on. But we also know that in 2000 we took it one game at a time. And that's what we have to do now.
"You can't look ahead," Thomas continued. "You can't try and win four in a row or whatever because it just doesn't work that way. You have to win one at a time and then try and keep it going."
Senior tailback Joe Haro agrees.
"To me this is a very similiar situation to the end of that season," Haro said. "That year we had to win four in a row. Now we have to win three of our last four games. The seniors who were around for (the 2000 season) know what it was like back then. I've talked with Steve (Costa) and Tony (Terrell) and (Thomas) and a bunch of those guys about it.
"The main thing is to just take it one game at a game and focus on this week," Haro added. "Right now the focus is on Wyoming. We need to get this one first and then take it from there."
Wyoming comes to Las Vegas on a high after upsetting then No. 22-ranked Air Force, 34-26, in Laramie, snapping a 17-game conference losing streak in the process. Fans were so excited afterward that they wore down the metal goal post in the north end zone to help celebrate.
Third-year Cowboys' coach Vic Koenning, who has been rumored to be on the hot seat after compiling just a 5-25 record since taking over for Dana Dimel in 2000, said he doesn't believe his squad will get caught still celebrating the Air Force win when they play the Rebels. But he acknowledged the victory did a lot to boost his team's spirits.
"Players-wise, there's definitely a little bit more bounce in their step," Koenning said. "I saw a different look in their eyes (Monday) at practice, and I hope that translates into a little bit more focus. I'm not saying (the Air Force victory) filled up our tanks. We have a long way to go before we can get our stingers back completely and feel like there's some security here."
Koenning said he urging his team to look at this week's game "as our Las Vegas Bowl or our Super Bowl. We need to do that the rest of the season."
So do the Rebels.
"I think we'll (bounce back)," Thomas said. "Everybody knows what is on the line. Now we've just got to go out and perform."
archive
