UNLV Football

Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005 | 8:05 a.m.

There is no room in the results column for moral victories, head coach Mike Sanford said, as the Rebels prepare for their final two games of the season.

UNLV, 2-7 overall and coming off a 55-14 home loss to BYU, finishes with games against arguably the two best teams in the Mountain West Conference: at conference champion Texas Christian on Saturday and at home against Colorado State on Nov. 19.

"All I want to do is win," Sanford said. "Our deal (these next two games) is to win, and we've got to continue to get better; we've got to eliminate mistakes and play better on offense and defense."

If the Rebels continue to make the same mistakes that have plagued them during their current three-game losing skid, the Horned Frogs surely will take advantage; TCU is leading the nation in turnover margin at plus-19.

"They're a good team -- they're really, really good," Sanford said of the Horned Frogs, who claimed the MWC title Saturday with a 33-6 victory at home against Colorado State.

"They're really good on defense and, as we all know, defense wins championships. But we're going to go out there and fight -- that's why they play the games."

TCU, which has shared in five league titles in the past 12 seasons, earned its first outright conference championship since 1958 by defeating Colorado State. This is the Horned Frogs' first season in the Mountain West.

TOUGH IT OUT

Without naming names, Sanford on Monday reiterated his contention that some Rebels are letting minor injuries take them off the playing field when others are playing through theirs.

"We've got to learn the difference between pain and injury and we've got to play through pain," Sanford said.

Sanford noted that defensive lineman Howie Fuimaono sprained his ankle during Saturday's contest, came out for a few plays and then went back in and finished the game.

"That's a real positive example," Sanford said of Fuimaono, "and that's the expectation level of what I want to see here."

ALSO NOTED:

* Sanford said there was a "good chance" that quarterback Shane Steichen would be cleared to play against TCU. Steichen has missed the past five games after undergoing surgery to repair a broken left ring finger.

* In addition to officially receiving their Mountain West Conference championship trophy, the Horned Frogs will be honoring former TCU standout and San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson on Saturday.

* TCU's eight-game winning streak is the fourth-longest in the nation behind USC (31), Texas (16) and Alabama (9).

* The last time UNLV and TCU met on the football field, the Horned Frogs scored a lopsided 41-18 victory in Jeff Horton's final game as Rebels head coach.

BY THE NUMBERS:

4 -- The number of times Texas Christian's defense intercepted Colorado State quarterback Justin Holland in TCU's 33-6 victory Saturday.

5 -- The number of times Texas Christian's defense sacked Holland.

19 -- The number of times UNLV quarterback Jarrod Jackson has been sacked in five starts.

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.