Challenge for UNLV is to grow from setback

Now is when we see how UNLV’s best football team under Mike Sanford really is defined from the head up.

It was for the Rebels about as gut-wrenching a defeat as they could have imagined, this 23-21 loss to Oregon State on Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium.

It was a game the Rebels seemingly did everything possible to win and still didn’t.

Question is, how do they respond now?

They had to be in it. They had to compete and give themselves a chance to win. They had to prove in a fifth year under Sanford that sufficient progress has been made.

They did but still didn’t win.

Games this even can be decided on a pass-interference call on third-and-26, which is frustrating for those on the losing end. But it happens. Kids lose their heads at critical moments.

Deante Purvis made the critical mistake on Oregon State’s final drive. He also had a 64-yard kickoff return that set up UNLV’s first touchdown.

The hardest part about being on the short end of such an emotional defeat is getting over it. UNLV is handed that challenge today. We’ll see what it is made of.

A friend often comments how much I enjoy watching excellence. I don’t watch golf that doesn’t include Tiger Woods. I couldn’t care less about a tennis match that doesn’t feature Roger Federer. I record any basketball game involving Kobe Bryant.

I would watch Minka Kelly swatting flies for days on end.

Jacquizz Rodgers falls into this class when it comes to college running backs. He is terrific.

You knew the leak eventually would burst into a torrent, that UNLV at some point was going to lose Rodgers and he was going to rip off a long run and discover his rhythm, as much for his proven ability as the Rebels’ penchant for allowing large chunks of rushing yards.

It took a half.

The Rebels did well to hold Oregon State to six points over the first 30 minutes. Rodgers had 35 yards rushing and 33 more receiving at intermission. It was pedestrian stuff for him.

But his first carry of the second half went for 45 yards, and he added a career-best 47-yarder later in the third quarter. UNLV began missing tackles it made in the first half.

And when you give up a few biggies as UNLV did to Rodgers, you begin to second-guess yourself. You quit playing instinctively.

Rodgers finished with 166 yards on 26 carries. He’s as good as advertised.

UNLV played well enough defensively to walk off at intermission with a better fate than the 6-0 deficit, but while you can ruin offensive chances against the Sacramento States of the world and still not be overly concerned, it doesn’t work that way against legitimate opponents.

When one drive stalls at your 40 with an interception and another drive ends deep in Beavers territory with a fumble following a catch, well, you’re asking for a tough climb back.

Funny. The Rebels made it. They just couldn’t finish.

Mike Clausen is a sophomore quarterback for the Rebels who majors in interdisciplinary studies, which crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought. It teaches you how to think on your feet and react to a problem as new theories emerge.

Yeah. I think the kid has the whole thinking on his feet part down pretty well.

He replaced an injured Omar Clayton in the fourth quarter and led the Rebels to consecutive touchdowns and a 21-20 lead with just more than four minutes remaining.

The victory looked secure. A 2-0 start to the season appeared close enough to grab.

But then came the pass interference, and it all fell apart, ending with a 33-yard field goal by Justin Kahut.

It’s a hard thing to figure, this town. The announced gathering was 25,967, but the east side of the stadium was decked mostly in orange except for a few sections.

The Beavers appeared to bring along 8,000 or so of their friends, meaning you could put in the range of 18,000 those who turned out to cheer for the Rebels.

At home.

Against a Pac-10 team and one of the nation’s best backs.

In a season when UNLV is expected to contend for its first winning record in nine years and a bowl berth.

That was a pretty exciting atmosphere. That was a pretty darn good college game.

The Rebels had every chance to win but couldn’t.

Will they learn from it?

Will they grow from it?

Will they prove all the talk about being different this time is true?

The challenge awaits.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He also can be heard weeknights from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on “The Sports Scribes” on KDWN-AM (720) and www.infernosportsradio.com.