Cougars comfortable at ‘home’

Welcome home, Brigham Young.

OK, so Sam Boyd Stadium really is more like the Cougars' second home, the occasional retreat to familiar, mind-easing surroundings.

For BYU, it could feel similar to a home game tonight with possibly most of the expected crowd of 30,000 cheering for the No. 18 Cougars (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) when they "visit" UNLV (2-3, 0-1) at 7.

"We have a lot of following in Nevada," BYU quarterback Max Hall said. "The Hall family is from Nevada, so I'll have a lot of family there, and there will be a lot of blue shirts at the game, hopefully. And we've played there a bunch, so hopefully we'll feel comfortable playing in that stadium."

This is BYU's seventh game at Sam Boyd in five seasons, including four consecutive Las Vegas Bowls.

The Cougars are 10-3 all time at the stadium, including 7-0 against UNLV. They also played in two Western Athletic Conference championship games there.

And BYU could be back in December for what now is called the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas.

"There are certainly not many questions as to what our travel itinerary looks like, what things will be like," Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "So we're much more comfortable than maybe some of the games we travel to."

UNLV has had difficulty enticing its fans to show up to home games this season. The supporters for Oregon State (announced crowd of 25,967) and Hawaii (29,717) made up roughly 40 percent of those crowds even though each school is considered an attractive draw for locals.

In his weekly Rebel Nation column, coach Mike Sanford sent a plea to "UNLV fans to come out and cheer on the Rebels so we don't have more blue than red in the stands."

This is an important game for UNLV, which is coming off an upset loss at Wyoming, followed by a 63-28 defeat at rival UNR.

It was supposed to be a season of promise, but now it's in danger of getting away with top-line opponents BYU tonight and Utah next Saturday.

A victory, however, could change that direction.

"It would be great momentum for us for the rest of the season," UNLV tailback Channing Trotter said.

As usual, BYU brings a potent offense into this game. Hall leads the Mountain West with 280.6 yards passing per game, and tailback Harvey Unga is the leading rusher, averaging 86.2 yards per game.

Making matters worse for the Rebels is the uncertainty over some key defensive players. Linebacker Starr Fuimaono (ankle), end/linebacker Jason Beauchamp (knee) and end Preston Brooks (shoulder) might not play.

Bad news for a defense already last in the conference, giving up 449 yards per game.

But UNLV can move the ball, and nearly won a scoring battle last season as BYU eked out a 42-35 victory. Quarterback Omar Clayton, who missed last week's game with an injured throwing shoulder, is expected to play, but Sanford said it would be a game-time decision whether he starts.

The Rebels also get back wide receiver Rodelin Anthony, who missed the past two games with a concussion. His absence at UNR allowed the Wolf Pack to double-team Ryan Wolfe and limit the receiver to five catches for 36 yards.

"When you have Rodelin, Phillip Payne and Ryan Wolfe, that gives you another guy that they have to defend," Sanford said. "It makes it harder for people to double Ryan Wolfe or Phillip Payne.

"There are some things we have to do to create opportunities to get the ball to the players we want to get the ball to."

Should the Rebels do that and find a way to beat BYU, at the end of the night, they will reclaim Sam Boyd as their field.

At least until December, when BYU might return.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.