Rebels can’t overlook Lobos

UNLV was in this spot earlier this season, coming off an encouraging showing and getting ready to play a football team it should beat.

That was in September, when the Rebels followed a stunning 40-20 victory over Hawaii with a perhaps more shocking 41-16 loss to Southern Utah.

Now the Rebels come off a 38-35 victory over Colorado State and a closer-than-expected 48-21 loss to No. 5 Boise State, a game in which UNLV pushed the Broncos until late in the third quarter.

UNLV (2-6, 1-2 Mountain West Conference) next visits New Mexico (0-9, 0-4), and despite the Rebels' horrific road struggles, they are 7-point favorites in Saturday's 7 p.m. PST game.

It's a game there for the taking, but so was Southern Utah, a team UNLV outgained 402 yards to 256, but lost because of three Caleb Herring interceptions returned for touchdowns.

The lessons from that night could be useful this week. Coach Bobby Hauck said the team played with enough effort against Southern Utah, but simply didn't play well, and he said New Mexico also isn't a team to be overlooked.

"They've got to look at us as an opportunity to get a win in their last home game," he said, "and we need to be sure we're aware of the circumstances and the trap we 're walking into Saturday."

Herring should play after twice leaving the game against Boise State. He was gone for good after a hit on the chin early in the fourth quarter, and Hauck said "we'll have to ease him back" into practice this week.

Five suspended players also are on track to return, including running back Tim Cornett and linebackers Tani Maka and Princeton Jackson. Reserve wide receiver Devante Davis and defensive back Peni Vea, who appears to be redshirting, also had to sit out after breaking team rules.

Cornett and Maka were starters before the suspensions, but both are listed as backups.

Dionza Bradford outperformed Cornett recently, having rushed for 272 yards in the past three games, and might have earned the promotion anyway.

John Lotulelei, who led the Rebels with 13 tackles against Boise State, is projected to start ahead of Maka, who is second on the team with 42 tackles. Nate Carter leads with 50.

UNLV could use the extra help in its efforts to end a 13-game road losing streak. The Rebels halted a 20-game conference road skid in their last visit to New Mexico in 2009, winning 34-17.

Should the Rebels win this weekend, that would give them two victories in three games and some momentum entering a final stretch against Air Force, San Diego State and Texas Christian.

Two of those three games are on the road. Only San Diego State on Nov. 26 will be played at Sam Boyd Stadium.

First, there is the matter of taking care of business at New Mexico, and not suffering a Southern Utah repeat.

"We're going to take this game just like we prepared for Boise State," tight end Anthony Vidal said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.