Rebels’ progress gets road test

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Ten months later, UNLV coach Mike Sanford still shakes his head over the loss at San Diego State that ended the Rebels' 2008 season.

"I still can't completely figure that one out," he said. "That one just baffled me."

Sanford said the Rebels' 42-21 loss to a clearly inferior opponent has taught his players to focus on the game rather than side issues such as bowl scenarios. The loss left UNLV with a 5-7 record, destroying any shot at a postseason berth.

Today the Rebels (2-1) visit Wyoming (1-2), another team they should beat -- on paper. The Rebels are a 31/2-point favorite, but the teams appear headed in opposite directions entering Mountain West Conference play.

If the Rebels truly are on an upswing, losses such as the one at San Diego State should seldom occur anymore, if ever. Part of developing into a top program is beating teams you're supposed to beat.

"You can't get excited to play Oregon State or Hawaii and then not get excited to play Wyoming, because we're here to play football," defensive end/linebacker Jason Beauchamp said. "Those games we should win, we have to go out and win."

Besides, the Rebels still have much to prove. They have lost a school-record 19 straight conference road games, including all 16 under Sanford.

But the Rebels are favored with good reason. They have won four of six dating to last season and their offense is playing well. Their 31-point average is their highest since a school-record 34.9 in 1980, and their 412-yard average is their best since finishing at 417.3 in 1997.

Wyoming is struggling to find positives under first-year coach Dave Christensen, who brought the spread offense with him from Missouri, where he was offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys haven't scored an offensive touchdown in the past nine quarters, and freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels is making his first start today.

Carta-Samuels faces a confident UNLV team. Players have uttered near-bulletin-board statements that probably wouldn't have crossed their minds a year or two ago.

The Rebels' new-found swagger has been noticeable on the field. In last week's 34-33 home victory over Hawaii, UNLV twice rallied in the fourth quarter after touchdowns and won on Omar Clayton's 15-yard pass to Phillip Payne with 36 seconds left.

Those sorts of performances can carry over, the Rebels insist.

"I feel like we have reinforced confidence," Clayton said. "We feel like we can play, and we actually believe it. It's not like Coach Sanford just telling us he thinks we're going to win."

Another victory today -- whether an ugly, grind-it-out win or by a wide margin -- would continue that reinforcement, which the Rebels will need to navigate their difficult upcoming schedule. Next week they visit UNR, then return to Sam Boyd Stadium for consecutive conference games against Brigham Young and Utah.

So UNLV can't allow an opportunity to beat a Wyoming team that appears there for the taking slip away.

"One of the problems around here has been playing up to and playing down to a perception of how good the opponent is," Sanford said. "Those days are done. We've got to play at a high level all the time."

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