Refreshed UNLV’s stretch run toward bowl eligibility begins

The final stretch for UNLV football begins now. The Rebels have four games remaining. They must win at least two of them to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2013.

A win Saturday means UNLV only has to win one of its final three games against Fresno State, Hawaii or UNR to make the postseason. The Rebels’ last bowl visit ended in a 36-14 loss to North Texas in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

A loss Saturday extends the Rebels’ losing streak to four games and will give them a sub-.500 record for the first time this season.

The Rebels know what’s at stake. They’re trying not to look too far ahead.

“When the scope is too big, sometimes you lose focus,” senior linebacker Kyle Beaudry said.

UNLV begins this four-game run at 4 p.m. Saturday, when they head to Snapdragon Stadium to play San Diego State. The Rebels are coming off a much-needed bye week. After a tough stretch of the schedule against San Jose State, Air Force and a non-conference game against Notre Dame — which corresponded with injuries at some of UNLV’s most important positions — the Rebels have a chance to get back on track.

“We’ve got a full task on hand,” UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo said. “We’re excited about that. Our guys in the building are excited, refueled and re-energized for the opportunities that lay in front of us.”

The Rebels (4-4, 2-2 in the Mountain West) limped through their past three games. Sophomore quarterback Doug Brumfield suffered a concussion and an ankle injury early during UNLV’s 40-7 loss at San Jose State. Junior running back Aidan Robbins left during the first half of the Rebels’ 42-7 defeat at home to Air Force with a knee injury. Then junior wide receiver Kyle Williams went down with an ankle injury late against Notre Dame.

Brumfield returned to practice this week, while Robbins and Williams are considered day-to-day. All three can make a significant impact down the stretch if they fully recover.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” junior center Leif Fautanu said.

Some of the Rebels spent the bye week working back to full health. However, players like Fautanu and Beaudry, who made it through UNLV’s first eight games without hitting the injured list, also benefited from some time away from the pressures of a normal game week.

Arroyo said the team emphasized staying mentally engaged and spent time polishing up fundamentals. He also gave his players some time away from the gridiron during the bye to let them decompress.

Beaudry said he believes the team took advantage of the chance to rest up and heal, but also said players still go in for weight-lifting sessions, lighter practices and position-group meetings even when they’re not preparing for a game.

“Being able to get your body back is really important,” Beaudry said. “The guys really enjoyed that. I think it will be beneficial going forward.”

They’ll need to be as healthy as possible against San Diego State. The Aztecs (4-4, 2-2) lost a close game to Fresno State during the past week, but are ranked fourth in the Mountain West in defensive points allowed per game (22.8 points) and rushing yards per game (172.3 yards).

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.