UNLV looking to snap skid, keep bowl dreams alive at Hawaii

UNLV junior center Leif Fautanu is back home. At least for a few days.

The Rebels have flown to Honolulu to play Hawaii in the annual Ninth Island Showdown on Saturday. It’s a unique trip on UNLV’s schedule, as a long flight, a small stadium, a two-hour time-zone change and a rivalry atmosphere complicate normal game preparation.

Fautanu, a Honolulu native, said the Rebels will be focused because they know what they need to accomplish. He understands how badly they need a win.

“With this team, knowing our backs are against the wall, we’re going to have to come out of the corner swinging, especially with a bowl game on the line,” Fautanu said. “We have to take it one at a time, and I think the team knows how big this game is.”

After starting 4-1, UNLV has dropped five consecutive games. Any hopes of achieving bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2013 season require the Rebels to win out, starting at 8 p.m. Saturday against the Rainbow Warriors.

“There’s a lot hanging in the balance for this game,” UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo said. “There’s a lot to play for, lots of different reasons to be encouraged, excited and motivated to get back to work this week as a staff, as a program, as players.”

Aside from the bigger picture of bowl eligibility, Arroyo said he is excited for the game for several reasons. First, it’s another chance to get a conference win, something UNLV hasn’t done since Sept. 30 when it defeated New Mexico 31-20 at Allegiant Stadium.

The Rebels (4-6, 2-4 Mountain West) have lost their past four Mountain West games, sometimes in excruciating fashion. Their defeats against Fresno State and San Diego State since returning from the bye week have come by a combined 11 points.

Secondly, Arroyo wants to see how his team performs in its final game on the road. UNLV is 1-4 in away games this season, but outside of a 40-7 loss to San Jose State on Oct. 7 — when quarterback Doug Brumfield left the game after about quarter — the Rebels have been competitive in every road conference game.

Lastly, Arroyo knows there is a rivalry component to this game. The Ninth Island Showdown involves a certain amount of pride, and the coach said he’s seen how important the game can be for both communities.

“We’re playing for a trophy,” Arroyo said. “That’s important.”

Fautanu said the coaching staff has emphasized the difficulty of playing in Hawaii, despite the Rainbow Warriors (2-9, 1-5) being winless since beating UNR on Oct. 15. Fautanu said he’s ready for Saturday.

“I think for me, it’s where I feel most comfortable, especially with my family around me and with my teammates pushing me on, knowing how good we are as a team,” Fautanu said. “If we play together, I think we’ll be very comfortable in that environment.”

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