Photos: The band (and team) played on

The UNLV Rebels football team played its first bowl game since 2000 at the Heart of Dallas Bowl in Dallas on Jan. 1, a coda to a surprising year in which the team had its first winning season in more than a decade.

“Playing on New Year’s Day was definitely something that I don’t think anybody could have expected at the beginning of the season,” quarterback Caleb Herring said.

The season and bowl berth were also pleasant surprises for UNLV fans. But the small fan base for the team coupled with a long flight to Dallas kept UNLV’s support from the stands to a minimum. The Cotton Bowl felt more like the home of the University of North Texas, whose fans had only a 45-minute drive from Denton. The Rebels came up short, 36-14.

▶ photos by john locher/las vegas review-journal