BYU plenty of motivation for UNLV’s seniors

PROVO, Utah — Playing Brigham Young is, by itself, enough to get any player’s attention, but for UNLV’s seniors, their motivation goes beyond the identity of today’s opponent.

They have only three games left before calling it a college career, and even if this season hasn’t gone the way they hoped, those players want to finish on a high note.

And it wouldn’t get much higher than if the Rebels find a way to beat BYU at 4 p.m. PST today at LaVell Edwards Stadium. UNLV, however, is a 24-point underdog in the game that will be televised on ESPNU.

“It definitely makes it easier to focus because this is all for us seniors,” wide receiver Devante Davis said. “We only have 12 quarters of football left, and four of them will be played on Saturday.”

UNLV (2-8) faces BYU (5-4) for the first time since 2010 when both were members of the Mountain West. The Cougars left after that season to become a football independent.

They have owned the series, leading 15-3 and winning the past six meetings.

But UNLV’s current players, except for nickel back Sidney Hodge, weren’t part of those games. So BYU might not resonate as much with them as it did with the Rebels when they shared the same conference. Going against the Cougars always was a big deal, creating a rivalry that was a notch below UNLV’s with UNR.

Though this season’s Rebels certainly want to beat BYU today, it’s more because it’s simply the next team on the schedule rather than motivation fueled by a rivalry.

“I’ve never played against them, but going into this game, we’re going in with the attitude of manning up, everybody competing, playing hard and going in there and try to get a road victory in a hostile environment,” safety Mike Horsey said.

Both teams have been hit hard by injuries, and both have played below expectations.

The Cougars won their first four games and reached a No. 18 ranking, but then lost four in a row, including three defeats to Mountain West teams. That’s not the type of resume that would get the Big 12 Conference’s attention, a league BYU desperately wants to get into, and has made its desires known as recently as Monday.

UNLV has its own problems.

The Rebels had hoped last season’s appearance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl was the breakthrough they had long sought. Coach Bobby Hauck then spent the offseason talking about how this year’s team was even better.

Either he seriously misjudged his talent or the Rebels badly underperformed. No matter the reason, just 10 months after the state Board of Regents approved a new three-year contract, Hauck needs a big finish to make the case to return next season.

“There’s nobody around here hanging their heads,” Hauck said. “You walk down that hall (at Lied Athletic Complex), there are people smiling. Our guys like to play. Our guys like to compete. We’re going to have a lot of fun the next three weeks and go see what we can get done.”

To beat the Cougars, UNLV might have to win a shootout because BYU averages 31.8 points per game and the Rebels give up 37.2 The Rebels’ offense hasn’t been able to keep up most weeks, though, averaging an even 20 points.

But maybe quarterback Blake Decker will make some plays. He has passed for 2,433 yards, and BYU gives up a 284.8-yard average through the air. So the opportunity is there for the Rebels, though a forecast high of 35 degrees with snow expected this morning aren’t ideal conditions for an effective passing game.

Decker remains hot, however, over being cut by the Cougars just before spring practices began in 2013. BYU was his dream school.

Now his dream is beating the Cougars.

He also knows what a victory would mean for his team.

“That would be huge,” Decker said. “That’s a really tough place to play. That’s a really good team. They’ve been a good team for a long time. It would prove to our team — we’ve shown opportunities in which we can play great — we can be a good team.”

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