Rebels hope to ride momentum

LOGAN, Utah — The last time UNLV took to the football field, the Rebels’ season appeared as hopeful as that of a third-party candidate running for president.

Then they went out and beat defending Mountain West champion Fresno State.

Whether that victory means much in the grand scheme of UNLV’s season remains to be seen, but the Rebels certainly would rather go into the back end of their schedule off such a win rather than try to maintain confidence without the results to back it up.

Today will be the first indication whether the Rebels (2-5, 1-2 MW) can take momentum from that game two weeks ago when they play Utah State (4-3, 1-1) at 1 p.m. PDT at Romney Stadium. ESPNews (Cox 321) will televise the game.

“I think we needed that momentum going into the bye week because that’s tough coming off a loss and sitting out a week and coming back against team like Utah State,” UNLV quarterback Blake Decker said. “We’ve had a lot of energy out on the practice field.

“It was huge for what it means for the Utah State game.”

The Rebels are 17-point underdogs, but they face a Utah State team with its top two quarterbacks, Chuckie Keeton and Darell Garretson, out injured. Senior Craig Harrison will make his second career start, and he struggled off the bench in a 16-13 loss at Colorado State last week, completing 5 of 12 passes for 28 yards.

So expect the Aggies to go with a conservative game plan that relies on running backs Joe Hill and Rashad Hall and a defense that is seventh nationally in allowing 99.6 yards rushing per game.

Perhaps UNLV can hit the Aggies through the air because they allow a 252-yard passing average, and Decker has thrown for more than 300 yards three times this season.

If UNLV plays Utah State close, maybe the Rebels will find a way to pull it out in the end, similar to Oct. 10 when they beat Fresno State 30-27 in overtime before taking off a week.

That bye was important to get some players healthier, though wide receiver Devante Davis (right wrist) isn’t expected to play today.

“We had a couple of full-padded, full-go heavy practices in the middle of last week,” UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. “I felt like we needed to do that a little bit because leading up to the Fresno game, we weren’t able to practice in pads at all.”

The Rebels were getting blown out on almost a weekly basis before that game, but had shown flashes of potential. It wasn’t until that game they managed to turn that potential into results.

Should UNLV beat Utah State, that could provide even more momentum as well as an opportunity.

The Rebels then come home to face New Mexico and Air Force and the chance to get to .500 with three games left. Then bowl talk would become realistic.

It isn’t now, and certainly won’t be at all if the Rebels lose to Utah State. They would need to win the rest of their games, and good luck making that happen with a trip to Brigham Young and a home game against UNR remaining on the schedule.

So today’s the day to make something of their season.

Now, at least, the Rebels have tangible proof they can make key plays to win. It’s better than still searching for any kind of spark of hope.

“It’s very important,” UNLV cornerback Kenneth Penny said. “You kind of build off wins, so I feel like that win against Fresno gave us a confidence boost as a team.”

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