Rebels not crossing bowl off goal list

After Friday's 31-28 loss at Fresno State, UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said goals don't get reset, they get eliminated.

It would be easy to read into that statement that the Rebels had forgotten about bowl eligibility, but as much of a long shot as it is for them to make college football's postseason, they aren't letting go of the dream.

Sanchez looked taken aback Wednesday when asked if still making a bowl is a goal for his players.

"Of course it is," he said. "People have got to understand we have high expectations here regardless of — for lack of a better term — the drudgery over the last 25 years. We attack it as a fresh new start and a new year, and everything that's gone on we own. We also own the opportunities that we have.

"The consistency in the effort has been phenomenal. I think anyone who knows football and has followed this program has recognized that. Now we have to do a better job at finishing the little things, but that's what comes with building, and we'll continue to do that."

Finishing has been the issue the past two games, with UNLV losing fourth-quarter leads and falling 33-27 in overtime to San Jose State and then at Fresno State. So what could have been — and probably should have been — a 4-3 record is instead 2-5, including 1-2 in the Mountain West.

UNLV, which is off this week, next plays Oct. 31 against Boise State at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Blake Decker will be the starting quarterback in that Halloween game, and his return is enough to give the Rebels genuine hope of making a strong stretch run. He didn't play against San Jose State and Fresno State because of a dislocated shoulder.

"It was hard; it was really hard," Decker said. "Last year, I played injured the majority of the year, but to actually sit out a game and watch the guys battle it out and watch the guys fight for it and come up short, it's tough. It's tough to be on the sideline in any situation, but I'm proud of my guys for the way they played, and I'm excited to get back in action with them."

He's one of the true believers, and as a senior, Decker also knows this is his final chance to play in a bowl.

But the outlook isn't promising.

UNLV will be double-digit underdogs against Boise State and probably won't be favored at Colorado State on Nov. 14 and against San Diego State on Nov. 21. The Rebels could be the favorites against Hawaii on Nov. 7 and at Wyoming on Nov. 28.

That would put the Rebels at 4-8 if the season plays out like expected. If they win the games they're supposed to, then they need to find a way to pull off two upsets to get to 6-6 and bowl eligibility.

And that's if UNLV takes care of its business. The Rebels failed to do that as 5-point favorites at Fresno State.

"We think we have a chance in every game," Decker said. "There's no lack of motivation on the team right now."

That's something Sanchez has noted.

"We don't walk around, 'Woe is me,'" he said. "It's just not our style. (Running backs coach) Jamie Christian was saying the other day, 'I've been on teams that were .500 and had a worse atmosphere at practice.'

"When you look at the body of work, our guys are competing. They're working on getting better every single day.

"Can you have the consistency and effort? If you do that enough, the results are going to come."

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