Why the UNLV-Northern Illinois game is important

UNLV opened its football season with two highly disappointing performances, losing 58-13 at Arizona and barely escaping with a 13-12 victory over Northern Colorado. The Rebels had high hopes entering the season, and if they are going to realize those dreams, they need to significantly elevate their play, beginning with Saturday’s 4 p.m. game against Northern Illinois at Sam Boyd Stadium. It will be a difficult test against the Huskies, who come off a 23-15 victory at Northwestern and have won 25 regular-season games in a row, including 16 on the road. A victory would be a huge confidence boost for UNLV before it embarks on a stretch of three consecutive road games. A loss, especially a convincing one, could have a detrimental effect that would be difficult to overcome.