October again key for UNLV

sanford1_1003

RENO — It’s not as if Mike Sanford’s record is sparkling the other months of the season, but October has been particularly cruel to the UNLV football coach.

And it could be again.

The direction of the Rebels’ season will be dictated by what happens this month, beginning with today’s 1 p.m. game at rival UNR. Back-to-back home games against powers Brigham Young and Utah follow, and don’t forget about the trip to Texas Christian at the end of the month.

UNLV is 1-14 in October under Sanford, the victory coming in his first season against San Diego State. The Rebels are 12-24 the other months.

Sanford, relying on coach-speak, insisted he doesn’t know which opponents follow after this weekend. He said it with a straight face, too.

"It’s all about this game," Sanford said.

He certainly has plenty of reasons to think only about the Wolf Pack and its quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who beat the Rebels (2-2) almost by himself last season.

Kaepernick rushed for 240 yards and passed for 176, accounting for five touchdowns. He’s back, and so is tailback Luke Lippincott, who rushed for 1,420 yards two years ago before missing most of last season to a knee injury.

Starting tailback Vai Taua is doubtful because of an elbow injury.

UNLV quarterback Omar Clayton will play but might not start because of an injured throwing shoulder. Whether Clayton or Mike Clausen is in the game, both could have the opportunities to put up big numbers against a UNR pass defense that allows 312 yards per game, No. 118 nationally.

The Wolf Pack also are off to a slow start against a challenging schedule, but bettors pushed the line from 2 to 41/2 points in UNR’s favor.

Recent matchups favor the Wolf Pack, who have won the past four meetings, and UNR coach Chris Ault usually has his team ready for this game. But UNR is 0-3 for the first time since 1999, and Ault hasn’t overseen such a difficult start since 1982.

"At 0-3, you’ve got to build your confidence," Ault said. "You build that by winning football games. We know UNLV’s a fine football team. We’re going to have our hands full, and we know that."

The importance of this game to Sanford was clear after Wednesday’s practice. He took his players to the front of Rebel Park and showed them plaques listing names of seniors on teams that beat UNR.

Most of UNLV’s players have never seen the Fremont Cannon painted red, and they have more on the line than bragging rights. UNLV’s season might be at stake.

The perils of October were never more clear than last season, when the Rebels’ promising start crashed in a series of close defeats.

They lost consecutive games to Colorado State, Air Force and BYU after leading each in the final three minutes, dropping to 3-5.

UNLV nearly made up the ground to become bowl eligible but was upset 42-21 in the finale at San Diego State.

This year, UNLV enters October off a numbing 30-27 loss against a Wyoming team picked to finish last in the Mountain West Conference.

Now the Rebels must respond quickly against a team Sanford hasn’t beaten. Win today, though, and this October might be quite different from the one a year ago.

Or the ones before that one.

"Coming off a tough loss, our attention is kind of forced into shifting into this game, because we’ve got to make sure that we’re ready," UNLV wide receiver Ryan Wolfe said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.