UNLV heads to offseason with road loss, 2-10 finish

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — At least UNLV’s football team won’t offer its fans false hope heading into the offseason.

The Rebels did just that in past years, ending forgettable seasons in 2001, 2002 and 2006 with out-of-nowhere victories to make all seem well.

All was not well, of course, and it isn’t now after Saturday’s 27-6 loss to New Mexico at University Stadium.

A fourth consecutive season ended with UNLV stuck on two wins. The Rebels (2-10, 1-7 Mountain West Conference) lost their last eight games.

Rebels coach Mike Sanford said afterward he expects his team to be “much improved” next year, but Saturday’s effort showed little reason for knee-jerk optimism.

After a series of competitive games this season, the Rebels finished by losing by a combined 61-16 to Texas Christian and New Mexico.

“We’ve got to recruit, recruit, recruit,” Sanford said. “We’ve got to recruit like heck, and we’ve got to learn from this. We’re a young football team and we’re playing a lot of young guys, and we’re down to the nubs in our roster. The guys that are young have got to grow up fast.”

New Mexico (8-4, 5-3) often didn’t even play well, committing four turnovers, but still was in control by early in the second half. The Lobos opened that half with an 82-yard kickoff return by Marcus Smith to set up tailback Rodney Ferguson’s 1-yard touchdown run for a 24-6 lead.

UNLV didn’t have the offense to come back. The Rebels scored one touchdown in their final eight quarters and gained 233 yards Saturday.

Quarterback Travis Dixon completed 14 of 38 passes for 135 yards and an interception.

“We weren’t capitalizing on the turnovers that the defense was creating for us,” Dixon said. “I really felt that they didn’t stop us too much. We stopped ourselves.”

Omar Clayton, a walk-on whose athleticism and 61.1 percent completion rate (Dixon’s is 53.2) indicate high potential, figures to be the favorite to reclaim the starting spot next season. He relinquished it after breaking his throwing hand two weeks ago against San Diego State.

“We’re going to have a competitive situation,” Sanford said. “Travis had some very positive moments this year and he had a difficult night.”

Perhaps a larger problem is the Rebels’ lack of discipline, which haunted them all season despite moves by Sanford to make players more accountable for personal fouls. Center Joe Hawley and wide receiver Casey Flair — repeat offenders — did not play Saturday’s first quarter except on special teams, and defensive end Jeremy Geathers was suspended for the first half, though the reason was not given.

Even still, Hawley was called for a chop block and a personal foul.

“It bothers me a lot,” Sanford said. “I love Joe Hawley. I think he’s an extremely tough, intense, competitive football player who was taught to play to the whistle. He takes it too far sometimes, and we’ve got to completely eliminate stupid personal fouls.”

The Rebels’ defense will have to move on without linebacker Beau Bell, who could become the first UNLV player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He finished strong, making 15 tackles, including two for loss, and forcing a fumble.

He had to settle for individual success rather than team.

“It’s unfortunate the season went this way, but life goes on and I wish the best to the underclassmen,” Bell said. “I hope they go 12-0 next year.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.