Oct. 4, 1999
GAME 6UNLV (2-3, 0-1 MOUNTAIN WEST)vs. WYOMING (3-1, 1-0 MOUNTAIN WEST)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 9, 1999KICKOFF:12:07 pm PDTSITE: War Memorial Stadium (33,500/Grass) LaramieTV: ESPN+Plus/KFBT TV-33 (Chris Marlowe & Mike Hold) RADIO: ESPN 920 AM (Tony Cordasco & Hunkie Cooper)
GAME PREVIEW
UNLV (2-3) looks to snap a three-game losing streak by traveling to Wyoming (3-1) where the Rebels have not won since 1979 ... The game will be televised by ESPN+Plus and syndicated throughout the region ... It will mark the Rebels' first appearance on any ESPN network since the 1994 Las Vegas Bowl ... The Rebels, who are 2-1 away from Sam Boyd Stadium this fall after ending a school-record 26-game road losing streak in game one, will play their fourth away game in six weeks ... Last week, UNLV lost to in-state rival Nevada, Reno for the fifth straight season, 26-12 ... Wyoming has won three straight, including last Saturday's 28-13 victory over Idaho ... The game will mark the first time UNLV Head Coach John Robinson has faced Wyoming in 13 years of college coaching while the Cowboys' Dana Dimel is 2-0 vs. the Rebels ... Five of UNLV's 1999 opponents received at least one vote in this week's Associated Press Poll: No. 24 BYU, Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming and Iowa State.
SERIES NOTES
Wyoming leads the all-time series 4-3 ... The Rebels won the first three games in the series by a total of 13 points, but Wyoming now has a four-game winning streak over UNLV ... Last year's game saw the Cowboys win in overtime to drop UNLV's record to 0-3 all-time in extra sessions ... The Rebels and the Cowboys played four straight years (1978-81) when UNLV first thought itself headed into the Western Athletic Conference ... The two programs finally met three times as part of the WAC from 1996-98 ... Former Rebel QB Jon Denton set a then-NCAA freshman single-game record when he threw for 486 yards vs. Wyoming in 1996.
SERIES RECORD: UW, 4-3 LAST MEETING: 1998 (UW 28-25 OT)UNLV at UW RECORD: 1-2UW at UNLV RECORD: 2-2UNLV's LARGEST WIN: 7 (33-26, 1980)UW's LARGEST WIN: 24 (45-21, 1981)
SERIES SCORES:DATE SITE RESULT11-11-78 Las Vegas UNLV, 12-1010-27-79 Laramie UNLV, 28-2411-8-80 Las Vegas UNLV, 33-2610-3-81 Laramie UW, 45-219-28-96 Las Vegas UW, 33-2111-8-97 Laramie UW, 35-2310-17-98 Las Vegas UW, 28-25 (OT)
UNLV (2-3) 1999 SCHEDULEDate Opponent Result/Time S. 2 at North Texas W, 26-3S. 11 at Baylor W, 27-24S. 18 IOWA STATE L, 24-0S. 25 UTAH L, 52-14O. 2 at Nevada, Reno L, 26-12O. 9 at Wyoming 12 pm PDTO. 16 OPENO. 23 BYU (HOMECOMING)7:30 pm PDTO. 30 at New Mexico 5 pm PDTN. 6 OPENN. 13 at Air Force 10 am PSTN. 20 SAN DIEGO STATE 1 pm PSTN. 27 COLORADO STATE 1 pm PST
WYOMING (3-1) 1999 SCHEDULEDate Opponent ResultS. 4 at Tennessee L, 42-17S. 11 WEBER STATE W, 41-16S. 25 at Air Force W, 10-7O. 2 IDAHO W, 28-13O. 9 UNLV 1 pm MDTO. 16 at Northeast La.7 pm CDTO. 23 COLORADO STATE 1 pm MDTN. 6 at Utah 1 pm MSTN. 13 BYU 12 pm MSTN. 20 NEW MEXICO 12 pm MSTN. 27 at San Diego St.4 pm PST
UNLV QUICK FACTSLocation: Las Vegas,NV 89154Founded: 1957Enrollment: 21,000Nickname: Rebels (Not Runnin')Colors: Scarlet & GrayPresident: Dr. Carol C. HarterDir. of Athletics: Charles CavagnaroConference: Mountain WestStadium: Sam Boyd StadiumCapacity/Surface: 40,000/Natural GrassRecord in Stadium: 107-66-3 (28th season)UNLV All-Time Record: 177-169-4 (32nd season)All-Time vs. MWC Teams: 17-25-1Head Coach: John RobinsonRecord at UNLV: 2-3 (1st year)Record Overall: 106-38-4 (13th season)Offense: MultipleDefense: 4-3
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
LAS VEGAS -- (Oct. 17, 1998)
WYOMING 28, UNLV 25 (OT)
LAS VEGAS -- UNLV running back James Wofford fumbled on a dive into the end zone during the first overtime and Wyoming (5-1) soon converted to hand the Rebels their then-school-record tying 12th-consecutive defeat, 28-25, in front of a homecoming crowd of 17,089. UNLV, which played its most complete game of the year, used a regenerated running game and turnover-free execution to push the Cowboys to the brink. En route to posting a high in points and a low in points allowed at that point in the season, the Rebels earned their first halftime lead of the year at 10-7. The hosts took their biggest lead of the season, nine points, in the third quarter but an ensuing missed extra point would prove costly. The teams traded scores but the Cowboys, who were led by Marques Brigham's 144 yards rushing and Wendell Montgomery's 10 catches for 158 yards, rallied to take a 25-22 lead. A Tim O'Reilly field goal for UNLV tied things before a last-second Wyoming attempt sailed wide to force overtime. UNLV, which lost the toss, went on offense first and stayed on the ground. Handing the ball off to Wofford, who would finish with a career-high 184 yards, moved the Rebels to a first-and-goal situation at the one-yard line. Wofford's would-be scoring plunge instead turned into a lost fumble, however, and the Pokes kicked an 18-yard field goal to win their fourth consecutive game and take a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. UNLV, which dropped to 0-3 in overtime games, also dipped to 19-12 in homecoming games.
RUDOLPH: THE HARD-NOSED GAIN'S NEAR
Highly touted tailback Jeremi Rudolph has not disappointed in his first half-season as a Rebel. The former Florida State signee and minor league baseball player was John Robinson's first recruit at UNLV after two impressive seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College. The consensus preseason newcomer of the year for the Mountain West Conference, Rudolph led UNLV to victory in week one with 97 yards on 20 carries with a long of 28. The native of Apopka, Fla., scored two touchdowns (nine and three yards), including the team's first points of the year. Then, at Baylor, he rushed for 91 yards on 18 carries, including a long of 23. Rudolph's break out game, however, came last week at UNR as he totaled 120 yards rushing on 20 attempts, which marked the first 100-yard mark for a Rebel runner this fall. He also led the team in receptions with six and receiving yardage with 56, which included a stunning 40-yard catch and run for a touchdown. His 72-yard average currently puts him third in the MWC. His four TDs lead the team and rank sixth in the league.
TACKLE (RECORD) ELIGIBLE
Senior linebacker Jerrad Pierucci continues to move up the UNLV career tackles chart. His six total takedowns at UNR moved him up one spot to 10th with 222 career tackles. The younger brother of former Rebel offensive lineman Jerald Pierucci (1995-98), Jerrad would need to average just slightly over 10 tackles a game to reach Darnell Pickens' record of 289 from 1984-87. Pierucci needs seven more to move past Scott Patton and Anthony Blue into eighth place with 229.
PL PLAYER (POS) YEARS TOT1. Darnell Pickens (LB) 1984-87 2892. Doc Wise (DL) 1986-89 280 Harvey Allen (DB) 1982-85 2804. Greg Gales (LB) 1996-98 2775. Jason Davis (DB) 1991-94 2766. Jody Reinoehl (LB) 1987-90 2607. Rodney Mazion (DB) 1991-94 2358. Scott Patton (LB) 1996-97 228 Anthony Blue (DB) 1983-86 22810. Jerrad Pierucci (LB)1996-PR 22211. Talance Sawyer (DE) 1995-98 221
ON THE OFFENSIVE...
Two Rebels earned their first career receptions at UNR: senior fullback BJ Edwards and freshman TE Brad Osterhout, who had a two-yard TD grab ... When Jeremi Rudolph threw a half-back pass attempt vs. Utah, it marked the only time this season that someone other than Jason Vaughan threw a pass for the Rebels (six players attempted at least one pass for the 1998 squad, including three QBs) ... James Wofford, who finished 10th in the WAC with 74.2 YPG a year ago but has been moved primarily to fullback this fall, has moved into 11th place on the school's career rushing list with 1,574 in just over two years. He needs 19 yards to crack the top 10 and pass Shannon Wilson (1992-93, 95) ... Wofford and Edwards rotate starting at the fullback position ... Rebel O-lineman Brandon Bair, who graduated from Basic HS, was recently named to the Henderson (NV) Home News' All-Time Henderson football team.
FOR THE DEFENSE...
The Rebels unveiled a bevy of defensive lineup changes at UNR, including moving SS Randy Black to LB, and putting LBs Dusty Pearce and Steve Newton at rush end ... UNLV earned five QB sacks vs. UNR after having just one in the previous four ... The Rebels lead the MWC in pass defense, giving up 124.2 yards per game. UNLV is currently ranked 37th in the nation in that category after finishing 97th a year ago ... Rebel opponents have converted only two of a league-leading 10 fourth-down attempts this season (20 percent) after converting seven of 14 in 1999 (50 percent) ... The Rebel D has two scores -- both by DB Kevin Thomas. Following his 49-yard interception return at UNT, the sophomore waited until the final play for an encore in game two. His 100-yard fumble return was only the third in NCAA history and the first to win a game. The school record for most defensive touchdowns in a career is three by Patt Medchill (1970-72) ... Since 1996, UNLV has returned four fumbles 65 yards or longer ... The Rebels have recorded 20 pass breakups in five games after having only 32 all of last year ... MLB James Sunia led the team in tackles last year as a rookie with 115, helping the Hawaiian earn first-team Freshman All-America honors from Football News. He currently leads the squad and the conference with 55 total tackles and is third in the MWC with an average of 11 per game.
SPECIAL (TEAMS) DELIVERY...
Kicker/punter Ray Cheetany, who has handled all kickoff duties for UNLV this season, made his Div. I-A punting debut vs. Iowa State when he replaced freshman Ryan McDonald. Cheetany not only has earned the starting job, but he now leads the league and is tied for second in the nation in punting average with 47.5. The transfer from Iowa Central CC punted eight times for an average of 48.8 vs. Utah, including the team's season-long of 60. He then averaged 48 yards on seven kicks at UNR ... Kickoff return man Len Ware, who missed the UNR game with an injury, is still first in the conference and sixth in the nation with a 35.1-yard average after his 97-yard return for a score vs. Utah. It was the second-longest kickoff return in school history and the first returned for a touchdown since 1992 ... As a team, the Rebels are seventh in the nation in kickoff return average at 29.4 ... UNLV has attempted only two field goals this season -- both unsuccessful. The school record for least three-pointers made and attempted both came in 1969 when the Rebels went 0-2 on field goal attempts. UNLV has made only 28 field goals in almost five seasons after setting the school's single-season record with 21 in 1994.
DANDY DEBUTS
John Robinson's first game coaching the Rebels produced a long list of notable achievements as the school's all-time record for head coaching debuts improved to 5-3. The victory not only broke two school-record losing streaks (26 road games and 16 overall), but also marked the first win on the road to start a season since 1981. The 23-point margin of victory was the largest road win since a 45-20 game at Oregon State in 1991. It was also the school's second-biggest win in a coaching debut behind Ron Meyer's 38-6 victory over the State College of Arkansas in 1973. Defensively, North Texas' 3 points marked the least allowed since Jeff Horton's coaching debut in the 1994 season opener versus Eastern Michigan. In fact, only twice before in 32 years of Rebel football had UNLV held an opponent to three points or less on the road (25-3 at CS Fullerton in 1991 and 13-0 over CSUF in 1983). Ironically, it was the first time Robinson won his first game at a university. He lost his debut game in both of his stints at Southern California. Also making his debut in that game was quarterback Jason Vaughan. Playing for his fourth school in four years, the Georgia native had a record-breaking premiere. The junior-college transfer was nothing if not efficient in leading his team to victory. Finishing without an interception, his 16-of-19 passing included hitting his final nine attempts. Vaughan's percentage of .840 shattered the school record for single-game completion percentage, besting Randall Cunningham's 21-of-26 (.804) performance vs. Idaho State in 1984.
GAME FIVE REVIEW: NEVADA, RENO 26, UNLV 12
BID FOR FREMONT CANNON ONCE AGAIN DENIED
LAS VEGAS -- (Sept. 25, 1999)
Looking to break a two-game losing skid overall, UNLV (2-3) traveled north in search of its first win in Reno since 1979. Instead, the Rebels fell 26-12 to UNR (1-4) in the 25th edition of the now-annual Battle For Nevada. After failing to draw first blood by missing a field goal, UNLV saw UNR use a pair of David Neill to Trevor Insley scoring passes to take a 14-0 lead. Insley, the nation's leading receiver, was actually held below his averages in the game, finishing with 11 catches for 169 yards. A short Adrien Dugas touchdown rush made it 20-0 at halftime before the Rebels got their first points on a jaw-dropping 40-yard catch-and-run by TB Jeremi Rudolph, who also earned 120 yards rushing and led the squad with six receptions. Another failed kick made it 20-6 before Neill sealed it with a 12-yard TD run to start the fourth. UNLV's final points came on a two-yard Jason Vaughan pass to TE Brad Osterhout -- the freshman's first career grab. The statistics were surprisingly even as UNR outgained their guests just 420-357 in a game that featured zero turnovers. UNLV lost its fifth straight to UNR and now trails the all-time series 15-10, closing out its 1999 non-conference schedule with a record of 2-2.
RED-ZONE REDUX
UNLV did not fail in the red zone until Game Five at UNR, making the Rebels seven-for-eight this fall -- all seven being touchdowns. Meanwhile, Rebel opponents are getting into the end zone only 63% of the time after reaching the red zone.
UNLV ATT TD FGat UNT 3 3 0at Baylor 3 3 0IOWA STATE 0 0 0UTAH 1 1 0at UNR 2 1 0at WyoBYUat UNMat AFASDSUCSUTOTAL 9 8 0PCT. SCORING TD IN RED ZONE: 89%
OPPONENTS ATT TD FGat UNT 1 0 1 at Baylor 6 3 1 IOWA ST. 6 3 1UTAH 7 6 1at UNR 4 3 0at WyoBYUat UNMat AFASDSUCSUTOTAL 24 15 4PCT. SCORING TD IN RED ZONE: 63%
