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UNLV (0-2, 0-0 MOUNTAIN WEST)vs.COLORADO STATE (1-1, 0-0 MWC)
DATE: Friday, Sept. 14, 2001KICKOFF: 5:06 pm PDTSITE: Sam Boyd Stadium (36,800/Grass)TV: ESPNRADIO: ESPN 920 AM
GAME PREVIEW
UNLV (0-2) looks to win its first game of the season when it hosts defending MWC champ Colorado State (1-1) in a key league battle in the hosts' second consecutive Friday special ... The game, which kicks off the 2001 conference schedule among all eight members, features the top two vote-getters in the preseason media poll (CSU first with 11 first-place votes and UNLV second with four first-place votes) ... The game will be televised by ESPN, which marks the fourth consecutive national TV appearance by UNLV, including December's Las Vegas Bowl victory ... The Rebels are coming off a 37-28 home loss to 16th-ranked Northwestern last Friday, also on ESPN ... CSU won its home opener Saturday, 35-18, over Nevada, Reno ... The 2001 UNLV squad needs a victory to avoid becoming the first-ever college football team under head coach John Robinson to start the season with three losses ... UNLV has not started a season 0-3 since 1998 ... The Rams, who won the Liberty Bowl, are the last of three consecutive Rebel opponents to begin the year who played in a bowl game last season ... CSU, which was ranked 24th in both preseason polls, received one vote in this week's USA TODAY/ESPN rankings ... UNLV began the year ranked as high as 37th with 12 points in the AP poll.
SERIES NOTES
CSU leads the all-time series 5-3-1, including five straight wins in as many years ... UNLV is looking for its first victory over the Rams in Las Vegas and first overall since 1982 ... The Rebels jumped out to a 3-0-1 lead over CSU while playing in the late 1970s and early '80s when UNLV first thought itself heading into the Western Athletic Conference, where the two schools finally did join each other from 1996-98 ... UNLV has two players on its roster from the state of Colorado -- sophomore kicker Dillon Pieffer of Colorado Springs and QB Kurt Nantkes of Aurora ... CSU head coach Sonny Lubick once coached at nearby Beatty (Nev.) High School, which plays eight-man football.
SERIES RECORD: CSU leads 5-3-1LAST MEETING: 2000 (CSU 20-19)UNLV at CSU RECORD: 3-3CSU at UNLV RECORD: 2-0-1UNLV's LARGEST WIN: 41 (56-15 in 1980)CSU's LARGEST WIN: 26 (45-19 in 1997)
DATE SITE RESULT
10-21-78 Fort Collins UNLV, 33-611-17-79 Las Vegas TIE 21-219-27-80 Fort Collins UNLV, 56-1511-6-82 Fort Collins UNLV, 36-319-21-96 Fort Collins CSU, 35-1611-1-97 Las Vegas CSU, 45-199-26-98 Fort Collins CSU, 38-1611-27-99 Las Vegas CSU, 35-1710-14-00 Fort Collins CSU, 20-19
UNLV (0-2)
Date Opponent TV Result
A. 30 at Arkansas ESPN L, 14-10S. 7 NORTHWESTERN ESPN L, 37-28S. 14 COLORADO STATE ESPN 5 pmS. 22 at Arizona KFBT 7 pmS. 29 BYU ABC 4 pmO. 6 at Nevada, Reno KLAS 1 pmO. 13 SAN DIEGO STATE ABC 4 pmO. 27 at Wyoming TBA TBAN. 3 UTAH TBA 1 pmN. 10 at New Mexico KLAS 4 pmN. 17 at Air Force TBA TBA
COLORADO STATE (1-1)
Date Opponent Result (MT)
S. 1 vs. Colorado L, 41-14S. 8 NEVADA, RENO W, 35-18S. 14 at UNLV 6 pmS. 22 SAN DIEGO STATE 5 pmS. 29 at Wyoming 1 pmO. 4 at Louisville 5:30 pmO. 13 FRESNO STATE TBAO. 27 UTAH TBAN. 1 at BYU 7:45 pmN. 8 AIR FORCE 5:30 pmN. 17 at New Mexico 4 pm
UNLV QUICK FACTS
Location: Las Vegas, NV 89154Founded: 1957Enrollment: 23,000Nickname: Rebels (Not Runnin')Colors: Scarlet & GrayPresident: Dr. Carol C. HarterAD: Charles CavagnaroFaculty Rep: Dr. Hal K. RothmanConference: Mountain WestStadium/Opened: Sam Boyd/1971Capacity/Surface: 36,800/Natural GrassRecord in Stadium: 113-70-3 (30th season)All-Time Record: 186-181-4 (34th season)All-Time vs. MWC: 23-33-1Head Coach: John RobinsonRecord at UNLV: 11-15 (.423/3rd year)Record Overall: 115-50-4 (.692/15th year)2000 Record: 8-5/4-3 (T3rd MWC)Offense: MultipleDefense: 4-3
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
COLORADO STATE 20, UNLV 19
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- (Oct. 14, 2000) UNLV (3-3) missed two extra point attempts, including one that was blocked with under a minute remaining, as Colorado State (5-1) managed to remain unbeaten in the conference with a 20-19 victory in front of 31,700 fans and a national TV audience via ESPN2. The Rebels lost their fifth-straight road game dating back to 1999 after losing their star quarterback to injury in the second quarter. Sophomore Jason Thomas, who led the team in rushing and passing for the season, suffered a sprained right foot just before halftime and would watch the rest of the game on crutches from the sideline. The Rams struck first with a nine-yard touchdown run by Cecil Snapp before Thomas found Troy Mason from 23 yards out on what would be JT's only completion of the game in just three attempts. CSU then hit a 45-yard field goal to pull ahead 10-7 at the break. UNLV's Randy Black forced a fumble on the third-quarter kickoff and the Rebels got Jeremi Rudolph into the end zone behind relief QB Jason Vaughan. Ray Cheetany, however, pushed the ensuing extra-point attempt to the right to make it 13-10. The Rams scored the next 10 points to take a late seven-point lead. The Rebels got the ball back with just over two minutes and unleashed an 86-yard drive that culminated with a Vaughan to Nate Turner 11-yard TD pass with 34 seconds left. After threatening to go for two points and the potential victory in regulation, head caoch John Robinson decided during a CSU timeout to finally send in the kick team. The would-be tying PAT was blocked, however, by Rhett Nelson and UNLV lost its fifth straight game to CSU. Leading the way for the Rebels was Kevin Brown who picked up 134 yards on 17 carries, including a key 45-yard rumble during the final drive. The defense was paced by linebacker Ryan Claridge's 12 tackles in his first career start.
TGIF TIMES TWO
UNLV is playing two consecutive Friday games this fall at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Rebels hosted Northwestern last week and will open conference play by welcoming two-time MWC champ CSU this week. Both games were scheduled for the unusual day in order to be nationally televised by ESPN. The Rebels have now played on a Friday four times - all at home - in their history, and two of those came in the same season. UNLV will face the Rams with a Friday record of 2-1-1 built with a 31-9 victory over Marshall on Sept. 21, 1973, a 36-28 win over Tennessee State on Nov. 9, 1979, a season-ending tie with Lamar on Nov. 23, 1979, and last week's 37-28 loss to the Wildcats.
REBELATIONS
ON THE OFFENSIVE: Despite winning neither game, UNLV outgained both of its opponents in 2001 (298-114 at Arkansas and 453-411 vs. Northwestern) ... Sophomore WR Michael Johnson set a Mountain West Conference record with 174 yards on a career-high eight receptions vs. Northwestern. It was the 14th-best receiving day in school history and the most since Len Ware had 200 vs. SDSU in 1996 ... When RB Joe Haro gained 104 yards on the ground vs. the Wildcats it marked UNLV's 16th 100-yard rusher in the last 14 regular-season games ... What's more, Haro's 131 yards and QB Jason Thomas' 103 at Arkansas marked the fourth time in nine games that the Rebels boasted two players over the century mark ... A week after UNLV threw for the second-least yards in school history with 40 vs. the Razorbacks, Thomas rebounded to toss for a career-high 304 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Wildcats. It marked the first 300-yard game for a UNLV quarterback since Jon Denton threw for 401 vs. San Jose State in 1997 ... UNLV's offensive line has allowed only one quarterback sack in 2001 ... The Rebels are a stunning 0-7 on fourth-down attempts this fall after being 7-13 on such plays a year ago.
FOR THE DEFENSE: UNLV is ranked 23rd in the nation in total defense primarily after holding Arkansas to only 114 yards in Game One, which broke the school record of 131 yards by Cal State Fullerton in 1983 ... The Rebels held their opponent to under 200 yards rushing for the 11th consecutive game vs. UN ... Thanks to an Anton Palepoi pass deflection, Shanga Wilson hauled in his first career interception at Arkansas, which led to UNLV's only touchdown.
SPECIAL (TEAMS) DELIVERY: Troy Mason, who ranked seventh in the nation a year ago with a punt return average of 16.4, picked up right where he left off as he ranks 17th nationally with a 13.00 average ... Dominique Dorsey's 87-yard kickoff return in his first collegiate attempt vs. NU was the fourth-longest in UNLV history and fifth-longest in MWC history ... Freshman Gary Cook was the team's fourth different starting punter in as many season openers (1998: Joe Kristosik, 1999: Ryan McDonald, 2000: Ray Cheetany).
JERSEY JOE
UNLV junior Jersey Joe Haro has burst into the starting tailback spot after a long journey back and forth across the line of scrimmage. An all-state performer out of Clifton, N.J., Haro joined the Rebels in 1998 and earned a medical hardship after rushing for four yards on two carries. He carried the ball only eight times in 1999 but still managed to be his team's leading rusher vs. BYU with 59 yards on just four carries. With a senior logjam at the UNLV tailback spot in 2000, Haro moved to defensive back but fractured his right fibula in Game Two and missed the remainder of the season. Haro moved back to offense during bowl-game practices last December and earned the No. 2 tailback spot heading into the season opener. At halftime at Arkansas, Haro had five carries for zero yards but then Jersey Joe exploded to finish with a game-high 131 yards on 24 total carries. Starting his first game vs. Northwestern last week, Haro proved his gutty rushing style was no fluke as he gained 104 yards on 25 carries, including his first career touchdown run of 10 yards. Haro now ranks 17th in the nation and second in the MWC with 117.5 yards per game.
GAME 2 IN REVIEW
NORTHWESTERN 37, UNLV 28
MISTAKES DOOM HOPES OF UPSETTING NO. 16 CATS
LAS VEGAS -- (Sept. 7, 2001) UNLV (0-2) had a big hand in snapping its own six-game home winning streak as multiple Rebel mistakes helped 16th-ranked Northwestern (1-0) win 37-28 in front of 26,721 fans and a ESPN national audience. Playing on a Friday for the first time since 1979, UNLV fell to 22-12 in home openers as it faced the highest-ranked team to come to Sam Boyd Stadium since No. 8 Kansas State in 1994. In a matchup between two preseason Heisman Trophy candidates in NU running back Damien Anderson and UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas, it was the Wildcats' signal-caller, Zak Kustok, who instead dominated the game by rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for two more. A short Kustok TD opened the scoring but the extra-point attempt failed. UNLV's defense forced Anderson's first fumble in 319 carries and Thomas' three-yard scoring dive gave his team a 7-6 lead. UNLV threatened for more points but failed on a fourth-down attempt at the NU 24. The Cats quickly got in position to kick a 45-yard field goal to regain the lead and the momentum heading into halftime. NU flew down field to open the third and made it 16-7. UNLV's Joe Haro ran for a 10-yard TD to make it 16-14. The Cats later intercepted Thomas and converted it into a 23-14 lead. The Rebels tried to answer but Haro fumbled at the NU 23 while attempting to dive for a first down. After returning the turnover 45 yards, Kustok hit Sam Simmons, who finished with 161 yards on 11 catches, for an 18-yard TD and a 30-14 lead. UNLV did not quit, however, as Thomas launched a 42-yard scoring pass to Michael Johnson. The Rebel defense held, but shaky special teams bit UNLV for the second straight week as punter Gary Cook couldn't right a bad snap and was tackled at his own 42. NU converted the miscue into a 37-22 lead. Freshman Dominique Dorsey took his first career kickoff return 87 yards but the Rebels were turned away at the goal line. After forcing a NU punt, another Thomas Hail Mary attempt found Johnson from 53 yards out to give UNLV hope. Lining up for the extra point, the Rebels looked to pull within eight with two minutes left before a bobbled conversion snap virtually ended the game. Despite seven passes dropped by Rebel receivers, Thomas threw for a career-high 304 yards. Johnson set a Mountain West Conference record with 174 yards on a career-high eight receptions while Troy Mason added 106 yards receiving. On the ground, Haro posted his second straight century-mark game with 104 yards while NU's Anderson managed 113 yards on 28 carries.
UNLV vs. COLORADO STATE
TENTATIVE DEPTH CHART
REBEL OFFENSE
WR 86 Troy Mason (5-10, 170, JR-2L) 8 Michael Johnson (5-10, 180, SO-1L)WR 1 Bobby Nero (6-1, 180, SR-1L) 4 Earvin Johnson (6-3, 195, FR-HS)LT 69 Brandon Bair (6-6, 295, SR-2L) 67 Eddie Freas (6-2, 300, JR-RS)LG 63 Greg Hulett (6-3, 300, SR-1L) 76 Marcus Johnson (6-1, 290, FR-RS)C 61 Peter Tramontanas (6-5, 275, SR-3L) 73 Dominic Furio (6-2, 285, SO-1L)RG 70 Tony Terrell (6-4, 295, JR-2L) 60 Ernie Calanche (6-4, 290, JR-1L)RT 75 Shane Wagers (6-5, 300, SR-2L) 77 Jimy Zoll (6-6, 300, FR-RS)TE 80 DeJhown Mandley (6-4, 240, JR-2L) 83 Trevan Sorensen (6-4, 255, JR-2L)QB 2 Jason Thomas (6-4, 230, JR-1L) 7 Kurt Nantkes (6-4, 215, FR-RS)TB 34 Joe Haro (5-10, 190, JR-2L) 32 Jabari Johnson (5-11, 200, SR-1L)FB 24 Steven Costa (6-1, 225, JR-2L) 40 George Gordon (6-0, 235, JR-RS)
REBEL SPECIALISTS
PK 95 Dillon Pieffer (5-11, 180, SO-1L)HOLD 23 Toby Smeltzer (5-10, 185, JR-2L)LS 67 Eddie Freas (6-2, 300, JR-RS)
REBEL DEFENSE
LDE 47 Anton Palepoi (6-4, 275, SR-1L) 45 Steve Newton (6-3, 245, SR-2L)DT 44 Ahmad Miller (6-4, 310, SR-1L) 92 Phil Reed (6-3, 265, JR-2L)NG 91 Dietrich Canterberry (6-4, 300, SO-1L) 93 Garrett Brassington (6-2, 285, JR-TR)RDE 90 Ahmad Briggs (6-3, 230, JR-2L) 99 Adrian Watson (6-3, 240, SR-1L)SLB 37 Scott Parkhurst (6-3, 245, SR-1L) 13 LaMar Owens (6-2, 235, SR-1L)MLB 49 Ryan Claridge (6-3, 245, SO-1L) 55 Adam Seward (6-2, 235, FR-RS)WLB 36 Shanga Wilson (6-1, 215, SR-1L) 18 Tosh Burrus (6-0, 200, JR-2L)CB 19 Jamal Wynn (6-0, 185, JR-2L) 3 Ruschard Dodd-Masters (5-11, 175, FR-RS)SS 41 Ross Dalton (6-3, 205, JR-2L) 21 Chameion Sutton (5-11, 180, JR-TR)FS 42 Sam Brandon (6-3, 195, SR-2L) 27 Jamaal Brimmer (6-1, 205, FR-RS)CB 28 Kevin Thomas (5-11, 180, SR-3L) 15 Joe Hunter (6-0, 175, FR-RS)
REBEL SPECIALISTS
P 16 Gary Cook (5-11, 180, FR-HS) 17 Ryan McDonald (5-10, 185, SO-1L)PR 86 Troy Mason (5-10, 170, JR-2L)KR 34 Joe Haro (5-10, 190, JR-2L 86 Troy Mason (5-10, 170, JR-2L)
