Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007 | 9:02 a.m.
If close counts only in horseshoes, hand grenades and, if you're still of prom age, drive-in movies, then at least give the Rebels credit for keeping a few away games interesting until intermission.
Here are four games during the current 15-game road losing streak in which the Rebels didn't spill popcorn in the back seat:
Sept. 5, 2005. New Mexico 24, UNLV 22: After falling behind 17-0 in Mike Sanford's debut, the Rebels mounted the most furious comeback Albuquerque had witnessed since North Carolina State beat Houston in the 1983 Final Four. But the first missed extra point of Sergio Aguayo's career forced the Rebels to go for two after what should have been the tying touchdown. They failed, recovered an onside kick moments later, but then threw an interception moments after that.
Close, but no enchilada.
Sept. 24, 2005: Utah State 31, UNLV 24: In a see saw game it dominated statistically, UNLV led three times. But with the Rebels in scoring position, Shane Steichen threw three consecutive incompletions in the end zone as time ran out.
Close, but no land speed record on the salt flats.
Sept. 9, 2006: Iowa State 16, UNLV 10: The Rebels come up a few inches - OK, a couple of feet - short as Aaron Straiten was ruled out of bounds after hauling in a pass in the back of the end zone on the game's final play. Despite replays that showed Straiten's foot coming down somewhere near Des Moines, UNLV coach Mike Sanford and the Rebels refused to leave the field for 15 minutes out of protest.
Close, but no ear of corn.
Nov. 11, 2006: San Diego State 21, UNLV 7: Although this one doesn't look that close, it would have been had Aguayo not missed five field goals. In his defense, the field was wet and a couple of the kicks were from beyond 50 yards, though Aguayo has been known to hit those.
Kinda close, but no fish taco.
- By Ron Kantowski
When UNLV takes the field Thursday at Utah State, it will have been exactly 1,056 days since the Rebels won a football game on the road by beating BYU 24-20 in Provo. The Sun takes a look at what has transpired since the Rebels last won on the road - a streak of 15 games that dates from Oct. 8, 2004.
Barry Bonds hit 58 home runs and became Major League Baseball's all-time leader.
Britney Spears was divorced once and gave birth twice (not in that order).
1. Las Vegas played host to an NBA All-Star Game.
More than 200,000 died and millions were left homeless in a dozen nations in Asia and East Africa after a magntitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Dec. 26, 2004, and triggered the deadliest recorded tsunami in world history.
2. Greg Maddux won 38 games while pitching for three teams.
Pope John Paul II died April 2, 2005, ending his 26-year papacy.
The Boston Red Sox won their first world championship since 1918.
Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast in August 2005, killing more than 1,000 and leaving millions homeless.
3. Roger Federer won seven of his 11 Grand Slam titles.
Longtime CBS News anchor Dan Rather resigned in disgrace.
Lance Armstrong won his seventh and final Tour de France.
4. Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson died at his own hand on Feb. 20, 2005, in Colorado. His ashes later are fired out of a cannon as part of a fireworks display during his funeral.
Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa and Frank Thomas joined Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig at a 2005 congressional hearing about baseball's steroid use.
Wynn Las Vegas opened and the Stardust closed (and was imploded).
Toyota made its debut in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
Saddam Hussein was convicted of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court and hanged in Baghdad.
Barbaro won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, suffered a devastating leg injury in the Preakness and was euthanized eight months later.
UNLV's basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament this year for the first time since 1991.
George W. Bush was reelected.
UNLV won four of 13 home football games.
5. Tiger Woods won five major championships and 19 PGA Tour events .
Date Opponent Score
Oct. 23, 2004 at Utah L, 63-28
Nov. 13, 2004 at Colorado State L, 45-10
Nov. 20, 2004 at San Diego State L, 21-3
Sept. 5, 2005 at New Mexico L, 24-22
Sept. 17, 2005 at Nevada-Reno L, 22-14
Sept. 24, 2005 at Utah State L, 31-24
Oct. 1, 2005 at Wyoming L, 42-17
Oct. 15, 2005 at Air Force L, 42-7
Nov. 12, 2005 at TCU L, 51-3
Sept. 9, 2006 at Iowa State L, 16-10
Sept. 16, 2006 at Hawaii L, 42-13
Oct. 7, 2006 at Colorado State L, 28-7
Oct. 21, 2006 at BYU L, 52-7
Oct. 28, 2006 at Utah L, 45-23
Nov. 11, 2006 at San Diego State L, 21-7
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