Take 5: UNLV has won last 2 meetings with Saturday’s opponent, Air Force

By Taylor Bern

Friday, Nov. 7, 2014 | 2 a.m.

As temperatures drop to make a Saturday afternoon kickoff idyllic in the desert, the crowds have been nowhere to be found at Sam Boyd Stadium. They won’t appear either, at least not this year, as the Rebels prepare for their second-to-last home game in a disappointing season.

UNLV (2-7, 1-4) hosts Air Force (6-2, 2-2) at 1:06 p.m. with the game streaming on the Mountain West Network and Campus Insiders.

Over four previous home games this season, UNLV’s announced attendance has averaged 15,103, with the eye test suggesting actual numbers short of that figure. Breaking 15,000 would be a victory in itself Saturday, although the season finale against UNR should draw a larger crowd.

While no one would call Sam Boyd’s location ideal, the empty seats are directly tied to the team’s record. The simple fact is UNLV hasn’t given its fans much reason to make the drive as far as on-field performance is concerned, though recent series history says don’t discount the Rebels this weekend.

Here’s a look at some of the game’s key factors and storylines:

1. Rebels’ new-look offensive line

The change that Hauck debuted last week will remain in place this weekend, meaning senior Brett Boyko is set for his second career start at guard with freshman Kyle Saxelid getting another start at left tackle.

The move was made, Hauck said, in an effort to get a better overall performance from the group of five. Boyko isn’t as good at guard as he is at tackle, but he’s better than what the Rebels have had on the inside and Hauck sees Saxelid with Boyko-like potential at left tackle.

In its first game with that lineup on the left side of the line, UNLV did rush for nearly 100 yards more than its per game average (214), with most of those coming from Shaquille Murray-Lawrence. That success came as the game wore on, and at least some of that credit probably belongs to Boyko and Saxelid settling into their roles.

2. Tape vs. Reps

For the past two weeks Hauck has weighed his own team’s experience against New Mexico’s triple-option-based offense against Air Force, another triple-option-based offense, getting to see the Rebels’ defense on film a week before the matchup. Hauck has given the Falcons the edge in that factor, though a case could be made just as easily on the other side.

One of the annual factors during game week before playing Air Force is trying to prepare for their blocking scheme and also getting ready for their tendencies within the option. While the Falcons are certainly different, and this year decidedly better than the Lobos, there are enough similarities that make playing New Mexico better than anything you could accomplish in practice, even if that means Air Force has it on film.

3. Falcons motivated?

Coming off a big upset against Boise State, when Air Force won by 14 as 12 1/2-point underdogs and could’ve set itself up for a letdown, the Falcons responded with another straight-up victory as an underdog. But that was against Navy, arguably an even more important victory for the program.

What about now? That Navy victory was the first of two key wins, the second coming last week against Army to hand Air Force the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the third time in the past five years. With the trophy in hand before a road trip to play arguably the worst team in the league, will Air Force be able to play with the same urgency?

4. Devonte Boyd key

If the Rebels win this game, there will likely be two major offensive factors. The first, and most important, is that UNLV doesn’t turn it over. That’s what killed the Rebels against New Mexico, a game they dominated long enough to rather easily erase a 17-0 deficit before a second interception played a large roll in their downfall.

The second key to a UNLV win is freshman receiver Devonte Boyd, who has the potential to go off in any game. Boyd has 670 yards on 44 catches, some of the best numbers in the country for freshmen, but he only has two touchdowns to this point.

Boyd’s 15.2 yards per catch scream breakout potential, and while Air Force’s pass defense ranks middle of the pack in the Mountain West, this seems like a potential breakout spot for a two-touchdown game from Boyd.

5. What’s next if the Rebels lose?

As previously discussed, the season-long goals are all off the table for UNLV. Now it’s about each individual game, and after this one it’s not pretty.

The Rebels’ final three games include two road trips plus the Battle for the Fremont Cannon, which could feature a UNR team needing a victory to clinch a spot in the Mountain West Championship.

The road games are against struggling opponents, but lined up opposite the Rebels both BYU and Hawaii will be favored. Two years ago UNLV went to Hawaii with a bad record but what seemed like still a better overall team and limped home with a 48-10 loss, and UNLV is 3-15 lifetime against the Cougars with the last victory in 2004.

If the Rebels don’t make it three straight victories against Air Force, then finishing the year with two wins seems more likely than not.

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.