Monday, Sept. 15, 2003 | 9:31 a.m.
UNLV coach John Robinson had a simple message for his team following their final practice on Thursday afternoon before heading off to Big Ten heavyweight Wisconsin.
"He told us don't even get on the plane unless you plan on winning the game," junior linebacker Adam Seward said. "And we all believed."
The 100 or so UNLV players, coaches and fans who made the trip to rainy Camp Randall Stadium for Saturday's game were probably the only ones in the crowd of 78,043 who gave the Rebels a chance against the 20-point favorite Badgers.
UNLV, which had just been carved up for 546 yards and 46 points by Kansas a week earlier, beating the nation's 14th-ranked team on the road? Forget about it.
But that's exactly what happened.
Actually, the Rebels (2-1) didn't just beat Barry Alvarez's squad, they dominated them, 23-5.
On a day when boxer Oscar De La Hoya came up a little short in his quest for "Redemption," UNLV, and especially the Rebels defense, more than got there share of it.
"No one expected us to win except for us," Seward, a Bonanza High graduate who finished with nine tackles, said. "People I'm sure were at home thinking, 'Well, I hope they win but if they don't they're not expected to anyway.' That's crap. We expected to win this game and we came out and did it. We played fast and we played hard."
UNLV sacked Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi nine times, the most by a Rebels defense since 1985 when the team had a school-record 13 against might New Mexico State.
Perhaps even more stunning was the fact Wisconsin, a team that was touting not one but two players for the Heisman Trophy in running back Anthony Davis and speedy wide receiver Lee Evans, did not manage to score a touchdown.
The Badgers got a safety when Alex Lewis blocked a Gary Cook punt through the end zone on the first play of the second quarter and added a 27-yard field goal by Scott Campbell a few minutes later to cut UNLV's lead to 10-5.
Wisconsin (2-1) didn't a score a point over the final 43 minutes and finished with just 291 yards in total offense. The Badgers' best scoring chance in the second half came in early in the fourth quarter when Chris Catalano recovered a Dominique Dorsey fumble at the Rebels' 19 but ended with the Badgers being stopped on downs after picking up a first-and-goal at the five.
It obviously didn't help the Badgers that Davis left the game with an ankle injury after just two carries. But as Alvarez was quick to point out afterward, "(UNLV's) top tailback (Larry Croom) was out, too."
"The defense just played awesome," UNLV quarterback Kurt Nantkes said.
And no one moreso than junior safety Jamaal Brimmer, who finished with 11 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery he returned 55 yards in the first quarter for what would prove to be the game-winning touchdown.
"Hopefully now we know we can beat anybody in our conference," Brimmer said. "We just have to play. This does wonders for our confidence. If we keep playing and keep playing hard, good things will come."
"It was sailing on me," Sorgi told reporters afterward.
Nantkes, who grew up playing in the Denver suburb of Aurora, said that he hadn't played a game in a steady rain before.
Nantkes was 12-for-25 for 93 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions.
UNLV got four votes in this week's Associated Press writers' poll which equates to 47th overall. The Rebels got one vote in the coaches' poll which tied them with Louisiana Tech and Fresno State for 50th.
Running back Larry Croom (thigh), who made the trip to Madison but did not dress, also sat out the workout but is at about 90 percent according to trainer Kyle Wilson.
Hawaii defensive end Mel Purcell (sprained elbow) is questionable.
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