UNLV will open up their Mountain West Conference schedule on Saturday against Wyoming at War Memorial Stadium. The Rebels enter the game with a 2-1 record while the Cowboys are 1-2 with two straight losses to Big 12 opponents.

The battle between the Rebels and Cowboys has been fairly even throughout the teams’ rivalry. UNLV leads the series 9-8, but Wyoming has won four of the last five meetings against the Rebels. Only one of those five has been won by more than an eight point separation.

UNLV travels to Laramie, Wyo. and looks to start the conference season right, but also wants to snap a 19-game road losing streak against conference opponents. UNLV’s last road conference win was against BYU in 2004.

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The Rebels will host the No. 24 Oregon State Beavers Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium in one of the biggest games the Rebels have ever hosted. The Rebels are 5-23 all-time versus ranked opponents and have not defeated a ranked opponent at home since 1984. The game is not only huge for the Rebels but also for the Mountain West Conference. The Rebels have a chance to knock off a top 25 team.

 It would also give the MWC the credit it deserves knocking off a top Pac-10 opponent. A win will help the Rebels gain the necessary momentum for a tough stretch in their schedule. This game is Oregon State’s first visit to Sam Boyd Stadium to play the Rebels since 1991, when Oregon State lost 23-9. The Beavers played New Mexico State in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2003.

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The UNLV Rebels open their 42nd season against the Sacramento State Hornets on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Sam Boyd Stadium. This will be the first time the football team will play Sac State home or away.

Coach Mike Sanford will try to get the Rebels their fourth straight season-opening victory, something that hasn’t been done in the football program’s history.

The Rebels are 23-7 all time versus the Big Sky Conference and after Saturday will have played every team in the Big Sky except Eastern Washington.

The Hornets gave Colorado State a scare last season but ultimately were defeated 23-20. The message is simple for the Rebels: come out firing on all cylinders on offense and defense to get the win.

"We know we are going to get a big time effort from them," wide receiver, Ryan Wolfe said. "They’re trying to get a name on the board by playing us tough."

Saturday night will be a special night for Wolfe as he will receive the Tom Weisner Award. He will be the first receiver to win the award.

The Weisner award was created in honor of the late Tom Weisner, who was very influential in Rebel Athletics from their inception, until his death in 2002. The award is given to the top senior who exemplifies Tom Weisner’s courage, enthusiasm, dedication and toughness.

"[The Weisner Award is] voted on by the seniors, so it’s big for me to know that I have the respect of my teammates," Wolfe said. "Everything the award stands for, – it’s not only making plays on the field, its more about leadership and toughness you show an everyday basis."

However, Wolfe is not the only Rebel making an impact on his peers.

Starting quarterback Omar Clayton is the first quarterback to start back-to-back openers since Kurt Nantkes in 2003-04.

As for the Rebels’ crowded backfield, look for hard-nosed junior Channing Trotter to get the start in a modified 5-man backfield rotation.

The scouting report on Sac State is incomplete and leaves are a lot of unknowns with this team. The team has many junior college players this year and they use three quarterbacks.

Sac State is also a run-heavy team that could potentially give the Rebels’ previously 110th-ranked rush defense a problem.

The Hornets’ defense will not return many players from last season, so it’s unsure what kind of front they will give the Rebels.

"I think the bottom line is they are a very good and solid program," Sanford said.

"The thing concerning us is the fact they went into Fort Collins and took Colorado State down there to the end. Colorado State had to kick a field goal to win the game. We need to start this off with a win."

According to Sanford, the Rebels need to start the season off with a win.

The season will not get any easier for the Rebels, with the next two home games against Oregon State and Hawaii – expect the Rebels to come out firing on all cylinders.

Junior quarterback eager to return after injury last season From a fifth string walk-on to a starting quarterback to the bench with an injury, Omar Clayton has been through it all. The 6-foot-1, 200 pound Clayton joined the Rebels from Normal, Ill. as a walk on. He played his way into a starting role by week eight of the 2007 season.

In Clayton’s first game, he became the first player in UNLV history to exceed 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in the same game, something even the legendary Randall Cunningham was never able to do. Last season, Clayton won the competition battle with Travis Dixon, who was moved to safety.

The former walk-on put together a tremendous season throwing 1,894 yards with 18 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Clayton’s first interception didn’t come until his 173rd attempt and he finished the season with a school record of a .0155 interception percentage. But things didn’t go as planned late in the season, as Clayton got injured.

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Note to the Patriots fans: Although I am not a fan of the Patriots I am very interested in the Tom Brady saga. I do hope he regains his form and if so the Patriots are my favorites to win the Super Bowl but it remains to be seen how he will perform throughout the season. This is an article I wrote on the bleacher report. Let me know what you think. 

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