GameDay: UH at UNLV

Stephen Tsai's gameday preview has breakdowns of the offense, defense and specialists for both teams.

Here's Jason Kaneshiro's preview.

Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has a preview.

Steve Guiremand of Rebel Nation writes that this is an important game for UNLV.

The Rebels (1-1) have made no secret that finishing with a winning record and advancing to a bowl game for the first time since 2000 rank at the top of the team’s goals for this year. And with a favorable schedule that included three straight home games to start the season, a bowl game seemed like a very real possibility.

But a loss to the Warriors (2-0) could send the season skidding in the wrong direction for Mike Sanford’s squad.

Ferd Lewis has more on why it's so important to UNLV.

The Rebels are 12-37 under Sanford, who has yet to achieve a .500 season, and the perception here is that he needs a winning year — preferably with a bowl appearance attached — to finish out his current contract.

This is supposed to be the much-awaited payoff year on all that Sanford and UNLV have invested in resurrecting the Rebels. It has been no easy task to be sure for the man who was Urban Meyer's offensive coordinator during the transformation of Utah's fortunes.

Ryan Greene of the Las Vegas Sun reviews five aspects of the UH football team. Here's an excerpt from number five:

5) One more name to remember ...

That would be senior linebacker Blaze Soares.

Aside from having maybe one of the coolest names in the FBS ranks, the 6-foot-1, 235-pound Soares seems to have finally found his rhythm with the Warriors.

Stephen Tsai writes about two UNLV starters that once took recruiting trips to UH, Ryan Wolfe and Malo Taumua. Tsai also writes about Tua Mahaley replacing Paipai Falemalu on the road roster.

Antwan "Tua" Mahaley arrived late Thursday as an injury replacement for defensive end Paipai Falemalu, who has a high sprain of his right ankle.

Mahaley, who plays defensive end, is counted on mostly for special teams. At 6 feet 4, he is a skilled kick blocker.

Ferd Lewis has some news and notes about both teams recruiting in each other's back yards, tonight's expected attendance, etc.

And Dave Reardon writes about some of the extra-curricular activities that have happened in the stands during past UH vs UNLV matchups.