UNLV football avoids disaster, rallies for win in opener

Let’s be honest: It could have been much worse.

The UNLV football team entered Saturday’s season opener against Idaho State as heavy favorites, expected to cruise to victory by three touchdowns or more at Allegiant Stadium.

Instead, the Rebels found themselves trailing at halftime, leaving their faithful supporters with an all-too-familiar sinking feeling.

For loyal followers of the program, they couldn’t help thinking back to humbling losses to Southern Utah, Northern Arizona and Howard, and fearing the worst.

Was Idaho State — which was moving the ball with alarming ease against the Rebels’ defense — about to become the next lower-tier program to stroll into Las Vegas and deliver a gut-punch defeat?

Thankfully, UNLV had other plans. The Rebels stormed back in the fourth quarter to s