September 10, 2007
Is it me or did anyone else just know that we were going to lose to Wisconsin in the last two minutes of the game?

I just had this disappointing feeling in my stomach that with two minutes remaining and Wisconsin ranked in Sam Boyd Stadium that it was going to be an outcome of disgust. Yeah sure looked great against a team that should have walked all over us and may have taken UNLV for granted a bit, but there was no doubt in my mind that this game would have been lost in the final minutes.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself well why did he feel that way. We ill tell you why! For one Mike Sanford had a chance to kick a field goal in the second quarter to give the Rebels an even bigger lead and he decided to gamble. This was not a smart move every coach knows that when you’re an inferior team you take what points you can get.

Now if this happened the Rebels are up 10-9 at the half with a lot of confidence. Then adding two field goals would have given the Rebels 16 points and putting even more pressure on the Badgers and more urgency for them to score a touchdown to win. Being up one doesn’t make the number five team in the nation squirm in the last two minutes.

Sometimes I wonder what the coaches are thinking. You’re telling me that Mike Sanford thought his team couldn’t beat Wisconsin so he thought what the heck lets go for it on fourth instead of take the points early in the game? Not a smart play call.

Give your team the best chance to win going for it on fourth down in the second quarter and not putting points on the board isn’t giving them the best chance. That’s just a gamble and if we hit it we get lucky and if we don’t oh well they are going to beat us anyway,

As a coach you can not think this way. Travis Dixon was awesome that night. This kid showed some real talent and as a freshman the football team has hope for the future. Only thing is you have to give him the best chance to win. Casey Flair was unstoppable and if these two and hook up for the next few years it’s going to be a great future and even a great season for the Rebels.

Next up is the 22nd ranked Warriors of Hawaii. They can put up points in a hurry and their quarterback is up for heismen. But if they come to Sam Boyd thinking the same thing the Badgers did its going to be a totally different outcome and we will win the game.

One thing I don’t want to see that past Rebel teams have done is show up against a great team one week and gets blown out by a weaker team the next week. UNLV has a chance in this one. Home field is big as long as all the fans get along which is very unlikely when it come it Hawaii and UNLV football games. I think the last time these two played they set a record for most stand fights before half time.

The Rebels can get it done and show most of the country or at least the conference that they are not to be over looked just asks the Badgers!

-Mike Sims

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