The UNLV Rebels' Defense Was 'Downright Awful' In Week 8 Loss

The UNLV Rebels fell to the Boise State Broncos in Week 8, and the defense again faltered. You can tell that the experts have been waiting for their shaky defense to eventually cost them, and they were prepared to jump on them. Every week, Mountain West Connection does their Good, the Bad, the Ugly article. Unfortunately, after a tough loss, the Rebels landed in their "ugly" section for the first time this season. We also have their take on the Broncos, who were in the "good" section.

Mountain West Connection On The UNLV Rebels

"It finally caught up with the Rebels. This team has been playing with fire all year. For the second consecutive week, the Rebel defense was downright awful, giving up 558 yards and 56 points. The offense battled but was inconsistent and struggled with the loud crowd that forced five false starts. The Rebels’ best offense was Anthony Colandrea scrambling. The young quarterback had a solid performance, but a late interception that was returned for a touchdown by Boise State cornerback A’Marion McCoy was the final nail in the coffin for the Rebels. Will UNLV be able to bounce back and get one more shot at the Broncos in the Mountain West Championship game?"

Mountain West Connection On The Boise State Broncos

"I was in the stands for this one, and it was even more dominating than the final score indicates. This was Boise State’s most complete offensive performance in quite some time and it allowed Boise State to extend the nation’s longest home winning streak. The Broncos were dominant in both facets of the game, able to run and throw the ball at will, and if I’m being honest, it felt like they left a lot on the table. A 56-31 win could have easily been much worse if it weren’t for a muffed punt and a careless interception. The Broncos were clearly the better team on Saturday afternoon and continue to be an offensive juggernaut at home where they are 4-0 and are averaging 49 points per game on “The Blue.”

It's hard to argue with anything that MWC had to say. The Rebels' defense has to start playing better after their Week 9 bye if they are going to have a chance to win the Mountain West this season. Yes, Boise is a brutal place to play on their blue turf, and it's understandable to give up a lot of points there. However, this has been an issue throughout the season in games that it shouldn't have been. They have to tighten that up.