UNLV’s Student Bodies Righted : College football: In Robinson’s debut, Rebels end 16-game losing streak with convincing 26-3 victory at North Texas.

DENTON, Texas —  The last John Robinson era began Thursday night without Traveler or Georgia in tow. No Marcus, Munoz, no Eric the Great.

The start of this last stand began on a field with missing bulbs in the light stanchions, before a crowd of 19,011, on a strip of artificial turf with the sounds of tractor-trailers roaring by on Interstate 35.

It wasn’t South Bend, but it wasn’t shabby either.

Delivering first payment on a promissory note to turn around a loser, Robinson’s Rebels of Nevada Las Vegas defeated North Texas, 26-3, at Fouts Field.

Start spreading the news at New York, New York, the casino.

The victory ended UNLV’s 16-game losing streak and was the team’s first road victory since Oct. 1, 1994, a 31-27 win at New Mexico State.

Only four members of UNLV’s traveling party remain from that last road win: the equipment man, trainer, play-by-play announcer and sports information director.

Granted, this was North Texas, not even a bigwig in the Big West.

“We’re a 12-step program,” UNLV left guard Brian Hart said afterward. “This was step one.”

Robinson won 104 games as college coach entering the game, but his 105th was perhaps as important as any of the rest.

He came to Vegas thumping a football bible, predicting to revive a moribund program. He had the town in a tizzy.

Had Robinson’s team bombed on the road against a team that went 3-8 last year, there would have creeping doubts about Robinson losing his coaching fastball.

“We talked about that,” Hart said. “The hype was so big, we had to win or it would have been deflating. There was no losing here. If we lose, we stay in Texas and play tomorrow.”

When Kevin Thomas’ 49-yard interception return made it a 19-3 game with 8:30 left, UNLV players had to restrain their joy, not taking anything for granted.

“We just stood on the sidelines, grinning at each other,” senior receiver Len Ware said.

As North Texas bungled the game away--three missed field goals, interception, blown assignments, Ware said to himself:

“That was us, last year.”

When the final gun sounded, Ware and his teammates piled on each other at midfield, chanting the Rebel yell.

“We did it, we did it!” Ware screamed. “Tell everyone back in Vegas. We did it.”

Robinson disappeared into the swarm, not wanting to lap up the moment.

He could not have scripted this any better.

“This was a great game in terms of finishing off the past,” Robinson said. “We’re 1-0. There are no streaks. We are on a winning streak right now.”

It was a vintage Robinson game plan, one anyone could have recognized from his best years with USC or the Rams.

UNLV ran the ball 42 times for 166 yards, exacting the “will” to run that Robinson always preached. Quarterback Jason Vaughan was quietly efficient, completing 16 of 19 passes for 127 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

The Rebels pounded at the defense until North Texas wilted. It was a 6-3 game before UNLV scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

“They got tired and wanted to quit,” Hart said of the North Texas defense. “We just kept bringing it and bringing it.”

UNLV’s first touchdown set the tone, a 46-yard, eight-play, second-quarter drive on which seven of the plays were runs.

The last was a pitch--Yep, Student Body Left--junior tailback Jeremi Rudolph darting nine yards to end zone cone for the score.

“We run old plays,” Robinson said. “Old guy, old plays. They still work, when the offensive line is out there blocking.”

The Rebels call the play “pitch left,” but Rudolph knew of the historical significance when he transferred to play for Robinson.

“I always knew he was a toss-sweep guy,” said Rudolph, who gained 97 yards in 20 carries and scored twice. “We’re going to run first. He’s going to run.”

Robinson deflected postgame attention from himself.

“That wasn’t me out there,” he said, “that was a bunch of guys. I was one of 70. It was fun for me because I never saw doubt in their eyes.”

But, truth be known, Robinson had some doubts.

This was an important game for him, almost a must win.

“You know it was,” said defensive coordinator Jeff McInerney, one of he assistants purged when USC fired Robinson in December of 1997. “He wanted to win this. John is as sharp as I’ve ever seen him. It’s not like he’s sleeping during the day. When he hired me he told me this. He said, ‘Mac, I’m scared. But whenever I’m scared, I’ve been at my best.’ ”

McInerney’s defense, a big question mark, was stellar, giving up a field goal and 261 net yards.

McInerney credits Robinson for transforming many of the same guys who went 0-11 last year.

“You know how hard it is to get kids to believe they can win?” McInerney said. “This guy is the master of it.”

Thursday was only an encouraging first salvo. The remaining schedule remains a land mine for losses. UNLV has to play at Baylor next week, while Brigham Young, Wyoming, Air Force and Colorado State loom on the Mountain West Conference schedule.

“It’s just the idea that we can win,” Robinson said. “And the kids all believe that. How talented we are, I don’t pretend to know. But I felt we didn’t look like a team that had lost one million or something in a row.”

A win is a win.

No more Loss Vegas.

* RANDY HARVEY: USC television situation isn’t great for opener, but better late than never. Page 2