Here are five burning questions as UNLV prepares to open its football season at Northern Illinois at 4:30 p.m. PDT Saturday:
1. Can the Rebels be competitive? Yes, they can. UNLV is a 21-point underdog for a reason, but the Rebels also are largely a unknown entity to Northern Illinois because of all the off-season changes. That gives the Rebels an opportunity to make plays and set an early tone.
2. Except for pulling off a big upset, what would constitute success? If UNLV can give the Huskies a game, even if it gets away late, that would be a good step moving forward.