UNLV Rebels defensive back Jericho Flowers (7) intercepts a pass intended for San Jose State Spartans wide receiver JaQuan Blackwell (11) during the second half of an NCAA college football game between the UNLV Rebels and the San Jose State Spartans at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Las Vegas. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph

Three takeaways from the UNLV football team’s 41-13 victory over San Jose State on Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. UNLV’s season has real life.

That seemed unimaginable after the Rebels bumbled their way to a 43-40 loss to Howard to open the season, but they have bounced back with routs of Idaho and San Jose State sandwiched around an expected one-sided loss at Ohio State.

It won’t be easy for the Rebels (2-2, 1-0 Mountain West) to get to six victories and bowl eligibility, and facing No. 19 San Diego State (5-0, 1-0) and Air Force (1-3, 0-2) the next two weeks will be difficult challenges. But there are potential victories on the remaining schedule, and if the Rebels continue to play as they did against the Vandals and again on Saturday, they have a chance.

San Diego State is the toughest remaining task, and it will be a matchup of the Mountain West’s top two running backs in the Aztecs’ Rashaad Penny (823 yards, seven touchdowns) and UNLV’s Lexington Thomas (571, nine).

“It’s two of the best running backs in the country, that’s what I think,” Thomas said. “I can’t wait to meet him, to play against him.”

2. The positives about the offense and defense.

UNLV’s offense is among the best in school history, and it looked every bit that way in the first half in jumping out to a 35-6 lead. Thomas had 105 yards and two touchdowns by halftime, and quarterback Armani Rogers completed all seven passes for 128 yards and accounted for three touchdowns rushing and passing.

The Rebels’ defense responded with a second-half shutout over the final 30 minutes while forcing three turnovers over that time.

“Three times in the last two games, we’ve created turnovers inside the 5,” coach Tony Sanchez said. “That shows the fight that those guys have.”

If UNLV can get those two units to play like that consistently, the Rebels will put themselves in position to win a lot of games.

3. The concerns about the offense and defense.

Consistency is the issue.

UNLV’s defense struggled for much of the first half, though it allowed San Jose State to reach the end zone only once. But the Spartans moved the ball up and down the field in totaling 241 yards on 50 plays.

The Rebels’ offense fell off in the second half, scoring just one touchdown (the extra point was missed).

“The guys have to do a better job of understanding situational football,” Sanchez said. “I know we have the lead. There’s still time on the clock. You still have to have the same intensity the entire time. Part of that in building this program is teaching these young guys to understand you never play the clock, you just play the game, and every snap is just as important at the end as at the beginning.”

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Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.