But there’s one fact that might prevent the Utes from being overconfident when they meet Nevada-Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 17 in a Mountain West Conference football game at Las Vegas.
The last time the Utes played at Las Vegas was in 2007, when they were soaring after a 44-6 blowout of No. 11 UCLA. They left smarting from a 27-0 loss to a team that ended up 2-10.
Utah can’t be in too cocky of a mood anyway. The Utes had to rally from a 14-point deficit in the second half for a chilly 24-17 win at Colorado State last week.
Still, Kyle Whittingham’s Utes (4-1 overall, 1-0 Mountain West) have won two straight and they returned to the Top 25 this week, being ranked No. 24. The Utes hadn’t been ranked since falling at No. 13 Oregon 21-13 on Sept. 19.
UNLV coach Mike Sanford, a former Utes offensive coordinator, would love to be in Whittingham’s shoes. The Runnin’ Rebels (2-4, 0-2) were blasted by Brigham Young 59-21 last Saturday – one week after a humiliating 63-28 loss to Nevada.
The Rebels gave up 1,384 yards in the two games combined. And they’ve lost three in a row after a 2-1 start that included a near-upset of Oregon State.
Next, they’ll face a team that’s seeking the 600th victory in program history. Utah is 599-418-31 in 116 seasons – and 12-3 all-time against UNLV.
Saturday’s game, slated for 7 p.m. PST, will be telecast by the Mountain West Sports Network.
Utah DB Johnson Makes Trio of Interceptions
Utah’s victory at Colorado State came largely because of defensive back Robert Johnson, who made interceptions on three consecutive drives late in the game. That capped another sound performance for the Utes’ defense, which is allowing 18.6 points and 302.6 yards per game.
Johnson’s been involved in six of the 12 turnovers Utah’s forced this year. The senior has made four interceptions and recovered a pair of fumbles.
Linebackers Stevenson Sylvester and Mike Wright are the Utes’ top tacklers with 29 and 28, and Wright also has two interceptions. Safety Joe Dale is close behind with 27 tackles, and defensive end Koa Misi has posted 22 tackles in four games, and forced two fumbles.
Utah’s other defensive end, Derrick Shelby, has 21 tackles, including a team-high 3.5 for losses.
Running Back Wide Delivers in 1st Start
With leading rusher Matt Asiata out for the season with a knee injury, Utah turned to Eddie Wide to carry the rushing load. The junior delivered with 17 carries for 105 yards, and six receptions for 25 yards. He scored on both a run and a reception.
Wide has run for 298 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry this season. He could a lot of them vs. UNLV. For one, the Runnin’ Rebels have one of the worst run defenses in the country. Also, Utah reserve running backs Sausan Shakerin and Shaky Smithson have been nursing injuries.
Quarterback Terrance Cain also figures to do his share of running. He’s picked up 281 rushing yards on 4.7 yards per carry to complement some productive passing. The junior has completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 1,162 yards and eight TDs, with five interceptions.
A large bulk of his passes have gone to David Reed, who’s made 35 catches for 500 yards and three TDs. The senior had nine catches for 140 yards and a touchdown last week. Jereme Brooks (19 catches, 233 yards) also has three TD receptions.
Rebels Defense Being Run Over
The Rebels rank among the NCAA Football Bowl Division’s bottom 10 in scoring defense (35.17 points per game), total defense (476 yards per game), rushing defense (216.7) and scoring defense (35.17 points per game). They’re even in the bottom 15 in passing defense (259.33).
Perhaps the worst statistic is that UNLV has been giving up 6.0 yards per rushing attempt – one of only two FBS teams to reach that dubious point.
The low point of the season was the loss to Nevada, in which the Rebels gave up 773 yards – including 559 rushing yards on 10.2 yards per attempt. But the Rebels haven’t like that all season. None of their first four opponents, not even Oregon State, reached 400 yards.
Linebacker Starr Fuimaono and DB Quinton Porter have 38 apiece, with Fuimaono recording the total in one fewer game . Jason Beauchamp and Ronnie Paulo, both linebackers, have 37 tackles each. Paulo’s made six tackles for losses.
UNLV Offense Ranks in Middle of Pack
UNLV’s offense averages 28.2 points and 384.2 yards per game – both figures that put the Rebels in the middle of the FBS rankings. The Rebels are in the top 20 in passing, with a clip of 274.3 yards.
Starter Omar Clayton has hit on 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,236 yards, with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. The junior missed the Nevada game because of a bad shoulder.
The Rebels’ Ryan Wolfe ranks among the FBS leaders with 44 receptions, which have produced 489 yards and one TD. Phillip Payne turning in big numbers, too, with 38 catches for 405 yards and three TDs. Michael Johnson adds 18 receptions for 235 yards and Rodelin Anthony has a team-best four touchdowns among his 12 receptions.
UNLV’s ground attack is paced by Channing Trotter (311 yards, 6 touchdowns). Backup quarterback Mike Clausen (82 yards, 3 TDs) is the team’s second-leading rusher.
