5 things to watch for in UNLV’s Saturday game at UCLA

Five things to look for when UNLV’s football team plays UCLA at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Bowl:

1. If the Rebels can disrupt Josh Rosen’s rhythm.

The Bruins sophomore quarterback threw three interceptions — along with 343 yards and a touchdown — under heavy pressure in UCLA’s season-opening loss at Texas A&M. UNLV needs to get to Rosen to have any shot at an upset. The Rebels’ pass rush remains a question mark after it was anemic last year and produced only one sack in a season-opening 50-point win over FCS school Jackson State.

2. If Johnny Stanton can repeat his Week 1 performance.

The Rebels quarterback was nothing short of sensational in his first Division I start, completing 10 of 12 passes for 217 yards and three TDs in the rout of the Tigers, but he and his teammates take a big step up in class this week against a UCLA squad anxious to take out its frustrations on UNLV. Any hopes that the Rebels would catch the Bruins looking ahead to their Sept. 17 game at Brigham Young were extinguished when UCLA lost its opener.

3. If the Rebels can stop the run.

UNLV limited Rosen to 223 yards passing and a TD and picked him off once in last season’s 37-3 loss at Sam Boyd Stadium. But the Rebels couldn’t stop the run, giving up 273 yards rushing, including 151 yards and two TDs to Paul Perkins.

4. If any Rebels receivers not named Devonte Boyd will make an impact.

When Kendal Keys went down with season-ending knee surgery less than a week before the opener, Boyd was the only wideout left on the team with more than three career receptions. Boyd, who had three TD catches in the first half against Jackson State, will be the only Rebel receiver with more than one career catch entering Saturday’s game after sophomore Brandon Presley was ruled out with a foot injury. True freshman Mekhi Stevenson and redshirt freshman Darren Woods Jr. each made their first career catch in the opener.

5. If UNLV can wrap up runners.

The Rebels had at least 14 missed tackles in their opener and most of them happened in the first quarter, when their starters were on the field. They’ll need to do a much better job of tackling to slow down the Bruins.