5 burning questions for Saturday’s UNLV-Colorado State game

Five burning questions as UNLV’s football team prepares to play against Colorado State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. Will the Rebels slow the Rams’ roll?

Colorado State has dominated the series, winning 15 of the last 18. The Rams (3-4, 1-2 Mountain West) beat the Rebels (3-4, 2-1) 49-35 last season in Fort Collins, Colorado behind four touchdown passes by Nick Stevens — who threw three to Rashard Higgins — and 325 yards rushing. Colorado State is coming off a 28-23 loss at No. 14 Boise State, but it finished strong as Stevens threw two late touchdown passes and the Rams scored 20 unanswered points to rally from a 28-3 deficit. UNLV has won the last two meetings in Las Vegas (2009, 2011).

2. Will there be a frantic finish?

While Colorado State stormed back at Boise State with three touchdowns in a span of 1:25, recovering two onside kicks along the way, the Rebels scored the final 10 points of the game and overcame two big calls that went against them down the stretch of their 41-38 win over Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors scored a tiebreaking touchdown with 9:02 left two plays after UNLV recovered a fumble that was overturned on replay when it was ruled Hawaii receiver Marcus Kemp touched the ball when he was out of bounds. After tying the game at 38-all, the Rebels returned a fumble for a go-ahead touchdown but it was brought back because of an illegal block. UNLV then drove down field for a game-winning 28-yard field goal by Evan Pantels.

3. Will Dalton Sneed stay hot?

The Rebels’ redshirt freshman quarterback bounced back strong from his 9-yard passing performance (2-for-12, interception) at San Diego State, completing 19 of 27 passes for 279 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and rushing for 61 yards against Hawaii. While both teams will try to establish the run, the key to Saturday’s game will probably be which quarterback is able to stretch the field through the air.

4. Will the Rebels continue to run over opponents?

UNLV’s running game has been the strength of its squad all season. The Rebels rushed for 256 yards against the Rainbow Warriors and feature the nation’s 17th-ranked rushing attack (247.7 ypg), which matches up well on paper against the Rams’ No. 90 run defense (191.6 ypg). UNLV running backs Charles Williams (5.82 yards per carry) and Lexington Thomas (5.41 ypc) rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in the conference in yards per carry and have combined for 1,020 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

5. Will UNLV’s defense deliver?

The Rebels are on pace to allow more than 30 points (30.9) and 400 yards per game (413.4) for the ninth straight season, but their defense has come up with several key plays the last two games. UNLV scored a defensive touchdown on a fumble return by Dominic Baldwin against San Diego State to keep things close in the first half of a 26-7 loss and is tied for fifth in the nation in defensive touchdowns with three. Linebacker Tau Lotulelei stripped Hawaii quarterback Dru Brown and cornerback Darius Mouton recovered the fumble to help set up the game-winning field goal. UNLV is 26th in the country in fumble recoveries with six.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.