5 players to watch in this Saturday’s UNLV-UNR game

Five players to watch when UNLV’s football team (4-7, 3-4 Mountain West) plays UNR (4-7, 2-5) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium:

1. Kurt Palandech, QB, UNLV: In his first two starts of the season the last two weeks, the junior is 30 of 52 for 365 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions and has run for 221 yards and three touchdowns, including a 76-yard run in UNLV’s epic 69-66 triple-overtime win over Wyoming. Palandech helped lead the Rebels to a 23-17 victory over the Wolf Pack last season. Two plays after replacing starter Blake Decker late in the first half, Palandech completed a 25-yard pass to Kendal Keys. On the next play, he scored on a 12-yard run to put UNLV ahead 13-0 with 30 seconds left before halftime.

2. Ryan McAleenan, LB, UNLV: One of 16 departing players to be honored on the field before the game on Senior Day, McAleenan made a key play in last season’s win over UNR, returning an interception 52 yards for a touchdown to extend the Rebels’ lead to 20-10 with 8:27 left. McAleenan led UNLV in tackles last season with 85 and is third on the team in tackles this year with 79. He had a career-high 14 tackles earlier this season against UCLA.

3. Tau Lotulelei, LB, UNLV: The senior leads the team in tackles with a career-high 107 and his 15½ tackles for loss leads the Mountain West and is tied for 20th in the nation. The Hawaiian also is second on the squad in sacks with 2½.

4. James Butler, RB, UNR: The junior rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s 38-37 comeback win over Utah State, eclipsing 3,000 career yards in his 15th career 100-yard rushing game. Butler has rushed for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns this season, is second on the team in receptions (32) and receiving yards (333) and tied for second in touchdown catches (two).

5. Ty Gangi, QB, UNR: The sophomore scored the game-winning touchdown Saturday on a 6-yard run on fourth-and-goal with five seconds left. Gangi has started the last three games for the Wolf Pack after replacing senior quarterback Tyler Stewart, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury Oct. 22 against Wyoming. He’s completed 56 percent of his passes (84 of 150) for 1,108 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions and is third on the team in rushing with 118 yards and two scores.

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