5 questions about Friday’s UNLV-Boise State game

Five burning questions as UNLV’s football team (4-6, 3-3 Mountain West) prepares to play against No. 22 Boise State (9-1, 5-1) at 6 p.m. Friday (ESPN2) at Albertsons Stadium in Idaho:

1. Will the Rebels be able to defend the deep ball?

UNLV has struggled to stop the pass all season, especially the deep ball. Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns on only 14 completions for an average of 23.9 yards in Saturday’s 69-66 triple-overtime loss to the Rebels. Tanner Gentry2 caught touchdown passes of 48 yards and 45 yards and also had a 48-yard catch to set up another score.

Boise State is sixth in the country in passing yards per completion (15.58) and features the nation’s No. 15 passing offense (314.8 ypg) while UNLV is No. 100 in passing yards allowed (261.6, 22 touchdowns). Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien has completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,916 yards, 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions and wide receivers Thomas Sperbeck and Cedrick Wilson have combined for 106 catches for 1,850 yards and 18 touchdowns.

2. Will Kurt Palandech stay hot for UNLV?

The junior quarterback had his best game, by far, as a Rebel in his first start of the season against Wyoming. He accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and no interceptions while setting career highs for passing (252 yards) and rushing (157).

3. Will the Rebels be able to stop Jeremy McNichols?

The Broncos junior running back leads the nation in touchdowns with 22, including 18 on the ground, and is fifth in rushing with 1,369 yards. McNichols also has 31 catches for 428 yards and four scores and has scored a touchdown in 22 consecutive games. UNLV held Wyoming to 151 yards rushing — 70 yards below its average — as running back Brian Hill, the nation’s third-leading rusher, finished with 119 yards and three touchdowns.

4. Will UNLV be able to run the ball?

The Rebels ran roughshod over a Cowboys’ rushing defense that was ranked 36th in the country to the tune of 401 yards, the sixth-highest total in UNLV history. Boise State is 65th against the run, allowing an average of 165.5 yards per game. The Rebels are expected to unleash a deep stable of running backs Friday in true freshman Charles Williams (665 yards), sophomores Lexington Thomas (632 yards, eight touchdowns) and Xzaviar Campbell (83 yards, touchdown vs. Wyoming) and senior David Greene (195 yards, eight touchdowns). Palandech (197 yards, two touchdowns in two games) also is always a threat to run.

5. How will Dalton Sneed fare as a wide receiver?

When UNLV lost its fourth starting receiver to a season-ending injury in Devonte Boyd, who suffered a broken left arm against Wyoming, backup quarterback Sneed volunteered his services at wideout and will get the chance to catch some passes against Boise State. The redshirt freshman has never played receiver, but is a great athlete and playmaker who turned a near safety into a 91-yard touchdown run in his first collegiate start and still is the team’s third-leading rusher with 355 yards.

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