5 players to watch in the UNLV-Michigan game

Five players to watch when UNLV's football team plays at Michigan at 9 a.m. PDT Saturday:

1. UNLV's quarterback(s): Could be Kurt Palandech. Could be Blake Decker. Could even be Dalton Sneed at some point. Decker's injury close to his groin has made this an uncertain situation, even for the coaches.

2. Joe Bolden, LB, Michigan: He leads the Wolverines with 20 tackles and is their best defender. Bolden made 102 stops last season.

3. Will Kreitler, C, UNLV: The Rebels need a strong running game, especially given their situation at quarterback. Kreitler must help pave the way for the inside run game to sustain drives.

4. De'Veon Smith, RB, Michigan: He has rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Smith also has 40 rushes, so the Wolverines are putting a good chunk of their offense on his shoulders.

5. Blake Richmond, S, UNLV: He comes off a performance against UCLA in which he broke up two passes, intercepted one and made 1½ tackles for loss.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65