Early look at UNLV’s next opponent: UNR

UNLV’s football team (4-7, 3-4 Mountain West) will try to bounce back from its 42-25 loss to Boise State at 1 p.m. Saturday in its season finale against UNR (4-7, 2-5) at Sam Boyd Stadium in the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon. Here’s everything you need to know about the Wolf Pack:

■ WHO: UNR Wolf Pack

■ WHEN: 1 p.m. Saturday

■ WHERE: Sam Boyd Stadium

■ TV/RADIO: ESPN3 (streaming); KWWN (1100 AM, 100.9 FM)

■ LINE: UNLV -7

■ SERIES: UNR leads 24-17

■ LAST MEETING: UNLV 23, UNR 17 (Oct. 3, 2015 at Reno’s Mackay Stadium)

■ 2015 RECORD: 7-6 (4-4 MW). Beat Colorado State 28-23 in Arizona Bowl.

■ 2016 RECORD: 4-7 (2-5). Wins: Utah State (38-37), Fresno State (27-22), Buffalo (38-14), Cal Poly (30-27). Losses: Notre Dame (39-10), Purdue (24-14), Hawaii (38-17), San Jose State (14-10), Wyoming (42-34), New Mexico (35-26), San Diego State (46-16).

■ HEAD COACH: Brian Polian (overall record: 22-27, fourth year; school record: 22-27, fourth year)

■ RETURNING STARTERS: 9 offense, 5 defense

■ THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB James Butler, QB Ty Gangi, WR Wyatt Demps

■ ABOUT THE WOLF PACK:

— UNR is 0-5 on the road this season but has won the last five meetings with UNLV in Las Vegas, dealing the Rebels a 49-27 defeat on Nov. 29, 2014, in the team’s most recent battle at Sam Boyd Stadium.

— The Wolf Pack are last in the country in rushing defense by a wide margin, allowing an average of 308.1 yards per game. Utah State, which averages 177.2 rushing yards per game, exploded for 396 against UNR in Saturday’s loss in Reno.

— UNR is 113th in total defense (469.9 ypg) and 105th in scoring offense (23.6 ppg).

— Erased 13-point fourth-quarter deficit in Saturday’s comeback win over Utah State that ended a four-game losing streak. Elijah Mitchell recovered a fumbled punt in the end zone to cut the deficit to 37-31 with 7:19 remaining and Gangi scored the game-winning touchdown 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. The sophomore has completed 56 percent of his passes (84 of 150) for 1,108 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions. He also is third on the team in rushing with 118 yards and two scores.

— Butler rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown Saturday, surpassing 3,000 career yards in his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season and 15th of his career. The junior 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).

— Demps, a 6-foot-4-inch junior, leads UNR in receptions (51), receiving yards (629) and touchdown catches (nine).

Todd Dewey/Las Vegas Review-Journal