UNLV-BYU position breakdown
A look at who has the advantage at each position when UNLV hosts Brigham Young at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sam Boyd Stadium:
QUARTERBACKS
UNLV senior Johnny Stanton started the Rebels’ past two games, both victories, and completed 63.6 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions. With starter Tanner Mangum injured, BYU probably will turn to backup Beau Hoge, who has completed 48.7 percent of his passes in three games this season.
Advantage: UNLV
RUNNING BACKS
UNLV junior Lexington Thomas crossed the 1,000-yard mark last week against Hawaii and is averaging 6.6 yards per carry this season. Cougars running backs Squally Canada (333 yards) and Ula Tolutau (303 yards) lead their team’s rushing attack.
Advantage: UNLV
RECEIVERS
BYU has seven wideouts with more than 100 receiving yards, and five with more than 200. UNLV has fewer overall threats, but senior Devonte Boyd is the most explosive weapon in this matchup, averaging 19 yards per reception.
Advantage: BYU
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Rebels and Cougars have fared similarly in pass protection, allowing 15 and 16 sacks. UNLV has been much better at run blocking, averaging 142 more rushing yards per game than BYU.
Advantage: UNLV
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Rebels have shown much needed improvement against the run the past two weeks, allowing 271 yards combined on the ground to Fresno State and Hawaii. But the team still has the 11th-worst run defense nationally, so there’s still plenty of room to grow.
Advantage: BYU
LINEBACKERS
Senior Fred Warner leads the Cougars in tackles with 76, more than any UNLV player has. The senior also has nine tackles for loss and a sack. Fellow starter Butch Pau’u has 63 tackles.
Advantage: BYU
SECONDARY
BYU allows 211.5 passing yards per game and has given up 14 passing TDs in 10 games. Opponents pass for an average of 242 yards against the Rebels and have thrown 13 TDs in nine games.
Advantage: BYU
SPECIAL TEAMS
UNLV kicker Daniel Gutierrez has missed one of his six field-goal attempts, and Cougars junior Rhett Almond has missed four of 15. Watch out for BYU punter Jonny Linehan, who has put 20 of his 48 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Advantage: UNLV
INTANGIBLES
The Cougars are 0-4 on the road. BYU also has been careless with the football, sporting a minus-7 turnover differential because of 21 giveaways. The Rebels have a plus-4 turnover differential (16 takeaways, 12 giveaways).
Advantage: UNLV
HANDICAPPER’S TAKE
Bruce Marshall (goldsheet.com): UNLV 27, BYU 17 — The 2-8 Cougars are missing quarterback Mangum (ankle) from an already-sluggish offense that ranks 123rd nationally. Thus, it’s unlikely that UNLV’s vulnerable defense will get stretched out of shape. The revived Rebels are within sight of a rare bowl invitation and have lost little with backup QB Stanton playing.
More Rebels: Follow all of our UNLV coverage online at reviewjournal.com/Rebels and @RJRebels on Twitter.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow@BenSGotz on Twitter.
