Utah catches reeling UNLV at just the right time

By Ryan Greene (contact)

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 | 11:59 p.m.

Utah, despite a 4-1 overall record, has looked shaky on the road so far this season.

However, they'll have a chance to get just as fat and happy against UNLV as BYU and UNR have the past two weeks.

The Rebels, who have allowed 1,384 yards of total offense and 122 combined points in their last two outings, now must face one of the Mountain West Conference's perennial heavyweights.

The Utes, who last season went undefeated and upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, are 1-2 away from Salt Lake City this season, including a 24-14 victory at San Jose State, a 31-24 loss at Oregon and last weekend's come-from-behind 24-17 triumph at Colorado State.

Utah defeated UNLV last year at home, 42-21, thanks to a big second half, but in the team's last trip to Sam Boyd Stadium fell to the Rebels, 27-0, back in 2007.

Three Utes to keep an eye on will be quarterback Terrence Cain, running back Eddie Wide and linebacker Sylvester Stevenson.

Cain has done well in his first year in the program after transferring from Blinn (Texas) Community College. In replacing the departed Brian Johnson, he seems to have found a groove, completing 76 percent of his passes on Utah's last two games. He's thrown for 1,162 yards and eight touchdowns so far this season.

Wide, a Cimarron Memorial High product, is now the full-time starter at tailback following an injury to Matt Asiata. He's rushed for 131 yards on 36 carries since Asiata went down for the year, and scored two fourth quarter touchdowns in Fort Collins last weekend to push Utah to victory.

As for Stevenson, another local product who graduated from Valley High, he's the unquestioned leader of the Utah defense and the senior is arguably the league's top linebacker.