Rebels now face toughest 2009 challenge in Fort Worth

By Ryan Greene (contact)

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 | 10 p.m.

It's tough enough for UNLV to have to prepare for a talented, big, strong, fast TCU team which is by far the most physically impressive squad in the ever-improving Mountain West Conference.

Add onto that the fact that the 7-0 Horned Frogs are now in the stretch run of a race for a BCS bowl berth, and it equals the Rebels' toughest challenge of the 2009 season.

Many thought that TCU's biggest test remaining heading into this past weekend was its trip to take on BYU in Provo. The game got national exposure with the ESPN GameDay crew shooting live on site throughout the day.

And once kickoff took place, the Horned Frogs introduced themselves to everyone in the nation who hadn't heard of them yet in this crazy season filled with Top-25 shakeups.

TCU ran through BYU with apparent ease, heading home with a 38-7 victory and a remaining schedule which indicates they have a great shot of running the table.

First up post-BYU is UNLV, which is coming off of a pressure-relieving win of its own over New Mexico, 34-17 in Albuquerque.

The Rebels are 1-6 all-time against the Horned Frogs, and in recent years, it's been far from pretty. TCU has won five straight in the series by a combined score of 195-55, including last season's 44-14 drubbing at Sam Boyd Stadium. UNLV coach Mike Sanford said at the beginning of the 2009 campaign, while reflecting on last fall, that it was the only game in which he felt his team was out of it right from go.

Under Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs thrive on creating momentum with their defense. Following Saturday's victory in Provo, TCU ranks fifth in the nation in total defense, and after sacking BYU standout QB Max Hall five times, is tied for fifth in the nation in that category with 25. That effort is led by defensive end — and potential Heisman candidate — Jerry Hughes, who is fourth in the FBS with nine sacks.

On offense, TCU's best traits are steady quarterback play from Andy Dalton and overall speed.

Dalton threw three touchdown passes against BYU and is eighth in the country with a 156.19 passer rating. The all-purpose threat is receiver Jeremy Kerley, who can catch the deep ball and be utilized both in the run game and on trick plays. He returns both kicks (25th in the FBS) and punts (eighth).

The key intangible for TCU is that it is battle tested.

After making some national noise with a victory over Boise State in last year's Poinsettia Bowl — oddly enough, that's the other mid-major candidate in contention for a BCS bowl berth this season — the Horned Frogs rolled that momentum into 2009. On top of winning at BYU, TCU also notched road wins over ACC foes to start things off, coming up roses against Virginia and Clemson.

That said, calling this just a test for UNLV may be selling it short. This is a pop quiz, mid-term and final exam all rolled into one.