Take Five: A closer look at UNLV vs. TCU

By Ryan Greene

Friday, Oct. 29, 2010 | 2 p.m.

There were Wisconsin, Utah and Nevada-Reno early in the season, but this might be a whole different monster.

The UNLV football team's next challenge in a loaded 2010 schedule will be against No. 4 TCU (8-0 overall, 4-0 Mountain West), which on Saturday will be the highest-ranked foe the Rebels (1-6, 1-2) ever have hosted at Sam Boyd Stadium.

TCU has earned its ranking, ripping through its first four Mountain West opponents by a combined score of 141-10. Making matters worse for the Rebels, the Horned Frogs have won the last three meetings between the two schools — including last year's 41-0 shutout in Fort Worth, Texas — by outscoring UNLV, 119-24.

That history is reflected in the line set by Las Vegas oddsmakers, as it's hovering right around five touchdowns in TCU's favor.

Here is a closer look at the key storylines in what will be more than an uphill battle for UNLV.

1) Bring the Payne

UNLV gladly welcomes back the talents of junior receiver Phillip Payne, a preseason All-Mountain West selection, from a two-game suspension.

The absence came on the heels of Payne making disparaging remarks about the program on his Twitter feed just days before the Rebels' 49-10 loss at West Virginia.

Despite having played in just five of the team's seven games, Payne still is second on the team with 23 receptions and has a team-high 389 receiving yards to his credit.

The Rebels have sorely lacked offensive playmakers in two unsightly losses leading up to their off week, and while Payne probably doesn't add enough to make UNLV too much more of a threat to TCU, he adds something.

Payne might get some motivation from the fact that TCU really is the only Mountain West foe that he doesn't have some form of marked success against. He did not play against the Horned Frogs in 2008 after suffering a concussion against BYU the previous week, then had only one catch for four yards in last season's shutout loss.

2) Dangerous Dalton

For all of the speed and talent TCU has at the skill positions, dual-threat quarterback Andy Dalton is the offense's central nervous system.

A four-year starter, he's completing a career-high 65.5 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for 1,635 yards, 14 TDs and only five interceptions. Far from a one-dimensional threat, he can run, putting up 374 yards and five touchdowns this season.

UNLV's banged-up defense could be in for some trouble, as Dalton has had a field day against the Rebels in his career.

He wasn't asked to do too much in his start against UNLV as a freshman, but in the last two meetings has combined to go 28-of-50 for 329 yards, six touchdowns and no picks. In those three starts combined, he's rushed for 178 yards on 27 carries.

The Rebels this season are tied for 90th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision programs with only 10 quarterback sacks in seven games. If that trend doesn't change, Dalton could make doing what he always does look easy.

3) Whaddya got, kids?

TCU ranks second in the FBS in total defense, and 15th against the run. However, the 102 rushing yards per game the Horned Frogs are allowing actually are a bit more than they've been accustomed to in recent history.

At the same time, a couple of unlikely candidates — true freshman Tim Cornett and junior converted cornerback Deante' Purvis — have emerged as two of the Rebels' three leading rushers. Despite early struggles, first-year coach Bobby Hauck has stuck with his run-first approach on offense, and the two speedsters have stayed the healthiest and been the most consistent of the running-back corps.

Cornett has 237 yards and two TDs on 45 carries, and his 5.3 yards per carry average by far is tops on the roster. Purvis has 145 yards on 35 carries, really seeing heavy work on offense in only the last two games.

Can either find success against the Horned Frogs? We'll certainly find out. Don't expect Hauck to deviate from his game plan now, and both Cornett and Purvis have the speed to do some damage should the offensive line allow them time to find the creases.

On the flip side, the UNLV defense will be charged with the challenge of trying to slow TCU sophomore star running back Ed Wesley.

The Irving, Texas, native has 874 yards and nine TDs so far, averaging a whopping seven yards per carry. He's also going to be fresh, as he's only carried the ball more than 19 times once this season. That was last weekend, when he abused Air Force for 209 yards and two scores on 28 rushes.

4) Can't help but look ahead

Whether you believe that TCU has an actual shot at being in the BCS national championship game or not, the Horned Frogs do at the very least have a better-than-good shot at reaching a BCS bowl game for the second consecutive season.

If they're going to do so, they will have to go undefeated in the regular season. The biggest roadblock in that pursuit awaits them next Saturday when they face No. 9 Utah, which also is undefeated and carries its own BCS dreams.

If TCU builds a big lead early, how long will coach Gary Patterson keep his starters on the field? If he decides to give them a good rest and test his depth, UNLV could have a chance to build some confidence for itself in the second half.

Given the gap between the two teams on paper, there's a good chance that the Horned Frogs' reserves could get extended playing time late in the game.

5) On the other hand ...

It's no secret that UNLV is banged up across the board. The Rebels are coming off of a bye week, which for most teams means they'd be significantly healed in the middle of the season.

UNLV will be a bit better health-wise, but not too much.

This week's injury report featured 24 names, with 15 of them listed as doubtful or out.

Among the notables in that group are freshman cornerback Sidney Hodge (doubtful, arm), sophomore tight end Austin Harrington (out, arm) and freshman receiver Marcus Sullivan (out, chest).

UNLV hasn't made it out of the past two TCU games without sustaining more injuries. Most notable was Omar Clayton going down for the season with a knee injury as a sophomore in 2008.

It would be beneficial for the Rebels to maintain their current level of health coming out of this weekend, as they will have a chance to be competitive in their next two games — at BYU and home against Wyoming.

Bonus: Time for more Herring?

Hauck has made it no secret through his actions that he wants to get redshirt freshman quarterback Caleb Herring a good amount of experience this season. He is the team's quarterback of the future, and the chances of reaching a bowl game this year are all but gone at this point.

Herring has seen action in four of UNLV's seven games, including significant time against strong opponents in Idaho and West Virginia. In those four games, Herring is 16-of-27 for 235 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.

Hauck said recently that there's some gray area when it comes to his quarterback rotation at this point.

The delicate part of that decision is that Clayton has done nothing to deserve being pulled at this point in his senior season, but if TCU gets up big early, there's no one who will tell Hauck that thinking about the future is wrong. Herring, in that instance, could play a good amount against the toughest opponent he's seen to date.