UNLV set the bar for the biggest upset loss of the 2017 season in its first game of the season. The Rebels dropped a 43-40 contest to FCS opponent Howard despite being a 45-point favorite.
The Rebels got back on the right track with a 44-16 win over Idaho in Week 2 before getting a bye week ahead of their contest against Ohio State.
The two teams have never met before, but that will change on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
What follows is an in-depth look at the personnel that UNLV will bring to Columbus.
Offense (Multiple)
Quarterback: Armani Rogers (No. 1) 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, redshirt freshman
Strengths:
- Strong arm and good speed. Capable of making downfield throws and extending plays with his feet.
- Big frame makes him more difficult to bring down in the pocket.
Weaknesses:
- Inexperienced. Has played in just two collegiate games.
- Looks uncomfortable when under center. Has fumbled a center exchange already this season.
Running backs: Lexington Thomas (No. 3) 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, junior / Xzavier Campbell (No. 35) 5-foot-11, 225 pounds, junior
Strengths:
- Thomas is a quick, shifty running back out of the backfield. The Rebels' leading rusher is at his best when he gets to the perimeter and can play in space.
- Campbell (pictured above) is more of a power back and will appear in a two-back set at times with Thomas. Campbell is used often as an extra pass blocker for Rogers.
Weaknesses:
- Neither are threats out of the backfield as pass receivers. Thomas and Campbell have just two catches between them this season.
Wide receivers: Devonte Boyd (No. 83) 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, senior / Kendal Keys (No. 84) 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, junior / Brandon Presley (No. 80) 6-foot, 180 pounds, sophomore
Strengths:
- Boyd is one of if not the most experienced receiver in the Mountain West. He is a fourth-year starter who has 169 career catches coming into the Ohio State game.
- Keys has tremendous size on the outside, something that has given Ohio State problems this season. He has just five catches in two games so far this season.
Weaknesses:
- Presley missed most of last season due to injury and received a medical redshirt. He has just eight career catches, four this season.
Offensive line: LT Kyle Saxelid (No. 76) 6-foot-7, 290 pounds, senior / LG Jaron Caldwell (No. 75) 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, sophomore / C Zack Singer (No. 51) 6-foot-2, 320 pounds, junior / RG Justin Polu (No. 78) 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, sophomore / RT Nathan Jacobson (No. 64) 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, junior
Strengths:
- Run-first unit. The Rebels have rushed for 701 yards on just 96 carries this season, good for first in the Mountain West.
- Experienced group. Singer, a former Kent State defensive lineman, is the only new starter up front from a season ago for UNLV.
Weaknesses:
- Have not yet been tested. The Howard and Idaho defensive lines failed to get much penetration on the UNLV group.
Overall analysis: The Rebels are a run-first offense that will line up in a variety of formations to try and get a defense out of alignment. UNLV will mostly line up in a traditional spread formation, but also went under center and showed pistol looks against Idaho in its Week 2 victory. Despite being mostly spread, the Rebels don't often go up-tempo and will huddle between each play.
At quarterback, Rogers brings a big-time arm and running ability to a Rebel offense that ranks first in the Mountain West. Rogers was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and originally committed to play at Cal before de-committing and heading to UNLV. Boyd is a fringe 2018 NFL draft prospect at wide receiver and Keys is another big-body wide receiver who could give Ohio State trouble on the outside and in the red zone.
The Rebels will attempt to run the ball with both Thomas and Campbell to take the pressure off of Rogers, but the freshman quarterback will likely have to make some big throws to keep UNLV competitive.
Defense (4-3)
Defensive line: DE Jameer Outsey (No. 20) 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, junior / DT Mike Hughes Jr. (No. 99) 6-foot-2, 315 pounds, senior / DT Jason Fao (No. 95) 6-foot, 310 pounds, senior / DE Mark Finau (No. 19) 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, senior
Strengths:
- Experienced. All upperclassmen up front for the Rebels.
- Outsey, a transfer from Iowa and Mesa CC, is a converted linebacker and tight end. Has good quickness off the edge but is inexperienced at defensive end.
Weaknesses:
- Very poor against the run. Despite playing Howard and Idaho in its first two games, UNLV ranks 114th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in run defense.
- Also poor in their pass rush, the Rebels have accounted for just one sack this season, tying them for last in the FBS.
Linebackers: WLB Bailey Laolagi (No. 48) 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, junior / MLB Brian Keyes (No. 5) 6-foot-1, 250 senior / SLB Gabe McCoy (No. 25) 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, sophomore
Strengths:
- The three Rebel linebackers are the top three tacklers on the roster and are counted on a lot with a weak defensive line.
- McCoy plays well in space and has one of UNLV's two interceptions this season.
Weaknesses:
- All three linebackers are first-year starters and have yet to be tested by a high-level opponent.
- The linebacker unit provides little depth outside of freshman Farrell Hester II, a former three-star recruit and high school teammate of Tate Martell.
Defensive backs: CB Jericho Flowers (No. 7) 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, sophomore / CB Tim Hough (No. 13) 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, junior / FS Dalton Baker (No. 33) 5-foot-11, 185 pounds / SS Chauncey Scissum (No. 21) 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, senior
Strengths:
- Scissum, a transfer from Syracuse, adds depth and experience to an otherwise inexperienced group. Scissum started seven games for the Orange in 2015 before being benched in 2016, after which he sought a transfer to UNLV.
- The Rebels rank 50th in the FBS in pass defense, allowing 200.5 yards per game through the air, and have collected two interceptions.
Weaknesses:
- While it isn't all their fault, the UNLV secondary is relied on to make plenty of open-field tackles with the struggles the Rebels have up front. Baker is the team's fourth leading tackler, moreso out of necessity rather than scheme.
Overall analysis: The UNLV front seven might be one of the worst in the FBS this season. The Rebels rank 114th in rushing defense and allowed Howard, a FCS opponent, to rush for 330 yards on 61 carries in the upset loss. UNLV looked better against the run against Idaho; however, the Vandals are a pass-first offense.
UNLV's secondary is largely inexperienced but played well against Idaho's passing attack, allowing just one score through the air and forcing an interception. For the Rebels to stay competitive, they will need to find a way to force J.T. Barrett to beat them with his arm. Otherwise, the Buckeyes should be able to run over, through and around the UNLV front.
Special Teams
Kicker/Punter: Evan Pantels (No. 30) 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, junior
Analysis: Through two games, Pantels has already made 7-of-10 field goal attempts on the season. His season-long came in the season opener against Howard, when he connected on a 44-yard attempt. He attempted six field goals in the loss to Howard, making four.
As a punter, Pantels has only been called on three times this season and is averaging 41.67 yards per boot.
