Badgers bring act to Sin City for clash with Rebels

Sep 5, 2007, 16:15 GMT

Las Vegas, NV - The fifth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers take aim at their 11th consecutive victory this Saturday, as they invade Sam Boyd Stadium to lock horns with the UNLV Rebels in non-league play.

The Badgers got things started in convincing fashion, as they opened the 2007 campaign with a 42-21 triumph over Washington State last weekend. It was the 10th straight season-opening win by Wisconsin, which also won its 10th consecutive game overall dating back to last season. The 10 victories in a row ranks third to only Boise State (14) and BYU (11) for the longest active winning streak in the nation. In fact, the Badgers are 21-1 in their last 22 regular-season non-conference games, including wins in the last 13 straight. Ironically, the team's only loss during that stretch came against UNLV, 23-5, at home in 2003.

Speaking of the Rebels, they opened the '07 season on a high note as well, posting a 23-16 triumph at Utah State on August 30th. The victory snapped a 15-game road losing streak that dated back to '04 and marked the team's first-ever road win under third-year head coach Mike Sanford. As far as home openers go, UNLV is 25-14 all-time and it has won its last two.

This game marks the eighth all-time meeting between Wisconsin and UNLV on the gridiron, with the Badgers holding a 5-2 series advantage. The teams last met in Madison in '04, a game won by Wisconsin, 18-3.

Offensively, the Badgers were in complete control during their season-opening win over Washington State, as they rolled up 486 yards while possessing the ball for over 36 minutes. The team was effective on the ground (182 yards) as well as through the air (304) and it earned 25 first downs. Senior quarterback Tyler Donovan showed he can be the main guy under center by throwing for 284 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. Donovan, who started two games last season and is replacing three-year starter John Stocco, completed 19-of-29 pass attempts and also rushed for a touchdown in the victory. His main target was Luke Swan, who set career highs with eight catches for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tailback P.J. Hill paced the ground attack, as he rushed for 84 yards and two scores on 21 carries. The 5-11, 240-pound Hill was one of the top freshmen in the nation last season, rushing for 1,569 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Wisconsin allowed Washington State to score on two long first-quarter drives, but after that, the defense gave up just one touchdown through the final three quarters of a 42-21 triumph. Still, the Badgers, who return seven starters from last year's fifth-ranked defense (253.1 ypg), were beat for 328 yards by the Cougars. The unit gave up 157 yards on the ground and recorded only one turnover and a sack. Although the UW defense didn't play up to expectations in the first game, big things are expected from this top tier unit as the season progresses. Elijah Hodge paced the Badgers in victory with seven tackles and 1.5 TFLs.

Frank Summers scurried 11 yards for a score with 1:02 remaining in regulation, lifting UNLV to a 23-16 victory over Utah State. Summers finished the game with 40 yards on 10 carries, but it was quarterback Travis Dixon who stole the show. Dixon, a versatile redshirt freshman, showed how electric he can be, rushing for a team-high 129 yards and a score on 22 carries and throwing for 141 yards on 12-of-20 pass attempts. He accounted for nearly all of the team's 314 yards of total offense. As a whole, UNLV rushed or 173 yards in the contest and that is certainly an encouraging sign for a team that averaged a mere 89.5 rushing ypg in '06. On a down note, the Rebels struggled greatly on third down, converting just 3-of-14 attempts. If they can't do better this weekend, the Rebels may find it hard to stay on the field against this talented Wisconsin defense.

The Rebels put forth a solid effort on defense in their opener, as they held Utah State to just 234 yards of total offense. UNLV, which ranked a dismal 96th in total defense (387.3 ypg) last season, surrendered just 97 yards on 40 carries to Utah State. The defense also made a few big plays, as it finished with two forced fumbles and four sacks. Tony Cade led the way with 10 stops, while Beau Bell added nine tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.

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