Texas Christian throttles UNLV

(AP) — Andy Dalton threw three touchdown passes to lead No. 12 Texas Christian past UNLV 44-14 Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The Horned Frogs (9-1, 6-0) take a five-game winning streak into its game at No. 10 Utah on Thursday night, a potential showdown for first place in Mountain West Conference.

Dalton completed 16-of-29 for 151 yards and rushed for 52 yards on nine carries.

UNLV (3-6, 0-5) lost its fifth consecutive game.

Dalton has nine touchdown passes in the last three games since coming back from a two-game absence because of injury.

The Frogs ran for 259 yards, led by Aaron Brown’s 60.

UNLV managed only 108 against the No. 1 run defense in the country. TCU was allowing 10.4 points per game and 1.2 yards per rush coming into the game.

TCU’s first drive lasted 17 plays capped by a Dalton 1-yard pass to Justin Watts with 5:21 left in the first quarter.

The Horned Frogs then went up 14-0 thanks in part to Robert Henson’s first-quarter interception of Omar Clayton’s pass.

Clayton finished 5-of-13 for 45 yards.

Henson’s second pick of the season at the Rebels’ 34, led to Joseph Turner’s 3-yard touchdown run up the middle with 3:09 left in the first quarter.

The Rebels could not penetrate the second-best scoring defense in the nation, but scored their first touchdown after a dropped punt return by Brown.

It was recovered by Chris Brogdon at the TCU 12. Clayton hooked up with Rodelin Anthony for a 15-yard touchdown reception to make it 14-7.

The Frogs went up 24-7 at halftime after Dalton found Evan Frosch wide open on the left side from 4 yards with :30 left in the half.

Brown’s 23-yard run down the left side added to the lead in third quarter, and Jimmy Young caught Dalton’s last touchdown pass from 13 yards with 2:38 left in the third quarter.

This was the fourth time UNLV faced a ranked opponent this season. The Rebels are 1-3 in those games, only winning at Arizona State, then ranked No. 15 on Sept. 13. They lost to Utah and BYU on the road.