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The Utah Utes have said all along they had confidence in backup quarterback Terrance Cain's ability to lead the team.
On Saturday the senior finally got to show why players and coaches speak so highly of him.
Cain not only helped the No. 20 Utes earn a 38-10 win against UNLV in front of 45,102 at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but he may have enjoyed a little personal redemption, too.
Starting in place of sophomore Jordan Wynn, who was sidelined with a sprained thumb, Cain went 13-of-20 for 207 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Utes to an easy victory to open conference play.
"It felt great to be back out there again with my boys," Cain said.
The game was Cain's first start since he was replaced by Wynn at halftime of the Wyoming game last year.
In that contest, Wynn rallied the Utes from a 10-3 halftime deficit to win 22-10.
Cain needed no such rescue effort Saturday. After a rough first quarter in which the defense gave up an 18-play, 79-yard drive and a Utes scoring opportunity was negated by an Eddie Wide fumble, Utah (2-0, 1-0 MWC) finally turned the game into the blowout everyone expected by dominating the final three quarters.
The win was Utah's 19th straight home victory and broke the Mountain West Conference record of 18, previously held by BYU (2006-08).
"We are blessed to have two great quarterbacks, and no matter which is in, we believe we can move the ball," receiver Shaky Smithson said. "Terrance proved that today."
Tied 3-3 after the first quarter, the game moved in Utah's favor when an 11-play, 80 yard drive ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Utah running back Eddie Wide. Wide also forced a fumble and recovered the ball on a UNLV punt return, setting up a 20-yard touchdown pass from Cain to Jereme Brooks.
The turn of events gave the Utes a 17-3 lead and all the momentum they needed against the Rebels (0-2, 0-1).
Utah's offense got better as the game continued, as did the defense. Although UNLV finished with 319 yards and controlled the ball for 36 minutes, UNLV's offense didn't score a touchdown and failed to convert a fourth-and-goal twice in the fourth quarter.
UNLV's lone touchdown was scored on the return of a blocked punt in the third quarter, the second one the Utes have had in two games.
Wide finished with 15 carries for 77 yards and two touchdowns.
"It was a good start to conference play," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. "It wasn't as clean as we need to be. The punt game is problematic for us, to say the least, and the third downs, particularly in the first half, weren't good enough, but it was a good win and a good start to conference play."
Wynn, who has started the past six games, could have played in an "emergency" situation, Whittingham said. He is still listed as day-to-day and remains Utah's No. 1 quarterback, he added.
In the meantime, the Utes, who play at New Mexico on Saturday, believe they have an able-bodied quarterback in Cain.
Cain earned the starting job in 2009 because he took better care of the ball than Wynn. However, he lost it when he struggled with reads and moving Utah's offense at the quick tempo the coaches desired.
He was much improved in those areas Saturday after his first drive, in which he threw two incomplete passes to Brooks.
Cain threw a 12-yard pass to Luke Matthews for his first completion at the end of the first half, then went 5-of-6 for 81 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter.
"One completion puts you in rhythm with the receivers," Cain said. "That's all I needed."