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The Wolf Pack survived a challenge from San Jose State on Saturday as they defeated the Spartans 21-12
Nevada took San Jose State’s best shot on Saturday afternoon and the Wolf Pack came away with a tough victory to improve their record to 7-4 for the season.
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Wolf Pack Defeat Spartans 21-12, Keeps Slim Hopes of Western Division Title Alive
The Wolf Pack traveled up to San Jose on Saturday and got a good challenge from the Spartans.
At times it looked like the Wolf Pack were stumbling thru that challenge handed down by a Spartans team that has been very competitive this season despite only winning one game.
But in the end, the Wolf Pack were able to survive the challenge quite nicely as they defeated the Spartans 21-12 in game that changed the start time to an earlier kickoff due to the concerns about air quality in the aftermath of the forest fires in Northern California last week.
With the win, the Wolf Pack’s hopes to win the Mountain West Western Division title are still alive as Nevada needs to defeat UNLV next Saturday night and have a whole lot of things to happen in order to clinch a berth in the Mountain West Championship Game.
The Wolf Pack got off to a rough start in the beginning of the game today when after the very good drive to start the game, Nevada place kicker Ramiz Ahmed missed a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter. After a Spartans punt, the Wolf Pack got the ball back but five plays later Ty Gangi (19 for 32, 314 yards one touchdown, one interception and one rushing touchdown) threw an interception on a busted screen pass and San Jose State’s Ethan Aguayo was the recipient of that interception.
One play after that Gangi interception, the Spartans were able to convert that interception into a touchdown when Michael Carrillo (17 for 26, 168 yards, two touchdowns, one interception), filling in for the injured Josh Love, connected with tight end Josh Oliver for a one-yard touchdown pass to give the Spartans a 6-0 lead after the PAT failed.
In the second quarter, the Wolf Pack turned the ball over again but this time Gangi fumbled the ball and Christian Johnson recovered it for the Spartans.
After the Spartans punted the ball, the Wolf Pack got back on track when the Wolf Pack went on a 13-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that was capped off with a two-yard touchdown run by Gangi to give the Wolf Pack a 7-6 lead that they took into halftime.
In the third quarter, Gangi got the Wolf Pack offense on track early when he connected with Romeo Doubs (five catches, 105 yards) on a 57-yard pass play on third down to keep the offense on the field. Three plays later, Gangi connected with Brenden O’Leary-Orange (three catches, 62 yards, one touchdown) for a nine-yard touchdown pass to put the Wolf Pack up 14-6 in the third quarter.
The Spartans did not quit however as they kept themselves in the game late in the third quarter when Carillo connected with running back DeJon Packer to cut the Wolf Pack lead to 14-12 after San Jose State’s two-point conversion failed.
But early in the fourth quarter, the Wolf Pack extended the lead for good as Toa Taua (29 carries, 121 yards, one touchdown) scored on a nine-yard touchdown to finish off a seven play, 85-yard drive to give the Wolf Pack the 21-12 lead and secured Nevada’s seventh win of the season.
The Wolf Pack will return home to Reno and then head down south to Las Vegas as they will face off against their in-state rivals, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels next Saturday night for the Fremont Cannon.