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Nevada vs. San Jose State: Keys for a Wolf Pack Win
The Wolf Pack are looking for its seventh win.
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Nevada hopes to continue their winning ways.
Both teams are coming off of a completely opposite result from last week. The Nevada Wolf Pack (6-4) embarrassed Colorado State at home 49-10 while San Jose State (1-9) was demolished at top 25 Utah State, 62-24
Nevada continues to look more impressive week by week as we near the end of the Mountain West regular season which has been a complete turnaround from last year’s 3-9 record. The Wolf Pack became bowl eligible last week on senior night for the first time since 2015 after a 636 yard offensive outburst and a phenomenal defensive performance that only allowed 260 total yards, including 5 sacks and a minuscule 4.7 yards per completion.
San Jose State gave up over 800 yards to Utah State last Saturday as they are once again a bottom team in the Mountain West’s West division, tied with UNLV with a single conference win. Things aren’t going to get much easier for the Spartans this week, as on paper, this looks like it could be an absolute pummeling.
Nevada should take note from San Diego State’s defeat last week to UNLV. It’s college football, a good team can fall to a much lesser opponent on any given Saturday.
Don’t overlook San Jose State.
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Keys for Nevada
Minimize turnovers
Nevada has done a solid job the last two games only coughing up the football a total of two times (both against Colorado State). Assuming the Wolf Pack use an even attack of rushing and passing against the Spartans- As long as QB Ty Gangi, the running backs, receiving core, and the special teams hang onto the football, there shouldn’t be any way of San Jose State pulling the upset and stopping Nevada from getting their 7th win (4th in a row) and slightly enhancing their bowl resume.
Wildcat
Nevada’s Freshman running back, Toa Taua, is sure to get plenty of hand-offs against San Jose State who allows a much less than ideal 218.7 yards per game on the ground. Taua is sure to have a big showing against the Spartans, but don’t forget about Freshman powerhouse Devonte Lee in the wildcat, especially if Gangi struggles through the air.
Lee has continually carried the ball into the end zone and is almost a sure score when the ball is in his hands deep in the opposition’s territory. Give Lee the ball from the snap and let him run over San Jose State’s reeling defense.
Tackles for loss
While the Wolf Pack have found a variety of different ways to win a game this year, when Nevada’s defense gets to the opposing offense in their backfield, they’re at their best. Two weeks ago, Nevada was able to squeak past a tough San Diego State team after they had just 297 total yards to the Aztec’s 456, thanks to a couple of costly turnovers as Nevada was able to secure the ball for the entire game.
When Nevada really excels, as they did last week against Colorado State, the defense gets into the backfield for sacks and tackles for loss. Create 3rd and longs for a struggling Spartan offense, the Wolf Pack should easily go into their final Mountain West game at 7-4, following a convincing blowout. Expect the Seniors on Nevada’s defense to wreak havoc in their last visit to CEFCU Stadium.
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