Nevada at Idaho Game Notes
November 4, 2006
- Nevada has won three games in a row and six of its last seven games. The Wolf Pack’s record is 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the WAC. Nevada is bowl eligible for the second straight year.
- The Wolf Pack now leads the all-time series with the Vandals 15-9 and has won two in a row and four of the last five in the series.
- Nevada coach Chris Ault is now 12-4 all-time against Idaho and 4-1 all-time versus Idaho coach Dennis Erickson.
- Senior Joe Garcia’s 33-yard punt return was Nevada’s longest punt return of the season and set up Nevada’s first score of the game a 2-yard pass from senior quarterback Jeff Rowe to senior tight end Travis Branzell.
- Sophomore cornerback De’Angelo Wilson matched Garcia’s long return with a 33-yarder of his own late in the first quarter.
- Travis Branzell’s 2-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was his first catch of the year and the second of his career. His only other reception was also a touchdown a 7-yarder in the 2005 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.
- Senior wide receiver Caleb Spencer now has three touchdowns in the last two games after his 34-yard reception in the first quarter. The senior from Honolulu went scoreless in Nevada’s first seven games.
- Senior Jeff Rowe was 5-of-6 for 61 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. In the first half, Rowe went 11-of-13 for 130 yards with three touchdowns passing and another touchdown rushing. He finished the game 14-of-19 for 162 yards and three touchdowns.
- Redshirt freshman Dwayne Sanders set a career high and a Nevada season high with a 43-yard kickoff return that opened the second half. Sanders’ and Nevada’s previous long was 38 yards.
- Sophomore wideout Marko Mitchell set a career high in receiving yards as he gained 68 yards on four catches. He caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Rowe in the second quarter.
- Sophomore running back Luke Lippincott scored his second TD of the year with a 1-yard plunge in the third quarter. He then nabbed his third score of the season with another 1-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter. Lippincott led the team with 19 carries for 93 yards with two TDs (all career bests).
- The Wolf Pack continued its ball-hawking ways with four takeaways a fumble recovery by senior defensive end J.J. Milan (second recovery of the year and second force of the year), an interception by senior safety Nick Hawthrone (his third of the year), a fumble recovery by junior safety Justin Jackson and a fumble recovery by sophomore linebacker Kevin Porter. Nevada entered the game tied for first in the WAC and 9th in the country with a turnover margin per game of plus-1.12.
- Redshirt freshman Mike Kanellis got his first collegiate carry with a 14-yard run. He finished the game with nine carries for 66 yards.
- The Wolf Pack has turned in its two highest scoring games of the year in the last two weeks, including a 48-21 win over New Mexico State last week and this week’s 45-7 victory over Idaho.
