NEVADA WOLF PACK (5-3, 4-0 WAC)
vs.
SAN JOSE STATE (1-6, 0-3 WAC)
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009 - 5:32 p.m. PT
Spartan Stadium (31,218) - San Jose, Calif.
TV: ESPN (Terry Gannon and David Norrie)
RADIO: University of Nevada Sports Network (Flagship: ESPN Radio 630 AM, Reno) with Ryan Radtke (PxP) and Chris Vargas (analyst). Pre-game at 4:30 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY: Nevada leads 13-8-2
LAST MEETING: Nevada had two rushers top the 100-yard mark in a 41-17 win at Mackay Stadiun in Reno last year.
THE SKINNY
Coming off its fifth-straight victory, the WAC-leading Nevada football team hits the road after a two-game homestand to face San Jose State in San Jose, Calif. ... After an 0-3 start, the Wolf Pack has won each of its last five games, including a 4-0 start to WAC play ... A win this week would make Nevada bowl eligible for the fifth straight season ... Nevada continues to lead the nation in rushing at 319.13 yards per game and the Wolf Pack is second in total offense at 504.38 yards per game ... Nevada has two players in the top 25 in the nation in rushing in Vai Taua (18th, 105.14) and Colin Kaepernick (24th, 100.62) ... Junior defensive end Dontay Moch is tied for the national lead in tackles for loss per game at 2.06 ... Along with Stanford and Cal, San Jose State is Nevada's oldest foe as the series between the teams dates back to 1899 ... Nevada coach Chris Ault is 6-2 all-time against the Spartans and 2-2 all-time against San Jose State at Spartan Stadium ... Kaepernick enters this week 23rd in NCAA history in career rushing yards by a quarterback and he is just a couple yards from the Top 20 and 172 yards from the Top 15.
THE LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET (Nov. 15, 2008)
RENO, Nev. (AP) -Colin Kaepernick rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns as Nevada defeated San Jose State 41-17 on Saturday.
Vai Taua rushed for 125 and a touchdown for the Wolf Pack (6-4, 4-2 WAC). With the victory, Nevada became bowl-eligible.
Kaepernick also threw for 192 yards and a touchdown. He completed 15 of 31 passes.
Kyle Reed threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns for the Spartans (6-5, 4-3 WAC). David Richmond had nine catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns for San Jose State.
Marko Mitchell had five catches for 80 yards and one touchdown for Nevada, including a 44-yard strike from Kaepernick that put Nevada ahead 31-10 with 5:30 left in the third quarter.
The Wolf Pack scored the first 17 points of the game and led 17-3 at halftime, scoring on a 35-yard field goal by Brett Jaekle and touchdown runs by Kaepernick and Taua.
Jared Strubecks 44-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the half put San Jose State on the board.
The Spartans could get no closer than 14 points in the second half as Nevada controlled the clock with its running game in the second half.
In the third quarter, the Wolf Pack had the ball for 11:37 compared to 3:23 for the Spartans. In the second half, Nevada had it for 9:54 to 4:06 for San Jose State.
The Wolf Pack's defense held the Spartans to minus-23 yards rushing, while grinding our 333 yards on the ground.
LAST TIME OUT
RENO, Nev. (AP) -Colin Kaepernick threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a pair of scores to lead Nevada to a 31-21 victory over Hawaii on Saturday at Mackay Stadium.
Vai Taua added 127 yards on the ground and caught a touchdown pass for Nevada (5-3, 4-0 WAC). Kaepernick passed for 184 yards and ran for 114 more for the nation's top running game, which gained 315 yards.
Nevada fell behind 14-0 early but scored 28 unanswered points to win its fifth consecutive game after starting the season with three straight losses.
Bryant Moniz completed 29 of 49 passes for 374 yards, including three touchdowns and two interceptions, for Hawaii (2-6, 0-5), which dropped its sixth straight.
NOTABLE FROM LAST WEEK'S GAME
With the win, Nevada won its fifth straight game and improved to 5-3 this season, 107-92 as an FBS school and 487-432-33 in its history (103rd season) ... Coach Chris Ault improved to 203-94-1 in his 25-year career ... Tied the all-time series between the schools at seven wins each. Nevada is now 4-1 all-time against Hawaii in Reno ... The Wolf Pack also snapped a three-game skid to the Warriors ... Nevada's five-game winning streak is the longest streak since a five-game streak in 2006. The next longest streak in Nevada history is a seven-game streak in 1995, which is the Wolf Pack's longest streak as an FBS member ... With two first-half TD runs, Colin Kaepernick joined another exclusive NCAA list. He has now scored at least 200 points in his career and thrown for 200 points (more later) ... Mo Harvey and Doyle Miller each recorded interceptions, the third and fourth picks of the season for Nevada. It was the first pick of the season for each and the first of Miller's career ... This marked the first time since last year's game at Boise State that Nevada had two (or more) picks in a game ... Vai Taua went over the 100-yard mark for the fourth consecutive game, the fifth time this season and the 13th time in his career ... Taua tied teammate Luke Lippincott for career 100-yard games at 13 ... Quarterback Colin Kaepernick joined Taua over the 100-yard mark. This is the third game this year that Kaepernick has done that and eighth time in his career ... Nevada won the coin toss for the seventh time in eight games ... The Wolf Pack has kicked off to start every game this year ... True freshman L.J. Washington had his first career catch - a 19-yarder that gave Nevada a first down on a TD drive ... Nevada did not allow a 100-yard rusher and has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season ... Nevada stopped Hawaii in the red zone with Miller's pick, the first time the Pack held in the red zone this year.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Nevada's coaching staff usually names a Player of the Week on each side of the ball after each victory during the season. The winners:
UNLV: Virgil Green (offense) and Dontay Moch (defense).
Louisiana Tech: Colin Kaepernick (offense) and Kevin Basped and Jonathon Amaya (defense).
Utah State: Luke Lippincott and Vai Taua (offense).
Idaho: Colin Kaepernick (offense) and James-Michael Johnson (defense).
Hawaii: Talaiasi Puloka Jr. (offense) and Doyle Miller (defense).
BIG BLOCKER
In every game that Nevada wins, the Basalite Big Blocker is awarded to the offensive lineman who grades out the best. The honorees:
UNLV: Mike Gallett, junior tackle.
Louisiana Tech: Kenneth Ackerman, senior center.
Utah State: Chris Barker, redshirt freshman guard.
Idaho: John Bender, junior guard.
Hawaii: Alonzo Durham, senior tackle.
BLACKSHIRTS
Each week, the Wolf Pack coaching staff awards a black practice jersey to those excelled on special teams during the previous game. The winners:
Notre Dame: Brad Langley.
Colorado State: Mike Ball, Brad Langley, Ahmad Wood.
Missouri: Mike Ball.
UNLV: Ricky Drake, Albert Rosette, Brett Roy, Duke Williams.
Louisiana Tech: Kaelin Burnett, Joe Easter.
Utah State: Brad Langley, Adam Liranzo, Brett Roy.
Idaho: Shane Anderson, Luke Collis, Ricky Drake, Scott Frisbie, Duke Williams.
Hawaii: Luke Collis, Ricky Drake, Scott Frisbie.
For the complete notes package, click on the PDF link.
