Week #12 - Nevada Wolf Pack (6-4, 4-2 MW) at San Jose State Spartans (1-9, 1-5 MW)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 17
Kickoff: 2 p.m. PT
Stadium: CEFCU Stadium
Location: San Jose, Calif.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: Wolf Pack Radio Network (Flagship: ESPN Radio 94.5 FM/630 AM); NevadaWolfPack.com/audio
Series: Nevada leads 20-9-2
Last Meeting: Nov. 11, 2017; W, 59-14

SERIES HISTORY
With the first matchup between the two schools occuring in 1899, Nevada has never trailed the Spartans in their all-time series against one another. The Wolf Pack leads San Jose State 20-9-2 all time, including victories in eight of their last nine meetings. Nevada has put up over 50 points in three different contests against the Spartans, including last season's 59-14 win.

2018 > 2017
Currently at 6-4 on the year, Nevada has already improved its record by three games from 2017, with room to keep growing. The 2018 season has been kind to the Wolf Pack, with staggering statistical improvements as well.

BEHIND THE LINE
Through 10 games this season, Nevada's defense has been one of the best in the nation at tackling opponents behind the line of scrimmage. Coming off of a 49-10 win over CSU, the Wolf Pack is just outside the top 10 nationally, and first in the Mountain West, averaging 8.0 tackles for loss per game. Seniors Malik Reed is leading the charge in that category averaging 1.3 per game, which is 33rd nationally and second in the MW.

DEFENDING THE RUN
The Wolf Pack defense has played well as of late, especially against the run. Entering week 11, Nevada is surrendering 136.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks 39th in the nation and is seventh in the Mountain West. That is a stark difference from a year ago when the Pack finished the season with the 109th ranked rush defense in the FBS at 208.3 yards per game. Last week, Nevada held Colorado State to only 74 net rushing yards. Coming into the contest,
the Rams were averaging 413.7 total yards per game.

In week six against Fresno State, Nevada held the Bulldogs to just 30 yards on the ground, the lowest total by a Fresno State team in more than three seasons. It was the lowest rushing total by a Wolf Pack opponent since Nevada also held San Jose State to 30 rushing yards in 2009. Against Air Force, Nevada held the Falcons' vaunted triple-option attack to just 154 yards on the ground on 51 carries (3.09 yards per rush). It was Air Force's second-lowest rushing output
going back to the 2016 season and the lowest against a MW team since Wyoming held Air Force to 149 rushing yards that year.

PACK'S TOP FIVE MARKS IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Nevada ranks in the top five in the Mountain West in the following statistical categories: total offense (3rd, 438.8), punt return average (2nd, 12.6), opponent 3rd down conversion (2nd, 32.3), sacks allowed (4th, 1.33), sacks for (2nd, 2.90), red zone offense (4th, 88.2), red zone defense (2nd, 71.1), team tackles for loss (1st, 8.0), turnovers gained (17), and fumbles recovered (3rd, 10).

REED ALL ABOUT IT
Coming as no surprise, senior LB Malik Reed is producing a more than solid season for the Pack defense. Reed ranks second on the team with 61 tackles, but holds the team lead with 12.5 TFL, leads the Pack with four forced fumbles, and is tied for first with two fumble recoveries. Reed also leads the team with 7.0 sacks. Reed's four forced fumbles this year are tied for the fourth-most nationally, and gives him 11 for his career. Additionally his two fumble recoveries are tied
for 16th-most in the nation. With numbers like that, Reed is a top candidate for MW Defensive Player of the Year.

TAUA OF TERROR
True freshman Toa Taua has been playing more like a veteran running back as of late, and has moved himself into the starting role in the Wolf Pack offense. The Lompoc, Calif. native has carried the rock 116 times this season for a team-high 710 yards and the second-most rushing touchdowns on the team with five. His best game of the year came at Toledo when he scampered for 170 yards and three scores.

Taua is currently averaging 5.73 yards per carry, which ranks 48th nationally and is fourth in the Mountain West. Among freshmen running backs this season, Taua ranks ninth nationally at 66.5 rushing yards per game, first in the MW, and is fifth in rush yards per carry, also tops in the MW.

COOKIE MONSTER
Sophomore WR Elijah Cooks has established himself as one of Ty Gangi's top outside targets on the receiving corps. For the year he has 20 catches for 327 yards, but it's his play late that has gotten some attention. Cooks has TD receptions in five of his last seven games, including two snags at Air Force. With a passing TD and a rushing TD on a backwards pass at Hawai'i, Cooks has totaled six touchdowns in those last five games. His six TD catches this year are tied with McLane Mannix for the team lead.

SO RAMIZ-Y
Senior PK Ramiz Ahmed drilled a career-long 50-yard field goal to end the first half in the week 4 matchup at Toledo. It was the longest made field goal by a Wolf Pack player since Brett Jaekle hit from 50 yards against UNLV in 2007. Ahmed, who is in his first year of field goal duties, is 11-of-15 on the year in field goal attempts, with his only misses coming from 49 yards out or longer. Additionally, on kickoffs, he has 39 touchbacks in 64 attempts. For his career, he is a
perfect 11-11 from inside 40 yards.

Ahmed's 11 field goals so far in 2018 are the most by a Nevada kicker since Brent Zuzo made 17 in 2015. With two games remaining on the schedule and a potential bowl game, Ahmed needs four more field goals to crack the top 10 in Nevada history for single-season made FGs.