NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl - Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5, 5-3 MW) vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves (8-4, 5-3 Sun Belt)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 29
Kickoff: 10:15 a.m. PT
Stadium: Arizona Stadium
Location: Tucson, Ariz.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: Wolf Pack Radio Network (Flagship: ESPN Radio 94.5 FM); NevadaWolfPack.com/audio
Series: Nevada leads 3-2
Last Meeting: Nov. 3, 1999; L, 44-28

NEVADA ACCEPTS INVITE TO NOVA HOME LOANS ARIZONA BOWL
The University of Nevada has accepted an invitation to play in the 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The game will pit Nevada (7-5, 5-3) against Arkansas State (8-4, 5-3) on Saturday, Dec. 29 at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Kickoff is set for 10:15 a.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

The Wolf Pack played in the inaugural NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, its last bowl appearance, back in 2015. Nevada topped Colorado State in that game, 28-23, to win its fifth bowl game in its history.

*Note: Bowl game record book available in 2018 bowl media guide.

NEVADA AT ARIZONA STADIUM
Nevada is 1-2-1 all-time playing in Tucson, Ariz., having played road games at the Arizona Wildcats on three occasions and the inaugural NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl in 2015. The Pack's lone win at Arizona Stadium was in the 2015 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, its last time playing in that stadium. The Wolf Pack also played in Tucson in 2014, 1941 and 1925.

BACK AGAIN
Having played in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl just three years ago, Nevada has a number of players on its roster who were also part of the bowl winning team from 2015.

Dominic Christian (Jr., WR), Asauni Rufus (Sr., DB), Gabe Sewell (Jr., LB), Cristian Solano (Jr., QB), Brendan O'Leary-Orange (Jr., WR), Tyler Crandall (Jr., DB), Maliek Broady (Jr., LB), Dameon Baber (Sr., DB), Kelton Moore (Jr., RB), Lucas Weber (Sr., LB), EJ Muhammad (Jr., DB), Trae Carter-Wells (Sr., TE), Wes Farnsworth (Sr., LS), Kori Collons (Jr., TE), Spencer Pettit (Jr., PK), Malik Reed (Sr, LB), Kalei Meyer (Sr., OL), Hausia Sekona (Jr., DT), Korey Rush (Sr., DE).

TAUA OF TERROR
True freshman Toa Taua is in the midst of one of the best all-around rookie seasons in Wolf Pack history. The Lompoc, Calif. native was named this year's Mountain West Freshman of the Year, the first ever 'Of the Year' award winner for Nevada since joining the MW, and has carried the rock 156 times this season for a team-high 816 yards and is tied for the team-high in rushing touchdowns with six.

This season, Nevada is 6-1 when Taua carries the ball at least 12 times in a game. Taua is currently eighth in the MW in total rushing yards with 816, ranks seventh in rushing yards per game with 68.0 yards per game and is sixth in rush yards per carry at 5.23.

BIG GUYS NEED LOVE TOO
Nevada's offensive line, otherwise known as "The Union,"  was a wall this season, boasting the 14th best sacks against average in the FBS at 1.17 per game. That number ranked fourth in the Mountain West, and earned center Sean Krepsz and tackle Jake Nelson Mountain West honorable mention honors.

Krepsz has been especially good for the Wolf Pack this season as the anchor for The Union. The senior has only allowed one quarterback pressure and zero sacks in Nevada's last 302 passing snaps. Nevada also boasted the seventh-best rushing attack in the conference with 157.6 yards per game.

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY BEST FRIEND
One of the best safety tandems in the nation will play together one last time in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, but they have left their mark on the Nevada football program. Senior Asauni Rufus has been one of the most prolific players for the Wolf Pack in his time at Nevada, ranking third all-time in tackles with 334. His eight-career forced fumbles rank 10th among current FBS athletes. Dameon Baber has etched his name into the Nevada and NCAA record books during his four years with the Wolf Pack. He ranks tied for second among FBS players with 12-career interceptions and ranks 10th in Nevada history with 287 tackles.

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 14-of-19 on the year in field goal attempts, with all but one of his misses coming from 49 yards out or longer. Additionally, on kickoffs, he has 45 touchbacks in 75 attempts. For his career, he is a near-perfect 14-15 from inside 40 yards.

Ahmed's 14  field goals 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 one more field goal to crack the top-10 for field goals made in a single season in Nevada history.

#HECKOFAYEAR
For junior P Quinton Conaway, he adopted the tag line of #HeckOfAYear for the 2018 season. Conaway was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week after his career-night against San Diego State. The junior set career-marks in punts (nine), net yards (460) and average (51.1). Conaway he booted a career-long 74-yard punt, the longest by a Mountain West player this season in Nevada's battle with Fresno State. Conaway has boosted his punting average up to 43.4 yards per punt, which ranks fifth in the conference and 25th nationally. Conaway was named to the Mountain West Honorable Mention team following the regular season. He was also selected as CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. 

DANCES WITH WOLVES
Nevada has faced Arkansas State five times in its program's history, holding a 3-2 record over the Red Wolves. Nevada is 3-0 all time at home, and has never played Arkansas State at a neurtral site. A-State has won four games in a row heading into its matchup with Nevada. The Red Wolves head to Tucson averaging 183.2 rushing yards per game and 283.3 passing yards. In comparison, Nevada put up 157.6 rushing yards per game and 285.3 through the air on average.