Game 4
Nevada (0-3) at Texas State (2-1)
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 - 4 p.m. PT
Bobcat Stadium - San Marcos, Texas

Watch: ESPN+ (PxP: Brant Freeman; Analyst: Keith Moreland; Sideline Analyst: Koral Riggs)
Radio: KOZZ 105.7 FM (PxP: John Ramey, Analyst: Mike Edwards)
Online Radio: The Varsity Network App / www.thevarsitynetwork.com

All-Time Series: Nevada leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 3, 2022 - Reno, Nev. (Nevada 38, Texas State 14)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada (0-3) heads to the Lone Star State this week, wrapping non-conference play with a return trip to Texas State. Saturday's contest will kick at 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. local) and stream on ESPN+ with Brent Freeman (play-by-play) and Keith Moreland (analyst) on the call, and Korla Riggs reporting from the sidelines.

The Wolf Pack Radio Network will call the game on KOZZ 105.7 FM in Northern Nevada, and online at www.thevarsitynetwork.com and on the Varsity Network app, available for download in both the Apple and Google Play app stores. John Ramey (play-by-play) and Mike Edwards (analyst) will be in the booth, with the 60-minute pregame show to begin at 3 p.m. PT.

SERIES HISTORY 
Saturday's meeting between Nevada and Texas State will be the second all-time, and the second in as many years. The Wolf Pack captured last year's contest, 38-14, at Mackay Stadium on Sept. 3, 2022.

ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Texas State (2-1) got back above .500 Saturday, going all out on offense in a 77-34 victory over Jackson State. The Bobcats, led by new head coach GJ Kinne, opened the season with a 42-31 upset of Baylor, and rank fourth in scoring (44.0 ppg) while leading the country in team tackles-for-loss (11.3 per game).

LAST YEAR VS. TEXAS STATE
Perhaps Saturday's game at Texas State will offer a chance at a "reset" for the Wolf Pack--Nevada's last victory came Sept. 3 of a year ago over the Bobcats, a 38-14 score in the 2022 home opener.

In that game, the Pack defense found the end zone on Bentlee Sanders' 34-yard interception return, and the Nevada ground game went for 130 yards and four scores. A 24-point third quarter broke open what had been a seven-point halftime margin, and the Wolf Pack defense limited Texas State to just one net rushing yard in the contest.

FACING KINNE AGAIN
Another connection between the two meetings of Nevada and Texas State is Bobcat head coach GJ Kinne. Kinne, in his first season at the Texas State helm, led Incarnate Word in 2022, and oversaw the Cardinals' 55-41 victory over Nevada last Sept. 10.

Under Kinne, the Cardinals went on to finish 12-2 and reach the FCS semifinals, where they narrowly fell, 35-32, to eventual FCS national champion North Dakota State.

WATTS A ONE-MAN TAKEAWAY MACHINE
Linebacker Drue Watts has become a magnet for the football, leading the nation in fumble recoveries with three. Going back to last season, Watts is on a streak of four games with a takeaway, as he made an interception in last Nov. 26's season finale at UNLV.

This season, Watts has recovered fumbles against USC, Idaho, and Kansas, while having a share of a sack and eight tackles. Last season, Watts had a run of eight games in a row with a tackle-for-loss, finishing the campaign with 9.0 while being named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention and to College Football News' Freshman All-America Third Team.

MATEIALONA CREATING CHAOS IN THE BACKFIELD
Another Nevada linebacker creating chaos for opposing teams is Tongiaki Mateialona, who forced his second fumble of the season and made five solo tackles last Saturday against Kansas.

Mateialona, the team's co-leader in tackles-for-loss (2.0) and second with 16 tackles so far in 2023, opened his campaign with an impressive performance at No. 6/6 USC. The team's second-leading returning tackler from a season ago (53 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks in 2022), Mateialona shared the Pack lead with six tackles in Los Angeles, including a strip-sack of Caleb Williams.

LEWIS DUAL THREAT
Quarterback Brendon Lewis showcased the dual-threat ability Saturday that Wolf Pack fans were looking forward to. Against Kansas, Lewis passed for 113 yards, and used his legs to rush for 58 yards and two touchdowns.

On the year, Lewis has run for 82 yards and the two scores, while completing 60.0 percent of his passes for 399 yards.