Nevada (1-4, 0-1 MW) vs. San Diego State (4-1, 1-0 MW)
Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 - 7:30 p.m.
Reno, Nev. - Mackay Stadium

TV: CBS Sports Network (PxP: John Sadak; Analyst Taylor McHargue; Sideline: Brandon Baylor)
Radio: Wolf Pack Radio Network/The Varsity Network App (PxP: John Ramey; Analyst: Mike Edwards)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada opens the home portion of its Mountain West schedule this Saturday night, hosting San Diego State for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will air on CBS Sports Network, with John Sadak (play-by-play), Taylor McHargue (analyst), and Brandon Baylor (sideline) on the call.

The Wolf Pack Radio Network will call the game on KOZZ 105.7 FM in Northern Nevada, online at www.thevarsitynetwork.com and on the Varsity Network app. John Ramey (play-by-play) and Mike Edwards (analyst) will be on the call, with the 60-minute pregame show to begin at 6:30 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY
San Diego State leads the all-time series with Nevada, 9-7. The Wolf Pack, however, captured the last meeting, taking a 6-0 decision Oct. 21, 2023, in San Diego. That win snapped a 16-game losing streak for Nevada.

BRINGING THE HEAT TO OPPONENTS' BACKFIELDS
Through five games, the Wolf Pack defense can legitimately claim to boast two of the country's most dominant performers. Defensive lineman Dylan LaBarbara and EDGE Jonathan Maldonado are in the middle of breakout seasons in 2025, fueling a fearsome Wolf Pack defense.

LaBarbara leads the nation in tackles-for-loss per-game (2.0) and is tied for the national lead with 10.0 total (tied with Duke's Vincent Anthony Jr.). The Redding, Calif., native has already outpaced his 2024 numbers in tackles (42 this season, 31 in '24), TFLs (10.0 in '25 to 2.0 in '24), and sacks (3.5 in '25 to 0.0 in '24).

Maldonado, meanwhile, is peaking in his fourth season with the Wolf Pack. After making nine tackles in 2023 and 17 last year, he has already eclipsed those totals with 20 through the first five games of 2025. Like LaBarbara, Maldonado has 3.5 sacks, ranking 35th in the country and third in the Mountain West, and has made 6.0 TFLs. He has also been a ballhawk from the EDGE position, recovering a fumble and intercepting two passes in his career, including a 36-yard, game-winning pick-six in Sept. 6's 20-17 win over Sacramento State.

SECRETARIES OF THE INTERIOR
Of course, the success of Dylan LaBarbara and Jonathan Maldonado in getting into opposing backfields is greatly assisted by the work of the Wolf Pack's interior defensive linemen, namely Thomas Witte, Logologo Va'a, and Nelson Ropati.

Together, the group has accounted for 3.5 sacks and 4.5 TFLs, clogging things up in the middle of opposing offensive lines and allowing for LaBarbara and Maldonado to take on the edges and attack ballcarriers.

THE FRESHMAN GETS A SHOT
Freshman quarterback Carter Jones saw his first extended action behind center Saturday at Fresno State, and delivered immediate results. Starting the second half and taking it from there, Jones completed 9-of-12 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns, bringing the Pack back from down 17 to a three-point game with 8:42 to play. For the game, Jones finished 11-for-15 for 126 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.

Should Jones start Saturday against San Diego State, he would become the first true freshman to start at quarterback for the Pack since Kaymen Cureton (two starts) in 2017.