Nevada (1-3, 0-0 MW) at Fresno State (4-1, 1-0 MW)
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 - 7:30 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. - Valley Children's Stadium

TV: CBS Sports Network (PxP: Jason Knapp; Analyst: Taylor McHargue)
Radio: Wolf Pack Radio Network/The Varsity Network App (PxP: John Ramey; Analyst: Mike Edwards; Sideline: Terrence Newman)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada begins the "second season" this weekend, traveling to Fresno State to begin its Mountain West slate. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and be air on CBS Sports Network, with Jason Knapp (play-by-play) and Taylor McHargue (analyst) 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), Mike Edwards (analyst) and Terrence Newman (sideline) will be on the call, with the 60-minute pregame show to begin at 6:30 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting between the Wolf Pack and Bulldogs will be the 57th all-time. Fresno State leads the all-time series, 33-22-1.

ABOUT FRESNO STATE
Fresno State dropped its first contest of the campaign but has since reeled off four wins in a row for new head coach Matt Entz. Entz took the reins of the program after a season as USC's assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach, and prior to that five seasons (2019-23) as head coach at North Dakota State.

Quarterback E.J. Warner has thrown for 946 yards and five touchdowns with five interceptions so far this season, with four of his targets compiling at least 12 receptions. On the ground, Bryson Donelson leads the way with 343 yards and three scores, while Rayshon Luke has rushed for a team-best five touchdowns to go with 263 yards.

Defensively, the Bulldogs allow just 20.0 points per game and have held opponents to just 3.6 yards per carry and 106.2 rushing yards a contest. Jadon Pearson leads the team in tackles (42), while the Bulldogs have already racked up 10.0 sacks and 23.0 tackles-for-loss from the front seven. Six different Bulldog defenders have picked off a pass this season.

A VERY GOOD DEFENSE KEEPS YOU IN GAMES
Nevada's defense has established itself as one of the toughest in the Mountain West, ranking fifth against the run (132.8 yards per game) and holding its opponents to a third-down conversion rate of just 37.7 percent (20-for-53).

The Wolf Pack has made a major improvement especially in getting into the opponents' backfields. After accumulating just 14 sacks and 54 tackles-for-loss a season ago, already in 2025 the Pack has 10 sacks and 23 TFLs, those figures ranking third and second in the Mountain West, respectively.

Leading the way on this rush are Dylan LaBarbara, the Mountain West leader in TFL (7.0) and fourth in sacks (3.0), along with Jonathan Maldonado (3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), Sam Cook (3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) and Nelson Ropati (2.0 sacks).

LABARBERA CRASHING THE PARTY
Defensive lineman Dylan LaBarbara has been crashing opponents' backfields early on this season, making at least one tackle-for-loss each game (including two at No. 2/3 Penn State) and registering a sack in three of Nevada's four contests.

The Redding, Calif., native and Butte College (Calif.) transfer has been a force early on, making 30 tackles overall (just one less than his 2024 output) while already outpacing his TFL and sack numbers from a season ago (two and zero, respectively).

GETTING THOSE HANDS IN THERE
The Wolf Pack secondary remains one of the most active in the conference under position coach Joey Thomas, a former NFL defensive back. The group has already broken up 11 passes this season, led by six from Edward Rhambo and four from AJ Odums. Rhambo's six PBUs is also tied for third nationally.

GROUND GAME MOVIN'
It's not just the Wolf Pack defensive line winning its battles, The Union is also moving mass as it plowed the road for a third-straight 200-yard rushing game at Western Kentucky.

After going for 269 yards on the ground Sept. 6 against Sacramento State, the Pack went for 203 against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 13, then totaled 207 yards Sept. 20 at WKU. The three-straight games with at least 200 rushing yards is the Wolf Pack's first such streak since 2015, when it hit the mark four games in a row Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

Quarterback Chubba Purdy leads the Wolf Pack with 276 rushing yards, while pacing the running backs are Herschel Turner (215 yards) and Caleb Ramseur (159 yards). The Wolf Pack ground game ranks fifth overall in the Mountain West (189.3 ypg) and picks up 4.95 yards per attempt.