Nevada (1-2, 0-0 MW) vs. Air Force (1-1, 0-1 MW)
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 - 7:30 p.m.
Reno, Nev. - Mackay Stadium

TV/Stream: FS1 / FOX One (PxP: Noah Reed; Analyst: Petros Papadakis)
Radio: 105.7 KOZZ / The Varsity Network (PxP: John Ramey; Analyst: Mike Edwards; Sideline: Terrence Newman)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada opens Mountain West play at Mackay Stadium this Saturday, hosting Air Force for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will air on FS1 and stream on FOX One with Noah Reed (play-by-play) and Petros Papadakis (analyst) on the call.

The radio broadcast of the game will be available 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.

Saturday's contest will serve as Nevada's "Salute to Service" game during which the Wolf Pack salutes the brave men and women who serve our country and community.

SERIES HISTORY
Nevada and Air Force will meet for just the ninth time this Saturday, with the Falcons holding a 6-2 edge in the all-time series.

Air Force has won the past three meetings between the teams with the most recent a 22-19 win November 23, 2024 at Mackay Stadium. Nevada's last victory over the Falcons came in 2018, a 28-25 decision at the Academy. The teams have only faced one another as members of the Mountain West (since Nevada joined in 2012) and have only played three times since that 2018 Wolf Pack victory.

ABOUT AIR FORCE
Air Force (1-1, 0-1 MW) is coming off its first bye of the season ahead of this Saturday's matchup in Reno. The Falcons shutout Duquesne, 34-0, in its Week 1 opener before dropping its Mountain West lidlifter, 38-32, to North Dakota State in Week 2.

The Falcons' vaunted triple-option attack has produced 319.0 yards a game over the opening two weeks, led by 139 yards and three scores from quarterback Liam Szarka. Air Force has produced six touchdowns and 5.2 yards per carry on the ground, while Szarka has also thrown for 122 yards on 8-of-15 passing.

Defensively, Blake Fletcher leads the Falcons with 21 tackles including a sack, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and an interception. Dallas Daley, with 12 tackles, is the only other Falcon defender in double digits although the defense has made three interceptions already. Overall, the Falcons have allowed opponents just 240.0 yards per game early on in the campaign.

OPENING MOUNTAIN WEST PLAY
Nevada opens its 2026 Mountain West campaign Saturday night as it hosts Air Force. The Wolf Pack is 6-8 in its Mountain West openers since joining the conference in 2012 but has dropped its past four.

JONES RETURNS UNDER CENTER
Quarterback Carter Jones made his return Saturday night at Middle Tennessee after missing the Week 2 game against Montana State. Jones finished Saturday's game 15-for-25 for 185 yards with an interception while also carrying 11 times for 31 yards and his first-career rushing score.

SMITH THE TACKLING MACHINE
Linebacker EJ Smith was headed towards a career season in 2025 before having his season cut short to injury in mid-October. But he has picked up in 2026 right where he left off if the first two games are any indication.

Smith has led the Wolf Pack in tackles each of its three games this season, and twice has finished in double digits. After making a career-high 14 tackles including one for loss in the season-opening win over Western Kentucky, Smith followed with a team-leading nine tackles including his first sack of the campaign and two more TFLs against Montana State. He paced the Pack with 11 tackles along with a shared sack last Saturday at Middle Tennessee.