New Mexico State @ Nevada preview
MacKay Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2009 ) Nevada 63, New Mexico State 20
The timing of No. 18 Nevada’s football game Saturday against New Mexico State probably couldn’t be worse for either club.
The Wolf Pack (9-1, 4-1 WAC) is gearing up for a Western Athletic Conference showdown Nov. 26 against No. 3 Boise State in Reno that likely will determine the WAC champion and could be the final hurdle for the potential BCS-busting Broncos.
Nevada likely would rather warm up for that pivotal contest against a team that could provide a little more resistance than the Aggies (2-8, 1-5), who are coming off another tough-luck loss in what has become a bitterly disappointing season.
New Mexico State last week dropped a 41-20 decision at home to Louisiana Tech after trailing just 27-20 midway through the fourth quarter. It was one of the Aggies’ more respectable performances in a season filled with blowout losses. Their two victories were two-point wins over New Mexico and San Jose State.
To make matters worse, New Mexico heads to Reno with the possibility that it will be without leading rusher Kenny Turner, who is questionable with a knee injury. The sophomore, who has more than 600 yards combined rushing and receiving, missed last week’s game and his return is uncertain.
The Aggies, who statistically have one of the nation’s worst defensive units, were already in for a monumental challenge against high-powered Nevada, which boasts one of the country’s most potent offensive attacks.
The Wolf Pack is coming off a 35-34 road win over Fresno State that preserved its WAC title hopes. Nevada trailed 34-28 and Fresno looked poised to pull the upset after stopping the Wolf Pack on fourth-and-1 inside the Bulldogs’ 5-yard line late in the fourth quarter.
The defense held and Nevada scored the go-ahead touchdown on Vai Taua’s 24-yard touchdown run before stopping Fresno again on its final possession near midfield to preserve the win.
Senior quarterback Colin Kaepernick again led the way for the nation’s fourth-ranked scoring offense. He ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and added another 171 yards passing.
Taua ran for 89 yards on 21 carries and had three touchdowns. The senior running back has 1,130 yards on the season and 16 total touchdowns.
Nevada averages 542 yards of total offense, which is third in the country, and has scored 43.3 points per game.
New Mexico State ranks No. 110 nationally in scoring defense, yielding 36.3 points and 434 yards of offense per game. Conversely, its offense is No. 116 in scoring with 15.8 points per game and ranks No. 108 in total offense at 302 yards per game.