Well, how do you talk about a game like this without wanting to get extremely angry? How do you rationalize being on national television and have another team almost collect 500 rushing yards against you, at your own place?
That's exactly what happened tonight as Nevada ran up 472 yards of rushing offense, handing Fresno State their 2nd straight loss 41-28 on Friday night. It marks the sixth time in the last seven games that Fresno State has allowed 30 or more points and the second time this season they've given up 40 or more (Sept. 20th @ Toledo).
The Bulldogs would again be haunted by turnovers and it would eventually cost them the game. With the Bulldogs trailing 17-14 and looking poised and ready to take the lead back from Nevada, quarterback Tom Brandstater (14-of-23, 260 yds, 2 TD's) would find tight end Bear Pascoe over the middle, but as Pascoe tried to stretch for more yards, he would fumble the ball and Nevada would recover. The Wolf Pack would drive quickly down the field for a touchdown and stretch the lead to 24-14. Fresno State had two more drives in the final minutes, both ended with turnovers, an interception from Brandstater and a fumble, by receiver Seyi Ajirotutu at the Nevada 10 yard line with 1:57 left to play in the game, that was the nail in the coffin.
Nevada was led by running back Vai Taua who ran for a career best 263 yards and a touchdown as well as quarterback Colin Kaepernick who added 118 yards and 2 TD's on the ground. They barely needed Kaepernick's arm tonight, the same arm that baseball scouts were drooling over before he decided to give up the sport for football, going 7-for-17 for just 128 yards.
Bulldogs' head coach Pat Hill, "First off, I have to give credit to Nevada. We got beat by a good football team tonight. The time of possession was critical tonight. They had the ball nearly 38 minutes tonight and we had it 22."
"We're not the same team we were in September. We need to find a way to make this team win in November."
"We're not the same team we were in September. We need to find a way to make this team win in November."
I know Bulldog fans are going to be all over Pat Hill after this loss, though how is that different from any other loss. I can't imagine the outcry if this team can't win at least one of their final three games (New Mexico State, San Jose State, Boise State).
Next up for the Wolf Pack of University of Nevada-Reno (5-4, 3-2), they'll return home for a very big showdown with San Jose State (6-3, 4-1) next Saturday, then play their home finale on Nov. 22nd against 9th ranked Boise State before finishing their 2008 schedule, Nov. 29th, against the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech.
As for Fresno State (5-4, 2-3), they need at least one win in their next three games in order be bowl eligible. That starts next Saturday, at Bulldog Stadium, as they'll welcome in the Aggies of New Mexico State (3-5, 1-3) for Fresno State's home finale. Their final two games, of the 2008 football season, will be at San Jose State and at 9th ranked Boise State, two games that I can't see this team winning, especially not after how they played tonight against Nevada, but stranger things have happened.
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