A game that was billed as an offensive shootout ended up being a battle between two defenses.
Ultimately, it was Nevada’s defense that managed to bend but not break as it withheld the high-powered Washington State air raid offense in a 24-13 win.
The Cougars put up 428 yards of total offense, but often sputtered when it mattered most. Whether it was turning the ball over, missing field goals, or committing costly penalties (10 for 72 yards) deep in Nevada territory, Mike Leach’s team could not seem to get out of its own way for much of the second half.
Make no mistake, the Nevada defense had a lot to do with Washington State’s struggles. The Wolfpack D, led by defensive end Brock Hekking and his magnificent blonde mullet, limited to the Cougars to just 5-of-15 on third down conversions and 0-for-2 on fourth down attempts. WSU gunslinger Connor Halliday was mostly kept in check. Sure, he threw for 390 yards, but he did so on 57 attempts and 6.8 yard average while throwing two interceptions.
Offensively, the Wolfpack established its ground game early and often. Senior quarterback Cody Fajardo threw for just 110 yards, but he also racked up 100 yards on the ground while running backs Don Jackson (69 yards rushing) and James Butler (55 yards rushing) reached the end zone a combined three times.
In front a rowdy Nevada crowd, things got off to a slow start for both sides. The first score of the game didn’t come until late in the first quarter when Jackson scored from one yard out following a Halliday interception.
Nevada scored again on its next drive – a 10-play, 91-yard drive that took just 3:49. A 55-yard third down run by Fajardo set up the eventual score by Butler from a yard out that gave the Wolfpack a 14-0 lead.
Despite the deficit, the Cougars did not back down. Halliday hit Vince Mayle on a 13-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter and Erik Powell converted a 25-yard field goal to make it 14-10 at halftime.
Halliday drove the Cougars deep into Nevada territory twice in the third quarter, but the left-footed Powell, kicking from the right hash mark, hooked and missed both kicks badly to keep the score at 14-10. The Wolfpack capitalized on the second miss, eating up 5:34 of clock on the ensuing drive and extending its lead to 21-10 on another short Jackson TD run.
The Nevada defense continued to stymie the Cougars and gave up just a field goal the rest of the way as the Wolfpack clinched its first home win against a Pac-12 opponent since 2010.
The loss is a tough one for Washington State, a team that is now 0-2 following last week’s loss to Rutgers. For a team that was coming off its first bowl game appearance since 2003, the Cougars’ Pac-12 schedule does not make a repeat bowl appearance seem all that likely. After next week’s game with FCS Portland State, the Cougars will face No. 3 Oregon on the road.
Nevada, now 2-0, will face Arizona on the road next Saturday.
For more Washington State news, visit WazzouWatch.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Strong defensive effort helps Nevada outlast Washington State 24-13
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