Wyoming rolls over Nevada in 2023 finale for Pack

The University of Wyoming scored in every quarter Saturday at Mackay Stadium to roll over the Nevada Wolf Pack 42-6 in both teams’ final Mountain West Conference game.

The Wolf Pack finished the 2023 season 2-10 overall and 2-6 in Mountain West play.

While Nevada’s season ends with the loss, the Cowboys will await word sometime during the following weeks of their bowl selection.

The only points the Pack put on the board came from the foot of Brandon Talton. He became Nevada’s all-time leading scorer with his 40-yard field goal in the first quarter. With the field goal, he passed Marty Zendejas’ mark of 385 points.

With his two field goals of 40 and 47 yards, Talton ends his career with 390 points.

Quarterback Shane Illingworth saw his first action of the season and completed 15-of-27 passes for 175 yards and an interception. He entered the game in the first quarter after Brendon Lewis left with an ankle injury.

Illingworth spread the passes around. Nine different Wolf Pack receivers made a reception, with Spencer Curtis leading the team with five catches for 70 yards. Freshman wide receiver Nate Burleson II made the first catches of his career, finishing with two receptions for 18 yards.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kola Babalola also caught his first pass of the year for four yards.

Nevada, though, had a season-low 18 yards rushing.

Jamaal Bell became Nevada’s all-time leader in kickoff-return yardage, passing Mike Ball’s mark of 1,695. Bell returned two kicks for 35 yards, bringing his career total to 1,712 yards.

The Nevada offense coughed up the ball twice, one on an interception and the other on a fumble. Wyoming converted the two turnovers into touchdowns.

Safety Emany Johnson shined on defense and made a career-high 13 tackles (10 solo) to lead the Wolf Pack. Linebacker Drue Watts made a sack among his six tackles on the night.