Former Nevada football head coach Jay Norvell made a successful return to Mackay Stadium on a chilly Saturday evening, leading his team to a dominant 38-21 victory over the Wolf Pack.
Colorado State converted rushing touchdowns on its first two possessions of the game, on drives of 67 and 80 yards, respectively, and was never really threatened the rest of the way.
The second drive included a 55-yard grab by CSU wide receiver Caleb Goodie from Rams quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. Goodie was stripped of the ball after the catch, but the Rams recovered, setting them up at the Pack 13-yard line and cashing in two plays later.
CSU kicker Jordan Noyes converted a 60-yard field goal to complete the first-half scoring. Noyes’ downwind boot was the longest in Mackay Stadium history and matched the longest in Colorado State history, pushing the Rams to a 17-0 halftime advantage.
The Nevada running game, outside of Lewis’ 77 yards on just five carries, was positively anemic. Running backs Sean Dollars, Savion Red, and Caleb Ramseur combined for a paltry 14 yards on 12 first-half attempts.
The Pack drove the ball inside the five-yard line late in the first half but were turned away on a third-down run, and a fourth-and-goal situation resulted in Lewis’ pass attempt for WR Jaden Smith being knocked down by CSU’s Buom Jock.
Having won the coin toss and deferred until the second half, Nevada took over at its own 24-yard line to try and climb back into the contest.
On the first play of the half, Lewis took the snap in shotgun and rolled to his right, firing a dart to WR Marcus Bellon, who caught the ball at the Nevada 31.
Bellon was promptly stripped by CSU DB Ayden Hector, and the Rams’ Gabe Kirschke immediately pounced on the loose ball.
The Pack defense stiffened, and after a bad snap, Noyes’ 25-yard field goal attempt was no good. But Nevada has shot itself in the foot so many times this season it’s a wonder how it hasn’t run out of feet to shoot.
Apparently, DB Kitan Crawford found one more toe to aim at, lining up offside and giving Noyes a mulligan, which he promptly drilled through from 21 yards out for a 20-0 Colorado State lead.
But the shooting gallery didn’t end there. On the ensuing kickoff, both deep men ran forward as if to block for the other, a clear miscommunication.
Nevada RB Sean Dollars quickly backtracked and attempted to pick up the bouncing ball at the 1-yard line, where he was simultaneously shellacked by CSU WR Goodie, adding a special teams play to his earlier big play on offense.
The ball squirted into the back of the end zone, where DB Jace Bellah raced to recover it before it crossed the end line, resulting in a CSU touchdown.
Colorado State would add a two-point conversion, and just like that, the lead bulged to a commanding 28-0 with 11:27 left in the third quarter.
Nevada finally got on the board on its next possession, moving 75 yards in just six plays, the bulk of it coming on a 57-yard bomb from Lewis to WR Cortez Braham Jr., who led Nevada with nine catches for 141 yards, getting free downfield along the left sideline.
Lewis scored on a keeper from three yards out two plays later to make it 28-7 after Kian Afrookhteh’s extra point midway through the third.
The Pack, finally playing with a sense of urgency that was sorely missing in the first half, held the Rams scoreless for the remainder of the third quarter while Lewis got the offense clicking in the air and on the ground.
Lewis capped a 12-play, 95-yard drive on a keeper early in the fourth quarter, slicing Colorado State’s lead in half, 28-14, with 12:16 to play.
The Rams, however, would let the Wolf Pack get no closer, moving an expeditious 59 yards in six plays. RB Avery Morrow converted from 15 yards out for his second rushing touchdown of the game, and Noyes’ PAT made it 35-14 with 8:42 left.
Next up: Nevada travels to Boise, Idaho, to take on 12th-ranked Boise State on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 5:00 p.m.
Notes
- Nevada WR Jaden Smith hauled in a Lewis pass on a beautiful one-handed grab with his right hand, while holding off CSU’s Dylan Phelps with his left for the Pack’s final touchdown.
- Colorado State (6-3, 4-0 MW) became bowl eligible with the victory and remains unbeaten in the MW.
- Nevada (3-7, 0-4 MW) was officially eliminated from bowl contention after suffering its third consecutive loss.
- Former Nevada head coach Jay Norvell is now 3-0 vs. his former school as head coach at Colorado State.
- Former Nevada RB Avery Morrow had 97 scrimmage yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Rams.
- Nevada QB Brendon Lewis had game highs in rushing (109 yards) and passing (252 yards).
