Nevada Wolfpack vs. Fresno State Bulldogs Preview and Pick

The Western Athletic Conference begins this football season with a bang as the Nevada Wolf Pack, co-WAC champs last season, visit the Fresno State Bulldogs Friday night.

Nevada won its last four regular-season games last year to finish at 7-1 in the WAC, which garnered them a tie for first place, and then beat Central Florida in the Hawaii Bowl to finish up a fine 9-3 season, their first winning campaign since 1998. The Pack went 7-5 against the spread last season, 3-2 straight up on the road, 2-3 ATS. But Nevada is an imperfect 0-7 ATS over the last two seasons when getting points on the road.

Fresno State stood at 8-1 going into their battle with USC last season, but lost that game, and the three regular-season games after that, and the Liberty Bowl to Tulsa to end up at 8-5 overall, 6-2 and tied for third in the WAC. The Bulldogs went 5-1 straight up at home last year, 3-2 ATS.

Last season, Nevada halted a six-game losing streak vs. Fresno State when the Pack beat the ‘Dogs 38-35 as 15-point home underdogs in the conference finale for both teams. Nevada, which caught FSU the week after their epic 50-42 loss to top-ranked USC, led 24-10 in the second quarter, but Fresno State grabbed a 27-24 lead early in the fourth. Then, after the Wolf Pack regained the lead, the Bulldogs committed two turnovers in the last seven minutes to thwart their comeback attempt. Nevada racked up 235 yards on the ground that day, while Fresno State compiled 405 yards through the air. The Bulldogs actually outgained the Wolf Pack by over 100 yards.

Nevada returns seven starters from last season on both sides of the ball, including QB Jeff Rowe (62% passing, 21/10 TD/INT in ’05), a two-year starter already. And RB Robert Hubbard (719 yards, 5.8 yards per carry and 11 TDs last year) will replace B.J. Mitchell (1,399 yards and 12 TDs in ’05). The Wolf Pack offense ranked 14th in Division 1 last year by averaging 465 yards per game, 200 of those coming on the ground. Nevada averaged 34 points per game and outgained WAC foes by an average of 60 yards per game. The Nevada defense ranked 3rd-best in the WAC by allowing 141 rushing yards per game last year, and 4th-best in this offensive-minded conference by giving up 32 points per game.

Fresno State returns seven starters from last season on offense, including four linemen, and eight on defense. The Bulldogs led the WAC in scoring (38 PPG) and scoring defense (22 PPG), averaged 165 rushing yards PG and outgained WAC opponents by a league-leading 138 YPG. FSU must, however, replace QB Paul Pinegar and two RBs, Wendell Mathis and Bryson Sumlin, who combined for 1,850 rushing yards and 20 TDs last year. But they do return RB Dwayne Wright, who rushed for 1,000 yards in 2003 but has missed all but two games the last two seasons after suffering an ACL injury.

The Bulldog defense ranked 6th in the WAC last season by allowing 149 rushing yards PG.

Sophomore Tom Brandstater will make his first collegiate start Friday night for the Bulldogs.

The sportsbooks have upgraded Nevada from those 15-point home dogs last season to 12 ˝-point road dogs Friday night. This game opened with Fresno State favored by 11 ˝, but being the more public team, the line on the Bulldogs has increased by a point.