Nevada fans upbeat despite squeaker loss

BOISE, Idaho - Northern Nevada fans said Boise was the perfect place for spending New Year's Eve.

Thousands of fans attended Sunday's 10th annual MPC Computers Bowl, and most were satisfied with the Wolf Pack football team's performance against the University of Miami - even though Nevada lost a heartbreaker, 21-20.

Many Wolf Pack fans corralled the lower concourse sections on the east side of Bronco Stadium, some waving blue flags with an "N" monogram. Others had tickets on the west side among many Miami fans.

"I am loving the heck out of this," said Bob Murdock, of Carson City.

Murdock, his wife, Mary Alive, and several friends traveled to Boise on Saturday to see Nevada play in its second bowl game. The temperature was below freezing, and the Carson City contingent wrapped itself up warmly in Wolf Pack jackets and ski caps.

"I'm really excited the Pack hung in there with Miami," said Terry Hubert, of Carson City. "I'm impressed with their performance.

This wasn't Hubert's first bowl game involving a Nevada football team.

"I saw the Pack beat Toledo many years ago at the Las Vegas Bowl," he said.

Martha Keating couldn't stop smiling.

"We think (the bowl game) is wonderful and close. This is a great way to spend New Year's Eve," she said.

Dr. Milton Glick, president of the University of Nevada, Reno, attended the game with his wife. They had flown to Boise after watching the men's basketball team defeat Gonzaga on Saturday.

"It's great. Remember, we had 2,000 fans in Seattle and just as many if not more here. Fans make a lot of difference," Glick said.

Glick said the Nevada fans were very supportive.

"We're better than the Miami fans," he said with a grin.

Glick said he was also impressed with the Boise fans who cheered for the Wolf Pack and the overall crowd. An announced crowd of more than 28,000 packed the stadium, one of the largest crowds to watch a bowl game in Boise.

"We had the largest non-Boise State participation in the history of this ball game," said Larry Maneely, an officer with the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.

When a few snowflakes fell in the first half, Incline Village resident Jerry Enneking said he felt at home.

Except for a few defensive lapses, Enneking said the Wolf Pack played well.

"It's great up here," Enneking said, adding that Nevada had great support from the Boise fans.

Many fans from Fallon made the six-hour car trip to Boise to support the Wolf Pack and 2005 Churchill County High School grad Josh Mauga, a linebacker for Nevada.

"It's been fun, a great experience watching two schools from different parts of the country going at each another," said Fallon senior Joe Leon.

Leon, whose parents are from Miami, said he was supporting both teams and Mauga. Leon showed his support by wearing two T-shirts, each representing one of the teams. He wore his Block F lettermen's on top.

John Nunn, of Reno, grew up in Fallon.

"We came down from Seattle to see this game. We were hoping Nevada would keep its momentum," he said.