RENO - Ten things to look for when the Nevada Wolf Pack football team (6-1, 1-1) takes on the Utah State Aggies (2-5, 0-3) Saturday night (7:30 p.m.) at Mackay Stadium ...
1. Can the Wolf Pack contain Utah State quarterback Diondre Borel?
Borel, a smaller, quicker version of Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick, has killed the Pack through the air the past two seasons. The 6-foot, 190-pound Borel passed for 353 yards and three touchdowns last year in Logan, Utah, against the Pack and 262 yards and two scores at Mackay Stadium in 2008. Borel's success through the air against the Pack is likely because of the fact that the Pack is so determined to stop him on the ground. Borel has only run for 98 yards on 42 carries (just 2.3 a carry) in his last two games combined against the Pack.
2. Can the Aggies contain Kaepernick?
The 6-foot-6 Kaepernick has never rushed for as many as 100 yards or passed for as much as 200 yards in three previous games against the Aggies. He has completed 35-of-67 passes (just 52 percent) and has rushed for a mere 125 yards in three games combined against Utah State. The Aggies have done as good a job as any WAC opponent at keeping Kaepernick from dominating a game.
3. Bobby Wagner and Kyle Gallagher will be around the football
The two Utah State linebackers are among the top tacklers in the WAC this year. Wagner is second in the conference with 79 tackles and Gallagher is fifth with 55. Wagner's 17 tackles against Fresno State is the high by any player in the WAC this year. And he also had 15 tackles against Louisiana Tech. Expect Wagner and Gallagher to try to frustrate the Pack (and Kaepernick) in much the same way as Hawaii linebacker Corey Paredes did two weeks ago.
4. Expect big plays through the air by the Wolf Pack
Kaepernick has shown a knack for destroying the Aggies through the air with big plays. He has thrown five touchdown passes of 30 yards or longer in his three games against the Aggies. He connected for a 31-yard touchdown to Marko Mitchell and a 32-yarder to Mike McCoy in 2007. In 2008, it was a 75-yarder to Mitchell and last year he found Virgil Green for a 44-yard score and Brandon Wimberly from 49 yards out. Expect similar success this week especially if the Aggies continue to bring a safety up to help contain Kaepernick on the ground.
5. Will the Pack protect the football?
The Pack turned the ball over four times in its last game (a 27-21 loss at Hawaii). Kaepernick has now been intercepted in four consecutive games after being picked off in just two of his previous 14 games. Is this a trend or just a bad stretch of luck? We'll find out.
6. Everything points to a Wolf Pack victory
Looking for some numbers to support a Utah State upset on Saturday? Don't waste your time. The Pack has won nine games in a row at home. They haven't lost a home game against a WAC opponent since losing to Boise State late in the 2008 season. The Aggies haven't won in Reno since 1999. Pack head coach Chris Ault is 8-0 lifetime against the Aggies. The Pack hasn't lost two WAC games in a row since 2007. Want another stat to help you forget about picking Utah State? The Pack has now lost at Hawaii six times in a row since both teams were WAC members starting with the 2000 season. The first five times the Pack won its next game. Saturday's game is No. 6.
7. Was the bye week good for the Pack?
We'll see. The Wolf Pack generally plays well in its first game after a bye. They are 11-8 after a bye week since joining Division I-A in 1992. Last year the bye came early (in Week 2) and it resulted in the Pack playing its worst game of the year, a mistake-filled 35-20 loss at Colorado State. A bye in Week 2 is a silly time to take a week off and it showed. This year, though, the bye probably came at the perfect time - smack dab in the middle of the year and after a disappointing loss.
8. Will the Wolf Pack receivers emerge this week?
Kaepernick hasn't tossed a touchdown pass to a wide receiver or tight end since Week 3. That trend can't continue for much longer, can it? Of course not. These Pack receivers are too talented. Kaepernick has always found success through the air with his wide receivers and tight ends against Utah State (see item No. 4 above). We don't expect that to end this week.
9. Can Utah State stop anyone?
Hawaii running back Alex Green had the game of his life last week against Utah State, running for 172 yards and four touchdowns. And that was on top of the 389 yards that Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz threw for against the Aggies. Fresno State's A.J. Ellis also ran for 165 yards against the Aggies this year. Utah State head coach Gary Anderson used to be the defensive coordinator at Utah. The Aggies, though, haven't stopped anyone since Anderson got the top job in 2009. The Aggies allow 31 points and 421 yards a game. It's likely both those numbers will increase after Saturday.
10. Will the Pack take out its frustrations on Utah State?
Utah State probably picked the wrong week to come to Mackay Stadium this year. Any chance the Pack had of overlooking the Aggies probably vanished two weeks ago with the loss at Hawaii. The Pack has had to spend the last two weeks thinking of what happened in Honolulu, answering media questions and listening to their coaches tell them what they did wrong. And, by the way, the Pack knows it cannot afford another loss in the regular season if they want to accomplish their top goal of winning the WAC. You can bet they can't wait to get back on the field and show the nation that they are truly a Top 25 program.