SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Mike Ball ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns and Duke Williams intercepted a potential go-ahead pass in the end zone with 1:10 remaining to seal Nevada's 17-14 victory over San Jose State on Saturday.
The Wolf Pack (1-1) looked in control for most of the game before backup quarterback Matt Faulkner entered late in the third quarter to spark the Spartans (0-3).
Faulkner led San Jose State on a touchdown drive that cut Nevada's lead to 17-14 midway through the fourth and drove the Spartans to the 15 in the closing minutes. But on third-and-9, Williams intercepted a pass in the end zone intended for Chandler Jones to thwart the comeback attempt and give the defending Western Athletic Conference champion Wolf Pack the win in the conference opener.
Ball then put the game away by converting a third-and-6 run with less than a minute to play to run out the clock. That capped a strong day on the ground for the Wolf Pack, who rushed for 261 yards.
Tyler Lantrip struggled in the passing game, completing 11 of 21 for 121 yards with two interceptions. But the defense more than made up for that after allowing 603 yards in a 69-20 season-opening loss at No. 12 Oregon.
The Spartans didn't manage their second first down of the game until Dasmen Stewart threw a 16-yard pass to Jones on their first play of the second half. Stewart managed just two other completions in 14 attempts before being replaced by Faulkner, who started the opener before being replaced last week at UCLA by Stewart.
San Jose State had 81 yards before Faulkner entered and got the offense going. He put the Spartans in position for a score early in the fourth quarter, but Harrison Waid missed a 37-yard field goal wide right with Nevada up 17-7.
Faulkner then drove San Jose down the field again on the next drive, capped by Brandon Rutley's 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal that made it 17-14 with 7:59 to play. Rutley made a nifty, over-the-shoulder 14-yard catch to get to the 1 and set up his score.
Faulkner and Rutley drove the Spartans downfield with a chance to win before Williams' interception dashed the comeback hopes. Faulkner completed 10 of 19 for 131 yards.
Nevada could have had a much bigger lead with a better goal-line offense. Quarterback Tyler Lantrip was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 37 seconds left in the first half, and the Wolf Pack settled for a field goal in the third quarter after two unsuccessful runs from the 1.
Ball had a pair of short touchdown runs, including a 1-yarder on fourth-and-goal that made it 14-7 midway through the second quarter.