Fresno State's Marcus McMaryion drops back to pass against Nevada in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Fresno, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian)
FRESNO, Calif. — KeeSean Johnson had seven receptions for 104 yards and a career-high tying three touchdowns and the Fresno State defense forced six turnovers — including three on downs — to help the Bulldogs beat Nevada 41-21 on Saturday night.
Marcus McMaryion completed 24 of 32 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns and Ronnie Rivers had 12 carries for 82 yards and a score for Fresno State (2-2, 1-0 Mountain West).
Jamire Jordan returned the opening kickoff 71 yards to set up a 10-yard scoring catch by Johnson on the fourth play from scrimmage.
After James Bailey blocked Nevada’s 45-yard field-goal attempt, Fresno State’s Jimmy Camacho hit a 29-yard field goal at the end of the first quarter.
Nevada went three-and-out on its next three drives — during that span, Josh Hokit hit Johnson on a halfback pass for a 16-yard touchdown — before Jaron Bryant’s 18-yard interception return for a touchdown made it 24-0 with 5:05 left in the first half.
Wyatt Demps had a career-high 10 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown for Nevada (0-5, 0-1). The Wolf Pack finished with 23 carries for 61 yards.
NOTES
True freshman Nephi Sewell forced a fumble and recovered it on a kickoff return in the second quarter, which led to Nevada’s second TD in less than a minute. It was the first forced fumble and recovery of Sewell’s career.
Junior TE, and Sparks native, Trae Carter-Wells made his first collegiate reception in the second quarter for two yards.
Junior LB Lucas Weber, a Reno native, recorded the first sack of his career and first forced fumble on the same play.
in the third quarter.
Junior WR Andrew Celis made his first reception of the season on the first play on the fourth quarter, a 2-yard catch.
Fresno native Blake Wright rushed three times in the game for 22 yards and a touchdown in a game in his hometown.
QB Ty Gangi found the hands of 10 different receivers in tonight’s game, a season-high.
Junior LB Lucas Weber and redshirt freshman LB Lawson Hall each posted seven tackles in the game, both career highs.
Junior CB Vosean Crumbie picked off a pass in the third quarter for the first time in his Division I career.
Just before the first half ended, Ty Gangi found redshirt freshman Trevion Armstrong from 21-yards out for the Pack’s second touchdown in under 30 seconds. It was the first TD reception of Armstrong’s career, and tied his career long reception.
Senior WR Wyatt Demps hauled in his fourth touchdown reception of the season in the second quarter, which leads the team. It is the 14th of his career, all of which have come since the 2016 season.
Ty Gangi’s pass in the second quarter was picked off and returned 18 yards for a touchdown. The first interception return for a touchdown given up by Nevada since it’s game against UNLV in 2015.
Junior DT Kalei Meyer made his season debut in the second quarter.
True freshman WR Daiyan Henley attempted the first pass play of his career in the second quarter, an incompletion to Wyatt Demps.
Spencer Pettit’s 45-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter was blocked. It was the first time Nevada had a field goal blocked since it played BYU on Nov. 30, 2013.
Senior LB Travis Wilson forced a fumble in the first quarter, the first of his career, and sophomore LB Gabriel Sewell landed on it, the first fumble recovery of his career.
The team captains for this game were senior DB Jimbo Davis, junior DE Malik Reed, junior DB Asauni Rufus and junior QB Ty Gangi.
Junior Ty Gangi returned to the starting QB role for the first time since week 2 against Toledo.
Nevada has been shut out in the first quarter in three consecutive games.
The all-time series between Nevada and Fresno State now stands at 28-20-1 in favor of Fresno State.
Nevada starts the season 0-5 for the first time since 1964.