Nevada QB Nate Cox has played in all five of the Wolf Pack's games this season.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
With its game Friday against visiting Colorado State, Nevada will have reached the halfway point of its 2022 football season.
The Wolf Pack has played in four straight bowl games, the longest current streak in the Mountain West.
But, at 2-3 overall entering the CSU game, Nevada’s streak appears to be very much an either-way proposition, especially with the schedule ramping up in difficulty. NCAA regulations require six wins for a team to become bowl-eligible, with occasional exceptions for extreme circumstances.
Here’s a look at the Pack’s remaining six regular-season games, including opponents’ current Football Power Index (FPI) ranking and an expected degree of difficulty on a 5-point scale:
Oct. 15: at Hawaii
The 1-4 Warriors, under the direction of former Nevada assistant Timmy Chang, are very likely the worst team in the country.
Warriors’ FPI: 128 (of 131 FBS teams)
Difficulty: 1/5
Oct. 22: vs. San Diego State
Nevada has had the Aztecs’ number of late, winning three of the last four (and coming within one play of making it four straight). SDSU is off to a less-than-impressive 2-3 start; provided it can find a passing game, this one could be there for Nevada.
Aztecs’ FPI: 102
Difficulty: 2/5
Oct. 29: at San Jose State
The Spartans, behind former Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, have put together a quiet 3-1 season. Their Oct. 7 game against UNLV looks like it might decide the West Division winner — and who would have ever expected to see that sentence?
Spartans’ FPI: 83
Difficulty: 3/5
Nov. 12: vs. Boise State
Well, this isn’t the Boise State from 2016 to 2019, which went a combined 43-11. It’s been a struggle so far for this year’s edition of the Broncos, who somehow managed to lose to UTEP by 17. Oh, and the quarterback quit the team.
Still, Boise State has owned the series (winning 16 of the last 18), although at least the 2022 game is at Mackay Stadium.
Broncos’ FPI: 67
Difficulty: 4/5
Nov. 19: vs. Fresno State
The Bulldogs look lost without quarterback Jake Haener, who has not played since Sept. 17. A loss to UConn — UConn! — last week was one of the program’s historic low points.
Bulldogs’ FPI: 92
Difficulty: 2/5
Nov. 26: at UNLV
Uh oh — have the Rebels learned how to play intercollegiate football in the same season that Nevada is in a serious rebuild? It’s looking that way, as UNLV is seven points away from a perfect 5-0 start. Still, it’s a bitter rivalry game, so file the season-ender under “anything can happen.”
Rebels’ FPI: 85
Difficulty: 3/5
