Nevada Football: How the Wolf Pack Can Defeat Colorado State: How To Watch, Odds, Prediction
The Wolf Pack travel to Fort Collins to take on the Colorado State Rams. Here how Nevada can win on Saturday.
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Here Is How The Wolf Pack Can Secure A Road Win Against Colorado State
WEEK 12: Nevada Wolf Pack (2-8, 2-4 MW) vs Colorado State Aggies (4-6, 2-4 MW)
WHEN: Saturday, November 18th – 12:00pm PT/1:00pm MT
WHERE: Canvas Stadium- Fort Collins, Colorado
TV: Mountain West Network-Here is the link to watch the game
RADIO: Nevada is on 105.7 KOZZ in Reno and Colorado State is on KUAD 99.1 FM in Windsor, Colorado.
SERIES RECORD: Colorado State leads the all time series 13-5. The last meeting was in 2022 in Reno when Colorado State won 17-14.
WEBSITES: NevadaWolfPack.com, the official Nevada athletics website | CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website.
NOTES: Nevada | Colorado State
ODDS: Colorado State by -12
SP+PROJECTION: Colorado State by 10.5
FEI PROJECTION: Colorado State by 9.3
The Nevada Wolf Pack will square off against the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins on Saturday.
The Wolf Pack are coming off a 41-24 loss to Utah State last Saturday and are 2-8 and looking to close out the season on a winning note. The Rams are coming off a 22-19 win over the Aztecs and are currently 4-6 and trying to win their last two games to be bowl eligible.
Can the Wolf Pack get a win over the Rams and put CSU’s bowl chances in jeopardy? And also can Nevada win and exact revenge on former coach Jay Norvell?
Its The Green Defection…The Sequel
Here are my keys on how Nevada can win
Protect the ball and not turn the ball over
Last year against Colorado State, the Wolf Pack turned the ball over twice against the Rams. Former Nevada QB Nate Cox threw an interception and CSU’s Ayden Hector returned it for a touchdown. Nevada’s second turnover was when RB Devonte Lee fumbled and CSU’s Mukendi Wa-Kalonji returned the fumble 50 yards for a touchdown.
Those turnovers were the difference in the Rams defeating the Wolf Pack last year in Reno. Last week against Utah State, Nevada turned the ball over twice and one of those turnovers resulted in six points for the Aggies.
Said it last week in my Utah State preview, the Wolf Pack win( a rare thing nowadays) when they protect the ball and force turnovers. One of the reasons why Nevada has lost a lot, is because they turn the ball over.
Nevada wins on Saturday by protecting the ball on offense and not giving it away. Nevada lacks the talent and the coaching acumen but if they protect the ball, they have a chance.
On offense, get the ball to the playmakers
I have been saying this for two full seasons: The Nevada offense is horrible and it is a struggle for them to score points.
In terms of scoring offense, the Wolf Pack offense is averaging 18.2 points per game this season. Last year, the Wolf Pack offense averaged 18.8 points per game/
Somehow, the Nevada offense has gotten worse this year than last year. And keep in mind, Nevada did add more talent to the offensive side of the ball. Still the offensive numbers are worse this year.
Nevada cannot consistently move the ball on offense and score points. The key for Nevada to get the offense moving is get the ball to their playmakers.
Sean Dollars is a running back who has the speed to break for a long run. Dollars has scored six rushing touchdowns this season to go along with his 437 rushing yards and his 16 receptions. Jamaal Bell can be a threat as a receiver (30 receptions, 255 yards, one touchdown) and as a running back ( 28 carries, 133 yards, one touchdown)
Another playmaker for the Wolf Pack offense is WR Dalevon Campbell. Campbell leads the team in receptions (24), receiving yards (490) and receiving touchdowns (two). Campbell’s ability as a deep threat receiver is a tool that Nevada has to utilize to move the ball on offense.
In short for Nevada to win on Saturday they need to get the ball to their playmakers. It does not matter if it is AJ Bianco or Brendon Lewis at QB, the ball needs to get into the hands of the playmakers.
Slow down the Rams passing attack
The Rams boast a passing attack that has five players that have at least 20 or more receptions. The Rams passing attack is the best in the Mountain West as they are averaging 311.6 passing yards per game.
The leader of the Colorado State offense is QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. Fowler-Nicolosi is completing 62.4 percent of his passes for 2,898 yards and 18 touchdowns.
His top receivers is Tory Horton (81 receptions, 872 yards, six touchdowns), Justus Ross-Simmons (39 receptions, 631 yards, three touchdowns), Louis Brown IV ( 41 receptions, 398 yards, three touchdowns) and Dylan Goffney (21 receptions, 289 yards, two touchdowns)
The Rams passing attack also features a very talented tight end in Dallin Holker. Holker leads all of the Mountain West tight ends in receptions, (57), yards (710) and touchdowns (six).
Colorado State’s passing offense presents another challenge for a Nevada defense that struggles to defend the pass. Nevada is giving up 8.8 passing yards per attempt and giving up an average of 263.7 passing yards per attempt.
Nevada will need to play better on pass defense if they want to defeat the Rams on the road on Saturday.
Prediction
Colorado State 31 Nevada 20
That two game winning streak Nevada had feels like forever ago.
Since then, the Wolf Pack have struggled defensively against good to great offenses this season. And when it comes to offense, Nevada has failed to consistently move the ball and score points.
The last two games against Hawaii and Utah State have shown once again two of the many problems Nevada has had under Ken Wilson.
I do not see Nevada correcting those issues against a Colorado State team that has a good offense and enough of a defense to give the Wolf Pack problems.