Tag: Texas State football

Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Blow Lead, Lose To Texas State 35-24

Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Blow Lead, Lose To Texas State 35-24 Nevada lead after the first half, but fell apart in the second half as they lost their 14th straight game. Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire Wolf Pack Lose First Half Lead, Drop …

Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Blow Lead, Lose To Texas State 35-24

Nevada lead after the first half, but fell apart in the second half as they lost their 14th straight game. 

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

Wolf Pack Lose First Half Lead, Drop 14th Straight Game to Texas State 35-24

Nevada went into the locker room after the first half with a 17-0 lead on the road. Their first lead all season and there felt like this was the time for Nevada to get their first win in more than a year. It felt like everything was aligned for the Wolf Pack to get that elusive win against a talented Texas State team on the road.

Then the second half began and those hopes and dreams went crashing down for Nevada.

The Texas State Bobcats scored 35 unanswered points in the second half and flew past Nevada to secure a 35-24 win on Saturday. The Bobcat offense was stymied by Nevada’s defense in the first half going scoreless. But in the second half, Texas State’s offense came to life as the Nevada defense could not stop the Bobcat offense and the Wolf Pack offense struggled badly. 

The Wolf Pack struggles on offense in the second half were not all bad. Nevada did score a touchdown late in the game to make the score somewhat respectable. But that late touchdown was the lone bright spot in a second half performance that saw Nevada turn the ball over three times. That poor performance on offense doomed Nevada as Texas State’s offense moved the ball with ease in the second half.

All the goodwill Nevada garnered after their resilient performance in a loss to Kansas went away in that second half against Texas State. Now the Wolf Pack have dropped their 14th straight contest and are going back to the drawing board as they head into conference play.

In the first half, it was all Nevada Wolf Pack as they jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter after Brandon Talton connected on a 30 yard field goal. 

On Texas State’s first offensive possession of the game, QB TJ Finley’s pass was picked off by KK Meier. Meier returned it 98 yards to score the touchdown to put Nevada up 10-0 after the PAT. That interception was the first interception for Nevada in the 2023 season and it resulted in paydirt for the Wolf Pack. 

In the second quarter, the Wolf Pack offense marched down the field on a 14 play, 78 yard drive that put them deep in the red zone. On 3rd and Goal from the Texas State one yard line, RB Sean Dollars fumbled the ball in the end zone but offensive lineman Zach Welch recovered the ball and scored the touchdown to put the Wolf Pack up 17-0.

Late in the second quarter, the Wolf Pack offense was on the move to score again but QB Brendon Lewis had a pass that was intercepted by Texas State’s Kaleb Ford-Dement. But two plays later, the Bobcat offense turned the ball back over when Finley was sacked by Ike Nnakenyi and the ball came loose and the fumble was received by Eli’jah Winson. 

That was the last play of the second half and the last good thing Nevada did before the wheels came off in the second half. 

In the second half, Texas State came to life on offense as they went on a 10 play, 75 yard scoring drive. That drive ended when Finley connected with Joey Hobert on a 25 yard touchdown pass to cut the Nevada lead to 17-7.

The Wolf Pack defense did show some playmaking ability in the second half as on the Bobcat’s next offensive possession. Texas State RB Jahmyl Jeter fumbled and his fumble was recovered by LB Drue Watts. But Nevada’s offense could not capitalize on that turnover and was forced to punt.

After Nevada’s punt, Texas State’s offense took only two plays to score a touchdown. Finley ( 25 for 35, 295 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) connected with Kole Wilson on a 77 yard touchdown pass to cut the Wolf Pack lead to 17-14. 

The Wolf Pack offense was falling apart quickly as they turned the ball over on their next possession. RB Cross Patton fumbled and his fumble was recovered by Texas’ States Chris Mills. The Bobcats took the lead for good after that Nevada fumble when running back Ismail Mahdi ( 21 carries, 216 yards, two touchdowns) scored on a 46 yard touchdown run to put the Bobcats up 21-17.

The Bobcats took the lead in the third quarter and kept adding to the lead. The Wolf Pack offense crashed in a haze of turnovers and an inability to get out of its own way. Texas State tacked on two more touchdowns to bump the score up to 35-17 Bobcats. By then the game was out of reach for Nevada. QB AJ Bianco did come in for Lewis and lead a nine play scoring drive that ended with Bianco scoring a rushing touchdown from two yards out.  

The final score was 35-24 Texas State and the Wolf Pack have returned to Reno with their 14th straight loss. 

For Nevada, QB Brendon Lewis completed 21 of 32 passes for 151 yards and threw one interception and zero touchdowns. Lewis was also the team’s leading rusher as he ran for 89 yards on 12 carries. The leading receiver for Nevada was cornerback Isaiah Essissima as he recorded two catches for 67 yards. 

The Wolf Pack defense played well in the first half but was horrid in the second half. Overall, the Wolf Pack defense gave up 574 yards of total offense. Of those 574 yards of total offense, Nevada gave up 276 of those yards on the ground and Mahdi for Texas State was responsible for 216 of those rushing yards. 

Stop me if I am wrong but defense was supposed to be Ken Wilson’s calling card right? 

Now the Wolf Pack will head into conference play on a 14 game losing streak. Nevada will be on the road again to face off against another potent offense in Fresno State. We will see if Nevada can slow down a talented offense for once this season. And maybe if Nevada has a lead, they will hold onto that lead for once. 

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Texas State Vs Nevada: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Texas State Vs Nevada: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction Nevada hits the road to take on Texas State as the Wolf Pack look to snap a 13 game losing streak. Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire Nevada Heads Out To The Lone Star State …

Texas State Vs Nevada: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Nevada hits the road to take on Texas State as the Wolf Pack look to snap a 13 game losing streak.

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

Nevada Heads Out To The Lone Star State To Take On Texas State

WEEK 4: Nevada Wolf Pack (0-3) vs Texas State Bobcats (2-1)

WHEN: Saturday, September 23rd- 4:00pm PT/3:00pm MT

WHERE: Bobcat Stadium-San Marcos, Texas (Capacity:30,000)

TV: ESPN+  Click here to sign on for a free trial

RADIO: Nevada is on 105.7 KOZZ in Reno and Texas State KTSW 89.9 in San Marcos.

SERIES RECORD:  Nevada leads series 1-0. The last meeting between Nevada and Texas State was in  2022 when Nevada won 38-14.

WEBSITES: NevadaWolfPack.com, the official Nevada athletics website | txst.com, the official Texas State athletics website.

ODDS:  Texas State (-17)

SP+ PROJECTION: Texas State by 10.8

FEI PROJECTION:  Texas State by 6.2

 

The Nevada Wolf Pack will hit the road as they will face off against the Texas State Bobcats on Saturday.

The Wolf Pack currently hold the nation’s longest losing streak at 13 games. That streak was extended last Saturday when Nevada dropped a close one to Kansas 31-24. Nevada put up a good, hard fought effort but it was not enough as the Jayhawks made the big plays at the right time to secure the win. 

The Wolf Pack are taking on a Texas State team that is much improved under new head coach G.J. Kinne. Kinne, who coached at Incarnate Word last year and led the Cardinals to a win in Reno over Nevada last season, has the Bobcats as one of the best offenses in FBS. The Bobcats are 2-1 and coming off an impressive 77-34 win over Jackson State last week. 

The Bobcats have already recorded one of the biggest upset victories of the season when they went into Waco, Texas and defeated Baylor in Week 1. The Texas State offense can score points as they are averaging 44.0 points per game so far this season. 

This is another explosive offense that will once again test the Wolf Pack defense. So far this season, Nevada has had a hard time trying to corral teams with very talented offenses. 

Can the Wolf Pack go into Texas and slow down the Bobcat offense ? Can the Wolf Pack play well like they did last week and finally snap that long losing streak?

Here are my keys and a prediction for Nevada-Texas State:

 

Keep that same (positive) energy from last week 

Despite losing for the 13th straight time last week, the Wolf Pack showed resilience and fight in their loss to Kansas. 

The performance against Kansas was a clear contrast to that pathetic, dreadful performance Nevada displayed against Idaho two weeks ago. The Nevada team that took the field against Kansas was a team that played well enough to win but just fell short. 

Coach Ken Wilson said it best after the game against Kansas: “ That was a great effort by those men in the locker room. “We’re going to win those games (down the road)”

For Nevada to win on Saturday on the road, they will need to bring that maximum effort and fight because this is a much improved Texas State team. The Wolf Pack can’t half-ass it, they must bring it all if they want to win.

 

Improve the pass defense, now

The Nevada pass defense has been horrendous after three weeks of action. To be fair, the Wolf Pack have faced three talented passing offenses in USC, Idaho and Kansas so it was going to be a struggle. However, Nevada’s pass defense still needs to find a way to play much better in order to win. Looking at the numbers, the Wolf Pack are 130th in passing defense as they are giving up an average of 354.7 passing yards per game. 

Here are some other defensive passing stats that will make Nevada fans recoil in horror: Nevada is 131st in the nation  in opposing completion percentage as they are giving up a competition percentage of 74.4 percent. Also, Nevada is dead last in the nation in opposing pass yards per attempt as they are giving up 13.0 passing yards per attempt. 

Those numbers in regard to Nevada’s passing defense after three games are shockingly bad. And guess what, Nevada will be facing another explosive pass offense in Texas State and a talented QB in TJ Finley. Finley’s numbers have been impressive so far this  season as he has thrown for 760 yards and six touchdowns and zero interceptions. 

Nevada’s pass defense will need to play a hell of a lot better if they are going to win on Saturday. It will not be easy because it is another talented pass heavy offense the Wolf Pack will be facing. However, Nevada must find a way to improve their pass defense so they have a chance of snapping their 13 game losing streak. 

 

Exploit Texas State’s poor pass defense 

After three games, Texas State has a very talented offense but their defense is a bit lacking. 

The Bobcats are decent at stopping the run as they are giving up an average of 128 rushing yards a game to the opposition. However, when it comes to defending the pass, Texas State is not good. The Bobcats are ranked next to last in the Sun Belt (and 125th in the nation) in pass defense so far this season. Texas State is giving up an average of 304 passing yards per game. 

Note: Statistically, Texas State’s pass defense is better than Nevada’s as the Wolf Pack are giving up an average of 342 passing yards per game while the Bobcats give up 304. Still Texas State’s pass defense is terrible.

Nevada’s offense will need to create plays to exploit the Texas State pass defense for yards and points. The Wolf Pack offense has been able to get big, chunk plays through the air on long pass plays. Nevada will need to continue to do that and also get better at the short and intermediate passing game as well. 

This game needs to be the game where the Wolf Pack need to get tight end Keleki Latu involved. Latu is a big target checking in at 6 foot 7 and 230lbs. So far this season Latu only has four receptions and he is the type of player that you find a way to get the ball to. It is key that the Wolf Pack offense get him the ball early and often.

If QB Brendon Lewis and the Wolf Pack offense can successfully attack the Bobcat pass defense, then Nevada has a good chance of winning on the road this Saturday. 

 

Prediction

Nevada 35  Texas State 31

Even though they lost their 13th game in a row to Kansas last week, there was a whole lot of fight and improved play from Nevada.

The Wolf Pack keep that same energy if they want to win on Saturday. Along with figuring out how to improve their pass defense against another explosive pass offense in Texas State.

The Bobcats can put up points but they also give up a bunch of yards through the air. This is the game where Brendon Lewis needs to find his receivers  like Dalevon Campbell and Sean Dollars.

This game will be a shootout but I think Nevada can mustard up the effort and a few stops on defense to win on the road and end their long losing streak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nevada Football: First Look At The Texas State Bobcats

Texas State has a new head coach and outlook ahead of their non-conference clash with the Wolf Pack. Here’s a first look at the Bobcats.

Nevada Football: First Look at the Texas State Bobcats

Texas State has a new head coach and a new outlook ahead of their non-conference clash with the Wolf Pack. Here’s a first look at the Bobcats.

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake and @MWCwire

The Bobcats look to make headway and avenge last year’s loss.

Nevada Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

USC | Idaho | Kansas | Texas State

Can the Wolf Pack score a road victory against the new look Texas State Bobcats?

Location: San Marcos, Texas

Conference: Sun Belt

Series History: Nevada leads the all-time series over Texas State, 2-0.

2022 Record: 4-8 (2-6 Sun Belt)

Head Coach: G.J. Kinne (first year, 12-2 overall). After starring as a quarterback at Tulsa in the late 2000s, Kinne has had a relatively quick rise through the coaching ranks. He started at SMU as a graduate assistant in 2017 and landed his first offensive coordinator job at Hawaii three years later, followed by one-year stints at UCF and Incarnate Word before landing at Texas State. As UIW’s head coach in 2022, his Cardinals went 12-2 and made it to the FCS playoff semifinals, scoring wins over Furman and Sacramento State in the process.

Key Players

Calvin Hill, RB

Hill is a 5-foot 8, 200 lb running back from Baytown, Texas who has shown moments of brilliance when he has the ball. In 2022, Hill ran for 333 yards and scored a touchdown. Hill’s best game last season was against Florida International where he carried the ball 28 times for 195 yards and a touchdown.

Hill missed the last four games due to injury but Hill returns and alongside RB Lincoln Pare, are looking to make Texas State’s offense more potent in 2023. 

Ashtyn Hawkins, WR

Hawkins is a 5-foot 10 wide receiver from DeSoto, Texas who is already a valuable option for the Bobcat offensive. 

Last season Hawkins led the team in receptions (56), receiving yards (587) and receiving touchdowns (seven). Despite only playing nine games in 2022, Hawkins finished 19th in the country in receptions per game with 6.2 per game.

His best performance last season came against the Baylor Bears where he caught 13 passes for 114 yards and recorded a receiving touchdown.  Against the Wolf Pack last season, Hawkins played well as he caught 11 passes for 101 yards and scored a touchdown.

With G.J Kinne’s new high powered offense being installed at Texas State, look for Hawkins to continue to be a top target.

 

Jordan Revels, DE

Revels is one of the few known players in the Bobcat defense heading into 2023. Last season, Revels recorded 70 tackles (27 solo), 11 tackles for loss,4.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Revels fills up a stat sheet and his play is vital for a Texas State defense that is looking to rebuild into a strong unit in 2023.

Kaleb Culp, S

GJ Kinne went into the transfer portal to help bolster the defense for the Bobcats and found a familiar face. Kaleb Culp played safety for Kinne at Incarnate Word for two seasons and in that time, Culp was a two time All-Southland Conference player for the UIW Cardinals.

Culp played 30 games and recorded 195 tackles (133 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one interception. 

Texas State needs to improve on defense and Culp can be a player to help elevate the defense for Texas State in 2023. 

TJ Finley, QB

Finley comes to Texas State with some experience and upside to possibly be the starting QB for Texas State. Before coming to Texas State, Finley started at LSU and was there for a season before transferring to Auburn where he was in the Plains for two seasons.

During his college career, Finley has started in 11 games in his two college stops and has thrown for 2,199 yards and thrown for 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes. 

Along with those solid numbers, is his impressive physical stats as Finley is 6-foot 7 and weighs in at 255 pounds. Those are the makings of a potentially physically talented QB.

As of right now, Coach Kinne has not named a starter at QB for Texas State so it is a battle between Finley and Arkansas transfer Malik Hornsby to see who starts for the Bobcats. 

Should Finley be named the starter, he has the physical tools to potentially be a talented quarterback for Texas State.

Overview:

Offense

On offense, Texas State has the possibility to be an explosive offense. The team has yet to name a starter at quarterback but whoever is the starter has some talented players at their disposal. 

Calvin Hill and Lincoln Pare are a pair of talented running backs and receiver Ashtyn Hawkins is a dynamic pass catcher. First year head coach GJ Kinne coached an explosive offense at Incarnate Word and could possibly do the same at Texas State. 

The one issue is that the Bobcats offensive line returns zero starters from last season. On one hand, that could be good because the Bobcats can start over at that position but on the other hand it could spell disaster for Texas State in 2023 if the offensive line does not come together quickly. 

Defense

On defense, the Bobcats are a work in progress as Texas State only returns three starters from 2022. But Texas State does return Jordan Revels who is one of the best pass rushers in the Sun Belt Conference and could elevate their defensive line. 

Due to the lack of returning talent, Texas State had to hit the transfer portal and Kaleb Culp (UIW) came to the team looking to bring his talent and experience to the secondary.

Early Prediction

Nevada 19  Texas State 17

Texas State could bolster an impressive offense by the time this game comes around. The Bobcats have the talent at the skills position players to make this game close. But the lack of experience on the offensive line and a defense that is rebuilding will be the reason why the Wolf Pack should win a close contest in Texas.

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Texas State vs. Baylor, live stream, preview, TV channel, time, how to watch college football

The Texas State Bobcats will meet the Baylor Bears in Week 3 of the college football season on Saturday at McLane Stadium. 

The Texas State Bobcats will meet the Baylor Bears in Week 3 of the college football season on Saturday at McLane Stadium.  Texas State is coming off a 41-12 win over FIU to pick up their first win of the season, while Baylor is looking to bounce back after a 26-20 loss to BYU in overtime last week.

This will be another great day of college football, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the action on Saturday.

Texas State vs. #17 Baylor

  • When: Saturday, September 17
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: FS1
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

How to watch College Football this season

fuboTV has complete NCAA college football coverage (CBS, FOX, ESPN) as well as ACC Network, Big 10 Network, ESPNU, Pac12, and more. fuboTV includes every network you need to watch every college football game in your market.
fuboTV is available on your phone, tablet, desktop, TV, and connected TV devices including Roku. Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV plus many more.
*Regional Restrictions Apply*

NCAA Football Odds and Betting Lines

NCAA odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds were updated at 9:00 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Texas State vs. Baylor (-29.5)

O/U: 54.5

Want some action on college football? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO & NJ.

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Nevada Football: Takeaways Propel Wolf Pack To Victory Over Texas State

Nevada Football: Takeaway Propel Wolf Pack to Victory Over Texas State Nevada’s defense shines again as they cruised to a 38-14 victory over Texas State Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire Wolf Pack Defense Shines In 38-14 Win Over Texas State …

Nevada Football: Takeaway Propel Wolf Pack to Victory Over Texas State

Nevada’s defense shines again as they cruised to a 38-14 victory over Texas State

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

Wolf Pack Defense Shines In 38-14 Win Over Texas State

The Nevada Wolf Pack forced four turnovers and scored 24 third quarter points to cruise to a 38-14 victory over Texas State on Saturday afternoon.

Not only were the Wolf Pack physically dominant on offense, they were also physically dominant on defense. Nevada’s defense held Texas State to negative 12 yards rushing on offense on 25 attempts. While Texas State quarterback Layne Hatcher threw for 289 yards and threw for two touchdowns, he did throw two interceptions (both by Nevada’s Bentlee Sanders) and one of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown.

The Wolf Pack on offense once again ran the ball well as they ran for 130 yards against Texas State. The Nevada passing game was a little bit better this week and more efficient as both Shane Illingworth and Nate Cox completed 16 or 20 passes for 144 yards. There were no touchdown passes for Nevada but neither QB threw an interception. 

The action started in the first quarter when Nevada got on the board early on a four yard touchdown run by Toa Taua. That score put the Wolf Pack up 7-0. On Texas State’s next offensive possession, Hatcher’s pass was intercepted by Bentlee Sanders for Nevada. The Wolf Pack turned that interception into points as Devonte Lee scored on a five yard run to put the Wolf Pack up 14-0

Texas State cut the Nevada lead to seven in the second quarter when Hatcher found wide receiver Ashton Hawkins for a 20 yard touchdown pass. That score made it 14-7 Nevada at the end of the first half. 

In the second half was when Nevada went on a 24-0 scoring run to distance themselves from the Bobcats. The Bobcats did tack on another touchdown late in the game to make it 38-14 and a little bit respectable.But it was a contest in which Nevada was physical and imposed its will on Texas State on both sides of the ball. 

Shane Illingworth completed 11 of 13 passes for 101 yards and no touchdowns and no interceptions. Nate Cox came in at quarterback in the second half and completed five of seven passes for 43 yards. Cox did run for 29 yards and scored on an eight yard touchdown run in the third quarter.  Toa Taua rushed for only 36 yards on 18 carries but he did score two touchdowns against the Bobcats 

For the second straight week, the Wolf Pack defense played excellent. Nevada’s defense forced four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumble recoveries) and gave up only 277 yards of total offense against Texas State. So far this season, the Wolf Pack defense is playing some very good and inspired football.

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With the win over Texas State, Nevada goes to 2-0 this season and will return to action next Saturday in Reno to face off against the Incarnate Word Cardinals. 

 

Nevada Vs Texas State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Nevada Vs Texas State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction Nevada will face off against Texas State in the home opener for the Wolf Pack Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire Nevada Opens 2022 Home Schedule Against Texas State on …

Nevada Vs Texas State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Nevada will face off against Texas State in the home opener for the Wolf Pack

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

Nevada Opens 2022 Home Schedule Against Texas State on Saturday

WEEK 1: Nevada Wolf Pack vs. Texas State Bobcats

WHEN: 2:30 PM-Pacific Time

TV: None

STREAMING: The game can be streamed on Nevada Sports Net and Mountain West Network

RADIO: Nevada is on ESPN 94.5 in Reno and Texas  State is on KTSW 88.9.

SERIES RECORD: Nevada leads all-time series 1-0. The last meeting between the two schools was on September 29th 2012. Nevada won 34-21.

WEBSITES: NevadaWolfPack.com, the official Nevada athletics website | TXST.com, the official Texas State athletics website.

GAME NOTES (PDF): Nevada| Texas State

ODDS: Nevada  -1

SP+ PROJECTION:  Nevada by 8.1

FEI PROJECTION: Nevada by 15.9

The Nevada Wolf Pack opened up the 2022 season with a 23-12 victory on the road over New Mexico State last week.

Now they return home to Reno for their home opener against the Texas State Bobcats of the Sun Belt Conference. The Wolf Pack will look to build on their win against NMSU by continuing to be physical on offense and establishing the run game. And on defense, the Wolf Pack see if they can continue to force turnovers to help out their offense. 

The Wolf Pack will face a Texas State team that is coming off a 4-8 season in 2021 and have struggled since joining FBS in 2010.. The Bobcats last season struggled on both offense (ranked 101st in FBS) and defense(ranked 108th in FBS). Head coach Jake Spatival is looking to get his team out of the bottom of the FBS and start their season with a road victory over Nevada

Can the Wolf Pack continue their success running the ball this week and improve their record to 2-0?

 

Here are my keys and a prediction for Nevada vs Texas State

 

Improve the passing offense

We know that the Wolf Pack want to establish the running game but they also must be able to throw the ball.

Both of Nevada’s quarterbacks, Shane Illingworth and Nate Cox did not exactly light up the air with their passing. Both QBs combined threw for only 78 yards at a clip of 3.4 yards per pass attempt.

Those numbers are not good enough especially when teams start putting eight men in the box to stop Nevada’s run offense. 

Nevada must improve on their passing offense this week against a Texas State defense that gave up 248.6 passing yards per game at seven passing yards per attempt last season.

The Wolf Pack do want to be a physical, run-oriented offense but they need better quarterback play this week from Cox and Illingworth to give their offense balance.

 

Defensive line getting a better pass rush.

The Wolf Pack played great against the run last week against New Mexico State. Nevada limited the Aggies to just 85 yards rushing on 25 attempts(3.4 yards per rush attempt).

While the Wolf Pack run defense was brilliant, the pass rush was almost non-existent last week against NMSU. Except for the strip-sack Dom Peterson had on NMSU QB Diego Pavia, Nevada did not generate much of a pass rush against an Aggies team that threw the ball 34 times. 

The 34 pass attempts by New Mexico State is too many attempts for Nevada to not generate a pass rush let alone not get more than one sack. The Wolf Pack will need to get better at generating a pass rush in this contest against Texas State. 

The Bobcats will have a new QB in Arkansas State transfer Layne Hatcher and running backs such as Calvin HIll and Jahmyl Jeter and receivers such as Marcell Barbee and Javen Banks. The Bobcats are hoping these players can elevate an offense that only averaged 23 points per game last season which was 101st in the nation in 2021.

For the Wolf Pack to win on Saturday, the front four led by Dom Peterson must get a good, strong pass rush to put pressure on Hatcher and stifle the Bobcat offense. 

 

Stay focus and do not overlook the Bobcats

It is easy to look at the Bobcats struggles since joining FBS and completely overlook them as a team. But the Bobcats do have some talent returning on offense and the Wolf Pack cannot look ahead past Texas State.

Given the Wolf Pack’s new style of play which is a run-based offense and the lack of a productive passing attack in last week’s opener. The Wolf Pack must stay focused and play a clean, mistake free contest against a Bobcats team that is looking to turn the corner and get better.

The Wolf Pack on offense must continue to run the ball and be physical but also must get better play out of the passing game. And on defense the Wolf Pack must play smart, force turnovers and put pressure on the Bobcats offense. If Nevada stays focused on all the facets of the game, then they should win their home opener. 

 

Prediction

 

The Wolf Pack pulled out a gritty and tough victory in their season opener last week.  For Nevada to improve their record to 2-0, they must continue to be physical and tough while also getting better production out of their passing game and finding a consistent pass rush.

It looks like Coach Wilson will play both Shane Illingworth and Nate Cox at QB this week . Illingworth is the better passer but Cox is the better run and both are talented enough to be the full time starter. But no matter who is under center, the passing game has to be better to keep opposing defenses from putting eight men in the box to stop Taua and Lee. 

On defense, the Wolf Pack must get a better pass rush this week to help out a talented secondary that probably won’t record five interceptions this week. 

The thing that will help the Wolf Pack this week is that even though Texas State looks to be improved, they are still not very good. I think the Wolf Pack will continue to run the ball well, get the passing game going and continue to be good on defense to improve their record to 2-0 against.

Score:  Nevada 33  Texas State 23

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Texas State Bobcats Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Texas State College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Texas State Bobcats Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Texas State season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Texas State Bobcats Preview
Head Coach: Jake Spavital, 3rd year at Texas State, 9-27
2021 Preview: Overall: 4-8, Conference: 3-5
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Texas State Top 10 Players | Texas State Schedule

Texas State Bobcats Preview 2022

Head coach Jake Spavial is doing the right things in the modern age of college football.

He was ahead of the game in all but blowing off normal recruiting and building things up through the transfer portal. His offense is fun and fast, his defense aggressive, and …

It’s not working yet. However, after five wins in his first two years, the four wins last year really did mark a step forward. In the new and improved Sun Belt it’ll be even more of a fight, but now he’s got experience and depth to go alone with the new parts through the portal.

There’s more talent than before, the schedule is full of winnable games, and there’s a real shot this season to push for the first winning season since 2014 and the program’s first bowl game ever.

Texas State Bobcats Preview 2022: Offense

The offense goes fast, likes to wing it around, and has an Air Raid style that tries to keep defenses on their heels. There’s one big problem – it isn’t working well enough to control games. The passing attack averaged just 194 yards per game, there were too many turnovers, and it was a struggle to move the chains. However, it’s an attack loaded with veterans and should be sharper if …

The quarterback play has to be sharper. With leading passer Brady McBride off to Appalachian State, it starts with the addition of Layne Hatcher from Arkansas State, Dillon Markiewicz is coming in from Syracuse to give it a shot, and former NC State transfer Ty Evans is there.

The receiving corps is full of producers. Javen Banks led the team with 553 yards and five scores, Marcell Barbee led the team with 40 catches and five touchdowns, and most of the other top targets are back along with a slew of receivers from the transfer portal highlighted by Demarcus Gregory from USF.

Can the experienced offensive line keep defenses out of the backfield? OT Dalton Cooper is one of the best in the Sun Belt, and there’s decent size at the other four spots.

The running game averaged 149 yards per game, and it gets back leading rusher Calvin Hill, who ran for 696 yards and averaged over five yards per carry. 6-0, 225-pound Jahmyl Jeter led the team with eight scores and was second with 384 yards.

Texas State Bobcats Preview 2022: Defense

The defense struggled to come up with big plays. It was the worst in the Sun Belt at generating sacks and pressure, it allowed 430 yards and 33 points per game, and it was mostly awful against the run.

The 18 sacks weren’t enough, but most of the production returns. Issiah Nixon led the team with four sacks, but he’s likely going to be a key backup at linebacker.

Second-leading tackler Sione Tupou is back on the outside after making 75 stops, and 6-2, 225-pound London Harris should do more in the middle after making 33 tackles on the outside.

The defensive front has decent bulk. 315-pound Gjemar Daniels will play a bigger role somewhere inside, and 300-pound Samuel Obiang will be more of a factor on the nose. Now the pass rush has to come from the end, and that starts with 280-pound Nico Ezidore being more disruptive.

The Bobcats only came up with three interceptions, and losing star tacklers and playmaker Zion Childress to Kentucky hurts, but Kordell Rodgers broke up seven passes from his corner spot, and veteran DeJordan Mask is a decent tackler.

Texas State Bobcats: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 1 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by each of the Mountain West’s 11 Week 1 opponents?

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 1 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by each of the Mountain West’s 11 Week 1 opponents?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What to keep in mind before kickoff.

Cal Poly (link to game notes, depth chart on page 11)

What stands out: The Mustangs have a couple of solid defensive pieces, most notably defensive end Eljiah Ponder, and they’ll hope that sophomore Robbie Greer can bookend Ponder’s production at the other edge spot.

Why that could be important: Cal Poly’s pass rush wasn’t a particularly strong one in 2021, as the team had just 22 sacks, tied for tenth among teams in the Big Sky. Ponder had eight by himself, so the 6-foot-6, 250 pound Greer, who got his first taste of action as a true freshman in the spring season last year but redshirted during the fall, will be expected to do his part in taking down Jake Haener.

Portland State (link to game notes, depth chart on page 13)

What stands out: Dante Chachere is tasked with replacing Davis Alexander, one of the best quarterbacks in Portland State football history.

Why that could be important: Alexander had a lot of moxie and, more importantly, knew how to produce, doing so to the tune of 294.5 yards of total offense per game last year. The sophomore Chachere, after winning the competition over Jaden Casey, is a Fresno native who has earned a lot of praise throughout the offense for his growth as a potential dual-threat quarterback. His homecoming will be a test of how true that is.

Texas State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: As the Bobcats already return more than half of last year’s starters on both sides of the ball, there weren’t a ton of roles for players to step up and claim but nickelback Jarron Morris, who’s actually reclaiming a spot, could be the rare exception.

Why that could be important: Texas State’s secondary got picked on quite a bit last year, allowing a completion rate of 65.4% while interceptions just three passes all season. It could be in part because they missed Morris, a second-team all-Sun Belt defender who played in only one full game before a hip injury cost him the entire season. If he’s back in form, the Bobcats will be that much better for it.

Michigan (link to discussion of depth chart)

What stands out: The Wolverines will have work to do in replacing Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, but one surprising entry that will be part of the cohort to do so is true freshman Mason Graham.

Why that could be important: A two-way player who also wrestled at California’s Servite High School, Graham won’t have to do everything by himself with veterans like Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins back, as well. At 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds, though, Graham could disrupt Colorado State’s best laid plans from the point of attack if the Rams aren’t ready.

Northern Iowa (link to overview of team depth)

What stands out: The Panthers found themselves having to replace a first-round NFL Draft pick this summer, but Matthew Vanderslice emerged as Trevor Penning’s successor throughout the off-season.

Why that could be important: Vanderslice isn’t completely new to the starting lineup, having made two starts in 2019, three in spring 2020 and three last fall, but you could make a reasonable case that no one else mentioned in this article has bigger shoes to fill.

The upside? Vanderslice is a pretty big dude himself, listed at 6-foot-8 and 318 pounds on the UNI roster. If he can protect Theo Day’s blind side half as well as Penning did, Air Force could be in for a much tougher fight than expected.

Arizona (link to depth chart)

What stands out: The Wildcats aren’t wasting any time throwing true freshman Tetairoa McMillan into the mix, starting opposite UTEP transfer Jacob Cowing and sophomore Dorian Singer.

Why that could be important: McMillan is the highest-ranked recruit that Arizona has ever landed, a five-star prospect according to some sites, and at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, it’s not hard to see why. We know that Cowing is one of the nation’s premier deep threats, but it’ll be interesting to see what kind of role Jedd Fisch carves out for his off-season’s biggest prize.

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Nevada Football: First Look At The Texas State Bobcats

Texas State football has scuffled while others in the Sun Belt have thrived. Will 2022 be any different for the Bobcats?

Nevada Football: First Look At The Texas State Bobcats

Texas State football has scuffled while others in the Sun Belt have thrived. Will 2022 be any different for the Bobcats?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

A test for the rebuilding Wolf Pack.

After opening 2022 on the road against New Mexico State, the Nevada Wolf Pack will welcome the Texas State Bobcats to Mackay Stadium to open up its six-game slate.

While Nevada prepares to write a new chapter in the wake of the successful Jay Norvell era, the Bobcats are still chasing down that first sustained success. Since jumping to the FBS ranks in 2012, Texas State has just one winning season and haven’t made much headway under the current regime toward a second. The pressure is on, then, for both teams to prove something in their early season clash.

Location: San Marcos, Texas

Conference: Sun Belt

Series History: Nevada leads the all-time series, 1-0.

2021 Record: 4-8 (3-5 Sun Belt)

Head Coach: Jake Spavital (fourth year at Texas State, 9-27 overall). Since taking over for Everett Withers after the 2018 season, progress in San Marcos has been painfully slow and Spavital’s transfer portal gambits haven’t paid off quite as hoped. However, the team’s four wins were the most since 2014 and, interestingly enough, they beat the three teams who finished below them in the Sun Belt West division.

Key Players

Layne Hatcher, QB

If Hatcher’s name sounds passingly familiar, that’s because he split time at quarterback with Utah State’s Logan Bonner at Arkansas State in 2019 and 2020. When he had the job more to himself in 2021, the results were a little more inconsistent: A 58.9% completion rate, 2,423 yards, and 19 touchdowns with a 3.8% interception rate. With a fresh start elsewhere in the Sun Belt ahead of him and 32 career starts already behind him, however, he could bounce back and give the Bobcats exactly what they’ve lacked at the position in recent years.

Dalton Cooper, OT

One of two Bobcats recently named a preseason first-team all-Sun Belt selection, Cooper will be expected to anchor the Texas State offensive line for a third straight year at the left tackle position where, among other things, he was named a freshman All-American by The Athletic in 2020 and paced the conference’s players at the position in terms of overall PFF grading in 2021.

Jordan Revels, DE

2022 will mark Revels’s fourth year as a contributor for the Bobcats and his third as a starter, with 17 starts over the past two seasons. In that time, he’s steadily grown more disruptive, leading the Bobcats in 2021 with 7.5 tackles for loss while posting career bests with 59 total tackles and three sacks.

Javen Banks, WR

2022 will mark Banks’ fifth year with the Bobcats and he’s been a contributor to some extent the whole time. Last season marked the first time he was the team’s number one pass catcher, however, as he led Texas State with 553 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 36 receptions, so chances are he’ll continue on as a focal point of the offense.

Seth Keller, K

Keller, like Cooper, was named a first-team preseason all-Sun Belt pick after connecting on 15-of-18 field goal tries and nailing all 32 extra point attempts in 2021. At the moment, he also happens to hold the school record for career field goal percentage, so the junior may get plenty more chances to prove he reliable he can be.

Overview:

Offense

Texas State’s offense wasn’t great, no matter how you slice. In terms of plain yards per play, the Bobcats finished next-to-last in the Sun Belt; by points per drive and available yards percentage earned, they were 92nd and 102nd. It wasn’t the worst attack in the country, but being “forgettable” isn’t much better.

Hatcher might be the frontrunner to start at quarterback, but that isn’t a given. Ty Evans, formerly of North Carolina State, could play his way into the role. Whoever wins the job will benefit from a running game that could be pretty good, spearheded by Calvin Hill (128 carries, 696 yards, three touchdowns) and Jahmyl Jeter (91 carries, 384 yards, eight touchdowns), and a group of pass catchers that, beyond Banks, returns all but one player who had at least ten receptions last season. Marcell Barbee paced the Bobcats with 40 catches and five scores while Ashtyn Hawkins had 30.

Defense

Perhaps coincidentally, the Bobcats defense underperformed to almost the exact same level as the offense in 2021, with just one spot of improvement in terms of points per drive allowed (2.55, 91st) and none by available yards percentage allowed (54.1%, 102nd).

Whether that’ll change is a bit murky. Revels and sophomore linebacker Issiah Nixon are the only two returning Bobcats who had more than five tackles for loss, though a return to health from players like defensive tackle Samuel Obiang (3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks in six games) and contributions from transfer portal arrivals like Myron Warren (Texas) and Levi Bell (Louisiana Tech) could go a long way.

Further from the line of scrimmage, linebacker Sione Tupou (75 tackles, three tackles for loss) and cornerback Kordell Rodgers (seven pass breakups) provide some much-needed veteran leadership but more will be needed at other positions. The defense, for instance, only had three interceptions as a unit last year despite 37 pass breakups. Improvements in their ability to be disruptive could have an outsized impact, but that’s not a given.

Early Predictions

Nevada may be working with a nearly new offense in 2022, but they should have enough talent on that side of the ball to exploit what looks like, on paper, a leaky Texas State defense. It may not be the prettiest game to watch, though the Wolf Pack should get it done.

Nevada 31, Texas State 27

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Texas State Bobcats Top 10 Players: College Football Preview 2022

Who are the top 10 Texas State players going into the 2022 college football season?

Texas State Bobcats Preview 2022: Who are the top 10 players going into the season?

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Texas State Bobcats Preview 
Texas State 2022 Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
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