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RENO — Boise State did what few teams have been able to do this year - take the read option play away from Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
With Kaepernick struggling to turn upfield from the outset, the Wolf Pack running game was essentially non-existent. Nevada needed to throw the ball, but didn’t have success with 19 completions in 51 attempts.
And, despite a valiant effort by the defense, which scored twice on interception returns by Jerome Johnson and Josh Mauga, the Wolf Pack lost a 41-34 heartbreaker to No. 9 Boise State Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 27,057.
Unlike most of the other Boise-Nevada games, this one went down to the wire. The game ended with Nevada throwing four incomplete passes in the end zone. The loss was Nevada’s ninth straight against the Broncos. In that span, Nevada has been outscored 456-177. Nevada has scored 101 of those points in the last two years.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Johnson. “We lose in a dogfight last year (69-67, 4 OTs) and we lose in a dogfight this year. It hurts.”
Neither team had success running the ball early, and that set the tempo. Boise gave up early in the contest and resorted to throwing with great success. The Broncos held Kaepernick to 10 yards rushing on the first four possessions and 70 for the game.
“They got their safeties (highly) involved in the game,” Nevada coach Chris Ault said. “When that happens, you have to be able to throw the ball to get them to back off. Kap didn’t throw well. We missed some opportunities.”
In fact, Kaepernick is only 55 for 127 through the air in the last four weeks. The last two weeks, especially, he has continually missed open receivers.
“Their defense had us going in the first half,” Kaepernick said. “They schemed us well with what we were trying to do. It’s a defense we’ll start to see in the future and we need to be ready for it.
“I don’t know whether it’s mechanics or my release (causing errant passes). Whatever it is, I need to fix it so I can get the team back on track.”
Boise State used a run-stuffing defense and the pinpoint passing of redshirt freshman Kellen Moore to take a 24-3 halftime lead. Nevada was held to 31 yards on the ground and Moore completed 19 of 29 for 319 yards and two scores. Boise State scored on four of its six first-half possessions
Boise State scored on back-to-back possessions to grab a 14-0 lead, as Moore tossed a 16-yard pass to fullback Richie Brockel to cap a 79-yard drive, and following a Nevada punt, the Broncos drove 70 yards for another score with Vinny Perretta scoring from 3 yards out on a direct snap from center.
Nevada’s defense reverted back to its past on Boise State’s first scoring drive - failing to get off the field in critical third-down situations.
On the first scoring drive, the Broncos faced a third-and-24 situation from their own 7. Moore, under heavy pressure, lofted a pass to the middle of the field which found its way into the hands of a wide-open Vinny Perretta for 60 yards down to the Nevada 33. The Broncos converted a third-and-1 when Moore completed an 8-yard pass to Tommy Gallarda down to the 16 and then scored two plays later.
After Nevada cut the lead to 14-3 on Brett Jaekle’s 25-yard field goal, Boise converted two big third-down plays en route to a 34-yard Kyle Brotzman field goal with 6:22 left.
On third-and-7 from the Nevada 48, Moore completed a 9-yard pass to Ian Johnson. On another third-and-7 play from the Nevada 36, Moore completed a 10-yard pass to Julian Hawkins down to the 26.
Nevada went three and out, and Brett Jaekle’s 29-yard punt went out at the BSU 25. Jaekle was filling for Brad Langley, who injured his Achilles tendon prior to the game.
Moore moved the Broncos quickly downfield, completing two more key third-down passes. The first was a 24-yarder to Austin Pettis on a third-and-18 situation down to the Nevada 49. After a 32-yard completion to Vinny Perretta down to the 17, the Broncos faced another third-down situation at the 18. Moore lofted a pass in the left corner to Pettis, who got behind Mo Harvey. The PAT made it 24-3.
“No question,” Ault said when asked about the third-down failures. “ We gave up way too much yardage passing. They (the defense) made big plays, made turnovers. The defense held together. They played hard.”
The second half was a different story. Nevada played with a lot more energy on both sides of the ball and got themselves back into the game, 31-24.
Facing a second-and-5 from his own 21, Moore tried to connect over the middle. Johnson stepped in front of the intended receiver at the 28, jumped, caught the ball and rambled into the end zone. Jaekle’s PAT made it 24-10 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
“They were running a cross and dink,” Johnson said. “They had completed one. The next time they weren’t going to get another one. I jumped as high as I could and took it.”
Boise State bounced back three plays later when Ian Johnson broke loose for a 66-yard TD run, the longest run of his career and the longest play from scrimmage for the Broncos. Johnson shook off three tackles and covered the final 30 yards untouched for a 31-10 lead.
Nevada fought back to 31-24 with 5:14 left in the quarter, as Vai Taua, who saw his five-game streak of 100 or more yards rushing end, broke loose for a 31-yard TD to cap a 69-yard, seven-play drive. Then Mauga picked off a Moore pass at the 46 intended for Pettis and tightroped the right sideline for a TD to slice the lead to 31-24.
With Kaepernick struggling to turn upfield from the outset, the Wolf Pack running game was essentially non-existent. Nevada needed to throw the ball, but didn’t have success with 19 completions in 51 attempts.
And, despite a valiant effort by the defense, which scored twice on interception returns by Jerome Johnson and Josh Mauga, the Wolf Pack lost a 41-34 heartbreaker to No. 9 Boise State Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 27,057.
Unlike most of the other Boise-Nevada games, this one went down to the wire. The game ended with Nevada throwing four incomplete passes in the end zone. The loss was Nevada’s ninth straight against the Broncos. In that span, Nevada has been outscored 456-177. Nevada has scored 101 of those points in the last two years.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Johnson. “We lose in a dogfight last year (69-67, 4 OTs) and we lose in a dogfight this year. It hurts.”
Neither team had success running the ball early, and that set the tempo. Boise gave up early in the contest and resorted to throwing with great success. The Broncos held Kaepernick to 10 yards rushing on the first four possessions and 70 for the game.
“They got their safeties (highly) involved in the game,” Nevada coach Chris Ault said. “When that happens, you have to be able to throw the ball to get them to back off. Kap didn’t throw well. We missed some opportunities.”
In fact, Kaepernick is only 55 for 127 through the air in the last four weeks. The last two weeks, especially, he has continually missed open receivers.
“Their defense had us going in the first half,” Kaepernick said. “They schemed us well with what we were trying to do. It’s a defense we’ll start to see in the future and we need to be ready for it.
“I don’t know whether it’s mechanics or my release (causing errant passes). Whatever it is, I need to fix it so I can get the team back on track.”
Boise State used a run-stuffing defense and the pinpoint passing of redshirt freshman Kellen Moore to take a 24-3 halftime lead. Nevada was held to 31 yards on the ground and Moore completed 19 of 29 for 319 yards and two scores. Boise State scored on four of its six first-half possessions
Boise State scored on back-to-back possessions to grab a 14-0 lead, as Moore tossed a 16-yard pass to fullback Richie Brockel to cap a 79-yard drive, and following a Nevada punt, the Broncos drove 70 yards for another score with Vinny Perretta scoring from 3 yards out on a direct snap from center.
Nevada’s defense reverted back to its past on Boise State’s first scoring drive - failing to get off the field in critical third-down situations.
On the first scoring drive, the Broncos faced a third-and-24 situation from their own 7. Moore, under heavy pressure, lofted a pass to the middle of the field which found its way into the hands of a wide-open Vinny Perretta for 60 yards down to the Nevada 33. The Broncos converted a third-and-1 when Moore completed an 8-yard pass to Tommy Gallarda down to the 16 and then scored two plays later.
After Nevada cut the lead to 14-3 on Brett Jaekle’s 25-yard field goal, Boise converted two big third-down plays en route to a 34-yard Kyle Brotzman field goal with 6:22 left.
On third-and-7 from the Nevada 48, Moore completed a 9-yard pass to Ian Johnson. On another third-and-7 play from the Nevada 36, Moore completed a 10-yard pass to Julian Hawkins down to the 26.
Nevada went three and out, and Brett Jaekle’s 29-yard punt went out at the BSU 25. Jaekle was filling for Brad Langley, who injured his Achilles tendon prior to the game.
Moore moved the Broncos quickly downfield, completing two more key third-down passes. The first was a 24-yarder to Austin Pettis on a third-and-18 situation down to the Nevada 49. After a 32-yard completion to Vinny Perretta down to the 17, the Broncos faced another third-down situation at the 18. Moore lofted a pass in the left corner to Pettis, who got behind Mo Harvey. The PAT made it 24-3.
“No question,” Ault said when asked about the third-down failures. “ We gave up way too much yardage passing. They (the defense) made big plays, made turnovers. The defense held together. They played hard.”
The second half was a different story. Nevada played with a lot more energy on both sides of the ball and got themselves back into the game, 31-24.
Facing a second-and-5 from his own 21, Moore tried to connect over the middle. Johnson stepped in front of the intended receiver at the 28, jumped, caught the ball and rambled into the end zone. Jaekle’s PAT made it 24-10 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
“They were running a cross and dink,” Johnson said. “They had completed one. The next time they weren’t going to get another one. I jumped as high as I could and took it.”
Boise State bounced back three plays later when Ian Johnson broke loose for a 66-yard TD run, the longest run of his career and the longest play from scrimmage for the Broncos. Johnson shook off three tackles and covered the final 30 yards untouched for a 31-10 lead.
Nevada fought back to 31-24 with 5:14 left in the quarter, as Vai Taua, who saw his five-game streak of 100 or more yards rushing end, broke loose for a 31-yard TD to cap a 69-yard, seven-play drive. Then Mauga picked off a Moore pass at the 46 intended for Pettis and tightroped the right sideline for a TD to slice the lead to 31-24.
