Boise State Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017
By Zach Bigalke
Nevada wasn’t far from returning to a bowl game in 2016. The Wolf Pack went 5-7 last season, but lost by a single score of both San Jose State and Wyoming. It was not enough to save Brian Polian’s job after four futile seasons in Reno. Now the team moves forward with new head coach Jay Norvell taking over the reins of the program.
When these two teams played in Reno back in 2014, though, Boise State nearly suffered defeat. On their way to the Fiesta Bowl, they managed to survive the trip to Nevada with a 51-46 victory. It was nearly reminiscent of Nevada’s upset of the Broncos in 2010, when the Colin Kaepernick-led Wolf Pack knocked Boise State out of BCS contention. The longtime rivals have faced one another in three different conferences, with time together in the Big West and WAC.
This year’s Nevada team should be acclimated to the new coaching staff by the time November rolls around. While they will have a losing record, they will once again be a tough out for their conference rivals.
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Final: Boise State 28, Nevada 13 (8-1, 5-0 MWC)
Boise State gets to play this game at home, and it will make all the difference. Norvell’s crew will have Nevada ready to give the Broncos their best shot. An experienced defense will keep Brett Rypien and the Boise offense in check. Even with a lower score to case, though, a young Wolf Pack offense will not be able to score enough points to keep pace.