Nevada's offense played its worst game of the year in Pasadena. The Wolf Pack threw an interception on their very first play, which set up a UCLA field goal. Derrick Barksdale later returned another pick 26 yards for a touchdown, and Nevada never scored. Getting shut out by the No. 7 team in the country happens to plenty of Mountain West teams. Turning the ball over on the opening snap and throwing a pick-six is the part that should worry Nevada, because it showed up again in film the Lobos' secondary will study all week.
These 2 have 3 common opponents this year, and they mostly favor the visitors. New Mexico beat UTEP 61-7 at home, while Nevada won 30-13 in El Paso. The Lobos beat North Dakota State 21-16 in Albuquerque, while the Wolf Pack lost 31-17 in Fargo. San José State is the one that flips: Nevada's most convincing win was a 28-13 home win over the Spartans, a bigger margin than New Mexico managed in San Jose. Add in Nevada's 36-33 home loss to Air Force and you get a team that can score at Mackay and can't be counted on to stop anyone.
For Nevada, this is about getting back to .500 in conference play and saving a season that's slipping away. For New Mexico, it's about staying perfect in the Mountain West with a banged-up roster on a short week of travel. The early forecast calls for a cloudy, still night in the high 50s, which is about as calm as Reno gets in November. The matchup to watch is a Lobos offense that has to grind out every point against a Nevada team that has been giving away possessions.
