Nevada (8-4)
1. Take pressure off Kap: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is the remaining 1,000-yard rusher in the Wolf Pack backfield, which means a lot of the pressure of the offense will fall on his shoulders. That’s not good. Players such as receiver Brandon Wimberly, and running backs Lampford Mark and Mike Ball need to pick up the offensive slack and give Kaepernick some help.
2. Buckle down in the secondary: Nevada ranks 119th in the country in passing defense with 284.25 yards per game and that will play right into the hands of SMU’s offense, which ranks 28th in the country in passing. Quarterback Kyle Padron, who took over the starting role in late October, completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,462 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions this year.
3. Get pressure up front: Nevada boasts the best defender in the Western Athletic Conference in lineman Dontay Moch. He led the conference with 19.5 tackles for loss, which should come in handy against a young quarterback and running back. Look for Moch to come after Padron and contain running back Shawnbrey McNeal.
SMU (7-5)
1. Stay diverse: One of the aspects that has made SMU so successful this season is the ability to keep defenses guessing. The Mustangs have a strong passing game, but they also excel on the ground behind running back Shawnbrey McNeal. He’s rushed for 1,125 yards and nine touchdowns and should be key in giving SMU a chance in the game.
2. Forget Taua and Lippincott: It would be easy to discount the Nevada rushing attack with leading rushers Vail Taua and Luke Lippincott out with academic issues and injury respectively, but the Wolf Pack still have capable threats in quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Lampford Mark and Mike Ball. Both Mark and Ball, who have seen limited time this season, have 100-yard games this year.
3. Rely on special teams: Defensive end Margus Hunt has seven blocked kicks this season and needs just one more to tie an NCAA record. He’s really swayed momentum several of the Mustangs games this year and could alter the kicking of Ricky Drake, who has been inconsistent at times this season.
1. Take pressure off Kap: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is the remaining 1,000-yard rusher in the Wolf Pack backfield, which means a lot of the pressure of the offense will fall on his shoulders. That’s not good. Players such as receiver Brandon Wimberly, and running backs Lampford Mark and Mike Ball need to pick up the offensive slack and give Kaepernick some help.
2. Buckle down in the secondary: Nevada ranks 119th in the country in passing defense with 284.25 yards per game and that will play right into the hands of SMU’s offense, which ranks 28th in the country in passing. Quarterback Kyle Padron, who took over the starting role in late October, completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,462 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions this year.
3. Get pressure up front: Nevada boasts the best defender in the Western Athletic Conference in lineman Dontay Moch. He led the conference with 19.5 tackles for loss, which should come in handy against a young quarterback and running back. Look for Moch to come after Padron and contain running back Shawnbrey McNeal.
SMU (7-5)
1. Stay diverse: One of the aspects that has made SMU so successful this season is the ability to keep defenses guessing. The Mustangs have a strong passing game, but they also excel on the ground behind running back Shawnbrey McNeal. He’s rushed for 1,125 yards and nine touchdowns and should be key in giving SMU a chance in the game.
2. Forget Taua and Lippincott: It would be easy to discount the Nevada rushing attack with leading rushers Vail Taua and Luke Lippincott out with academic issues and injury respectively, but the Wolf Pack still have capable threats in quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Lampford Mark and Mike Ball. Both Mark and Ball, who have seen limited time this season, have 100-yard games this year.
3. Rely on special teams: Defensive end Margus Hunt has seven blocked kicks this season and needs just one more to tie an NCAA record. He’s really swayed momentum several of the Mustangs games this year and could alter the kicking of Ricky Drake, who has been inconsistent at times this season.
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TOP 25 SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 12/17
Final Temple 37 Wyoming 15 Final Ohio 24 Utah State 23 Final San Diego State 30 Louisiana-Lafayette 32
Tuesday, 12/20
Wednesday, 12/21
Final 18 TCU 31 Louisiana Tech 24
Thursday, 12/22
Saturday, 12/24
Final Nevada 17 21 Southern Miss 24
Monday, 12/26
Tuesday, 12/27
Final Western Michigan 32 Purdue 37 Final Louisville 24 North Carolina State 31
Wednesday, 12/28
Final Toledo 42 Air Force 41 Final California 10 24 Texas 21
Thursday, 12/29
Final Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14 Final Washington 56 12 Baylor 67
Friday, 12/30
Final Brigham Young 24 Tulsa 21 Final Rutgers 27 Iowa State 13 Final Mississippi State 23 Wake Forest 17 Final Iowa 14 14 Oklahoma 31
Saturday, 12/31
Final Texas A&M 33 Northwestern 22 Final/OT Georgia Tech 27 Utah 30 Final Illinois 20 UCLA 14 Final Cincinnati 31 Vanderbilt 24 Final Virginia 24 25 Auburn 43
Monday, 1/2
Final 19 Houston 30 22 Penn State 14 Final Ohio State 17 Florida 24 Final/3OT 17 Michigan State 33 16 Georgia 30 Final 20 Nebraska 13 9 South Carolina 30 Final 10 Wisconsin 38 5 Oregon 45 Final/OT 4 Stanford 38 3 Oklahoma State 41
Tuesday, 1/3
Final/OT 13 Michigan 23 11 Virginia Tech 20
Wednesday, 1/4
Final 23 West Virginia 70 15 Clemson 33
Friday, 1/6
Final 8 Kansas State 16 6 Arkansas 29
Saturday, 1/7
Sunday, 1/8
Monday, 1/9
TOP PERFORMERS
- G. Smith West Virginia - QB
- 32-43, 407 yds, 6 tds
- @ CLEM | Final
- T. Ganaway Baylor - RB
- 21 car, 200 yds, 5 tds
- vs UW | Final
- J. White W Michigan - WR
- 13 rec, 265 yds, 1 td
- @ PU | Final
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