Fresno State runs 105 plays, but can’t keep up with Nevada in 37-26 loss

FINAL: NEVADA 37, FRESNO STATE 26

Fresno State was playing its first football game in three weeks and it looked like it on Saturday in a 37-26 loss to Nevada at Mackay Stadium in Reno, which knocked the Bulldogs out of contention for a spot in the Mountain West Conference championship game.

The Bulldogs (3-2) dropped five passes, lost two fumbles. They were playing without key special teams pieces including their starting long snapper, punter and kicker and in the fourth quarter had to go without running back Ronnie Rivers, who suffered what appeared to be a lower leg injury on a long touchdown run that was called back by an illegal block penalty.

There was more, a lot of it, and Nevada gave the Bulldogs plenty of chances with three second-half turnovers. Fresno State just couldn’t get out of its own way, couldn’t take advantage, and it was a familiar face who delivered the knockout blow.

Freshman Tory Horton, the Washington Union High grad, caught three touchdown passes against the hometown team, the last one from 32 yards out with 5:32 to go pushing the Nevada (6-1) lead to 17 points.

Horton also caught an 85-yard touchdown pass from Carson Strong, breaking wide open up the sideline on a double move. His first score came in the second quarter on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Strong, who was 23 of 39 for 354 yards with five touchdowns.

Quarterback Jake Haener, who had to dodge pressure throughout and absorbed some hard hits from the Wolf Pack defense, completed 41 of 65 passes for a career-high 485 yards and two touchdowns, the last on a 21-yard pass to Zane Pope with 1:39 remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs ran 105 plays and gained 599 yards, just missing hitting 600 for the first time since a walk-over win against Incarnate Word in 2017. Fresno State had 613 yards of offense in that game, a 66-0 victory.

Rivers, coach Kalen DeBoer said, was being evaluated after the game.

An update could come Sunday.

“They were looking at him while we were walking up here to the locker room,” he said. “Nothing as far as like what his status is. Really, I don’t know any of them. I know we lost probably another handful of guys in the game.”

HORTON, AGAIN

Nevada wideout Tory Horton, who had all of seven receptions this season coming into this game, now has five for 148 yards and three touchdowns.

The Washington High grad just delivered the likely knockout blow on a 32-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Strong. The Wolf Pack leads 37-20 with 5:32 to go.

Horton this season has caught 12 passes and five of them have been for touchdowns.

HORTON BREAKS BULLDOGS

Fresno State failed to score on a 4th-and-goal play and now is down two scores after Carson Strong hit his fourth touchdown of the game and second to Tory Horton.

Horton on a 3rd-and-10 play was left wide open up the left sideline after a double move and outraced the Bulldogs 85 yards into the end zone to give the Wolf Pack a 30-20 lead.

The point-after was missed.

RIVERS OUT …

Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers has been out the past two series and been checked by trainers on the sidelines. No report on an injury yet.

Jordan Mims is in at running back and just had a nice block picking up a blitz coming up the middle on a 32-yard pass play from Jake Haener to Jalen Cropper.

The Bulldogs have a 1st-and-goal at the Nevada 9-yard line.

ADJUST MUCH?

Nevada had three consecutive touchdown drives in the first half, but since then it has gone punt, punt, punt, fumble, interception. On the Wolf Pack’s last 24 plays they have just 80 yards.

MORE MISTAKES FOR BULLDOGS

Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers had a touchdown run called back by an illegal block penalty on quarterback Jake Haener and one play later the Bulldogs lost possession when wideout Keric Whtefall was hit and fumbled at the end of a 32-yard pass play to the Nevada 30.

It’s still Nevada 24-20 with nine minutes to go in the third quarter.

WILL THOSE PLAYS CATCH UP TO NEVADA?

The 52 plays run by Fresno State is a fairly big number – when the Bulldogs beat Utah State, the Aggies ran 59 plays in the entire game.

The Wolf Pack has allowed 32 points in the fourth quarter this season.

BULLDOGS’ SECOND HALF DEFENSE

Fresno State is down four at half, but has allowed only 17 second-half points over its past three games.

That’s seven against Colorado State, that coming on a late fourth quarter touchdown pass when the game was pretty much over – Fresno State won 38-17.

That’s 10 at UNLV, the touchdown coming on a 71-yard run.

That’s none at Utah State, the Bulldogs’ defense pitching a shutout over the final two quarters.

HALFTIME: NEVADA 24, FRESNO STATE 20

The Bulldogs are 0-1 this season when trailing at halftime, losing to Hawaii.

Fresno State ran 52 plays in the first half, gaining 259 yards. Jake Haener is 20 of 34 for 190 yards with one touchdown. Ronnie Rivers is the leading receiver with seven receptions for 32 yards and has added 39 yards on the ground.

BULLDOGS BACK WITHIN ONE SCORE

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener has the Bulldogs back within one score, hitting Keric Wheatfall with a 19-yard touchdown pass with 1:32 to go before halftime.

The point-after was off the upright and no good.

Haener is 17 of 29 for 179 yards and one touchdown and has had three passes dropped. The Bulldogs’ quarterback also has rushed for 25 yards and touchdown on four plays.

ONE PROBLEM SOLVED, BIGGER ONE LOOMS

The Bulldogs solved their issues with the punt game, lining up on a 4th-and-10 play and having quarterback Jake Haener kick it.

The larger problem is another drive without points. Fresno State has had five series with two touchdowns but also two punts and one ended on downs. Nevada has had five series as well and haS scored touchdowns on the past three of them.

HORTON TD EXTENDS PACK LEAD

Nevada freshman Tory Horton, the former Washington High standout, has the Wolf Pack lead back to 10 points with a 17-yard touchdown receptions from Carson Strong.

The Bulldogs’ special teams again put the defense in a rough spot, a short kickoff and return setting Nevada up at its 41-yard line.

GOOD AGAINST THE RUN AND THEN …

Fresno State is ranked 11th in the Mountain West in rushing defense and came into this game allowing 5.3 yards per play and 228.3 yards per game.

It was off to a solid start against the Wolf Pack before Devonte Lee ripped off a 33-yard gain out of a Wildcat formation on a 4th-and-1 play. The Wolf Pack now has a first down at the Fresno State 17.

The Bulldogs have held Toa Taua to 17 yards on five rushing plays.

HAENER TD RUN GETS ‘DOGS WITHIN 17-14

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener scored on a 3-yard touchdown run on a 4th-and-goal play, getting the Bulldogs back to within 17-14 with 12:03 to go in the second quarter.

Haener is 10 of 18 for 92 yards and has rushed it three times for 19 yards and the touchdown.

Wideout Zane Pope, the Bulldogs’ leading receiver last season with 47 receptions, made his first catch of the year on the drive.

Pope missed the first four games with an injury.

BULLDOGS, NOT SPECIAL

Another mistake by the Bulldogs’ punt team – a terrible snap leading to a blocked punt – set up the Wolf Pack at the Bulldogs’ 21-yard line.

Another short-field TD for the Wolf Pack.

Nevada is now up 17-7, scoring on a 2-yard pass to tight end Cole Turner with 3:30 to go in the first quarter.

Fresno State is playing without its No. 1 long snapper Jacob Westberry and No. 1 punter Cade Fuller.

NEVADA BACK ON TOP, 10-3

Fresno State gave Nevada a short field, botching a punt attempt by Carson King and giving the Wolf Pack a first down at the Bulldogs’ 40-yard line.

Quarterback Carson Strong hit tight end Cole Turner with 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Wolf Pack a 10-7 lead. It is the third game in a row Turner has a TD reception.

King, the Bulldogs’ backup punter, was under pressure from his right and a little slow getting the kick away and ended up fumbling the football.

Cade Fuller had handled the Bulldogs’ 19 punts to that point.

BULLDOGS WITH QUICK ANSWER

Fresno State answered the Nevada field goal very quickly, with wideout Josh Kelly scoring on a 9-yard run with 8:05 to go in the quarter.

The Bulldogs drive was 77 yards in eight plays and running back Ronnie Rivers did a lot of the heavy lifting, rushing the ball twice for 19 yards and catching an 8-yard pass.

Quarterback Jake Haener was 4 of 4 for 45 yards with two of those completions to sophomore wideout Jalen Cropper.

THERE GOES THE WIGGLE ROOM

San Jose State just finished off a 35-24 victory at Hawaii and is now 5-0 with a game next week against Nevada.

The Spartans can lost at most one game, which means if the Bulldogs or Wolf Pack lose they will be out of contention for the Mountain West Conference championship game. San Jose State will play six, with games canceled at Fresno State and at Boise State due to coronavirus testing and contact tracing.

San Jose State was 5-7 last season and just 2-6 in conference play.

WOLF PACK ON BOARD

Nevada took the opening kickoff 38 yards in seven plays Saturday night, scoring on a 49-yard field goal by Brandon Talton with 11:34 remaining in the first quarter.

Wideout Romeo Doubs had two receptions for 31 yards on the drive including one for 27 yards. Both were short throws, and Doubs turned one into a chunk play.

Doubs has surpassed the 2,000-yard mark in career receiving yards. He came into the game with 1,999 yards.

PRE-GAME RUN

Fresno State is playing a football game for the first time in three weeks, taking on Nevada in a Mountain West Conference showdown at Mackay Stadium in Reno.

Kickoff was moved up to 6 p.m. from 7:30, with the game televised on FS2 at the conclusion of a boxing card.

The Bulldogs are on a three-game winning streak, but had rivalry games against San Jose State and San Diego State canceled due to one positive COVID-19 test within the program and its contact tracing protocols left them short enough on depth to play a game.

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR THE BULLDOGS?

For Fresno State this is more or less an elimination game in the race for a spot in the Mountain West championship game, though it is possible but unlikely that six teams finish conference play with two losses. That would be very 2020.

But bottom line on Saturday, the Bulldogs only help themselves with a win at Nevada. This is what the main contenders have remaining at the start of play Saturday …

Boise State (4-0)

• at Wyoming

San Jose State (4-0)

• at Hawaii
• Nevada

Nevada (5-1)

• Fresno State
• at San Jose State

Fresno State (3-1)

• at Nevada
• at New Mexico

Boise State was to play on Friday at UNLV, but that game was canceled based on guidance from medical personnel and epidemiologists.

The Mountain West didn’t provide more information, as it did with Fresno State when it had games against San Jose State and San Diego State canceled due to one positive COVID-19 test within the program and contact tracing protocols.

RIVERS’ RECORD UPDATE

Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers, at Utah State, became the first player in school history with 2,500 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards while tying the school record for career touchdowns.

He has rushed for 2,561 yards in his Fresno State career and caught 107 passes for 1,019 yards and, remember, he missed two games as a true freshman in 2017 and three games as a sophomore in 2018 with injuries.

Rivers can set that career touchdowns record on Saturday against the Wolf Pack as well as move up on a number of other career lists.

Here is a look at where he stands …

CAREER TOUCHDOWNS

1. Anthony Daigle (1991-93) 44

Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 44

3. Robbie Rouse (2009-12) 42

4. Ryan Mathews (2007-09) 41

5. Davante Adams (2012-13) 38

CAREER RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS

1. Ryan Mathews (2007-09) 39

2. Robbie Rouse (2009-12) 37

3. Anthony Daigle (1991-93) 35

Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 35

5. Bryson Sumlin (2002-05) 29

Michael Pittman (1993-97) 29

Dean Philpott (1954-57) 29

CAREER RUSHING YARDS

4. Marteze Waller (2012-15) 3,108

5. Michael Pittman (1993-97) 3,017

6. Dwayne Wright (2003-04, ‘06) 2,683

7. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 2,561

8. Dean Philpott (1954-57) 2,533

CAREER ALL-PURPOSE YARDS

6. Henry Ellard (1979-82) 4,152

7. Charlie Jones (1992-95) 3,947

8. Brian Roberson (1993-96) 3,938

9. Jamie Kimbrough (1995-98) 3,931

10. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 3,914

Rivers has scored at least one touchdown in 12 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation.

COVID-19 UPDATE

Fresno County faces a stay-at-home order Sunday night after the collective capacity of the region’s hospital intensive-care units dropped below 15% by Saturday.

The Bulldogs had anticipated that move and made plans to set up operations in Las Vegas to prepare for their final regular-season game on Dec. 12 against New Mexico.

That game will be played at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.

Fresno State was debating whether to travel straight from Reno to Las Vegas, but the last plan was to return to the Valley on Saturday night after playing Nevada.

IS QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL STILL SPINNING?

Fresno State had Jake Haener play start to finish in its victory at Utah State, but offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb suggested they would try to get some snaps for backup Ben Wooldridge the following week against San Jose State before that game was canceled.

That had been the plan at Utah State with Wooldridge, who came off the bench to play one series against Colorado State and four at UNLV.

“What happened, basically, was, with the exception of the red-zone interception by Jake, Jake was really hot in the first half,” Grubb said, before the Bulldogs were to play the Spartans.

“It was a cold-weather game and I didn’t want to change things up in the first half and in the second half, same thing, just bringing a guy into a cold-weather game, not having been out there, the offense was sputtering a little bit in the third quarter so didn’t want to put him in that position, so just left it as is and hopefully we’ll get back on track and get Ben back out there this week a little bit.”

It appeared the Bulldogs would continue to tinker – or, at least, were giving it some thought – even when playing what are essentially elimination games in the Mountain West race and with a starter in Haener who is ranked second in the conference in passing at 296.5 yards per game.

The fourth-year junior and transfer from Washington also is ranked in the top three in the conference in completion percentage (third, 66.9%), yards per attempt (first, 9.6), touchdown passes (tied for second, 9) and passing efficiency rating (second, 164.79).

This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 4:16 PM.