The Air Force Falcons are the team with the momentum going into their matchup with the Nevada Wolf Pack on Saturday.
The Falcons and the Wolf Pack kick off at 8:30 p.m. mountain in Mackay Stadium in Reno, Nev. The game is set to be broadcast on FS1.
Momentum is a relative term in this contest. The Falcons (3-7, 1-4) are on a two-game winning streak after they lost seven straight games. But at least they’re winning.
Nevada (3-8, 0-5) has lost its last four games and is trying to salvage what it can going into their in-state rivalry game with UNLV next week.
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So how does Air Force win this game? Here are three keys to the contest.
Air Force runs a offense similar to the other service academies that keeps the football on the ground and helps the Falcons dominate time of possession.
Against Oregon State, the Falcons held the ball for more than 42 minutes and enter Saturday’s game No. 14 in the country in rushing yards per game at 209.4 yards per game.
No team has attempted more rushes this season than Air Force’s 554. But the run game hasn’t been as effective as it could be, as the Falcons average less than four yards per carry. So there’s some work to do there.
But, this is a favorable matchup for the Falcons as Nevada is No. 96 in rushing yards allowed per game.
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Both teams are struggling with turnover margin.
Nevada enters the game No. 71 in the nation at minus-1. The Wolf Pack has forced 11 turnovers and committed 12. Air Force is No. 88 and the Falcons have forced 11 turnovers and committed 14 turnovers.
The takeaway is that neither team is creating a lot of mistakes this season, which means that one turnover either way can turn this game.
At worst, Air Force wants to break even here. At best, the Falcons want to end up in the positive here, even if it’s by one turnover.
One area Oregon State struggled in against Air Force was in creating first downs. The Beavers had just nine in the game. Part of the reason for that was that OSU went 2-of-10 on third down.
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Now, Oregon State was having issues at quarterback, but this is an area where Air Force excels on a national level.
Entering the Nevada game the Falcons are No. 38 in the country in third-down defensive efficiency as they allow opponents to convert 35.1% of the time.
The Falcons’ opponents have converted 40 times on 114 attempts. If Air Force is hoping for a third straight win, getting the Wolf Pack off the field on third down at this rate can help make it happen.
Mojave (Nev.) head football coach Wes Pacheco announced on Sunday morning that he’s stepping down from his position, according to a social media post.
Pacheco announced his resignation after six seasons at the helm of the Rattlers, putting together a 29-22 overall record from 2020-2025.
“I have officially stepped down as Head Coach of the Mojave Football Program,” Pacheco said in his social media post. “Thank you to Principal Cole for giving me the opoortunity make an impact on the lives of Mojave Student-Athletes. I am grateful and blessed to have labored through a 6-year journey of successes, failures, life lessons, character building and growth with the student-athletes myself and my coaching staff have served. I will forever love my Mojave Family, the Mojave Community and believe in the notion that SUCCESS can be attained by showcasing character, treating everyone with respect, and always have the courage to dream big and trust that “ATTACKING THE HARD WORK” & “HIGH MOTORING EVERYTHING” can yield SUCCESS that you want to achieve in life!”
During Pacheco’s half dozen seasons leading Mojave, his best record came in the 2024 season when the Rattlers finished with a 12-1 record. Located out of North Las Vegas, Mojave had to compete against the likes of national high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman during the regular season.
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Mojave ended the last season with a 4-6 record and as the state’s No. 23rd ranked team, according to the final 2025 Nevada High School Football Massey Rankings.
More about Mojave High School
Mojave High School, located in North Las Vegas, NV, is a dynamic public high school that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Home of the Rattlers, MHS offers a wide range of academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities. With a strong commitment to student success, Mojave emphasizes leadership, college and career readiness, and a supportive school culture that prepares students for life beyond graduation.
For Nevada high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Silver State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across Nevada.
A recent Review-Journal letter to the editor mischaracterized Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, also known as the Clark County Lands bill. As the former executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, so I wanted to set the record straight.
Sen. Cortez Masto has been working on this bill for years in partnership with state and local governments, conservation groups like the NCL and local area tribes. It’s true that the Clark County lands bill would open 25,000 acres to help Las Vegas grow responsibly, while setting aside 2 million acres for conservation. It would also help create more affordable housing throughout the valley while ensuring our treasured public spaces can be preserved for generations to come.
What is not correct is that the money from these land sales would go to the federal government’s coffers. In fact, the opposite is true.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act is a landmark bill that identified specific public land for future sale and created a special account ensuring all land sale revenues would come back to Nevada. In accordance with that law 5 percent of revenue from land transfers goes to the state of Nevada for general education purposes, 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for needed water infrastructure and 85 percent supports conservation and environmental mitigation projects in Southern Nevada. This legislation has provided billions to Clark County and will continue to benefit generations of Southern Nevadans. Sen. Cortez Masto’s lands bill builds upon the act’s success.
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So here’s the good news: All of the money generated from land made available for sale under Sen. Cortez Masto’s bill would be sent to the special account created by the 1998 law. Rather than going to an unaccountable federal government, the proceeds would continue to help kids in Vegas get a better education, bolster outdoor recreation and modernize Southern Nevada’s infrastructure.
I know how important it is that money generated from the sale of public land in Nevada stay in the hands of Nevadans, and so does the senator. That’s why she opposed a Republican effort last year to sell off 200,000 acres of land in Clark County and other areas of the country that would have sent those dollars directly to Washington.
Public land management in Nevada should benefit Nevadans. We should protect sacred cultural sites and beloved recreation spaces, responsibly transfer land for affordable housing when needed and ensure our state has the resources it needs to grow sustainably. I will continue working with Sen. Cortez Masto to advocate for legislation, such as the Clark County lands bill, that puts the needs of Nevadans first.
