Nevada vs. Air Force Prediction: Mountain West Foes Meet on Friday Night

Bolts of lightning?

The Nevada Wolf Pack have seen sufficient of these.

Whereas loads of such strikes within the sky disrupted their recreation in opposition to Iowa in Iowa Metropolis final Saturday, it’s going to be ones on the sector attempting to do the identical this Friday evening at Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs.

The hope is they do not get lit up by the host Air Power Falcons — which sport trademark thunderbolts on their helmets — as they did within the 27-0 weather-delayed Week 3 loss to the Hawkeyes.

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“That is a primary proper there,” Nevada head coach Ken Wilson mentioned of three lightning delays — all within the second half. “First one, we fed (the gamers) some meals. The lengthy one, we allow them to take their pads off, allow them to stroll round within the hallway. The final one, we knew it would not be too lengthy, so we simply put collectively our plan for the remainder of the sport.”

Sadly, that plan did not jolt the Wolf Pack to a comeback, as they have been shut out on the marathon evening by the host Hawkeyes in ugly vogue and fell to 2-2 heading into their first Mountain West recreation of the season.

In the meantime, the Falcons themselves have been shocked by the host Wyoming Cowboys throughout their convention opener final Friday evening.

Regardless of being greater than two-touchdown favorites, Air Power didn’t flash in a irritating 17-14 loss, dropping their first recreation of the 12 months after a 2-0 begin to the season.

So after getting zapped, the Falcons plan to file a successful flight plan on residence turf this week.

“You by no means need to lose,” mentioned Air Power quarterback Haaziq Daniels. “It is disappointment. You have to be taught from it — you have to transfer on and attempt to get higher.”

Nevada at Air Power

Kickoff: Friday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
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Unfold: Air Power -24
Tickets: As little as $16 on SITickets.com* 

When Nevada Has the Ball

The Wolf Pack’s offense lacked chew final Saturday, averaging simply 2.4 yards per play for under 151 complete in opposition to Iowa. The passing assault — at 2.9 yards per try — was solely barely higher than the bottom recreation — simply 1.9 yards per rush.

Ouch.

Most of that listlessness might be blamed on the absence of quarterback Nate Cox, who lined up for only one snap due to an undisclosed harm that apparently stored him from having the ability to throw the ball.

As a substitute, it was Oklahoma State switch Shane Illingworth getting the beginning at quarterback, and the sophomore struggled with each the climate delays and the Hawkeyes’ protection. He completed with 14-for-28 passing for 82 yards with an interception. Per week earlier, Cox threw for greater than 300 yards — albeit in a 55-41 loss to FCS Incarnate Phrase.

However with out Cox in opposition to Iowa, Nevada simply did not transfer the ball in opposition to a heralded protection. The rain-soaked recreation and three climate delays actually did not assist the trigger.

“I do not assume our offense ever bought in a rhythm at any time,” Wilson advised reporters. “We by no means had a sustained drive. Plenty of credit score to Iowa’s protection. Even after we made a few performs, they shut us proper again down. They bought strain on our quarterback, and we did not run the ball very nicely, and that left our protection on the sector for means too lengthy.”

The excellent news is Cox has been declared “good this week” by Wilson, so count on to see extra of him below heart.

Air Power head coach Troy Calhoun mentioned his crew is making ready for each. “Regarding the quarterbacks … [there’s] a man that has contact and a very, actually robust arm — they each do. There are some similarities.”

Irrespective of who’s below heart, the Wolf Pack will face a staunch Falcons protection.

It was a bend-but-don’t-break effort in opposition to Wyoming final week, giving up two touchdowns and a discipline objective to the Cowboys, who leaned extra on their floor recreation (180 yds., 5.1 ypc) to outlast the Falcons. Air Power ranks within the prime 30 nationally in each scoring and passing protection and simply exterior of that vary in complete protection. This unit has produced six takeaways — together with junior security Camby Goff’s team-leading two interceptions — however has recorded only one sack so far.

When Air Power Has the Ball

Final week, Nevada was met by a trio of lightning delays.

This week, the Wolf Pack face the dreaded triple possibility of Air Power. And it is prone to be working sizzling after final week’s stumble in opposition to Wyoming.

“It is extraordinarily irritating,” mentioned Falcons’ main rusher Brad Roberts, who managed simply 54 yards on 17 carries in opposition to the Cowboys. “We have got to be higher. That comes down to each place.”

Certainly, the offensive line has to create the holes, and the ball carriers, together with senior Roberts, need to hit them. In any other case, the Air Power assault fizzles.

After piling up 509 yards on the bottom within the first two video games, the Falcons totaled 171 on 40 makes an attempt (4.3 ypc). It is nonetheless the No. 1 speeding offense within the nation, and by a great margin (396 ypg vs. 312.7 for No. 2 Minnesota).

If there was a brilliant spot final Friday, it was the emergence of junior John Lee Eldridge III, who posted a career-high 104 yards on 13 carries (8.0 ypc).

Daniels additionally tied his career-best mark with two landing passes however he was ineffective on the bottom with 9 yards on six makes an attempt. That merely cannot occur if Air Power goes to contend for the Mountain West title.

The Falcons want each Daniels and Roberts to return to rolling kind. Or, maybe, they’ll get one other 200-yard recreation from senior DeAndre Hughes, who torched Nevada within the 41-39 triple-overtime win. In that recreation, Air Power totaled 499 yards and 26 first downs however solely 23 of them got here by way of the air.

The Wolf Pack protection is nicely conscious of what is wanted to defeat the Falcons and the hassle will probably be led by defensive deal with Dom Peterson. A two-time All-Mountain West choice, Peterson was on the Bednarik Award preseason watch record and will probably be essential to limiting the harm Air Power does on the bottom.

Turnovers will probably be key too. Nevada is tied for the nationwide lead with 11 takeaways, though seven of them are interceptions. Senior defensive again Bentlee Sanders is No. 1 in FBS with 4 picks, one in all which he returned for a landing.

Ultimate Evaluation

Air Power’s means to run will determine this one.

If Nevada can cease it like Wyoming did final week and engineer its personal prolonged drives, then there’s an opportunity to maintain it shut.

“Hopefully, as we get into the (Mountain West) season right here beginning this Friday evening, we’ll have a system and a routine,” Wilson advised reporters, “and these guys will begin taking part in higher collectively and you will see that stuff be capable of preserve us on the sector longer and get extra prolonged drives and be capable of get some massive performs out of these guys.”

That each one mentioned, the consultants have not bought a variety of religion within the Wolf Pack, figuring them to be a rebuilding crew following the departure of former head coach Jay Norvell to convention rival Colorado State together with the exodus of a number of key gamers. Getting shut out by Iowa on the highway in a weather-delayed recreation could not have helped the crew’s confidence both.

And the Falcons, regardless of final week’s robust outing, are thought of robust contenders for the title this fall. That tough go final week in Laramie would possibly simply have been the stumble they wanted to energy by way of the remainder of the schedule with anticipated Air Power toughness.

“We’re simply going to need to get higher and higher and higher as we go all through the season,” Calhoun added. “We’re cranking it up on Friday evening and taking part in a very, actually laborious opponent.”

Prediction: Air Power 30, Nevada 10

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– Written by Todd Saelhof, who’s a part of the Athlon Contributor Community and a sports activities editor/author for Postmedia in Canada. Observe him on @ToddSaelhofPM at #CollegeFootballFrenzy.

*Worth as of publication.