Vandals Expect Snarling
Everybody loves a winner. Every coach fears a loser.
Nevada’s football team is 1-5 and lost backto-back home games earlier this season for the first time since 1987.
Even Wolf Pack coach Jeff Tisdel is hobbling after injuring his calf muscle while jumping to watch a field goal attempt in Saturday’s 34-30 loss to Wyoming.
“It’s going to be like a hornet’s nest down there,” said Idaho football coach Chris Tormey, whose team visits the Wolf Pack on Saturday in a crucial Big West game.
“We’ve been there. We’ve been 1-3 the last two years… . The mind-set is you’re backed into a corner and you come out fighting. That’s why we’re not catching them at a real good time psychologically. I’d rather play them when they’re 5-1 than when they’re 1-5.”
Nevada is 1-5 because of an ambitious schedule. The Wolf Pack’s five losses are to Colorado State, Oregon, Southern Mississippi, Toledo and Wyoming. Those five clubs are a combined 21-9.
Alarming to Tormey, and perhaps the rest of the Big West, is Nevada did everything but beat Oregon and Wyoming. Oregon scored with 1:02 remaining in a 24-20 win. Nevada scored with 47 seconds left, only to see Wyoming counter with the game-winner with 12 seconds remaining.
The Wolf Pack were the preseason conference favorite and nothing’s changed, Tormey said. “This is a new season for them and conference play is the most important thing, as it is for us.”
Idaho, 4-2 overall, is 1-0 in conference. A win would hand UI the Big West steering wheel.
“This is championship game No. 1,” running back Jerome Thomas said.
“If we win this game, I think we’re going all the way (to the Big West title),” receiver Ryan Prestimonico said.
Bagging the Aggies
If Nevada had an alter ego, it would be Utah State. The Aggies are 2-4 against a tough schedule and they’ve had fourth-quarter opportunities against Colorado State, New Mexico, Brigham Young and Oregon State. All ended in narrow defeats.
“We’re just good enough to get beat,” Aggies coach John L. Smith said.
Best of the worst
It was billed as the battle for No. 112 - Boise State and New Mexico State determining whom would earn the 112th, and last, ranking in I-A football.
“The nation is a-twitter about Saturday’s matchup,” The Sporting News chided.
BSU romped 52-10, but New Mexico State didn’t slip to 112th. The Sporting News lists BSU 105 and NMSU at 110.
Jeff Sagarin’s all-school computer rankings have BSU at 141, behind numerous I-AAs and, interestingly, Division II UC Davis, which lost to Idaho on Saturday. New Mexico State is 152, ahead of I-A weaklings Southwest Louisiana and Arkansas State.
What if …
It’s possible Nevada could win the Big West with an unsightly 5-6 record. It is impossible for Nevada to meet the minimum six I-A win bowl requirement because Idaho is classified as I-AA.
So, can Nevada represent the Big West in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise?
Nevada would have to file an appeal with the NCAA Management Council, according to a Reno Gazette-Journal article quoting an NCAA official.
However, it’s doubtful the appeal would be denied.
“We were told by the NCAA in August that the bowl game is approved for our champion and we strongly believe that’s the case,” Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell said.
Nevada, by the way, qualified for the Las Vegas Bowl, precursor to the Humanitarian Bowl, in 1992 with five I-A wins.
Meanwhile, Farrell confirmed that Idaho is eligible for the bowl game despite its I-AA standing.
Still, the scenarios put an emphasis on the urgency facing the six-team Big West as it searches for additional members and on Idaho to resolve its classification dilemma.
The Big West, the smallest I-A conference, is considering adding Louisiana Tech and/or Arkansas State for football only.
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