The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are coming off a big win against Hawaii, but now travel north to face a Nevada Wolf Pack team brimming with confidence after a 63-28 intrastate beatdown of UNLV. The Pack offense showed signs of life against Missouri two weeks ago and now seems to have clicked. The matchup in this game versus the Bulldogs will be run defense versus run defense. Both these teams are two of the best in the country defending the ground attack so each will need to go to the air frequently in this game which will favor Nevada. The Bulldogs are just a few notches more dependent on the run that the Wolf Pack. With quarterback Colin Kaepernick finding a rhythm the last couple of games (15-18, 208 yards, TD last week) he should be able to expose a weak La. Tech secondary. Both teams are battle-tested with the Bulldogs having contended with Auburn and Navy while Nevada butted heads with Notre Dame and Missouri. Even without running back Vai Taua (who is probable for Friday), the Pack running attack rushed for 576 yards in that UNLV game with the top three carriers each going for 170 yards or more. I sincerely doubt we see those kinds of numbers against La. Tech, but Kaepernick should have at least 300 yards through the air at the end of this affair. The Bulldogs will have to find success on the ground and attempt to keep Nevada’s offense on the sidelines, but again, that may be easier said than done against elite defensive ends Kevin Basped and Dontay Moch. The Wolf Pack has a very meager secondary, but quarterback Ross ******* just isn’t a guy you want sitting in the pocket disbursing the ball all night. His team found a lot of running room against Hawaii, but he missed a few easy throws in that contest and finished completing only 13-of-22 passes for 97 yards. You can just tell his is a game-manager and not a player that can beat you with his arm. Receiver/returner Philip Livas will have to get at least 15 touches and two scores in this game for the Bulldogs to have any chance. Another rowdy Reno crowd will put this one away early and allow Nevada to cruise to its first WAC victory because Tech won’t be able to catch up when it gets down.
Red Hot Locks 10-9-09
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