Get the SportSpies.com weekly subscription at an incredible price
Sport Spies previews an exciting matchup between the Pac-10 and WAC in front of a national audience.
California heads out on the road for the first time to take on a dangerous opponent in front of a national audience. The matchup pits a Golden Bears team that leads the nation in total defense (161 yards per game) against a Wolf Pack pistol offense that paces the country in total offense (592 yards per game). Tonight's contest is the first road game of the 2010 campaign for Cal and is the first non-Saturday contest on the school's schedule since a 41-13 victory at New Mexico State in September 2005. The series has been dominating by the Bears, holding a 22-1-1 advantage, but the schools have only played once since 1945, a 33-15 Cal win in Berkeley on September 21, 1996. California has a 60-12-1 all-time record in games against schools currently making their home in the WAC.
The Golden Bears are once against coached by Jeff Tedford, with the team averaging 8.4 wins per season in his first eight campaigns. Cal has scored 50 or more points in each of its first two games for the second consecutive season under Tedford and the team has won 30 straight games when scoring 30 or more points in a game. Quarterback Kevin Riley leads the Pac-10 and is third in the nation with a passer efficiency rating of 205.27, having completed 29-of-44 passes for 455 yards and a Pac-10 co-leading seven touchdowns with no interceptions. He leads all active conference signal callers with 17 career victories. The team is 3-8 ATS versus WAC opponents since the 1992 season.
Nevada enters with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2005 and is set to host one of the more highly-anticipated games in the school's history at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack are currently receiving votes in both national polls and will be looking to score just its second victory against tonight's opponent. The team returns 15 starters from last year's team that went 8-5 overall and 7-1 in WAC play. Head coach Chris Ault improved to 208-96-1 in his 26-year career with last week's 51-6 home win over the Colorado State Rams. The offense piled up 631 yards of total offense in that game and scored on every offensive possession.
The Wolf Pack vaunted offense is led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who became just the ninth player in NCAA history to rush for 3,000 yards and throw for 3,000 yards in his career last week. The senior All-American candidate tallied 402 yards of total offense versus the Rams last week, while playing just three quarters. Over the last five seasons, the pistol offense has allowed the school to rank fourth in the nation with 241 yards rushing per game (Navy, Air Force, West Virginia). Tonight's opponent will obviously get the team's full attention, but the team does travel to Provo, Utah to tackle the BYU Cougars next week. Nevada is 4-5 ATS versus the Pac-10 Conference since 1992.
Bettors will have a definite interest in backing the Golden Bears tonight, but the team is a disappointing 0-5 ATS in their last five games against the WAC. Nevada offers little to get excited about due to the team's 3-8 ATS mark versus non-conference foes.
Sport Spies previews an exciting matchup between the Pac-10 and WAC in front of a national audience.
California heads out on the road for the first time to take on a dangerous opponent in front of a national audience. The matchup pits a Golden Bears team that leads the nation in total defense (161 yards per game) against a Wolf Pack pistol offense that paces the country in total offense (592 yards per game). Tonight's contest is the first road game of the 2010 campaign for Cal and is the first non-Saturday contest on the school's schedule since a 41-13 victory at New Mexico State in September 2005. The series has been dominating by the Bears, holding a 22-1-1 advantage, but the schools have only played once since 1945, a 33-15 Cal win in Berkeley on September 21, 1996. California has a 60-12-1 all-time record in games against schools currently making their home in the WAC.
The Golden Bears are once against coached by Jeff Tedford, with the team averaging 8.4 wins per season in his first eight campaigns. Cal has scored 50 or more points in each of its first two games for the second consecutive season under Tedford and the team has won 30 straight games when scoring 30 or more points in a game. Quarterback Kevin Riley leads the Pac-10 and is third in the nation with a passer efficiency rating of 205.27, having completed 29-of-44 passes for 455 yards and a Pac-10 co-leading seven touchdowns with no interceptions. He leads all active conference signal callers with 17 career victories. The team is 3-8 ATS versus WAC opponents since the 1992 season.
Nevada enters with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2005 and is set to host one of the more highly-anticipated games in the school's history at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack are currently receiving votes in both national polls and will be looking to score just its second victory against tonight's opponent. The team returns 15 starters from last year's team that went 8-5 overall and 7-1 in WAC play. Head coach Chris Ault improved to 208-96-1 in his 26-year career with last week's 51-6 home win over the Colorado State Rams. The offense piled up 631 yards of total offense in that game and scored on every offensive possession.
The Wolf Pack vaunted offense is led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who became just the ninth player in NCAA history to rush for 3,000 yards and throw for 3,000 yards in his career last week. The senior All-American candidate tallied 402 yards of total offense versus the Rams last week, while playing just three quarters. Over the last five seasons, the pistol offense has allowed the school to rank fourth in the nation with 241 yards rushing per game (Navy, Air Force, West Virginia). Tonight's opponent will obviously get the team's full attention, but the team does travel to Provo, Utah to tackle the BYU Cougars next week. Nevada is 4-5 ATS versus the Pac-10 Conference since 1992.
Bettors will have a definite interest in backing the Golden Bears tonight, but the team is a disappointing 0-5 ATS in their last five games against the WAC. Nevada offers little to get excited about due to the team's 3-8 ATS mark versus non-conference foes.
