Nevada Pulls Upset of Fresno

Can you say letdown?

Robert Hubbard ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns and Jeff Rowe hit Nichiren Flowers with a 12-yard scoring pass with 1:29 remaining as Nevada upset No. 16 Fresno State, 38-35, Saturday to claim at least a share of the Western Athletic Conference title.

Paul Pinegar threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Matt Rivera, then found Joe Fernandez for a two-point conversion pass to make it 38-35 with 31 seconds left, but Nevada’s Anthony Pudewell recovered an onside kick to secure the victory in a crazy finish played without the stadium clock the final six minutes.

Pinegar completed 30 of 45 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns a week after Fresno State had put a scare into top-ranked USC before falling, 50-42. The Bulldogs have already accepted an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl.

Fernandez had nine catches for a career-best 150 yards.

Nevada (8-3, 7-1) got a pair of turnovers in the final seven minutes to overcome 17 consecutive points in the second half by Fresno State (8-3, 6-1).

The Bulldogs close the regular season Friday by playing host to Louisiana Tech. Boise State also finished its season 7-1 in the WAC, so if Fresno State wins its finale there will be a three-way tie.

The victory ended Fresno State’s 12-game winning streak in the WAC and guaranteed the Wolf Pack a bowl berth in their first winning season since 1998.

Rowe completed 14 of 22 passes for 189 yards and B.J. Mitchell added 77 yards rushing for Nevada.

Hubbard scored on a 13-yard draw play to end a 17-0 run by the Bulldogs and put the Wolf Pack ahead, 31-27, with 8:12 left.

Fresno State trailed by as many as 14 points late in the second quarter and didn’t take its first lead until Pinegar lobbed a three-yard scoring pass to Paul Williams, then hit Jamison for a two-point conversion to make it 27-24 with 12:29 to go.

Nevada scored on its first three possessions as Rowe completed seven of his first 10 attempts, opening a 17-3 lead on the second play of the second quarter when Hubbard ran 21 yards off tackle untouched into the end zone.