Boise State stays perfect, beats Nevada 41-34

[November 24, 2008]  RENO, Nev. (AP) -- Kellen Moore threw for 414 yards and three touchdowns and No. 9 Boise State kept the nation's best rushing offense in check, beating Nevada 41-34 Saturday to remain undefeated.

Moore threw for 319 yards by halftime, when the Broncos led 24-3.

Ian Johnson broke free for a 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter for Boise State, which turned back a late Nevada rally to clinch its sixth WAC title in seven years. The Broncos (10-0, 7-0 WAC) close the regular season next Friday at home against Fresno State.

Colin Kaepernick passed for 241 yards and a touchdown and ran for 70 yards for Nevada (6-5, 4-3 WAC), which got the ball back with 1:34 left in the game near midfield and moved to Boise's 26 on Kaepernick's 28-yard pass to Chris Wellington with 28 seconds remaining.

But a delay of game penalty pushed the Wolf Pack back, Kaepernick's next three passes fell incomplete and on fourth-and-13, Brandyn Thompson and Kyle Wilson knocked down his throw to Marko Mitchell in the end zone as time expired.

Trailing by 21, the Wolf Pack intercepted Moore three times in the third quarter and returned two for touchdowns. Jerome Johnson went 28 yards with one and Josh Mauga went 46 yards with another to make it 31-24.

But Wilson returned a punt 39 yards to Nevada's 31 and three plays later Austin Pettis caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Moore to make it 38-24 with 10:11 left to play.

On the next series, Mike Williams sacked Nevada backup Nick Graziano on third down for a 9-yard loss back to his own 4. Brett Jaekle's punt only made it as far as Nevada's 37 and Kyle Brontzman kicked a 50-yard field goal to put Boise State ahead 41-24 with 7:20 remaining.

Kaepernick passed 53 yards to Wellington then hit Mitchell for a 9-yard touchdown on fourth down to make it 41-31 with 4:36 to play and Nevada linebacker Jared Siva-Purcell recovered the ensuing onside kick at the Wolf Pack 41.

Kaepernick scrambled 24 yards to Boise State's 23 and got a pass interference penalty, but Kaepernick threw three incomplete passes from the 8 and Nevada had to settle for Brett Jaekle's 25-yard field goal to cut the lead to 41-34 with 2:36 left.

Jaekle tried another onside kick but Pettis went high in the air to grab the ball at Nevada's 40 and Brontzman missed a 48-yard field goal to set up Nevada's final drive.

The Wolf Pack entered the game averaging 325 yards a game on the ground, but managed only 31 in the first half and 144 on the game -- 75 on 14 carries by Vai Tau, the WAC's leading rusher who entered the game averaging 128 yards per game.

Moore completed 29 of 48 passes while Austin Pettis caught nine for 126 yards and two touchdowns and Vinny Perretta caught five for 126 yards.

Moore threw a 60-yard pass to Perretta to set up the Broncos' first touchdown on a 16-yard throw to Richie Brockle midway though the first quarter. On their next series, Moore threw consecutive passes of 18, 24 and 22 yards before Perretta took a direct snap from center and ran 3 yards for a score to put Boise State up 14-0. His 18-yard TD pass to Pettis made it 24-3 2:06 before the half.

Nevada cut it to 24-10 on Jerome Johnson's interception return for a touchdown with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. But four plays later, Ian Johnson busted through the line and broke three tackles on the way to his 66-yard score and a 31-10 lead.

Taua went up the middle for a 31-yard touchdown to make it 31-17 with 6:24 left in the third quarter and three plays later Nevada lineback Josh Mauga returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-24 at 5:14.

[Associated Press; By SCOTT SONNER]

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