Spotlight on the Wolf Pack's opponent this week: Texas State
RGJ
The Nevada and Texas State programs missed being conference mates by one season. The year the Wolf Pack left the WAC is the year Texas State entered the conference. Still, the two teams will play each other Saturday, with Nevada being a heavy favorite. Here's a look at Texas State, which is located in San Marcos, a town about halfway between Austin and San Antonio.
TEXAS STATE AT A GLANCE
Coach: Dennis Franchione (195-108-2 overall, 21-16 at Texas State from 1981-82 and 2011-12)
2012 record: 2-1
Offense in short: Texas State and Nevada have fairly similar offenses from a scheme standpoint. From a personnel standpoint, it's a different story, with the Wolf Pack holding the big edge. Texas State, which averages 27 points per game, runs a read-option Pistol offense, although it is a two-back set rather than Nevada's single-back formation. QB Shaun Rutherford's strong suit is his running ability, but he is completing 68 percent of his passes and has a higher passing efficiency that Nevada's Cody Fajardo. RB Marcus Curry, formerly at Navy, is a talented back who averages 5.3 yards per carry. Despite a 98-yard touchdown pass in its last game, Texas State's passing attack is based on short and intermediate passes.
Defense in short: Texas State runs a unique 4-2-5 scheme that's based on speed rather than power. The back seven averages just 199 pounds per starter. The front four isn't too big either. It's a bend-but-don't-break unit. The Bobcats have just two sacks but have created six turnovers through three games. Texas State has allowed 36 points per game and 5.8 yards per carry, which has to make run-first Nevada happy. The Bobcats are allowing 334 passing yards per game, fourth-worst in the nation.
Texas State's best player: TE/DE Chase Harper – The 6-foot-5, 260-pound uber-athlete originally committed to Nebraska but academics forced him to take a different route to the FBS level. He's on the John Mackey Award watch list as one of the nation's top tight ends. The senior has caught seven passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns. Doubling as a defensive end, he also has one of the team's two sacks this season. He's a big red zone target and good blocker who can impact the game in multiple ways.
Texas State's X factor: QB Shaun Rutherford – It's almost a guarantee the Wolf Pack is going to score some big-time points against a so-so Texas State defense. If the Bobcats are going to spring the upset – they're a 20-point underdog – Rutherford needs to have a huge game. The former junior college wide receiver is a good athlete. While more of a runner than a passer, he threw for a career-best 301 yards last week and has made some plays with his arms. Given Nevada's questionable secondary and penchant for giving up big plays, Rutherford will need to play an "A" game to make this one interesting.
Quote to note: "This looks like a Top 25 football team to me watching them on film." – Texas State coach Dennis Franchione on the Wolf Pack