Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Nevada
Fast Start Leads Football Past Nevada 27-10
11/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press Writer
RENO, Nev. (AP) - Paul Pinegar passed for 184 yards and a touchdown, and Dwayne Wright ran for 95 yards and a score to lead Fresno State past Nevada 27-10 Saturday and keep the Bulldogs' hopes alive for a WAC title and a fifth consecutive bowl bid.
Fresno State's defense forced a pair of key turnovers early en route to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, and Brett Visintainer added field goals of 42 and 22 yards for the Bulldogs (6-4, 4-1 WAC). The 21 first quarter points was unexpected given that Fresno State entered the game having scored just 27 first half points all year.
Andy Heiser completed 17 of 33 passes for 308 yards, including a 58-yard TD in the fourth quarter to Tim Fleming, who had 125 yards receiving for the Wolf Pack (5-5, 3-2). Chance Kretschmer, who led the NCAA in rushing two years ago, was held to just 60 yards on the ground for Nevada, which lost its third in a row.
Bernard Berrian had five catches for 73 yards to go with 78 return yards for Fresno State, which scored on its opening drive for the first time this year - an 80-yard march on 14 plays capped by Pinegar's 5-yard TD pass to tight end Mark Wood.
After Nevada went three and out, Berrian returned a punt 54 yards to set up Bryson Sumlin's 1-yard scoring run that put the Bulldogs up 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
Garrett McIntyre tackled Kretschmer in the backfield on the next play from scrimmage, forcing a fumble. Fellow defensive end Claude Sanders recovered on Nevada's 17 to set up Wright's 3-yard TD for a 21-0 lead with 5:22 left in the first.
Damon Fine's 39-yard field goal made it 21-3, and Heiser passed 64 yards to Maurice Mann to move Nevada deep into Bulldogs territory in the second quarter, but Richard Marshall intercepted Talib Wise's halfback pass at the 1-yard line.
The Bulldogs defense came up big again five minutes before halftime, stopping Kretschmer for no gain on consecutive plays, including fourth-and-1 at the Fresno State 10.
Fresno State's win continued its domination during November under head coach Pat Hill. The Bulldogs have now won 13 consecutive regular season games played in November and December, the last loss coming in 2000.
