The Nevada Wolf Pack and Colorado State Rams have generally been living two very different existences this season, but Nevada made a change last week. Is a new version of the Wolf Pack ready to burst forth and remain in evidence for the rest of the season, or did Nevada tease its fans in a way that makes the Wolf Pack a highly vulnerable team this upcoming weekend?
Details
Odds: Rams -24.5
Date & Time: Saturday, October 14, 10:15 PM ET
Location: CSU Stadium, Fort Collins, CO
Broadcast: ESPN2
Reasons To Bet On The Nevada Wolf Pack
The Wolf Pack looked like a decent team this past weekend, comfortably beating Hawaii in a game it controlled all night long. Nevada’s offense looked comfortable, attaining an early rhythm and maintaining it for the better part of the first three quarters. The Wolf Pack put Hawaii on its heels and never truly allowed the Rainbow Warriors to feel remotely comfortable for any stretch of the game. First-year head coach Jay Norvell always knew that he would face a long process of struggle and development with his players, and in Week 6 of the season, that process took a big step forward. This could very possibly mean that Nevada has turned the corner and is ready to become a very different team from what it was in the month of September.
It also has to be said that Colorado State’s offense was not very powerful in a recent outing against Utah State. Colorado State’s offense has a lot of talented players, but it can be contained by good defenses. Colorado smothered the Rams. Utah State didn’t have nearly as much success, but the Aggies definitely limited big plays. If Nevada can merely limit big plays and hold CSU under 30 points, it has a great chance to win this game.
Reasons To Bet On The Colorado State Rams
The main thing to realize about this game is that Nevada’s win over Hawaii was likely a one-time thing and not a sign that the Wolf Pack are about to engineer a turnaround. Hawaii, being on an island and having to travel a long way to play any of its other Mountain West Conference opponents, is often jet-lagged and weary when it plays games on the mainland United States. This is even more of a problem for Hawaii when it plays in cool weather such as Reno, Nevada. San Diego or Las Vegas are places where weather is warm for Hawaii, but colder locations at night put the Rainbow Warriors in a different and much less comfortable place. Nevada played a Hawaii team which never felt comfortable last Saturday. The Wolf Pack did a great job of dealing with the conditions, but they still benefited from them.
Colorado State is entirely different from Hawaii. The Rams can score in bunches. They will punish teams that commit a lot of turnovers, as they did against Oregon State in Week 1 when they scored 58 against the turnover-prone Beavers. Colorado State faced a better defensive team – Utah State – than what it will face against Nevada. CSU should be able to score at least 40 points in this game, taking the game out of reach for the Wolf Pack.
Nevada lost each of its first five games of the season. This is a team learning how to play for Norvell, its new coach. The Hawaii game was merely a breather from more losses, not an indicator of a new Wolf Pack team.
Outlook
This betting line opened at -24.5 and that’s currently where it sits. While we haven’t seen much movement on the side, the total has shifted around a little bit. It went from 64 up to 65 and now sits at 64.5.
The Nevada win in Week 6 was indeed a product of Hawaii being terrible. The Wolf Pack have to prove they deserve more respect before they get it. Colorado State should be able to cover the number – even though it’s a fairly big line here.
Prediction: Rams -24.5
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