RENO, Nev. — The payoff for Nevada might come later, perhaps in the form of a few top recruits - or some grudging recognition from those watching nationally that the Wolf Pack belong in the BCS top 25 after all.
Beating No. 4 Boise State in a game the 19thranked Wolf Pack was never supposed to win was the biggest thing to happen in this gambling city in quite some time. It might have been the biggest sports story here since Jack Johnson beat up on Jim Jeffries 100 years ago in a heavyweight title fight.
It certainly was a boost for a longtime coach whose only previous claim to fame was that he invented the increasingly popular Pistol offense.
“It is the greatest victory this university has ever had, I can tell you that,” Coach Chris Ault said. “The way it happened is just an unbelievable feeling.”
Play in the puny Western Athletic Conference, though, and the benefits can be limited. In Nevada’s case, that means the Wolf Pack’s only tangible rewards might be an improved rating anda trip to New Mexico for a bowl game that exists only to fill a few hours of television time for people taking a break from Christmas shopping.
It could be worse. At least Nevada fans get to celebrate a job well done.
Boise State’s faithful can only wonder what might have been as any hopes of a national title game evaporated, when a kicker who had only missed three times all year whiffed on two short field goal attempts. Final score in overtime: Nevada 34, Boise State 31. Suddenly, the annual BCS debate got a lot easier.
And Coach Chris Petersen still isn’t acknowledging what might have been.
“We still have another game next week,” said Petersen, whose 10-1 Broncos will face Utah State. “We said all along, at the end of the season we will see where we are and go from there.”
“I think Boise and the TCU’s of the world are showing people a balance in college football,” Ault said.
Sports, Pages 39 on 11/28/2010