Nevada carved out a 28-13 victory against San Jose State on Saturday afternoon at Mackay Stadium, securing the Wolf Pack’s 12th win over the Spartans in front of an announced crowd of 17,201 fans, as reported by Reno Gazette Journal. Luke Duncan directed the offense with steady efficiency, finishing 18-of-29 passing for 178 yards and tossing two touchdowns without an interception. Marshaun Brown provided a dynamic spark for the hosts by hauling in a scoring reception and launching a 32-yard touchdown pass to Herschel Turner Jr.
Defense Stifles Spartans Through Three Quarters
Nevada’s defensive unit completely smothered San Jose State during the opening three quarters of play. By the end of the third period, the Spartans had managed a meager 70 total yards, collected just three first downs, and failed to convert any of their 10 attempts on third down. The Wolf Pack defense ultimately restricted San Jose State to 204 total yards—marking the fewest yards allowed by Nevada in a single game since a defensive victory against San Diego State in 2023, according to Reno Gazette Journal. Dylan LaBarbera anchored the front with two of Nevada’s four sacks on the afternoon.
Offensively, the Wolf Pack methodically chewed up the clock. Nevada controlled the football for 38 minutes and 18 seconds, running 74 plays compared to just 56 for the Spartans. The tone was set early on a grinding 16-play, 64-yard opening drive that ate up more than eight minutes and saw the hosts convert five separate third-down opportunities. Duncan eventually capped that lengthy march by finding Marshaun Brown for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 4:48 remaining in the first quarter, giving Nevada a lead it would never relinquish.
Duncan and Brown Seize Redemptive Opportunities
The path to Saturday’s success required considerable resilience from both Duncan and Brown. Duncan started under center in place of injured quarterbacks Carter Jones and AJ Bianco, having endured a difficult adjustment period after losing the starting job during fall camp. Nevada coach Jeff Choate noted that Duncan’s early-season struggles against Montana State on Sept. 12 stemmed from lingering frustration, but praised the quarterback’s mental turnaround. “The lesson is, if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready,” Choate said, as detailed by Reno Gazette Journal.
Brown faced his own physical obstacles, including a broken foot prior to the 2025 season and an additional summer injury that limited his preseason practice time. He maximized his limited touches on Saturday by catching five passes for 52 yards alongside his scoring toss to Turner. Later in the third quarter, Duncan connected with Trace Estes for a 25-yard touchdown strike that extended the lead to 14-3. Dominic Kelley added a steady ground presence with 82 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries.
Nevada 14, San José State 3 | END Q3 🏈After a quiet start to the second half, Nevada puts together a 9-play, 84-yard drive, capped by Luke Duncan’s 25-yard touchdown pass to local product Trace Estes. The Pack holds a two score lead going into the final quarter of play. pic.twitter.com/lzTcddiybq
Late-Game Fireworks Seal the Homecoming Win
San Jose State attempted a late rally when Viliami Teu plunged into the end zone on an 11-yard rushing touchdown with 7:16 left on the clock. Trajan Sinatra also added field goals of 38 yards before halftime and 41 yards late in the fourth quarter for the Spartans. Any hopes of a dramatic comeback were instantly extinguished on the ensuing kickoff. Ky Woods fielded the kick and raced 90 yards down the field, setting up a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Kelley on the very next play to push the advantage to 28-10.
The win lifts Nevada to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the Mountain West Conference, matching San Jose State’s 4-4 and 2-2 conference standing. The Wolf Pack now face a daunting test on the road next Saturday against No. 9 UCLA, while San Jose State returns home to host New Mexico.
THE DOUBLE-PASS TD 🔥 @NevadaFootball with a bit of trickery 🙌📺: MW+ pic.twitter.com/1GBcYSMkx2
More on San Jose State
The Spartans find the end zone 🙌📺: MW+ pic.twitter.com/jK4Wl9ctET
Nevada erupts in the fourth quarter to secure a 28–13 win over San José StateThe Pack heads to Southern California next Saturday to take on No. 10 UCLA pic.twitter.com/ySr2LHGD8i
Nevada 28San Jose State 13Final Score pic.twitter.com/EJDeMZYn3N
Nevada 7, San José State 3 | HALFTIME 🏈 Jayden Robertson intercepts Luke Duncan, but San José State comes away empty. After a series of punts and a stopped fourth-and-1 try by Nevada, the Spartans reach Pack territory late and Trajan Sinatra converts a field goal from 27…
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