The Nevada football team plays at San Jose State on Saturday. Nevada Sports Net’s Chris Murray breaks down the game against the Spartans with his three keys to victory and prediction. This feature is presented in collaboration with Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney.

Nevada (2-3, 0-0) at San Jose State (3-1, 0-0)

When: Saturday, 4:30 PM

Where: CEFCU Stadium (capacity 21,520)

Surface: AstroTurf

Weather: High of 99; low of 70

TV/Radio: TruTV/105.7 FM (also on the Varsity Network)

Online: MAX

Betting line: SJSU with 7; total 51.5

All-time series: Nevada leads, 19-7-0

Last match: SJSU won 35-28 on Oct. 29, 2022, in San Jose

Three keys to the game

1. Win the Takeaway Battle: If you’ve seen an SJSU game this season, you’ve seen a lot of turnovers. The Spartans have forced 12 turnovers in four games while giving the ball away 10 times. These 12 takeaways are the fifth most national; the 10 giveaways lead the FBS. The ball has changed hands quite often for the Spartans on the field. That hasn’t been the case with Nevada, which has three takeaways with five giveaways. The Wolf Pack has largely attributed SJSU’s takeaway performance to Sparta’s opponents being sloppy, so we’ll see if Nevada plays a clean game and if it can wreak more defensive havoc than we’ve seen yet. SJSU has scored multiple goals in every game this season, so a Wolf Pack that doesn’t give the ball away would put the Spartans in uncharted territory.

2. Limit Nick Nash: Nash, the ex-SJSU quarterback turned star wideout, is the third player in FBS history with more than 50 catches and more than eight touchdowns through the first four games of a season. The others are Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech (2007) and Troy Edwards of Louisiana Tech (1998). Nash is unstoppable; Nevada isn’t going to shut him out. But the Wolf Pack must limit its impact. Nash has 35 more receptions than any other SJSU player, so he will get 12 to 20 targets in the Spartans’ pass-happy offense. And while we could put the pressure on Nevada’s secondary in Nash, the Pack pass rush, which has been sub-par, also plays a huge role in making that happen. If SJSU QB Emmett Brown – not the guy from “Back to the Future” – has time to throw, he will have success.

3. Methodical Pack Discs: The Wolf Pack should resist the urge to turn this game into a shootout as that situation would favor SJSU. Nevada is coming off a 49-point outing, but the formula is to limit the number of possessions with a run-first, clock-draining approach. And that should work against the Spartans, who like to run deep in coverage and generally play a zone scheme. While SJSU has a good defensive line, led by an all-conference nose guard with active linebackers behind him, there is a potential vulnerability in the run defense. Wolf Pack quarterback Brendon Lewis must also be patient in his approach against the zone, as the Spartans want the opponent to throw underneath. Again, that should suit Nevada just fine. But winning time of possession will be important for Nevada.

Prediction

San Jose State 30, Nevada 24: This game is a tough choice. SJSU has fared better so far this season and has home field advantage, but the Spartans have played a much easier schedule with three games against opponents – Sacramento State, Air Force, Kennesaw State – and have yet to beat an FBS team (0-8 in such games). SJSU’s lone loss was a double-overtime thriller against a good, but not great, Washington State team. Nevada has played a much tougher slate and should be more tested. But unless the Wolf Pack wins the turnover battle – our No. 1 most important key – and gets a strong pass rush, I see SJSU’s passing game proving to be a little too much for Nevada. Season record: 4-1 (upright); 3-2 (against the spread)

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight into Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @ByChrisMurray.