WAC football notebook: Ground game keys Nevada's eight-game winning streak

The Nevada football team's offensive stats have crossed the line from outrageous to historic.

The Wolf Pack are the first team in Football Bowl Subdivision history to produce three 1,000-yard rushers in one season and are on pace to break a 64-year-old record for the highest yards-per-carry average in a season.

Army averaged 7.6 yards per carry in 1945. Nevada has averaged 7.8 yards per carry.

No. 6 Boise State will take a crack at stopping Nevada on Friday night at Bronco Stadium (8:08 p.m., ESPN2) with the WAC title on the line.

"They're in a great groove and playing at a higher level than probably everybody else around them," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "Once they have gotten it going, no one's really been able to slow them down."

The Wolf Pack (8-3 overall, 7-0 WAC) opened the season with three straight losses, including a shutout loss at Notre Dame. Since then, they have won eight straight.

During the streak, they have:

® Rushed for 3,565 yards - or 445.6 per game. They have topped 300 yards in all eight games, 400 yards five times and 500 yards three times.

® Produced 4,785 yards of offense - or 598.1 yards per game. They have topped 500 yards seven times, 600 yards four times and 700 yards once.

® Scored 413 points - or 51.6 per game. They have scored at least 50 points five times, 60 points four times and 70 points once.

For the year, the Wolf Pack rank first in the nation in rushing (373.2 ypg), second in total offense (534.2 ypg) and fourth in scoring (41.3 ppg).

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick (1,129 yards, 16 TDs) and running backs Vai Taua (1,185, nine) and Luke Lippincott (1,028, nine) form the 1,000-yard trio.

Boise State allows 115 rushing yards per game. The Broncos have allowed 160.7 rushing yards per game in November.

"They're going to make their plays, but that's another challenge for us," Boise State junior nickel Jason Robinson said. "We have no problem going out there and playing against them and putting those numbers to the test. É History shows this team - the Boise State football team - rises to the occasion. That's just the way we play. This is the type of game everybody on the team comes to Boise State for."

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

For the second time in three years, ESPN has successfully scheduled an unofficial WAC championship game.

If Nevada wins, the Wolf Pack claim their first outright WAC title. They shared the WAC title with Boise State in 2005.

If Boise State wins, the Broncos clinch at least a share of their seventh title in eight years. They would need to beat woeful New Mexico State on Dec. 5 to win the outright title.

Boise State lost a similar title showdown in 2007 at Hawaii.

"It's a little playoff-ish," Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore said.

Added wide receiver Austin Pettis: "This kind of defines our season."

MOORE SNUBBED

Moore was not named a finalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award despite leading the nation in pass efficiency, touchdown-to-interception ratio, touchdown percentage and interception percentage. The three finalists are Houston's Case Keenum, Texas' Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow.

DOUG MARTIN HONORED

Boise State sophomore tailback Doug Martin was named the WAC offensive player of the week Monday. Martin rushed for 121 yards and four touchdowns last week against Utah State.

The other honorees were Fresno State linebacker Ben Jacobs (three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, TD) and Fresno State kicker Kevin Goessling (3-for-3 on field goals, including game-winner).

One of Martin's touchdowns came on a botched snap. The shotgun snap rolled right to Martin's feet. He picked up the ball and ran up the middle for a 17-yard score.

"What I was saying is, 'Finally we get a break when we have a bad snap,' " Petersen said. "We've had so many of them. I guess if you buy enough lottery tickets, sooner or later you're going to hit something. É It was real head's up on Doug's part. That's what's great. He didn't hesitate."

Boise State's internal players of the week were Martin (offense), linebacker Daron Mackey (defense), kicker Kyle Brotzman (special teams), defensive end Shea McClellin (lineman), nickel Winston Venable (Hammer), quarterback Joe Southwick (scout offense), defensive lineman Matt Paradis (scout defense) and safety Jonathan Brown (scout special teams).

QUICK HITS

About 200 tickets remain in the south end zone for the Nevada game. É The color scheme is alternating sections of blue and orange - odd sections, the south end zone and the student section wear orange, while even sections and the north end zone wear blue. É The Broncos will walk from the Student Union Building through the crowd to the stadium at 4:55 p.m. on game day.