Nevada Wolf Pack football
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The University of Nevada, Reno (commonly referred to as Nevada in athletics) sponsors an American football program at the Bowl Championship Subdivision level of the NCAA. Nevada is currently coached by Chris Ault.
The football team plays at Mackay Stadium, which opened in October 1966 with a capacity of 7,500. After several expansions, the stadium currently seats 31,000. The playing field sits at an elevation of 4610 feet (1405 m) above sea level. Originally natural grass, it was replaced with FieldTurf in 2000. Permanent lighting was added in 2003 [1]
On November 26, 2005, the Nevada Wolf Pack football team clinched a share of its first Western Athletic Conference championship, along with Boise State, by pulling off an upset against 16th-ranked Fresno State. A month later, it won the Hawaiʻi Bowl by defeating Central Florida 49-48. The Nevada football program has won a total of thirteen conference championships, seven in the 1990s. In 2006, the Wolf Pack achieved a record of 8-5 including a one-point loss in the MPC Computers Bowl to the Miami Hurricanes.
The football program moved up to Division I-A in 1992 when it joined the Big West Conference. The Wolf Pack had competed in Division I-AA since the formation of that division in 1978, moving up from Division II. Before joining the Big Sky Conference in 1979, Nevada competed as an independent in football. [2]
Nevada competed in the Division I-AA playoffs in its first two seasons, when just four teams were selected. They returned to the national semi-finals in 1983 and 1985, when the playoffs included 12 teams, and 1986 with a 16 team field. The Wolf Pack reached the national championship game in 1990, and the quarterfinals in 1991. [3]
In its 14 years in Division I-AA, Nevada made the playoffs seven times, and went undefeated during the regular season three times (1978, 1986, 1991), compiling an overall record of 122-47-1 (.720). In 13 years of Big Sky membership, the Wolf Pack won four conference titles (1983, 1986, 1990, 1991). The Wolf Pack won the Big West title in its first year in Division I-A in 1992.
On October 14th, 2007 the Wolf Pack and the Boise State Broncos would set a new NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision record for points scored with 136 total as Boise State would eventually win the game 69-67 in the second half of the fourth overtime period when Broncos LB Tim Brady would trip up freshman QB Colin Kaepernick on the two point conversion attempt.
On December 22nd, 2007 Nevada played in the New Mexico Bowl, where they would get shutout for the first time in 27 years, and the first time ever as a member of Division I-A/FBS, losing 23-0 to the New Mexico Lobos. This was Nevada's third straight appearance in a bowl game.
