Matt Weir / The Collegian

Fresno State Bulldogs (6-3, 5-1 WAC) vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (6-3, 5-0 WAC)

Breakdown: Bulldogs

Last week at the Kibbie Dome, quarterback Ryan Colburn had a perfect night, going 14-for-14 for 159 yards and a touchdown. The game was clearly the lefty’s strongest game of the season.

His performance will again be key for the Bulldogs, especially against the Nevada pass defense.

Through the first nine games of the season, the Wolf Pack’s pass defense ranks No. 119 in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Colburn, along with his receiving corps, will be asked to compliment the Bulldogs’ rushing attack, led by tailback Ryan Mathews.

Mathews is still leading the entire nation in rushing, averaging 161 yards per game through eight games. The Wolf Pack’s rush defense only allows 104.9 yards per game, good enough for No. 21 in the entire country.

But that stat may be skewed. Nevada has won six games in a row, beating opponents by an average of 25 points. With such a wide margin of victory, Nevada’s opponents are not rushing the ball much in the second half.

On the defensive side, the Bulldogs will have too much to handle with the Pack’s potent rush attack.

Ultimately, the rush defense will be the downfall for the Bulldogs and the five-game winning streak will likely come to an end.

Breakdown: Wolf Pack

The Fresno State Bulldogs may be on a five-game winning streak and have Superman at tailback, but they will likely find their kryptonite tomorrow in Reno, Nev.

Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick is running the nation’s most potent rush attack, which averages 341 yards per game. The Turlock-native is averaging 104 yards rushing per game himself.

Last year at Bulldog Stadium, Kaepernick and the Wolf Pack amassed exactly 600 yards of total offense – 472 of those yards on the ground.

The secret to the Wolf Pack’s success against the Bulldogs’ defense? The pistol offense.

The pistol offense is a variation of the spread-option offense which utilizes misdirection and mismatches to capitalize on defenses’ weaknesses.

And last year, it made Fresno State look silly.

Besides a gifted, duel-threat quarterback, the Pack’s offense also boasts a set of tailbacks that will challenge the ’Dogs’ defense.

Tailbacks Luke Lippincott and Vai Taua combine for 190 yards per game and will be key in the read-option plays.

The game might turn into a shootout with Nevada’s weak defense, but the Bulldogs just don’t have enough firepower to keep up with the pistol offense.