Boxscore

In a battle that could prove decisive in the Western Athletic Conference title race, the Nevada Wolf Pack made the critical plays down the stretch to knock off the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 37-27 at Mackay Stadium today.

Despite not being able to move the football throughout the majority of the game, the Bulldogs (2-3, 2-1) were tied 27-27 with the Wolf Pack (4-2, 3-0) with less than four minutes remaining in the game, until Nevada's Brett Jaekle hit a 21-yard field goal to put the Wolk Pack up by three points.

The Bulldogs began the ensuing drive on their on 16-yard line, needing to drive the field to at least tie the score at 30, Tech went for it on fourth and five on their own 21-yard line and failed to make the conversion.

Nevada put the nail in the coffin with a quarterback keeper by Jeff Rowe to seal the win with only 57 seconds remaining.

The Wolf Pack jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, putting together scoring drives on their first two possessions of the game while holding Tech's offense without a first down in its first two drives.

Needing a spark on offense and being down 14 points in the first quarter, freshman Patrick Jackson ignited the Bulldogs with a 55-yard kickoff return to the Nevada 42-yard line, followed by Matt Kubik's 41-yard bomb to junior wide receiver Johnathon Holland to put the Bulldogs on the board.

Then, it was Tech's defense that put the Bulldogs on top when Nevada quarterback Jeff Rowe fumbled the ball in the endzone and Tech's Eddie White recovered it to tie the game at 14 with 9:14 left in the first half.

The Bulldogs stopped Nevada on the ensuing drive and gained two first downs, before Kubik's pass was intercepted by the Wolf Pack's Joe Garcia on the Nevada three-yard line.

B.J. Mitchell, who ran for 146 yards on 28 carries for the day, fumbled the ball on the one-yard line, Tech's Ladarius Love recovered and sophomore running back Freddie Franklin punched it in to put Tech ahead 21-14 with only 1:14 remaining in the first half.

But the Bulldogs' offense never found an offensive rhythm throughout the game and gained only 229 yards - 68 yards rushing and 161 yards passing.

Holland set a career high with six receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown, while Eric Newman made four catches for 55 yards.

Tech's triple threat at halfback was led by Jackson's 32 yards on eight carries, followed by Franklin's 24 yards and Dillard's 22 yards.

The Bulldogs will return home for homecoming against North Texas next Saturday at 3 p.m.