Mountain West Conference Odds: San Diego State Aztecs at Nevada Wolf Pack

Cody Fajardo has been dominant running the ball, but has struggled when he's gone to the pass. — Cody Fajardo has been dominant running the ball, but has struggled when he’s gone to the pass.

SAN DIEGO ST-NEVADA
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Spread: NEV -3
Total: 57.5

Betting odds courtesy of Bookmaker

The Nevada Wolf Pack improved its record to 5-3 last week with a 26-18 victory over Hawaii, coming off a win against BYU on Oct. 18. Winning its third over San Diego State this week will be tough, with the Wolf Pack just 3-point favorites in college football odds over the visiting Aztecs.

QB Cody Fajardo has been his usually dominant self, though his accuracy marks and average yards per reception are the lowest of his four seasons at Nevada. 62 percent isn’t a bad mark, but the 6.53 yards per catch has to increase. He’s also thrown seven interceptions this season, and been sacked 11 times through eight games. Either way, Fajardo makes this team go. He’s rushed for over 100 yards twice this season, and scored seven rushing TDs in the last four weeks.

No.1 back Don Jackson has been solid if unspectacular. He averages four yards per carry but has been a workhorse, and steadily racked up his 525 yards. James Butler is a decent ball carrying option behind Fajardo and Jackson with 365 yards on 95 carries, with four TDs, second on the team to Fajardo’s 10.

Like Nevada, San Diego State is also riding a two-game win streak with victories over New Mexico and Hawaii. The Aztecs are 3-1 in conference play and like Nevada is heavily reliant on its ground game. The Aztecs average 227.7 yards per game, paced by the sensational Donnel Pumphrey, who has rushed for 989 yards on the season with 12 TDs, including a 93-yard run this season. Chase Price has seen half the carries of Pumphries’ attempts , but still manages 4.5 yards per attempt with two TDs on the year.

QB Quinn Kaehler has been disappointing. He had a decent campaign as a junior last year, but he seems to have made a major regression. In 2013, he threw 19 TDs to 9 INTs, while this year he has 7 INTs already and just 3 TDs. He’s also been sacked seven times. He hasn’t had a positive rushing game this season, and was negative-20 yards on three tries against Oregon State on Sept. 20. If the Aztecs prevail as underdogs, it will be due to the backfield.