Pack ‘D’ musters big play

It was the second week of the season and UNR's defense was being counted on to win a game against Northwestern. But the Wolf Pack couldn't clamp down when it mattered and wound up losing, 36-31.

Fast forward to Saturday against UNLV. UNR is nursing a 27-20 lead in the final seconds, but Rebels quarterback Travis Dixon is leading his team downfield, trying to tie the game and force overtime.

Unlike against Northwestern, this time the Wolf Pack defense stiffened and denied the Rebels when Dixon's pass into the end zone on the final play fell incomplete. To UNR coach Chris Ault, that last play was as critical to the Wolf Pack's collective psyche as it was to keeping the Fremont Cannon blue for the third straight year.

"It was very similar to the Northwestern game, except this time the defense found a way to stop them," Ault said Monday on the Western Athletic Conference coaches teleconference. "That's the biggest thing we can take from the UNLV game, knowing our defense was able to come up with the big play when it needed to."

UNR (2-2), opens WAC play Saturday against Fresno State (2-2, 1-0) on homecoming at Mackay Stadium. Ault said playing the Bulldogs right after UNLV will make it easier to get his team well prepared.

"The Fresno game takes care of itself," Ault said of the Bulldogs, who beat Louisiana Tech 17-6 on Saturday in their WAC opener. "We have a nice rivalry with them. It's our conference opener and it's homecoming. I wouldn't expect an emotional letdown."

• JAEKLE'S RECORD DAY -- For Bonanza High School graduate Brett Jaekle, his 50-yard field goal against UNLV was a personal best. But his kicking talent didn't help him secure good seats for family and friends who came to watch him play against the Rebels, his brother Ben's team.

Ben Jaekle is a backup kicker for the Rebels.

"I had like 15, 16 people to take care of and it was tough getting everyone into the game," Brett Jaekle said. "I wasn't able to get everyone in, and about half of them had to sit in the UNLV section.

"But this was the biggest game ever. This is the thing I look forward to the most, playing the Rebels."

As for his career-long field goal, which tied the game at 3 late in the first quarter, Jaekle said, "When you kick it, you don't want to think about how long it is. But it felt good. I didn't realize it was 49, 50 yards until I came off the field."

• SANDERS HONORED -- Wolf Pack kick returner Dwayne Sanders was named WAC special teams player of the week after getting 100 yards in returns Saturday, including a 45-yard return early in the fourth quarter that led to Jaekle's 30-yard field goal for a 13-13 tie.