Wilson leads No. 22 Arizona to a 44-20 win over Nevada
Sep 12, 2015, 9:15 PM | Updated: 9:38 pm
RENO, Nev. — Nick Wilson ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns and Anu Solomon passed for 264 yards and two more scores Saturday to lead No. 22 Arizona past Nevada 44-20.
The sophomore duo started fast as the Wildcats (2-0) opened a 14-0 lead less than 6 minutes into the game. Wilson surpassed the 100-yard mark when he scored his second touchdown to make it 21-10 with 3:56 to go in the half.
Solomon, who played at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High, completed 24 of 33 attempts with no interceptions. He was replaced early in the fourth quarter by backup Jerrad Randall, who ran 57 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach, 41-13.
Don Jackson rushed for 91 yards for Nevada (1-1). Wolf Pack quarterback Tyler Stewart completed 18-of-32 pass attempts for 159 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Nevada was whistled for nine penalties for 105 yards, including two unsportsmanlike calls against third-year coach Brian Polian. Arizona, which had 570 yards total offense, had three penalties for 30 yards
The closest Nevada got was 14-10 when Stewart capped an 80-yard drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Jerico Richardson 9:14 before the half. He threw a 2-yard scoring pass to Hasaan Henderson with 10:08 remaining when the game already had been decided.
Arizona jumped to a 7-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game on Solomon’s 9-yard TD pass to Johnny Jackson two plays after Nevada punter Alex Boy had to chase down a high snap inside his own 10 and kicked it out of bounds at the 16 for a loss of 13.
Solomon completed six consecutive passes to lead Arizona on a 77-yard scoring drive capped by Wilson’s 3-yard TD run to make it 14-0 at 9:33 in the first quarter.
Brent Zuzo’s 28-yard field goal pulled Nevada to within 14-3 by the end of a quarter when the Wolf Pack already had been called for five penalties for 56 yards.
The Wildcats were driving again late in the second quarter before Wilson fumbled at midfield and linebacker Bryan Lane Jr. recovered, allowing Zuzo to kick a 41-yard field goal as time ran out to make it 21-13 at the half.
On the opening drive of the second half, Solomon’s apparent score on a quarterback sneak was overturned on review, but he lobbed a 1-yard TD to Jamarde Cobb on the next play to make it 27-13, and Casey Skowron missed the extra point.
Arizona’s Cayleb Jones caught six passes for 103 yards. Wilson averaged 9.2 yards per carry in 21 attempts and had two catches for 30 yards.
