San José State at Nevada Breakdown: Week 8, Oct. 24, 2026

The story

San José State comes to Mackay Stadium at 4-3 in the Mountain West race, having won two of its last three, most recently 24-11 at UTEP on Oct. 17. Nevada sits at 2-4 after losing at North Dakota State on Oct. 17. For fantasy, the questions are San José State's quarterback status and how Nevada splits its backfield and passing game.

The angle

This projects as a lower-scoring game, so steady volume matters more than big plays. San José State is tougher on the pass than the run. Its run defense rates below average on a per-carry basis, in the bottom 40 percent of FBS, which makes the ground game Nevada's softer path. On the other side, Nevada is about average across the board, so San José State's most concentrated roles carry the most weight.

Start 'em

Carson Clark is the top target for San José State. He has caught 32 percent of the team's passes over the last three games, up from a 29 percent share this season, and he averages six catches a game. He has scored 17.6 points a game this season and 19 over his last three, with a high of 28.1. Nevada is about average against receivers, and in a low-scoring game that kind of volume is what holds up. Jerry McClure (San José State) has a real share, but Clark has averaged 19 points over his last three games to McClure's 8. Clark is a safe floor, because his catch volume stays steady regardless of how the game unfolds.

Dominic Kelley shares Nevada's backfield. He has 44 percent of the carries over the last three games and Herschel Turner (Nevada) has 33 percent. Kelley's edge is the passing game: he is catching three passes a game over his last three, up from one before that, on top of about 15 carries. He has averaged 17 points a game this season and over his last three, with a high of 27.2. San José State's below-average run defense, in the bottom 40 percent of FBS, is the softest part of that unit. Turner runs hard, but Kelley's added receiving work is what separates them. Start Kelley, since the run game is the open lane and he has two ways to score.

Gary Givens has played in five of Nevada's six games, and his catches are up lately. He is catching 3.7 passes a game over his last three, up from two before that. Nevada's catches are split: Damien Morgan has 29 percent of them over the last three games and Givens has 23 percent. Givens has averaged 10.3 points over that span, against 7.8 this season and a high of 14. San José State is above average against receivers, in the top 40 percent of FBS, so a ceiling game is unlikely. Morgan still holds the larger share, but Givens's climbing catch total gives him the edge. Start Givens, because his catches are trending the right way.

Risky plays

Luke Weaver has played in six of San José State's seven games and has thrown for 247 yards a game over his last three. He also carries the ball about eight times a game, which adds a second way to score. He has averaged 14.7 points a game this season, with a high of 27.6, though that figure is 8.2 over his last three. Nevada is about average against quarterbacks, so the matchup isn't the issue. His status is. Weaver is risky until his questionable tag clears before lineups lock.

Injuries and timeshares

San José State's Luke Weaver and Jordan Anderson are questionable. If Weaver sits, Daniel Rolovich takes over at QB; he threw for 193 yards in the one game he has played. On Nevada's side, Nevada Sports Net reported that coach Jeff Choate wanted Carter Jones to "throw a little bit today and see how he's feeling." The outlet also reported that AJ Bianco injured his ankle against the Bison. Both are listed as probable.

TL;DR

Lock in Clark's floor, start Kelley and Givens, and check Weaver's status before committing to him.