Warner throws 2 TD passes, Fresno State beats Nevada 20-17 for 5th straight win

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — E.J. Warner threw two touchdown passes, the Fresno State defense forced four first-half turnovers, and the Bulldogs held on to beat Nevada 20-17 on Saturday night for their fifth win in a row.

Fresno State (5-1, 2-0) has won its first two Mountain West Conference games for the first time since 2018.

Warner threw touchdown passes to Josiah Freeman of 12 and 24 yards and Dylan Lynch made field goals of 21 and 38 yards on four consecutive possessions in the second quarter to give Fresno State a 20-3 lead at halftime.

Freshman Carter Jones, who started the second half at quarterback for Nevada, connected with Dakota Thomas for a 15-yard TD late in the third quarter and was hit as he threw a short pass to Caleb Ramseur who raced to the end zone for a 17-yard score with about 2 1/2 minutes into the fourth to make it a three-point game.

The Bulldogs, who went three-and-out on each of their first four second-half possessions, closed out the game with their fifth: a 15-play, 68-yard drive that ran out the remaining 8:42. Warner hit Richie Anderson III for a 13-yard gain on third-and-8 and later, on third-and-11, Warner scrambled and was hit by two Nevada defenders as he lunged for a first down to keep the drive alive.

Three Nevada (1-4, 0-1 Mountain West Conference) quarterbacks combined to go 3-of-9 passing for 22 yards with three interceptions in the first half.

Jones finished 11-of-15 passing for 121 yards with an interception. Starter Chubba Purdy was 0-for-4 and threw two interceptions and AJ Bianco completed 1 of 2 for minus-4 yards for Nevada.

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