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Nevada tops Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Jan 10, 2011 - 7:11 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Rishard Matthews caught a touchdown pass and returned a punt for a score, as the 13th-ranked Nevada Wolf Pack ended a successful season with a 20-13 victory over the Boston College Eagles in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

Matthews caught seven passes for 86 yards and returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown for the Wolf Pack (13-1), who were making an appearance in postseason action for the sixth straight season.

Colin Kaepernick connected on 20-of-33 passes for 192 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Nevada, which had lost its last four bowl games. Vai Taua carried the ball 22 times for 76 yards.

Chase Rettig completed 14-of-34 passes for 121 yards and two interceptions for the Eagles (7-6), who were making their 12th straight appearance in a bowl game.

Andre Williams carried the ball 19 times for 70 yards and a score for Boston College, which ended the regular season with five consecutive wins.

The Wolf Pack's second possession of the game resulted in Kaepernick fumbling the football. Donnie Fletcher recovered for Boston College and ran six yards to the Nevada 30-yard line.

On the first play, Williams found a hole on the left side and scampered into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

The Wolf Pack responded with a 10-play, 77-yard drive. Nevada converted on two third downs during the march, which Matthews capped with a 27-yard TD catch.

After the Eagles went three-and-out, Matthews returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7 with 2:27 left in the first quarter.

Anthony Martinez's 32-yard field goal past the midway mark of the second period gave the Wolf Pack a 17-7 lead at the break.

Kaepernick was intercepted by Luke Kuechly early in the third stanza. A 31- yard return put the ball at the Nevada six. Boston College was forced to settle for a 22-yard Nate Freese field goal.

Martinez made a 27-yard field goal late in the third to give the Wolf Pack a 20-10 margin.

Taua fumbled on the third play of the fourth quarter, but the Eagles did nothing on offense.

Following multiple punts, Boston College got the ball back at its own 33 with 5 1/2 minutes to play. The Eagles put together a nine-play drive that Freese capped with a 32-yarder.

Nevada went three-and-out on offense, giving the ball back to the Eagles with over three minutes to go. Chris Pantale caught a 32-yard pass on the first play, but Khalid Wooten picked off Rettig two plays later.

Game Notes

This was the first meeting between these two schools...Kaepernick surpassed 3,000 yards passing for the season, which allowed him to join Brad Smith and Vince Young as the only FBS quarterbacks to rush for at least 1,000 yards and throw for 3,000 in the same season...The Eagles fell to 13-9 in bowl games, and haven't won a postseason game since 2007...Nevada improved to 4-7 in bowl games.