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Boise State, Nevada meet in rematch of shootout

Nov 22, 2008 - 11:23 AM (9) Boise State (10-0) at Nevada (6-4), 4:00 pm EST

RENO, Nevada (Ticker) -- Last season's game between Boise State and Nevada turned into a four-overtime epic that produced 136 points, 17 touchdowns and nearly 1,300 yards in total offense.

The teams meet again in Reno on Saturday, and it will be almost impossible to match the fireworks they created a year ago in Boise.

The Broncos emerged with a 69-67 win in the highest-scoring Football Bowl Subdivision game since 1937, when the NCAA began keeping official records.

Boise State gained 627 total yards, with running back Ian Johnson rushing for 295 yards and three touchdowns.

Nevada did better than that with 639 yards - even though redshirt freshman Colin Kaepernick was making his first career start.

The Broncos (10-0, 6-0 WAC) continued to roll last week, routing Idaho, 45-10, to keep alive hopes for a second BCS bowl berth in three years.

Jeremy Avery rushed for a career-high 156 yards - the first Boise State running back to surpass 100 yards this season - while Johnson scored his 53rd rushing touchdown to tie LaDainian Tomlinson for the second-most in WAC history.

Boise State, which already has clinched a share of its sixth WAC title in seven years, can win the conference crown outright with a win over Nevada (6-4, 4-2).

With Utah (11-0) also continuing to win, the Broncos can't make up ground on the Utes in the BCS standings. Utah remained seventh and Boise State stayed ninth in the latest rankings.

Boise State's hopes appear to have come down to Utah losing to Brigham Young on Saturday. If the Utes beat their biggest rivals to complete an undefeated regular season, the Broncos may be locked out of a BCS game.

Utah and Boise State could each finish in the top 12 of the BCS standings - the cutoff point to be eligible - but only one figures to get a bid, and that likely will go to the higher-ranked team.

Nevada is coming off a 41-17 victory over San Jose State that made the Wolf Pack bowl eligible.