The Nevada football team nearly beat SMU tonight in its second game in three seasons, but lost to the Mustangs 29-24 after the visiting team scored a touchdown in the final minute.

“The biggest feeling I have right now is disappointment in our players,” Nevada head coach Jeff Choate said in a postgame press conference. “I think they believed what we promised them and they really stepped up tonight.”

The game started off slow offensively, as neither team scored until late in the first quarter. Tempers flared early in the game, however, when five minutes into the game, Nevada linebacker Henry Ikahihifo, defensive lineman Kris Ross and SMU linebacker Justin Medlock got into a scuffle. Medlock punched Ross in the helmet, and Ikahihifo body-checked Medlock. All three men received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Nevada found some momentum after the scuffle when SMU punter Isaac Pearson botched a punt and quarterback Brendon Lewis found tight end Jace Henry for the Wolf Pack’s first touchdown of the night. SMU immediately answered, however, scoring a rushing touchdown from running back LJ Johnson Jr. to tie the game 7-7 two minutes into the second quarter.

“I have to give credit to SMU, that’s a championship-caliber team,” Choate said. “When their backs are against the wall, they find ways to play — an experienced group like that. Credit to Rhett (Lashlee) and his team.”

Both teams struggled to reach the end zone for most of the second quarter, each scoring a field goal with 4:12 left. Nevada had its second-to-last possession of the half at the 4:06 mark and used all but three seconds to score its second touchdown of the night – another passing touchdown from Lewis, this time to wide receiver Cortez Braham Jr.

With this touchdown, Lewis matched his passing touchdown total from last season.

“I thought Brendon Lewis ran our offense really well,” Choate said. “He didn’t lose the ball. He matched his season total of touchdown passes in week one against a Power Five opponent. There’s a lot to build on in that regard.”

SMU opened the third quarter with another field goal by kicker Collin Rogers. Nevada lost its momentum from the first half and nearly had to punt after offensive lineman Isaiah World received a personal foul 15 yards away. However, SMU cornerback Brandon Crossley was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for spitting on a Nevada player, which got him sent off and gave the Wolf Pack some life.

Nevada marched down the field immediately afterward and got to SMU’s one-yard line, with running back Savion Red scoring a rushing touchdown on a direct snap.

In the fourth quarter, everything fell apart for the Pack. After Rogers missed a 51-yard field goal, Nevada was held up just outside the SMU red zone and eventually had to punt due to a tripping penalty on running back Sean Dollars.

Although SMU started at its own two-yard line, the team used the momentum to its advantage. The Mustangs scored another rushing touchdown and two-point conversion – this time from running back Brashard Smith and Johnson Jr., set up by a 49-yard pass from tight end RJ Maryland and a 20-yard rush from Smith. Nevada running back Ashton Hayes then fumbled the kickoff, leading to Nevada allowing a safety just 42 seconds after SMU’s touchdown. Nevada’s 11-point lead was cut to one point with 7:11 left in the game.

“It’s ironic, we actually ran this through the last week of fall camp,” Choate said. “We ran through this exact scenario. And he had the right idea. But what he forgot was, ‘Once I stop it, all I have to do is pick up the ball and go back to the end zone and it’s a touchback.’ His knee hit the ground when he went for the ball. That’s football.”

Both teams went three-and-out on their next possessions, leaving SMU with 3:31 left on the clock on their second-to-last possession. Nevada was unable to stop the duo of SMU quarterback Preston Stone and Maryland, as their three connections accounted for 67 of the Mustangs’ 83 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

Nevada attempted a comeback with 1:18 left in the game, but lost the ball after five plays and thus squandered its surprise victory at the very end.

“I think we took a step forward,” Braham Jr. said. “The team we had last year would have given up. I think we fought all four quarters, and that’s something coach Choate really paid attention to and instructed us on every single play.”

After losing a game in which they led or tied for 58 minutes and 42 seconds, the Wolf Pack (0-1) travels to Troy, Alabama to face the University of Troy Trojans (0-0) on Saturday, August 31 at 4 p.m.

“It’s not over yet. As you can see, this is our new team. We’re here,” linebacker Drue Watts said. “We’re here to compete. We’re here to fight in this conference. And we want more people to come out because it’s going to be a show every night.”