[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 18175-18176]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA'S UPSET OF BOISE STATE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, when you talk about the top teams in college 
football since the start of the century, you have to talk about Boise 
State University. A lot of people know about their famous blue turf and 
their quick, creative offense. Even casual college football fans can 
talk like experts about the stunning trick plays that led the Broncos 
over a heavily favored Oklahoma team in a 2007 bowl game.
  It is decidedly one of the most dominant programs of the decade. How 
dominant? Since Boise State joined the Western Athletic Conference in 
2001, it had lost just four conference games in 10 years.
  On Friday night in Reno, it lost its fifth.
  Boise State came in ranked third in the country and was on track for 
its third undefeated season in 5 years. It had a shot at the national 
championship. But thanks to the University of Nevada Wolf Pack and its 
brilliant head coach, Chris Ault, Boise State is no longer in the 
running. And now when you talk about the top upsets in college 
football, you have to talk about Nevada.
  Nevada and Boise State have been rivals for a long time--back when 
they played in the Big Sky and Big West Conferences, and in the Western 
Athletic Conference where they play today. They will soon leave the WAC 
together to join the Mountain West Conference, and the rivalry will 
continue. Although some recent games have been close--the 2007 one went 
to four overtimes--Nevada had not won since 1998.
  But this year's Nevada team has been among the best in school 
history. It leads the conference in offense, rushing yards and points 
scored. After this weekend's win, it is ranged fourteenth in the 
country.
  Still, beating a powerhouse like Boise State was no piece of cake. No 
one had beaten the Broncos since December 2008. The Wolf Pack were 14-
point underdogs. They were down 17-0 late in the second quarter. Then 
quarterback Colin Kaepernick led an incredible second-half comeback and 
forced overtime.
  They won the game when a 5-foot-6 freshman from McQueen High School 
in Reno, a young man named Anthony Martinez, kicked the most important 
field goal in State history.
  It was not that long ago that the University of Nevada did not even 
field a Division I team. Now our proud program has knocked off one of 
the toughest teams in the Nation.
  It is no fluke. Coach Chris Ault is an exceptional leader and a good 
man. I am proud to call him a very good friend.
  I have known Chris for a long time. When he was just 23 years old, he 
became the youngest high school head coach in the state, leading the 
Bishop Monogue Miners in Reno. I was a member of the school's athletic 
booster club, and I was impressed with Chris Ault from the day I met 
him.
  He led the Wolf Pack as its quarterback in the 1960s, as its athletic 
director two decades later, and has been its

[[Page 18176]]

head coach three times, totaling 26 years. He is one of the smartest 
coaches in the country. A few years ago he invented the Pistol offense. 
Now schools across the Nation, and even some NFL teams, are copying it.
  In fact, only two men enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame 
are still actively coaching at the sport's highest level: the legendary 
Joe Paterno and Nevada's Chris Ault.
  At the end of October, I was in church in Reno when a tall young man 
sat down next to me. It was Nevada's quarterback, Colin Kaepemick, 
preparing himself spiritually for the next game. In Friday's game, he 
became the first player in NCAA history to throw for more than 2,000 
yards and run for 1,000 yards in three straight seasons.
  Sometimes it is true what they say--that it is just a game. But this 
is one of those times when it is much more. This remarkable, memorable 
win means so much for an underrated and underappreciated athletic 
program, for a great university and for the whole State of Nevada.
  Congratulations to Coach Ault, Colin Kaepernick, Anthony Martinez and 
the Wolf Pack. I never doubted you would pull it off.

                          ____________________