Nevada came into the Boise State game this past weekend as an underdog, but you never would have guessed it based on the way the Wolf Pack kept the momentum going with an offense that was humming on all cylinders and a defense that came up with big plays.

Saturday marked the first time Nevada had won at Boise since 1997. Quarterback Carson Strong was a big part of the team’s efforts, which he consistently has been this season, on the 41-31 road victory. Strong completed 25-of-38 passes for 263 yards with one touchdown as the Wolf Pack succeeded in the passing game while his running back Toa Taua also had a day with 124 rushing yards with two touchdowns on the ground on 12 carries. As with some of the previous performances, it should be noted that there were a handful of drops made throughout the day by the receiving corps that would indicate Strong’s completion percentage should be a bit higher.

Strong has proven a lot in his own right this year with a dynamic offense around him and a defense that has done some nice things that make this potentially one of the best teams the Wolf Pack have had in the history of the program. The quarterback has made clear several times ahead of and during the season that he and the team are on a mission to be the best in the conference and that it’s Mountain West Championship or bust this year.

“We want to show we’re the top dogs in the conference,” Strong told reporters in the week leading up to the Boise State game. “Coming off a loss, we want to prove that we’re still a great team and we still have that confidence.”

Not only did Nevada look like a team that could finish out the year as the best in its conference, but Strong looked like “top dog” himself—in regards to the 2022 NFL Draft quarterback class as well.

Strong is the best pure passer in this class—he puts the level of touch you want a quarterback to have on his passes, has a deep ball that is practically incomparable to any other signal-caller who could be going in next year’s draft, is consistently accurate at all levels of the field, and has some of the best downfield ball placement you’ll find. It’s in the times that he makes the deep shot downfield that the “it” factor he brings is most on display, and it seems like not a game goes by where he doesn’t send a laser that leaves you wondering just how many other quarterbacks are capable of doing that—and not just doing it, but doing it on a consistent basis.

One of the best plays of the game he delivered was this 39-yard strike—and YAC doesn’t have anything to do with that number here—that’s all Strong and the velocity.

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This scoring play in the end zone was equally impressive, both on Strong and tight end Cole Turner’s part. This is pro-level stuff.

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And it’s important to recognize just how solidly Strong opened this one up, completing 6-of-8 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

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Strong and the Wolfpack will look to keep the momentum going as they face New Mexico State on Saturday in Reno, Nevada.