RENO, Nev. – The Nevada Wolf Pack delivered a statement win on Saturday night, dominating Colorado State 52-21 at Mackay Stadium behind a balanced offense and a stifling defense that forced five interceptions—including two pick-sixes. But while Nevada was rolling on the field, Colorado State’s head coach Todd Step found himself in a much more alarming situation on the sideline.
Quarterback Brandon Lewis was efficient, completing 18-of-26 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns, leading Nevada’s offense to another dominant performance. Running back Patrick Garwo III added to the offensive fireworks, rushing for over 130 yards and three touchdowns, while Nevada’s defense played a near-perfect game.
The Wolf Pack defense picked off five passes, two of which were returned for touchdowns, completely shutting down Colorado State’s offense. Safety Kitan Crawford delivered a huge play with a 52-yard pick-six that shifted the momentum in Nevada’s favor.
“Our defense was locked in tonight,” said Crawford. “We knew we had to be aggressive and make plays, and that’s exactly what we did.”
However, it was a bizarre series of events on the Colorado State sideline that captured the attention of everyone in the stadium. With his team trailing by 28 points late in the third quarter and another interception on the board, Coach Todd Step completely lost his composure. His frustration reached a boiling point after a failed third-down attempt, where he was seen screaming at his players and coaching staff, tossing his headset to the ground, and even knocking over a water cooler in an apparent rage.
What followed was far more concerning: Step, visibly shaking and sweating profusely, collapsed to the ground. Medical personnel quickly rushed to his side and immediately called for an ambulance. According to sources, Step was escorted off the field and transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation. The extent of his injuries is still unclear, but sources close to the team say he was experiencing significant chest pains and exhaustion.
Following his hospitalization, Colorado State officials announced that Coach Step will be stepping away from the team for the remainder of the season to focus on his health and recovery. Assistant coach Mike McCarthy will serve as the interim head coach for the Rams moving forward.
“The sideline situation was definitely concerning,” said Nevada head coach Grayson Hulett. “I hope Coach Step is okay. These are high-stress situations, but no one ever wants to see something like that happen.”
The game was delayed briefly as both teams stood in a moment of silence, hoping for Step’s well-being. In his absence, Colorado State’s assistant coaches took over the duties, but the Rams were unable to recover from the mounting turnovers and Nevada’s dominance.
The Wolf Pack capitalized on every mistake Colorado State made, and after a touchdown from Garwo early in the fourth quarter, the game was essentially out of reach. With the win, Nevada improved to 4-2 on the season.
“We played a great game tonight, but our thoughts are with Coach Step,” Hulett added. “This game doesn’t feel as important right now with what happened on the sideline. We’re hoping for the best for him.”
The Wolf Pack will look to continue their momentum next week as they prepare for another key conference matchup, but the game will certainly be remembered for the shocking turn of events off the field.
As of now, there is no official word on Coach Step’s condition, but the Wolf Pack community is sending well wishes for his quick recovery.
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