NORTHWESTERN

New linebackers coach Randy Bates, former defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech, can tell the Wildcats all they need to know about Nevada quarterback Jeff Rowe, who guided the Wolf Pack past Louisiana Tech in a Western Athletic Conference game last year 37-27, throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more scores. “He’s 6-5, 230 and deceivingly fast,” Bates said. “He runs the ball more than you’d think for an NFL-type quarterback. He’ll run 5-10 times a game. You have to contain him.” . . . Northwestern will be the first Big Ten team to play at Nevada. . . . The Wolf Pack has won six straight at Mackay Stadium, capacity 29,993.