The fans at Spartan Stadium will be treated to a game between the Fresno State Bulldogs and the San Jose State Spartans when they take their seats on Friday.Odds makers at BetUS currently have the Bulldogs listed as 3-point favorites versus the Spartans, while the game's total is sitting at 49½.Fresno State defeated New Mexico State 24-17 in week 12. Fresno State State failed to cover the 17.5-po
#10 Wisconsin at #21 Fresno State Saturday, 10:30 pm Eastern – ESPN 2One of the best games on Saturday might be the one that begins the latest as #21 Fresno State hosts #10 Wisconsin. The Badgers have had two easy wins at home against cupcakes while Fresno State opened with an impressive win at Rutgers. Saturday’s game should prove which team is for real.Wisconsin is a 1.5 point favori
It's a brand new season, so all stats are for last year. This is the first meeting between the two teams, and it is the furthest the Bulldogs have ever travelled. Rutgers is coming off a 8-5 season, with losses at home to Maryland, #20 Cincinnati, #6 West Virginia, and at Louisville and #16 Connecticut, and beat South Florida when they were ranked #2 in the country. They are coming off a 52-30 win
Fresno State fans to this point have addressed their worries as to how the Bulldogs are going to be able to stop opposing team’s offenses. While our front line on defense should be strong the best answer as to how the Bulldogs will stop the other team’s offense is through the use of our own. I realize this may sound confusing but sometime’s a team’s best defense is their offense when it
Fresno State is up 11-0 in the top of the fourth inning against Rice in the opening game in Bracket...
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DALLAS, TX -The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) has...
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The Fresno State Bulldogs are headed to Omaha for the first time since 1991. Fresno State stunned...
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Fresno State is racked with injuries, so this comparison will be slightly different, looking at probable starters by position. We’ve met the Rainbows 39 times, beaten them 20 and have the awful 1985 game as the lone tie. The Bulldogs are 1-5 on the islands since ’95, but did beat them in Aloha the last time there.Quarterbacks- remains the same; TB is healthy, as is Colt Brennan. The numbers here are likewise straightforward. Brennan is passing for 405 yards per game (2nd NCAA), has 26 passing touchdowns (tied-5th NCAA), and has completed 225 of his 328 attempts for a 68.6 passing completion percentage, and 8.6 yards per attempt. He has thrown 11 interceptions and been sacked 12 times. As a scoring offense, Hawai’i has scored 50 or more points in every home game this year, and no team has kept them under 42 points on the road. For Fresno State, Tom Brandstater has passed for 182 yards per game, has passed for 9 touchdowns and been intercepted 5 times. He has completed 140 out of 2
Quarterback – Fresno State is putting up 30.5 points per game, while Utah State is getting 20 ppg. Fresno State ’s 196 passing yards per game is better than Utah State ’s 145. Touchdown Tommy has a QB rating of 125, and has completed 127 of his 215 attempts for a percentage of 59.1. He is averaging 188.9 yards per game, and has 7 TDs and 4 picks. Leon Jackson, QB1 for the Aggies, has a QB rating of 120.5, and has completed 65.2% of his passes for 120 yards per game. He has 4 touchdowns and interceptions.Advantage - Fresno State’s Tommy B. Every category has Brandstater ahead and he looks to have good situational kung-fu.Running Backs- Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews is 4th in the WAC in yards per game with 80.6; Lonyae Miller is 8th in the conference with 57.4 ypg. As a unit, Fresno State is 3rd in the WAC with 1520 total rushing yards, 190 per game. Derrvin Speight is Utah State ’s leading rusher, and has 40.9 yard per game on 80 carries. Their rushing unit has 118 yards per g
by nscFresno State and Oregon know one another all to well. They have played each other four times over the past seven seasons including the past three years (including this season). There will be very little that these teams can do on the field against one another that has not been done before. Fresno State has seen Dixon. Fresno State knows Dixon can move in the pocket and throw on the run. Fresno State knows Stewart and Johnson are top of the line RB's who can break off a big run at any point in the game. Fresno State knows that Dixon likes to run the spread offense and open up the field. On the other side of the ball Oregon knows Fresno State likes to run the ball. Oregon knows Fresno State likes to use play action to open up the passing lanes down field. Although Fresno State has an entire of stock of new players on the field they use the same base offense and defense that they always have. In other words I expect this to be another close Oregon-Fresno State battle.QuarterbacksDe
by nscThe Ducks opened the season with two impressive wins. While they struggled in the first half against Houston, the Ducks were able to use their running game to blow out the Cougars in the end. This past Saturday the Ducks blew out a Michigan team in Ann Arbor that I do not feel is truly that strong. I understand that Oregon runs a very diverse offense in which they allow their QB to do pretty much whatever he wants to. I understand that Dixon is one of the better schoolyard QB's in the college football game today, but the win over Michigan does not tell me that Oregon is going to wipe the Dogs off the field. Last season Oregon started out very strong early on as well as they began the season 4-0. I don't know if this is the same type of team this year around, but once again the Ducks have begun the season hot and Fresno State will have to figure out how to shut down the option offense that Oregon likes to run if they want to win this game. The one positive is that Fresno State k
by nscI am going to have be honest right from the start with all who read the Bulldog blog. There will be very few times this season that I give Fresno State the advantage with respect to the QB situation. I realize that many of you believe in Brandstater but until he proves that he can carry this team on the field I am not going to give the Dogs the advantage in the QB area of play. With that being said Stephen McGee comes into this game as the more accomplished QB if for nothing less than his win-loss record in games he has started at Texas A&M. Without further adieu here is the comparison of the two QB's which includes what they did last season as well:Tom Brandstater - We all know the story with this kid. Tom has the arm. Tom has the size. Tom has the quickness. But will Tom have the confidence and state of mind to succeed in College Station? When all is said and done that is exactly what it comes down to for Brandstater and the Bulldogs. Fresno State needs a team leader and Brand
Before I begin, I just want to take a moment to genuflect upon the oppertunity MDG has given me to be a guest blogger- and as such, my views are my own and may be different from someone else's.The Vivas verdict has been an event in Fresno State athletics that has affected the entire department, and has sweeping after effects and probable outcomes that, while not certain, have a pattern that have been already been played out at other athletic programs in the Cal State system. For those of you who do not know, Lindy Vivas, formerly the woman's volleyball coach, sued Fresno State for gender discrimination after her contract was not renewed this year. After a legal battle, which included Scott Johnson thinking there were 'seven or eight' girls to a side on volleyball (there are, in fact, five), the court awarded Vivas $5.85 million in damages. This decision has made national headlines and has been seen by some as a landmark case for Title IX, as it is the largest award for an anti-gen
Woodland (Calif.) LB Kyle Gallagher wanted to go to Fresno State or Oregon to play college football but neither offered him a scholarship. The Bulldogs offered him a chance to walk on but he declined and he in turn signed with Utah State.The Daily Democrat writes:Fresno State wanted him to come as a walk-on. He declined."They said I was too small. That's pretty much what everyone said. I want to show 'em I can play up there."Obviously, they under-estimated his heart. At times, he single-handedly carried the Wolves' defense last fall.Fresno State signed only one linebacker this past class, Austin Raphael. Chris Carter and Kyle Knox are slated to play on the line and Raphael may even be moved to H-back, he played fullback in high school.I don't believe Fresno State was snubbing Gallagher but in truth the 'Dogs were recruiting few linebackers. And for the first time ever, Fresno State is expected to have the full 85 scholarship players enrolled this fall. I'm sure if one of the "big
Over the years as a Fresno State Bulldog fan I have encountered many conversations about the strengths and the weaknesses of this team. Since I became a large scale follower of the Bulldogs in the late 1990's (I have always been a fan but did not devote my time to the team until this period) there have been many problems this team has endured. At times the QB position has been a mess (Grady although talented was injury prone and we all know about Brandstater's struggles). There have been instances where the WR's have not done their job. We have seen the safeties struggle as well as the corners and LB's from time to time. However, one theme always seem to hold true with Fresno State: We will have a talented and productive Offensive Line. You have to look no further than the past three seasons to understand how dominant the Bulldogs Offensive Line has truly been.
In 2004 Fresno State lost one of the Better RB's ever to set foot in the program in Dwayne Wright. Although this
As we all recall the Fresno State Bulldogs defense in 2006 lacked many components needed to be successful. The most glaring need for Fresno State was that of speed. While players like McCauley ran relatively quick forty times he was forced to do far too much on his own which led to numerous breakdowns in coverage. If Fresno State can hold on to the recruits that are supposed to sign today the defense in the next two years will see a vast improvement with respect to both speed and talent. Fresno State had to address the issue of talent on the defensive side of the ball and it looks like they have done everything in their power to make this happen. With the addition of players such as Jermaine Thomas, Chris Carter, Tim Lang, and Sharrod Davis the Bulldogs defense should be much more athletic and that much faster in the end. Although he was not a recruit from the 2007 class Lorne Bell should be able to step in this upcoming season and make a name for himself as well.
Chris Carter
As 2007 bids adieu to a player commonly referred to as Batman it also welcomes in Fresno State's version of the flash. Anyone who has watched the recruiting videos of Devon Wylie knows exactly why Wylie would be called the Flash . If you have not had the opportunity to see the elusiveness of Wylie take a few minutes out of your day and access youtube.com to watch his high school video highlights. In 2006 Fresno State more often than not struggled with field position as the Bulldogs outstanding kick returner Adam Jennings moved on to the NFL. While at Fresno State Jennings was one of the most electrifying players ever to step in Bulldog stadium. Jennings played with no fear and had no desire to fair catch anything kicked to him. Jennings had the uncanny ability to run backwards ten yards and turn the mess he created into a fifty yard gain. Losing Paul Pinegar turned out to be a big blow to the Fresno State offense. However, losing Adam Jennings may have been the dagger to the he
I have to say when I first heard about Fresno State taking on Texas A&M I was not the happiest of fans. I thought the Cincinatti game was a much better fit with respect to the players and the level we are on right now. However, I never thought 2007 would be the season to make a run in the first place so I guess playing this game is not going to be nearly as horrifying as I first thought it to be. I compare this game to the one David Carr went through when the Dogs traveled to play a decent Ohio State team in 2000 and were handled by the Buckeyes. If Fresno State cannot handle the atmosphere of the twelth man (pictured left) then that is fine, it will be an experience that will only help the Dogs in the years to come. I had originally thought that 2008 would be the year to make a run at the BCS but the schedule seems to be shaping up to be very tough to do so. With three out of four OOC games on the road against K-State, UCLA, and Toledo the Dogs are going to have to play their "A
First off, expect to see a great deal of Dwayne Wright this Saturday. He will get the ball between 25 and 30 times depending on the flow of the game. There is no way Brandstater will throw the ball more than 25 times throughout the course of the game. If the Dogs have to rely on the passing game they will not beat San Jose. San Jose is not the most talented team. I realize they have won seven games but I question how truly good this team is. San Jose's victories have come against teams with a combined record of 21-59 (and that is including div. 1AA Cal Poly who went 7-4.) I am not saying Fresno State is any better because our four wins have not come against very good teams either (aside 8-4 Nevada although that is debatable as well). However, the nation has the view that Fresno State is in a down season while San Jose State has overachieved. I guess this is true if you feel that San Jose beating six of the bottom thirty teams in the nation is overachieving. However, this is an e
It's hard to believe that La. Tech and Fresno State are both having such down seasons simultaneously. You have to say it is much more surprising that Fresno State is having a down year with 16 returning starters. La. Tech for all technical purposes lost their entire defense to graduation this past season. With a depleted defense and an inexperienced offense the Bulldogs of La. Tech were going to have a down season regardless of who their opponents would be. Unfortunately for La. Tech they would open the season @Nebraska, at home against Texas A&M, @ Clemson, and @ Boise State. Only Fresno State's three game stretch of Hawaii, @LSU, and @ Boise State could be comparable to such a tough stretch of football. So what should we look for in Friday night's game between these two teams of whom are both named the 'Bulldogs"?Fresno State is going to do the usual. They Will run Dwayne Wright early and often. With no Sean Norton available even if Brandstater struggles he is our only option at
2006 will mark the end of an era for many Bulldogs at Fresno State (18 I believe). None will be missed more so than Dwayne Wright, the do everything running back that carried this team throughout his career. Wright's path to greatness at Fresno State did not take place without a few speedbumps, but the end result is one that we have become used to with running backs in this program. Wright will end his career while rushing for over a thousand yards in two different seasons and making a name for himself at Fresno State. In order to really respect what Wright has done for Fresno State we as fans should take a look back at Wright's career with the Bulldogs and what he has gone through to get to the point he currently sits at today.
Dwayne Wright broke onto the scene in 2003 when he took the place of Rodney Davis who seemed to be faultering at the running back position. Wright did not disappoint as he rushed for over a thousand yards in his first year with the Dogs. Fresno
Fresno State Recruit Ryan MathewsRivals gave Fresno State's recruiting class an A. The Fresno Bee thought the Bulldogs recruiting class warranted a B+. However, the Fresno State Football Blog is the only source that takes into account what you as readers think of our recruiting class. Although Rivals is a reputable source for recruiting information, they do not consider what we as a city think of the recruits that we have brought into the program for the next four years. I realize that our opinions do not mean much when it comes to how these players perform on the field for Fresno State but we as true fans know what this team needed coming into 2007. We as true Fresno State fans know exactly what can help this team reach that level that we had become used to between the years of 2001-2005. Instead of grading the recruiting as a whole I am going to look at each position and give a grade with respect to what I know Fresno State needed to improve their team for the future.Quarterback: T
Fresno State Recruit Ken Borg If anything became apparent during the 2006 season at Fresno State it was the Bulldogs did not possess the speed on defense to compete in games against teams such as Hawaii, Boise State, or LSU. More often than not the Bulldogs defensive secondary could be seen chasing a RB, WR, or TE down the field due to the lack of speed on defense. Although Marcus McCauley came into the season as one of the more highly touted CB's at Fresno State he would deal with so much pressure that it eventually took its toll on the young man. McCauley was counted on to do far too much during the 2006 season and in the end could not compensate for all of the inexperience in the secondary. While Josh Shirley could hit he always seemed to arrive one second too late. We all know the story of Vincent Mays and how he did not pan out. Elgin Simmons never seemed to grasp the corner position like the Dogs had hoped. The only bright spot in the secondary came with Damon Jenkins, but even
