No. 11 Football Takes on Utah State

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Sept. 10, 2001

No. 11 Fresno State (3-0, 0-0) vs. Utah State (0-2)
Date: Sat., Sept. 15
Kickoff: 7 p.m. PDT
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Stadium: Bulldog Stadium (41,031)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580), 'Dog Talk at 5 p.m., Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward, Analyst: Vince Wesson, Sideline: Ron Shapley
TV: None
Series: Tied 9-9-1

This Week
Fresno State returns home to take on former conference foe Utah State on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.

Last Week
Fresno State defeated 23rd-ranked Wisconsin in Madison, Wis., 32-20. A dominating second half in which the Bulldogs outscored UW 22-0 was the difference. The outburst was keyed by Bernard Berrian, who returned the opening kickoff of the second half 96 yards for a touchdown. The victory marked the first time in program history Fresno State posted back-to-back wins over ranked opponents.

All-Time vs. Utah State
The series is tied 9-9-1 between FS and USU, although the two teams haven't met since 1993. The Aggies and Bulldogs met every year from 1978-91 when they were conference opponents. The last meeting came in 1993, a 30-14 Fresno State win at Bulldog Stadium.

Utah State vs. Fresno State - The Last Time
(FRESNO, Calif. - Sept. 25, 1993) - A then-Bulldog Stadium record crowd watched as Ron Rivers rushed for 106 yards and broke the 36-year old Fresno State career rushing record in a 30-14 win over the Aggies. The Bulldogs jumped to a 20-7 lead after the first quarter one a five-yard run by Rivers and touchdown tosses from Trent Dilfer to Tydus Winans and Charlie Jones. Dilfer finished the game completing 14 of 23 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. The Bulldog defense forced four turnovers. Omar Stoutmire had 20 tackles in the game, 11 of which were unassisted.

Bulldogs in the Rankings
Fresno State made a huge jump in the national rankings this week, moving up to No. 11 in the Associated Press poll and entering the USAToday/ESPN Coaches poll at No. 15. Following are some Fresno State rankings factoids:

The No. 11 ranking is the highest the Bulldogs have ever been rated.
This year marks the first time since the 1993 season Fresno State has appeared in the rankings.
The highest Fresno State has ever ended the season in the rankings is No. 16, which came after the 1985 season, in which FS went 11-0-1 and defeated Bowling Green 51-7 in the California Bowl.

Ticket Information
Season tickets are no longer being sold, however single-game tickets for each of the five remaining home games are available by calling the Fresno State Athletics Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS. Bulldog Stadium seat options are also available.

Bulldogs vs. the BCS Conferences
Through the first three games of the 2001 season, Fresno State has proven it is as good as teams from the power conferences. The Bulldogs opened the year with a 24-22 win at Colorado of the Big 12. The next week, FS took out 2000 Pac-10 co-champ and 10th-ranked Oregon State 44-24. Last week, the Bulldogs traveled to Madison, Wis., and defeated the Big Ten's Wisconsin Badgers, winner of two of the last three Rose Bowls, 32-20. Fresno State has two non-conference games left - this week against Utah State (Division I-A independent) and Oct. 13 at Colorado State (Mountain West Conference).

SI Recognizes Hill
Fresno State head coach Pat Hill was selected the 2000 Bowl Coach of the Year by Sports Illustrated... "Fresno State's Pat Hill kept his players focused after they fell behind Air Force 34-7 in the Silicon Valley Bowl, and when the Bulldogs pulled to within 37-34 he disdained a 33-yard field goal attempt with 14 seconds to go and called for a fake kick. The ensuing pass fell incomplete, but what kid wouldn't want to play for a coach like that?"

Home Sweet Home
The Bulldogs have won 16 consecutive home games. Since the 1997 season, Pat Hill's first as head coach, Fresno State is 20-3 at Bulldog Stadium and have outscored their opponents by a combined 798-394 for an average margin of victory of 35-17. In addition, the 'Dogs are drawing well, averaging 37,888 fans per game since 1997. Fresno State has sold a record 32,855 season tickets for this season and attracted a Bulldog Stadium record crowd of 42,410 against Oregon State in the home opener.

Success at Bulldog Stadium
Fresno State's 44-24 victory over No. 10 Oregon State gave the Bulldogs their 16th consecutive victory at Bulldog Stadium, a winning streak which ranks third-best in the nation. FS has not lost at home since falling 27-24 to Nevada on Sept. 26, 1998. Since, Fresno State has posted home victories over teams such as Hawai'i (twice), Colorado State, BYU and TCU. Following are the top home winning streaks in the nation:

No  Team               Win Streak1)  Florida State              362)  Oregon                     223)  Fresno State               16

Racking Up the Points at Home
Fresno State has not only won consistently at home, it has done so quite convincingly. Since the 2000 season opener, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 226-97 over six games at Bulldog Stadium, good for an average score of 38-16. In this year's home opener, FS kept the trend going by taking out No. 10 Oregon State 44-24. The Bulldogs have scored 24 or more points in 15 out of their last 18 home games.

Taking the Attendance to Another Level
After showing up in record numbers last year, Fresno State fans got 2001 off to a rocking start when 42,410 crammed Bulldog Stadium (41,031) to watch FS defeat then-No. 10 Oregon State 44-24 in the home opener. That number places the Bulldogs third in the west and 13th in the nation in percent of stadium capacity filled. Last year, Fresno State ranked second among western schools and 22nd in the nation, filling Bulldog Stadium at 100.82 percent capacity. Fresno State ranked above perennial powers Kansas State (24th), Notre Dame (25th), and Georgia (30th). With a record of nearly 32,000 season tickets sold and a team that is ranked among the top 15 in the nation, Fresno State may break last year's gaudy attendance numbers. Following is a breakdown of where the Bulldogs rate regionally and in the WAC in percent of stadium capacity filled this year:

-- In the WAC --No Team           G   % of Cap.  Nat'l Rank1) Fresno State   1    103.36        132) Boise State    1     92.32        383) SMU            1     75.38        564) UTEP           1     72.50        645) Tulsa          1     51.60        816) Rice           1     25.35        917) Hawai'I        1     53.60        95*8) Louisiana Tech 1     44.60        96#No home games: Nevada, San Jose State* First game played in Maui, Hawaii# First game played in Shreveport, La.
-- In the West --No Team           G   % of Cap.  Nat'l Rank1) New Mexico     1    112.89         32) Oregon         2    109.87         53) Fresno State   1    103.36        134) Washington     1    102.18        185) Colorado St.   1    100.00        256) Boise State    1     92.32        38

WAC Coaching Leader
Pat Hill is the active WAC coaching leader in winning percentage with a record of 21-10 (.677). Here's how the other WAC coaches rank.

                    Overall (years)  Pct.    Current School (years)   Pct.Ken Hatfield, Rice    148-104-4 (22)  .586         35-42-1 (8)        .564Mike Cavan, SMU            18-28 (5)  .483           18-28 (5)        .483June Jones, Hawai'i          6-8 (2)  .429             6-8 (2)        .429

Over the Hill
Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs are 20-3 at home and 16-1 in WAC home games with 12 consecutive home WAC wins. The only WAC team to win at Bulldog Stadium was San Diego State, which posted a 20-19 in 1997. His .870 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years experience. His conference home winning percentage of .941 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' three home losses over the last four seasons combined to equal the number of home losses Fresno State suffered in 1996, the season before Hill took over as head coach. Under Hill, Fresno State has won 16 games in a row at home, the third longest home winning streak in the nation.

Reviving the Running Game
Last season, third-team running back Josh Levi became Fresno State's rushing leader with 397 yards. That was the lowest total by FS leading rusher since 1983 when Calvin Scruggs led the 'Dogs with 343 yards. This year, however, has been a different story. With a healthy Paris Gaines in the backfield, the Bulldogs ground attack is back at full throttle. Fresno State rushed for a season-high 174 yards against Wisconsin, including 86 by Gaines, the most by a FS running back since Josh Levi amassed 93 against Hawai'i last year. After rushing for only 375 yards in 2000, Gaines already has 198 in 2001. The Vista, Calif., native spent all of last year at less than 100 percent after suffering a torn ACL in the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl in 1999. His best effort as year was 70 yards against Tulsa. Also impressive were Gaines' 19 carries against Wisconsin, more than he carried the ball in any game last year except one (20 times, 66 yards at San Jose State).

Fast Starts
The Bulldogs are 3-0 for the first time since 1995. Fresno State has not been 4-0 in 10 years. Here' s a look at what the FS teams that started the season with a 3-0 record have done since 1980.

       Final          FinalYear    Overall Rec    Conf. Rec/Finish1995    5-7            2-6/7th1991    10-2           6-1/1st (California Bowl)1990    8-2-1          5-1/2nd1989    11-1           7-0/1st (California Bowl)1986    9-2            6-1/2nd1985    11-0-1         7-0/1st (California Bowl)1984    6-6            3-4/5th1982    11-1           6-0/1st (California Bowl)

All-WAC Back
Fresno State returns four players who have earned first-team All-WAC honors, with three of those coming on the defensive side of the ball. Senior defensive tackle Alan Harper is the only player in the WAC to have been selected first-team All-WAC for two years. The Bulldogs return to two players who were first-team All-WAC award winners in 1999, receiver Rodney Wright and safety Anthony Limbrick, but both spent considerable time injured last season. Here are Fresno State's returning players who have earned honors:

All-WAC First Team Defense
Alan Harper, DT (1999, 2000) Vernon Fox, SS (2000) Anthony Limbrick (1999)

All-WAC First Team Offense
Rodney Wright, WR (1999)

All-WAC Second Team Offense
Bernard Berrian, WR (2000) David Carr, QB (2000) Charles Smith, WR (1999)

All-WAC Honorable Mention Offense
Bernard Berrian, RS (2000) Jeremy Johnson, TE (2000) Joe Schey, LT (2000) Charles Smith, WR (2000)

All-WAC Honorable Mention Defense
Nick Burley, DE (1999, 2000) Justin Johnson,. LB (1999) Bryce McGill, FS (2000) Tierre Sams, CB (2000)

Freshman All-America (The Sporting News, Football Weekly)
Jeremy Johnson, TE (First Team)

GTE CoSida Academic District VIII
Joe Schey, LT (Second Team)

Tricks are For Kids
The Bulldogs have thwarted five consecutive fake field goal or fake punt attempts over the last two seasons, denying either a first down or touchdown. The last team to attempt a fake field goal on the Bulldogs was SMU last season, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped six of the last seven fake attempts dating back to 1997.

Block Party
Fresno State's special teams have thrust themselves into the nation's elite in blocking punts and kicks. Since Pat Hill took over as head coach prior to the 1997, the Bulldogs have blocked 28 punts and kicks, including an extra point at Colorado that ended up being the difference in the game. Following is a breakdown of Fresno State's kick blocking prowess since 1997:

      Blocked   Blocked        Punts   PAT & FG   Total1997      3         1        41998      2         4        61999      4         6       102000      2         5        72001      0         1        1--------------------------------Totals   11        17       28

Berrian Breaks Out
Against Wisconsin, Bernard Berrian had a game that ranks among the very best performances in Fresno State history. The junior wide receiver caught eight passes for 102 yards, had 16 yards rushing on two carries, posted 29 yards on two punt returns and electrified the Bulldogs with 153 kickoff return yards, including a 96-yarder for a touchdown to begin the second half. All told, the Winton, Calif., native left Camp Randall Stadium with 300 total yards. Berrian's kickoff return for a touchdown was the first by a Bulldog since Jaime Kimbrough's 96-yard return against San Jose State on Nov. 21, 1998. The gaudy numbers Berrian posted against Wisconsin should not be surprising given the way he burst onto the scene in 2000. The junior began last year as Rodney Wright's backup but quickly saw action when Wright went down with a calf strain. In the final seven games last season, Berrian had five 100-plus yard games and one punt return for a touchdown. He also had a huge performance in the Silicon Valley Football Classic, in which he caught seven passes for 162 yards and touchdowns of 47 and 51 yards in length.

Who's Better, Who's Best?
Entering the 2001 season, big things were expected of the Fresno state wide receiving corps. After three games, none of the wideouts have disappointed. The threesome of senior Rodney Wright, junior Bernard Berrian and sophomore Marque Davis have seemingly taken turns serving as stars of the game. Following is a breakdown of the big games each has posted in 2001:

    Player           Opponent       Key Statistics

Marque Davis at Colorado 8 rec., 95 yds., 1 TD
Rodney Wright Oregon State 7 rec., 182 yds. (career high), 2 TDs
Bernard Berrian at Wisconsin 8 rec., 102 yds., 1 TD, 300 all-purpose yds
Marque is OK
Sophomore wide receiver Marque Davis had his biggest game as a Bulldog against Colorado in the season opener, pulling in eight catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. The last of those eight catches may have been the biggest - a 16-yard gain on 3rd-and-14 with less than two minutes remaining and Fresno State attempting to salt the clock away. The Dos Palos, Calif., native was redshirted last year after missing nearly all of last year after sustaining an abdominal injury after the Ohio State game. Against CU, Davis surpassed his career receiving statistics. Prior to the Colorado game, he had six receptions for 37 yards and one touchdown in his career.

Whom to Cover?
The wide receivers aren't the only ones who do damage catching the football. Tight end Jeremy Johnson corralled a career-high seven passes for 73 yards and a touchdown against Oregon State. In addition, running back Paris Gaines and Alec Greco each chipped in a catch against Wisconsin. In all, eight different Bulldogs have caught passes in 2001 for the Bulldogs.
Conference Countdown
For the third straight week, the Bulldogs beat a team from a BCS Conference. After beating a Big 12 opponent (Colorado 24-22) in the first week, the Bulldogs hosted a Pac-10 team (Oregon State, W 44-24) in week two. The Bulldogs made it a trifecta winning at Wisconson 32-20. The Bulldogs have two remaining non-conference games, one against an independant (Utah State) on Sept. 15 and another against Mountain West Conference favorite Colorado State, a preseason top 25 team, on Oct. 13.
Tough Sledding
The Bulldogs have taken on one of the toughest schedules in school history, as the first three opponents of the 2001 season are against teams that are ranked in the nation's top 27 teams by both the Associated Press and USA Today's Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs kicked off the 2001 season beating Colorado (No. 27 in both polls) 24-22 in Boulder and followed with a win against Oregon State (No. 10 AP, No. 12 ESPN/USA Today Coaches, No. 1 Sports Illustrated). Then, Fresno State won its first-ever game against a Bog Ten opponent, beating No. 23 Wisconsin 32-20 at Madison, Wisc.. During the season, Fresno State will play four teams that won bowl games last season (Oregon State, Wisconsin, Colorado State and Boise State).
Road Woes
Fresno State has not been as successful as coach Pat Hill would like in the road. All four of Fresno State's regular season losses last season were on the road. The 'Dogs were 2-4 on the road in 2000 and are 8-17 on the road under Hill, including 5-7 in WAC road games. Fresno State is also 0-2 in neutral site games under Hill. The Bulldogs are averaging just 19.7 points per road game under Hill, while scoring 34.7 points per game at home.
In Case You Missed It
Fresno State received one first place vote in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN coaches poll ... Rodney Wright moved up to No. 5 on the Fresno State receivoing yardage list, passing teammate Charles Smith and Malcolm Seabron with his 87 yards against Wisconsin. He needs 69 yards for 2,000 receiving yards in his career. Wright is sixtrh in the nation in receiving yards per game (94.5) ... Bernard Berrian's 96 yard kick return for a touchdown was the first by a Bulldog since Jamie Kimbrough had a 96-yarder against San Jose State in 1998 ... Six of Brett Visintainer's 20 kickoffs this season have been touchbacks, which is more than he had during the entire 2000 season (four) ... Wisconsin is the only team to hold a lead on the Bulldogs this season. Fresno State's 10 point deficit (20-10) is against the Badgers is the largest of the season ... In 2000, Fresno State failed to produce a first-team all-conference offensive player for the first time since 1978 ... Only two of David Carr's 10 interceptions last season came at home. He completed .672 of his pass attempts in Bulldog Stadium ... Fresno State has not had a 100-yard rusher in a game in the last 16 games. The last Bulldog to rush for morethan 100 yards in a game was Josh Levi with 124 vs. San Jose State (Nov. 20, 1999) ... Jason Simpson ranks No. 2 in the nation in punting with an average of 49.0 ... Fresno State is 3-0 for the first time since 1995. The Bulldogs have not been 4-0 since 1991 ... Fresno State has won its last four games against teams from a BCS conference.
Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 10 losses dating back to 1999, nine were to teams that have either been nationally ranked or played in a bowl game. Three of Fresno State's losses last season were to ranked opponents (No. 16 Ohio State, No. 15 UCLA, No. 17 TCU). Of the last 10 losses, the only loss to a non-ranked non-bowl team was to SMU 24-14 on Oct. 14, 1999. That was also the last loss Fresno State suffered to a team with a losing record.
Smith, Woltz Out
Senior receiver Charles Smith will not play against the Beavers after spraining the MCL in his right knee in a scrimmage on August 13. Smith will be evaluated by the Fresno State medical staff on weekly basis and could return for the Tulsa game on Sept. 22. Defensive tackle Justin Woltz suffered a similar injury against Oregon State and he is likely out three more weeks.
Smurfs
Despite their diminutive stature, the duo of Charles Smith and Rodney Wright were the most explosive receiving combo in the nation in 2000 until Wright's was injured causing him to miss five games. Smith has an injured knee and is expected back in a couple of weeks. They are also Fresno State's top two returners and rank in Fresno State's career top 10 list for receptions and yards. Last week Wright moved past Malcolm Seaborn to No. 5 all-time in receiving yards. He needs 69 for 2,000 in his career.

                 ------CAREER------   ----------2001----------                 Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD  Rec  Yards  Avg.  TDCharles Smith    134   1,834   13.7   16  N/A   N/A   N/A   N/ARodney Wright    135   1,931   14.3   14   17   283   16.6   3Totals           261   3,556   14.3   30   17   283   16.6   3
Fresno State Career ReceptionsNo Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD4. Henry Ellard (1979-82)      138   2,974   21.4   255. Rodney Wright (1998-)       135   1,931   14.3   146. Charles Smith (1998-)       134   1,834   13.7   16
No Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD5. Rodney Wright (1998-)       135   1,931   14.3   146. Malcolm Seabron (1990-93)    90   1,874   20.8   187. Charles Smith (1998-)       134   1,834   13.7   16

Carr's Bodyguards
Quarterback David Carr is more thankful than anyone that Fresno State will have the biggest and strongest offensive line in school history. With an average of 6-4 and 307 pounds, Fresno State's line is expected to be a strength, providing Carr with time to throw and open holes for the Bulldog backs. Four of the five starters started at various times last season. Oneof the two newcomers to the group is the biggest player on offense, right guard Victor Taifane, who was a two-year starter at West Hills College. The Bodyguards have been doing an good job in protecting their quarterback - Carr has been sacked just six times in 114 pass plays, only once every 19 attempts.
No Holding Harper
Senior defensive tackle Alan Harper, an All-America canidate, is on both the Lombardi Awards and Outland Trophy watch this season. He has been one of the most dominating defensive players in the WAC the last two seasons, earning first-team All-WAC honors each year. Harper has the potential to become the best defensive lineman in school history. He had a career-high 10 tackles vs. TCU last season.  Harper was selected by the media as the 2001 Preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Harper has been awarded a Bulldog blackshirt in 13 of the last 14 games. A blackshirt is awarded by the FS defensive coaches for totally dominating their position in the previous game.

Alan Harper             2001          CareerTackles for Losses      4-18      36-124Quarterback Sacks       4-16       14-69

Getting Defensive
Alan Harper said he believes Fresno State's defensive front is the best in the nation and if the first two game are any indication, be just might be right. Fresno State leads the WAC with 15 sacks through three games, and 27 tackles for losses in the first three games, but even more impressive than that has been that the Bulldogs have allowed just 73.7 rushing yards per game and an average of 2.3 yards per carry. That includes holding Heisman Trophy candidate Ken Simonton of Oregon State to just 42 yards and a 2.8 yards per carry average. It was the lowest total for Simonton in nearly three years.
Fantastic Fox
There's more to playing defensive back than making interceptions. Senior safety Vernon Fox, who has not had an interception since the 1998 season, was selected first-team All-WAC by the league's coaches in 2000, an award that was applauded by the Bulldog coaches who felt it came a year too late. Fox was one of six players in the WAC with more than 100 tackles in 1999, leading the 'Dogs with 103, yet was left off both the first and second teams. Fox had 64 tackles in 2000, fourth on the team, plus had six tackles for losses and three quarterback sacks. Fox graduated with a 3.46 GPA in sociology and is enrolled in graduate school at Fresno State.
Getting His Kicks
No player has improved more on the Bulldog team than junior punter Jason Simpson. In his first season, Simpson averaged 38.0 yards per punt nad was very good at placing the ball stopping 18 punts inside the 20 yard line. This season, Simpson has improved his average by 11 yards per punt to 49.0, which ranks second in the NCAA.
Blackshirts and Bad 'Dogs
Fresno State has a unique way of honoring strong defensive efforts during games. Every week after defensive coordinator Dan Brown reviews game film, he makes note of the Bulldogs players who thoroughly dominated their position during the game. These players then receive plain black shirts to wear during practice the following week. Players not receiving blackshirts wear their normal practice uniform. Listed below is the game-by-game blackshirt list:

Game             Blackshirt Playersat Colorado......Alan Harper, Jason Stewart, Nick Burley, Maurice Rodriguez,                 Vernon Fox, Devon Banks, Bryce McGill, Tierre SamsOregon State.....Alan Harper, Jason Stewart, Nick Burley, Jake Probst,                 Clarence Denning, Maurice Rodriguez, Vernon Fox, Devon Banks,                 Bryce McGill, Tierre Sams, Kendall Edwardsat Wisconsin.....Alan Harper, Jaosn Stewart, Nick Burley, Marc Dailey,                 Devon Banks, Vernon Fox
Bad 'Dogs: Marque Davis (at Colorado), Rodney Wright (Oregon State)

Preseason Palaver
Fresno State has been the unanimous selection to win the 2001 WAC football championship. Here's what the preseason publications and WAC media said about the Bulldogs.Athlon Sports
1. Fresno StateWAC Defensive Player of the Year: Alan Harper
Lindy's
1. Fresno StateWAC Offensive Player of the Year: David Carr
Nationally Ranked Players (by position): No. 19 Carr
First-team All-WAC: Carr, Jeremy Johnson, Schey, Burley, Harper, Fox

Preview Sports
1. Fresno State
First-team All-WAC: Harper, Fox, Carr, Michael, Jeremy Johnson

The Sporting News
1. Fresno State
First-team All-WAC: Harper, Carr, Schey, Sams, Fox
Nationally Ranked Players (by position): No. 11 Carr, No. 14 Harper

Street and Smith's
1. Fresno State
WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Alan Harper
Honorable Mention All-America: Harper, Fox, Berrian, Carr

WAC Media
Preseason Selection: 1. Fresno State
WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Alan Harper

'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 20-3 under Pat Hill at home, including 16 consecutive wins.
FS is 15-1 in its last 16 WAC home games.
Fresno State has won 20 straight games when leading at halftime. Under Pat Hil the Bulldogs are 25-2 when leading at the half.
Fresno State's victories over No. 23 Wisconsin and No. 10 Oregon State were the first time in program history it had defeated ranked opponents on back-to-back weeks.
The win over the Badgers was also the program's first over a Big Ten team.
A crowd of 78,506 watched Fresno State play Wisconsin, the largest attendance ever to witness a Bulldog victory.
FS has thrown 61 touchdowns and only 16 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 128 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 152 of the last 153 home games.
FS is 20-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 24-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs have less turnovers than their opponents.
FS has outscored its opponents 955-625 over the last 32 games (30-20 per game average).
The 'Dogs allowed a school record-low 13 quarterback sacks in 1999 just 20 in 2000. They have allowed seven so far this year.
Fresno State has produced six first-team All-WAC defensive players over the last two seasons. Three of those (Vernon Fox, Alan Harper and Anthony Limbrick) return this season.
The FS defense had 122 tackles for losses for -459 yards in 2000. This year, they have already accumulated 28 for -111 yards.
The 'Dogs have led the WAC in scoring in three of the last nine years, including a nation's best 40.5 average in 1992. They are averaging 33.3 points per game this year, including a 44-point outburst against No. 10 Oregon State.
FS has produced two quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer and Bill Volek) who set NCAA records in the last seven years. Both are in the NFL, Dilfer with the Seattle Seahawks and Volek is with the Tennessee Titans.
FS has produced a first-team All-WAC punter (Jeff Roberts, 1998) and kicker (Jeff Hanna, 1999) since the 1998 season.
Fresno State's third down conversion percentage dropped from 50 percent in 1999 to 35 percent in 2000. The Bulldogs were 5-of-15 vs. Colorado and 5-of-13 against Oregon State on third downs.
Only two Fresno State every down starters are not from California. Defensive end Jake Probst is from Midway, Utah, and safety Vernon Fox is from Las Vegas. Kicker Asen Asparuhov is a native of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Fresno State was 2-2 on national television (Fox Sports Net) last season and are 3-0 this year (ESPN and ESPN2).
Fresno State has played in front of crowds larger than 40,000 in every game since the 2000 opener except three.
The Bulldogs played in front of stadium record-setting crowds in the 2000 season opener vs. Ohio State (96,583) and the home opener (42,285) vs. Cal in 2000.
For the second consecutive year, Fresno State set a stadium attendance record in the home opener. This year, 42,410 fans jammed Bulldog Stadium, surpassing the former record of 42,285, established against California in the 2000 opener.
Fresno State has sold out five of the last six games at Bulldog Stadium with an average attendance of 41,543, 500 more than the stadium's capacity of 41,031.
After both Colorado (11-of-21) and Oregon State (8-of-17) converted third downs at or near a 50 percent clip, the Bulldogs held Wisconsin to only 5-of-15 on third downs, including 1-for-7 in the second half.
Fresno State is 6-1 in games when Rodney Wright catches a touchdown pass. The only loss was in 1999 at SMU, 24-14, when Wright caught two touchdowns.
The Bulldogs are 9-3 when David Carr throws a touchdown pass including wins in four of the last five games he has thrown a touchdown.
Fresno State is a combined 10-1 when either Josh Levi (4-0) or Paris Gaines (6-1) rush for a touchdown in a game.
Fresno State has converted on three of the last four two-point conversion attempts including two consecutive.
Fresno State is 14-of-16 in the "compete zone", scoring on 88 percent of the time inside the 25-yard line. The 'Dogs have scored eight touchdowns in 12 attempts inside the "compete zone".
The Bulldogs are 7-1 in their last eight games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in each of the last nine games has been a touchdown. The Bulldog's first score has been a touchdown in 13 of the last 14 games. Fresno State had a safety against Rice for the only non-touchdown first score.
The Bulldogs have scored a touchdown on their opening drive in each of the last two games. The average drive numbers are: 10 plays, 3:47, and 62 yards.
The Bulldog defense has allowed just one score on an opening drive (at Wisconsin) but against Colorado (three and out) and Oregon State (six plays and punt) have been good on opening drives.


'Dog Bones (Individual)

Kicker Asen Asparuhov has made 16-of-25 field goal attempts (.640) during his career.
Asparuhov tied his career-high with three field goals against Wisconsin (9/8/01).
Asparuhov kicked a 43-yard field goal against Colorado, tying his career high.

Safety Devon Banks has picked off a team-high two passes this year.
Banks was selected first-team All-WAC by The Sporting News after the 2000 season.

Junior cornerback Juan Bautista was awarded a scholarship during fall camp and was the unanimous selection by his teammates as the special teams captian for the 2001 season.

Receiver Bernard Berrian had a game to remember against Wisconsin, totaling 300 all-purpose yards (153 on kickoff returns, 102 receiving, 29 on punt returns and 16 rushing)
Berrian has six 100-yard games in his last 10 contests.
Berrian was named second-team All-WAC last year by the league's coaches.
Berrian owns five of the top 50 receiving yardage games in school history and had a career-high162 yards vs. Air Force in the 2000 Silicon Valley Football Classic..

David Carr was named the national player of the week by USA Today and CNN/SI after throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns against No. 10 Oregon State (9/2/01).
Carr has thrown just one interception in 139 pass attempts and has thrown just four in his last 255 attempts over the last eight games. He has thrown 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions in his last four games.
Carr was named the MVP of the Jim Thorpe Classic as the Bulldogs beat Colorado 24-22. Carr threw for 198 yards and one touchdown and ran for another touchdown.
David Carr ranked 37th in the NCAA in total offense (219.8/game) and 20th in pass efficiency (135.4).
Carr threw for a career-high 391 yards and five touchdowns vs. Air Force in the Silicon Valley Football Classic.
Carr was selected second-team All-WAC in 2000.
Carr had 394 total yards vs. Air Force in the Silicon Valley Football Classic, the seventh-best total in Fresno State history.
Carr was named the MVP of the Jim Thorpe Classic as the Bulldogs beat Colorado 24-22. Carr threw for 198 yards and one touchdown and ran for another touchdown.

All-WAC strong safety Vernon Fox has at least one tackle in 33 consecutive games.
Fox led the team with 103 tackles in 1999 and was fifth last year with 68.
Fox, an Academic All-America Candidate, graduated in May with a 3.46 GPA in sociology. He has begun work on a master's degree.

Running back Paris Gaines suffered a torn ligament in his right knee in the 1999 EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl. He has 1,437 rushing yards in his career, including 198 this year.

All-WAC defensive tackle Alan Harper has at least one tackle in 34 straight games, the longest streak on the Fresno State defense. He has been awarded a blackshirt every game since the 2000 season opener but one.
Harper ranked second in the WAC in 1999 in tackles for a loss with 15 for -47 yards. He had 16 for minus 61 yards last season, also second-best in the WAC.
Harper was voted the WAC Preseason Player of the Year by the media.
Harper is on the watch lists for both the Lombardi and Outland Trophy Awards.

Tight end Jeremy Johnson was fourth on the team in receiving yards with 285 on 27 receptions.
Johnson was named a first-team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
Johnson had a career-high seven receptions against Oregon State for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Josh Levi, who was fourth on the depth chart at the beginning of the 2000 season, led the Bulldogs in rushing with 397 yards in 2000.
Levi best performance as a Bulldog was 93 yards on 20 carries against Hawai'i (11/4/00).

Free safety Anthony Limbrick, who broke his right thumb vs. Ohio State and missed the season, was rated as the ninth-best safety in the nation by Lindy's prior to last season.

Freshman safety Bryce McGill ranked second on the team in sacks with six for -36 yards last year.
Through three weeks, McGill is second on the squad with 25 tackles, including four for loss, two sacks and one interception.

Cornerback Tierre Sams ran a 10.46 100 meters in high school, which at one point was the fastest time by a high school in the nation.
After leading the team with four last year, Sams has one interception in 2001.

Junior right tackle Joe Schey was named to the Verizon Academic All-District second team. He has a 3.3 GPA in sociology.
Schey was selected preseason All-WAC by Lindy's and The Sporting News.

Safety Cameron Worrell was a walk-on to the team who earned a scholarship after fall camp.

Rodney Wright was selected the WAC Offensive Player of the Week after his eight receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns vs. Oregon State (9/2/01).
A 1999 All-WAC receiver, Wright missed six games with a torn calf in 2000. He ranked fourth in the nation in receptions per game (7.5) before the injury.
Wright had seven receptions for a career-high 182 yards against Oregon State (9/2/01).
Wright had a career-high 13 catches against California (9/23/00).
Wright is averaging 24.5 yards per reception this season.
Wright posted 87 receiving yards at Wisconsin and now has 1,931 in his career. He needs 60 receptions to break the Fresno State career record. He had 74 receptions as a sophomore in 1999, earning first-team All-WAC honors.

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