No. 10 Football Takes on Louisiana Tech in Homecoming Game

Sept. 24, 2001

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No. 10 Fresno State (4-0, 1-0) vs. Louisiana Tech (1-1, 0-0)
Date: Sat., Sept. 29
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: KFRE WB 59
Play-by-play: Ralph Wood, Analyst: Randy Rosenbloom, Sideline: TBA
Series: Fresno State leads 2-0

This Week
It's homecoming on the Fresno State campus as the Bulldogs host Louisiana Tech. Fresno State is currently ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press poll and No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.

Heisman Trophy at Bulldog Stadium
In conjunction with the Homecoming festivities and the emegence of David Carr as a Heisman Trophy candidate, the 2001 Heisman Trophy will be available for public viewing at the Fresno State vs. Louisiana Tech game. The Heisman Trophy will be on display in front of the Bulldog weight room.

All-Time vs. Louisiana Tech
Fresno State has beaten Louisiana Tech in the only two meetings between the schools. The teams first met in 1986, which FS won 34-10 at Bulldog Stadium. The only other meeting came in 1992, a 48-14 Bulldog win in Fresno.

Louisiana Tech vs. Fresno State - The Last Time
(FRESNO, Calif. - Oct. 3, 1992) - Fresno State quarterback Trent Dilfer completed just 13 passes in the game, but five of those were touchdowns in a 48-14 win over Louisiana Tech, which entered the game as one of the nation's best defensive teams. FS racked up 405 total yards in the game. Derek Mahoney had a record-setting night for Fresno State, setting a school record for consecutive PATs with his 89th consecutive. The Fresno State defense held La Tech to just 231 yards, led by Zack Rix who had nine tackles and three quarterback sacks.

Bulldogs in the Rankings
Fresno State made a jump in the national rankings this week, moving up to No. 10 in the Associated Press poll and No. 13 in the ESPN/USAToday coaches poll. Following are some Fresno State rankings factoids:

The No. 10 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. Only about 3,000 tickets remain for Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech.

Bulldogs No. 1 in AJC Poll
Although the Bulldogs are ranked No. 10 in the AP poll and No. 13 by coaches, they come in at No. 1 in the latest Atlanta Journal Constitution Computer Rankings, one of eight computer polls used to determine which teams plays in the BCS bowls. The AJC poll places less weight on margin of victory and more on wins and losses.

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 - Oct. 13 at Colorado State (Mountain West Conference) and Dec. 1 against Utah State (Division I-A independent).

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 (16-1 WAC) 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                     233)  Fresno State               164)  Virginia Tech              14

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. This year, 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.

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    148-105-4 (22)  .586         35-42-1 (8)        .564Mike Cavan, SMU            18-28 (5)  .483           18-28 (5)        .483June Jones, Hawai'i          6-9 (2)  .429             6-9 (2)        .429

Over the Hill
Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs are 20-3 at home and 16-1 in WAC home games with 13 consecutive home conference 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 199 yards against Tulsa, including 107 by Levi, the most by a FS running back since he amassed 123 against San Jose State in 1999. After rushing for only 375 yards in 2000, Gaines already has 225 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 last 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 4-0 for the first time since 1991 and the sixth time in school history. Here's a look at what the FS teams that started the season with a 4-0 record have done since 1980. None of those teams won three of four on the road.

       Final          FinalYear    Overall Rec    Conf. Rec/Finish1991    10-2           6-1/1st (California Bowl)1990    8-2-1          5-1/2nd1989    11-1           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 six 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 Tulsa last week, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped seven of the last eight 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 came back last week and established career highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (169) in addition to two touchdown catches.

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
Bernard Berrian at Tulsa 9 rec., 169 yds., 2 TDs
Big-Time Bryce
Each game, it seems as if sophomore free safety Bryce McGill makes his presence felt. Not only is he second on the team in tackles with 30, but he has done the intangibles that help the Bulldogs win. In the season opener at Colorado, his vicious hit on CU quarterback Craig Ochs led to a fumble which Fresno State recovered. He had a game-high 11 tackles and an interception against Oregon State. And in Saturday's WAC opener at Tulsa, he picked off two passes, the second of which set up a touchdown in FS's 37-18 victory.

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?
David Carr hasn't just limited his pass distribution to wide receivers. He has spread the wealth around the field to a variety of different Bulldogs. In all, 11 different players have caught passes this year. His favorite target has been Bernard Berrian, who has 23 receptions for 366 yards.
Conference Countdown
For the first three weeks of the 2001 season, 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 against Mountain West Conference favorite Colorado State, a preseason top 25 team, on Oct. 13 and an independent (Utah State) on Dec.1.
Tough Sledding
The Bulldogs have taken on the toughest schedule in school history, with the first three opponents of the 2001 season against teams that were ranked in the nation's top 27 teams by both the Associated Press and USA Today's coaches poll at the time of the game. The Bulldogs kicked off the 2001 season beating Colorado (No. 27 in both polls) 24-22 in Boulder, Colo., and followed with a win against Oregon State (No. 10 AP, No. 12 USA Today /ESPN Coaches, No. 1 Sports Illustrated ). Then, Fresno State won its first-ever game against a Big Ten opponent, beating No. 23 Wisconsin 32-20 at Madison, Wis. 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
Entering the 2001 season, Fresno State had not been as successful as head coach Pat Hill would have liked on the road. But this year, that has changed. The Bulldogs are 3-0 away from Fresno this year, including wins at Colorado and Wisconsin. Overall, Fresno State is 10-17 on the road under Hill, including wins in its last four contests. FS still finds scoring on the road more difficult than at home. The Bulldogs are averaging just 19.7 points per road game while piling up 34.7 per game in Bulldog Stadium.
In Case You Missed It
Fresno State is averaging 34.2 points per game, which is 25th in the nation, against competition that includes three teams ranked in the top 31 in the nation (Oregon State, then No. 10, Wisconsin then No. 23 and currently 31st, and Colorado, now No. 26) ... Fresno State is averaging 38 points per game against top 25 teams ... Fresno State is 4-0 with three of those wins on the road. The Bulldogs are averaging 31 points per game on the road while allowing just 20 points per game on the road ... For the second week in a row, Fresno State will be playing a team coming off an abnormally long layoff. Louisiana Tech will have not played a game in 20 days entering Saturday night's contest. Last week, Tulsa had 23 days off before its game with the Bulldogs ... Josh Levi's 100-yard game against Tulsa was the team's first since Levi rushed for 123 against San Jose State on Nov. 20, 1999 ... Sophomore tight end Jeremy Johnson suffered a broken bone in his wrist during the Wisconsin game and will miss the remainder of the season ... Rodney Wright moved up to No. 5 on the Fresno State receiving yardage list, passing teammate Charles Smith and Malcolm Seabron with his 87 yards against Wisconsin. He needs 25 yards for 2,000 receiving yards in his career. Wright is eighth in the nation in receiving yards per game (81.75) ... Bernard Berrian's 96-yard kick return for a touchdown against Wisconsin was the first by a Bulldog since Jamie Kimbrough had a 96-yarder against San Jose State in 1998 ... Nine of Brett Visintainer's 27 kickoffs this season have been touchbacks, which is more touchbacks than he had during the entire 2000 season (four) ... Only two of David Carr's 10 interceptions last season came at home. He completed .672 of his pass attempts in Bulldog Stadium ... Jason Simpson ranks No. 3 in the nation in punting with an average of 48.1 ... Fresno State is 4-0 for the first time since 1991, when it finished 10-2 and won the Big West Conference ... 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.
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.  TDRodney Wright    138   1,975   14.3   14   20   327   16.4   3Charles Smith    136   1,854   13.6   16    2    20   10.0  10Totals           274   3,829   14.3   30   22   347   15.8   13
Fresno State Career ReceptionsNo Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD4. Henry Ellard (1979-82)      138   2,974   21.4   255. Rodney Wright (1998-)       138   1,975   14.3   146. Charles Smith (1998-)       136   1,854   13.6   16
No Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD4. Larry Willis (1983-84)      142   2,260   15.9   145. Rodney Wright (1998-)       138   1,975   14.3   146. Malcolm Seabron (1990-93)    90   1,874   20.8   187. Charles Smith (1998-)       136   1,854   13.6   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. One of 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, but missed the Tulsa game due to an injured elbow. The Bodyguards have been doing an good job in protecting their quarterback - Carr has been sacked just seven times in 143 pass plays, only once every 20 attempts.
No Holding Harper
Senior defensive tackle Alan Harper www.gobulldogs.com/alanharper, an All-America candidate, is on both the Lombardi Awards and Outland Trophy watch this season. Harper has climbed into NFL draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr.'s Big Board and is currently rated the No. 16 prospect for the 2002 NFL draft. Harper 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.
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 13 sacks through four games, and 27 tackles for losses in the first four games, but even more impressive than that has been that the Bulldogs have allowed just 91.5 rushing yards per game and an average of 2.7 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 and was very good at placing the ball, stopping 18 punts inside the 20 yard line. This season, Simpson has improved his average by nearly 10 yards per punt to 47.8, which ranks tops in the WAC and third 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, Jason Stewart, Nick Burley, Marc Dailey,                 Devon Banks, Vernon Foxat Tulsa.........Jason Stewart, Maurice Rodrguez, Brian Morris, Marc Dailey,                 Alan Harper, Bryce McGill
Bad 'Dogs: Marque Davis (at Colorado), Rodney Wright (Oregon State)

The Wright Stuff
Senior receiver Rodney Wright scored his first career rushing touchdown against Tulsa. Wright has now scored a touchdown via rushing and receiving. He also has scored a touchdown recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown (vs. Nevada, 1999). Wright has thrown a touchdown pass (vs. Rice, 1999) and caught a two-point conversion for a score (vs. Rice, 2000). Fresno State is 8-1 in games when Wright scores a touchdown.
Just Win, Baby
Pat Hill is not into statistics or scoring margins. In the five years he has been the head coach, he has never been accused of running up a score. The Tulsa game is a perfect example of Hill's philosophy. Leading 31-3 heading into the fourth quarter, Fresno State ran the ball 11 of their remaining 15 plays, including seven consecutive running plays by freshman running back Therrian Fontenot to end the game. The Bulldogs, leading 37-18, finished the game on the Tulsa 18-yard line. Fresno State has had 12 21-point plus victories in Hill's tenure, but the Bulldogs' offense has scored in the fourth quarter in only five of those games.
'Dog Fight
Fresno State is taking on a team with the same mascot for the first time since hosting Louisiana Tech in 1992. Fresno State won that battle of Bulldogs 48-14 at Bulldog Stadium. Louisiana Tech's selection of a Bulldog for a mascot dates back to 1901.
'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 21 straight games when leading at halftime. Under Pat Hil the Bulldogs are 26-2 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 64 touchdowns and only 17 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 21-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 25-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs have less turnovers than their opponents.
FS has outscored its opponents 992-643 over the last 33 games (30-19 per game average).
The 'Dogs allowed a school record-low 13 quarterback sacks in 1999 just 20 in 2000. They have allowed eight 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.
This season marked the third year in a row the Bulldogs have played three of their first four games on the road.
Fresno State is 4-0 for the sixth time in program history. However, of those other five teams which started 4-0, none won three of their first four games away from Fresno.
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 34.3 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. However, the Bulldogs are converting at a 45 percent clip this year, including 16-of-31 (52%) in the last two games.
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 4-0 this year (ESPN, ESPN2 and Fox Sports Net).
FS has played in front of crowds larger than 40,000 in 12 of 16 games since the 2000 opener.
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. FS held Tulsa to only 7-of-16 on third downs Saturday.
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 10-3 when David Carr throws a touchdown pass, including wins in five of the last six games he has thrown a touchdown.
Fresno State is a combined 11-1 when either Josh Levi (5-0) 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 in a row.
Fresno State is 18-of-20 in the "compete zone", scoring on 90 percent of the time inside the 25-yard line. The 'Dogs have scored nine touchdowns in 20 attempts inside the "compete zone".
The Bulldogs are 7-1 in their last eight games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in 13 of the last 14 games, including the last 10, has been a touchdown. 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 two of the last three games. The average drive numbers are: 10 plays, 3:47, and 62 yards.
The Bulldog defense has allowed two scores on opening drives this year (at Wisconsin, at Tulsa). But against Colorado (three-and-out) and Oregon State (six plays and a punt), Fresno State's defense didn't allow any points.


'Dog Bones (Individual)

Kicker Asen Asparuhov has made 19-of-28 field goal attempts (.679) during his career, including six in a row.
Asparuhov has made three field goals in a game twice this year - at Wisconsin (Sept. 8) and at Tulsa (Sept. 22).
Asparuhov kicked a 43-yard field goal against Colorado, tying his career high.

Safety Devon Banks has two intercepions 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 has had back-to-back monster games. Against Wisconsin, he totaled 300 all-purpose yards (153 on kickoff returns, 102 receiving, 29 on punt returns and 16 rushing), then came back last week to establish career highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (169) while scoring two touchdowns.
Berrian has seven 100-yard games in his last 11 contests.
Berrian was named second-team All-WAC last year by the league's coaches.
Berrian owns seven of the top 50 receiving yardage games in school history and had career-highs with nine receptions for 169 yards against Tulsa last week.

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 two interceptions in 168 pass attempts and has thrown just five in his last 284 attempts over the last eight games. He has thrown 16 touchdowns and just three 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.
Carr is ranked No. 6 on Mel Kiper's Jr.'s "Big Board" for prospects for the 2002 NFL draft. He is the highest rated offensive player on the board.
Carr is ranked 13th in the nation in passing efficiency (150.9) and 17th in total offense (272.0)
Carr has two 300-yard games in 2001 - Oregon State (340) and Tulsa (314).
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 FS history.

All-WAC strong safety Vernon Fox has at least one tackle in 34 consecutive games.
Fox has started 29 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team.
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 225 this year.

All-WAC defensive tackle Alan Harper has at least one tackle in 35 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 is ranked No. 16 on Mel Kiper Jr.'s "Big Board" for the top prospects for the 2002 NFL draft.
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 suffered a broken bone in his left wrist against Wisconsin and will miss the rest of the season.

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's 107-yard performance last week was the first time a Bulldog had rushed for at least 100 yards since Nov. 20, 1999, when Levi did it against San Jose State.

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 Logan Mankins has started all four games at the critical left tackle position and has not allowed a sack since giving up one at Colorado in the season opener. "He has been very impressive for a first-year player. He is very athletic and very physical to do what he has done against the caliber of opponents we have played," Offensive Line Coach Dennis Wagner.

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 30 tackles, including four for loss, three sacks and a team-high three interceptions.

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.

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.

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 16.4 yards per reception this season.
Wright posted 44 receiving yards at Tulsa and now has 1,975 in his career. He needs 57 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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