Football Travels to Boise State For WAC Showdown

Oct. 14, 2002

Fresno State (4-3, 2-0 WAC) at Boise State (5-1, 2-0 WAC)
Date: Friday, Oct. 18
Kickoff: 5 p.m. PDT
Site: Boise, Idaho
Stadium: Bronco Stadium (30,000)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580); 'Dog Talk at 2:30 p.m. Pregame Show at 4:30 p.m. Play-by-play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Vince Wesson; Sideline: Ron Shapley
TV: ESPN
Play-by-play: Steve Levy Analyst: Rod Gilmore, Sideline: Heather Cox

This Week
Sporting a three-game winning streak, Fresno State heads into a WAC showdown with Boise State, the preseason selection to win the conference. The contest is Friday at 5 p.m. PT and will be televised by ESPN. Both the Bulldogs and Broncos received votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll.

Last Week
Behind 201 yards from Rodney Davis, Fresno State rolled past SMU 30-7 before a sellout crowd at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs piled up 432 yards of total offense and did not commit a turnover for the third consecutive game. Paul Pinegar threw for 198 yards and a touchdown, which came to Marque Davis on a 67-yard play. Rodney Davis' night was the 11th-best by a Bulldog in program history and the most since Paris Gaines had 203 against Louisiana Tech last year.

All-Time vs. Boise State
Fresno State leads the all-time series 3-1, including a 37-21 victory in the Bulldogs' only trip to Bronco Stadium in 1984. The Broncos picked up their only victory in the series last year when they defeated eighth-ranked Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium 35-30. Until BSU's upset in 2001, the Bulldogs had defeated the Broncos by an average score of 28.3 points in the first three meetings.

Last Time vs. Boise State
FRESNO, Calif. - Oct. 19, 2001: Flying high at No. 8 in the nation and with a 6-0 record, Fresno State was brought down to Earth with a 35-30 defeat at the hands of Boise State at Bulldog Stadium, snapping the Bulldogs' 17-game home winning streak. Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie passed for three touchdowns, and BSU stopped the Bulldogs inside the 10-yard line with less than a minute to go to clinch the victory.

Another Fast WAC Start
Saturday's win over SMU improved Fresno State to 2-0 in the WAC this year, the third consecutive season the Bulldogs have won their first two conference games. Despite the fast start, Fresno State on Friday will be looking for its first 3-0 start in the WAC since Pat Hill took over.

WAC Attack
Although the Bulldogs have the most wins (30 overall, 19 WAC) among WAC teams over the last three-plus seasons, they have just one WAC title to show for it (1999). Fresno State was predicted to win the WAC in 2001 but tied for second. This season, the Bulldogs were selected third in the WAC Media Preseason poll, trailing Boise State and Louisiana Tech in the voting. Fresno State is the only WAC team to play in bowl games in each of the last three seasons. The Bulldogs are also WAC leaders last season in NFL draft picks (4), first-team All-WAC selections (6) and Academic All-WAC selections (9). Fresno State returns more first-team All-WAC players (4) than any other team in the league.

Injury Update
Fresno State emerged from the SMU game with a new injury and some banged-up players closer to being healed. The new injury is to Joe Schey, who suffered a first-degree sprain of his left knee and will be re-examined this week. His name is added to an injury report that already listed Kendall Edwards, Brian Morris, Ryan Smith and Bernard Berrian as out for the season. Linebacker Sam Williams continues to rehabilitate his injured shoulder and is hoping to return this week against Boise State. The senior captain has been out since the Oregon State game. Also hopeful for a return to action is tight end Mark Wood, who suffered a sprained MCL against Colorado State.

Bulldogs vs. the BCS Conferences
Fresno State is 4-4 in its last eight games against teams from BCS Conferences. However, the Bulldogs have not had the same degree of success in 2002 as they did last year. The team has lost all three games against BCS opponents this season, including a two-point nailbiter at No. 23 Wisconsin and a four-point loss at No. 13 Oregon. Saturday's Oregon State game was the final contest against a BCS school in the regular season. Since Pat Hill has taken over at Fresno State, the Bulldogs have played 17 games against BCS opponents. Hill lost the first nine games against BCS teams, all on the road, by an average margin of 14 points. Four of those were decided by less than a touchdown and one was in overtime (at Oregon in 1997).

Close Calls
Last week marked the first time in 2002 that Fresno State picked up a victory that didn't come down to the wire. Coming into the SMU contest, the Bulldogs three wins had come by a combined total of seven points. But on Saturday Fresno State took out the Mustangs 30-7. Nonetheless, five of the Bulldogs' seven games this season have been decided by four points or less. But that is nothing new for Fresno State. Recent history shows the Bulldogs' blowout loss to Oregon State on Sept. 28 was quite an anomoly. Since 1999, when the Bulldogs went 8-5 and began their run of three consecutive bowl games, Fresno State has lost 11 games by 10 points or less. On only five occasions have the Bulldogs lost by more than 10 points, the last time being the Oregon State game. Prior to the contest with the Beavers, Fresno State's two losses this season - at Wisconsin, at Oregon - came by a combined six points.

Over the Hill
Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs are 27-4 at home and 20-2 in WAC home games with wins in 17 of the last 18 home conference games. Only two WAC teams have ever won at Bulldog Stadium: San Diego State in 1997 and Boise State in 2001. Hill's .871 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years experience. His conference home winning percentage of .909 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' four home losses over the last five-plus seasons is only one defeat more than the number of home losses Fresno State suffered in 1996, the season before Hill took over as head coach.

Tough to Beat at Home
Fresno State's loss to Boise State last year snapped its 17-game home winning streak, at the time the nation's third longest. However, since Pat Hill took over, Fresno State has still won 27 of 31 games at Bulldog Stadium, including 23 of its last 25. Since Hill took over prior to the 1997 season, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined 1,106-564 for an average margin of victory of 36-18. In addition, the Bulldogs are drawing well, averaging 38,603 fans per game since 1997. Fresno State sold over 30,000 season tickets for the 2002 season, the third consecutive season the Bulldogs have surpassed the 30,000 mark. In the 2001 home opener, Fresno State established a Bulldog Stadium attendance record by attracting 42,410 for a game against Oregon State. The Bulldogs then broke and tied the attendance mark when 42,881 invaded the stadium the final five home games of the year.

Pinegar Continues to Impress
Paul Pinegar was rock solid yet again in leading Fresno State past SMU 30-7. The redshirt freshman went 13-of-24 for 198 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Pinegar has been especially sharp in his last three games, in which he has gone 51-of-81 - a 63 percent completion percentage - for 707 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. The Woodland, Calif., native has started the last three contests after Jeff Grady, the starter at the beginning of the year, went down with a right hip pointer. On the year, Pinegar has made five starts and has passed for 1,233 yards, nine touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Depth Chart Changes
Due to injuries and position changes, Fresno State's depth chart has seen some alterations over the past three weeks. Most notable is at strong safety, where Bryce McGill moved to outside linebacker prior to the Rice game to fill in at that injury depleted position. Redshirt freshman James Sanders, second on the team in tackles, has replaced McGill at strong safety. Also moving up on the depth chart is walk-on freshman Garrett McIntyre, who has seen significant time at defensive tackle. With season-ending injuries to defensive ends Brian Morris and Ryan Smith, redshirt freshman Doug Roush has stepped in as the backup.

Penalty Problems
For the first four games of the season, Fresno State had its problems with penalties, something that worried head coach Pat Hill. But in the past two weeks, the Bulldogs have certainly shored things up. Against Rice and Colorado State, Fresno State has only committed eight penalties. Last week was the second in a row in which the Bulldogs did not allow their opponent a first down via penalty. That is quite a change from the season's first four weeks, when Fresno State awarded its opponents 13 first downs via infractions.

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 36 punts and kicks, including a field goal Oct. 4 against Colorado State, helping the Bulldogs to a 32-30 victory over the 22nd-ranked Rams. 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      3         5        72001      5         1        62002      0         2        2--------------------------------Totals   17*       19       36* includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punter
 before he could
get kick away.

Many Happy Returns
Fresno State's special teams has established themselves as one of the nation's best units. Not only are the Bulldogs exceptional at blocking kicks, but they are also a threat to put points on the board every time they take the field. Since Pat Hill took over in 1997, Fresno State has scored 12 touchdowns on special teams and has racked up three safeties. Below is a breakdown of the Bulldogs' special teams scoring history:

6 punt returns for TDs (last: Oct. 4, 2002, by Adam Jennings vs. Colorado State)
2 kickoff returns for TDs (last: Sept. 8, 2001, by Bernard Berrian at Wisconsin)
4 blocked punts/FGs returned for TDs (last: Dec. 1, 2001, by Rodney Wright vs. Utah State)
3 team safeties (last: Oct. 4, 2002, vs. Colorado State)

Taking the Attendance to Another Level
After showing up in record numbers in 2000, Fresno State fans got 2001 off to a rocking start when 42,410 crammed Bulldog Stadium (capacity 41,031) to watch FS defeat Oregon State 44-24 in the home opener. The fans continued to invade the stadium the rest of the year, with a record 42,881 watching each of the five remaining home games. All told, Bulldog Stadium was filled at 104.32 of capacity last year, placing FS second in the west and seventh in the nation in percent of capacity filled. For 2002, Fresno State sold more than 30,000 season tickets for the third consecutive season. Following is a breakdown of where the Bulldogs rated regionally and in the WAC in percent of stadium capacity filled last year:

On the Road Again
Entering the 2001 season, Fresno State had not been as successful as head coach Pat Hill would have liked on the road. But last year, that all changed. The Bulldogs went 6-1 away from Fresno in 2001, a program record for road wins in a season. Included in those road wins were victories over Colorado, Wisconsin and Colorado State. In its last away contest, Fresno State picked up its first road win of the season, a 31-28 white-knuckler at Rice on Sept. 28 in the conference opener. The Bulldogs' road losses in 2002 have come to Wisconsin, Oregon and Oregon State, all Top 25 teams at some point this year. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are averaging just 23.8 points per road game while piling up 35.7 per game in Bulldog Stadium.

On the Road Again, Part 2
Fresno State will play seven road games for the second consecutive season. Fresno State racked up the most frequent flyers miles in the nation last season and has long road trips this year to Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin), Houston (Rice) and Ruston, La. (Louisiana Tech). In addition, the Bulldogs will have a long road to hoe. The team began their season Aug. 23 and plays their regular season finale Dec. 5.

Young Guns
Due to the litany of injuries the Bulldogs have suffered this year, Fresno State has been forced to dip into its pool of underclassmen. A total of 20 true and redshirt freshman have seen significant playing time in 2002, and some have put up fantastic numbers. Adam Jennings has been a productive receiver, but it was his electrifying 59-yard punt return that helped push the Bulldogs to a 32-30 victory Oct. 4. His counterpart at wideout, Jermanie Jamison, had three catches for 43 yards against Colorado State, giving him 16 for 326 on the year. And the freshmen are catching passes from another freshman, Paul Pinegar, who has assumed the starting quarterback role. Pinegar, who passed for a career-high 325 yards against Rice on Sept. 28, has not thrown an interception in his last three games. The defense also sports freshmen Raymond Washington, Tryone Culver, Awan Diles and James Sanders, all of whom see considerable playing time.

Berrian Blows Up
Bernard Berrian announced this week he will be redshirting the 2002 season. The senior All-American wideout sprained his knee in the season opener at Wisconsin on Aug. 23 and hasn't played since. He is expected to return at 100 percent health next year, which he will enter as one of the nation's top playmakers. Coming into 2002, Berrian was tabbed as one of the top seniors in the nation by ESPN's NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. Next season, he has a shot at becoming Fresno State's all-time leading receiver. Here is a glimpse at what the Bulldogs have coming back in 2003:

Berrian in Fresno State HistoryCareer Receptions                       Career Receiving YardageNo Name (Years)                 Rec     No Name (Years)                  Yards1. Rodney Wright (1998-01)_____ 222     1. Charlie Jones (1992-95)______ 3,3442. Brian Roberson (1993-96)____ 188     2. Rodney Wright (1998-01)______ 3,2743. Charlie Jones (1992-95)_____ 187     3. Brian Roberson (1993-96)_____ 2,9564. Charles Smith (1998-01)_____ 171     4. Henry Ellard (1979-82)_______ 2,9475. Larry Willis (1983-84)______ 142     5. Charles Smith (1998-01)______ 2,3686. Henry Ellard (1979-82)______ 138     6. Larry Willis (1983-84)_______ 2,2607. Bernard Berrian (1999-)_____ 136     7. Bernard Berrian (1999-)______ 2,181
All-Purpose BerrianWAC Record1. Bernard Berrian (2001)___________ 2,776   2. LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU (2000)__ 2,1983. Marshall Faulk, SDSU (1993)______ 2,174
NCAA All-Purpose Yardage (WR only)1. Troy Edward, La Tech (1998)__ 2,7842. Bernard Berrian (2001)_______ 2,776
2001 NCAA Leaders1. Bernard Berrian (WR)__________ 2,7762. Mewelde Moore, Tulane (RB)____ 2,2593. Levron Williams, Indiana (RB)_ 2,201

Spreading the Wealth
Even though he has been operating without Bernard Berrian for nearly the entire season, quarterback Paul Pinegar has had no problem finding open receivers. Two weeks ago against Colorado State, he completed a pass to 10 different receivers, a season high. Last week, Pinegar spread it around to seven receivers, with Marque Davis leading the way with three receptions.

Isn't That Special
Fresno State features two of the top specialists in the nation this year in senior placekicker Asen Asparuhov and senior punter Jason Simpson. Asparuhov, a candidate for the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker, established a new school single-season record for field goals with 23. He made national news after the Bulldogs defeated Colorado State last year, when he kicked a field goal at the end of regulation and another in overtime to help Fresno State defeat the Rams 25-22. The Plovdiv, Bulgaria, native is 13-of-18 on field goals this year, including 3-for-4 in a victory over Colorado State on Oct. 4. This comes off a year in which he established a new Fresno State record for scoring with 129 points. The senior is sixth in the nation in field goals per game at 1.86. Simpson is currently second in the WAC and 58th in the nation with a 40.4 per game punt average after finishing 18th in the country a year ago.

WAC Coaching Leaders
With victories in three consecutive games, Pat Hill has moved back into first place in winning percentage among Western Athletic Conference coaches with more than two years of experience. Hill is now 41-28 (29-12 WAC), a percentage of .594, just ahead of Rice's Ken Hatfield, who comes in at .582 all-time. Here's how the other top WAC coaches rank in career winning percentage.

Overall (years)         Record           Pct     Current School  PctKen Hatfield, Rice_____ 158-112-4 (23)  .582     43-50-1 (9)    .457June Jones, Hawai'i____ 25-20 (3)       .556     25-20 (3)      .556Jack Bicknell, La Tech_ 20-22 (3)       .476     20-22 (3)      .476

The Dos Palos Connection
Brothers Marque and Rodney Davis have become integral parts of the Fresno State offense, helping the Bulldogs to three wins in a row. Marque has been especially productive the past three weeks, catching 12 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns, both of which came off quick slant patterns that he turned into long TD plays. Rodney, a transfer from Fresno (Calif.) City College, continued his fabulous play of late with a huge performance last week, when he rushed for 201 yards and a touchdown. In the last six games, Rodney has racked up 685 yards on the ground. Against SMU, the Davis brothers both scored a touchdown, the first time that has happened in 2002. The Davises are from Dos Palos, Calif., and led Dos Palos High School to multiple section titles and a place among the best high school football teams in California.

Hurly Burley Man
Fresno State possesses one of the WAC's most dominating defensive players in senior end Nick Burley. The Lombardi Award candidate and 2003 Hula Bowl selectee was a first-team All-WAC selection last year after starting all 14 games, making 42 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He combined with former Bulldog Alan Harper (selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets) to make up a defensive line that totaled a WAC best 49 sacks. This year, Burley has eight tackles for loss and five sacks, both team highs. In fact, his presence on the defensive line has allowed the Bulldogs to become one of the nation's most sack-happy teams. Since 2000, Fresno State has posted 112 sacks, the second-number in the nation during that time.

Bulldog Sack NumbersCareer SacksNo Name                       Sacks1. Dewayne White, Louisville____ 292. Antwan Peek, Cincinnati____ 23.53. Aaron Hunt, Texas Tech_______ 224. Nick Burley, Fresno State____ 18

Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 16 losses dating back to 1999, 15 have come to teams that have either been nationally ranked, played in a bowl game or were bowl eligible. Of Fresno State's three losses last year, one came during the bowl game to Michigan State while the two others (Boise State, Hawai'i) were against bowl eligible teams. The Bulldogs' losses this year have come to Wisconsin, Oregon and Oregon State, three teams who are either ranked or have been ranked at some point this year. Fresno State's may have played its last ranked opponent of the season last week in No. 22 Colorado State, although this week's opponent, Boise State, is receiving votes in the latest national rankings. The Bulldogs' only loss to a non-ranked, non-bowl team since 1999 came Oct. 14, 1999, a 24-14 defeat at the hands of SMU.

The Bodyguards
Quarterback Paul Pinegar will be more thankful than anyone Fresno State has the biggest and strongest offensive line in school history this year. At an average of 6-5 and 320 pounds, this year's line is expected to be one of the best in program history and should provide Pinegar with time to throw and Rodney Davis with holes through which to run. All five players started last season and the group has been rated the seventh-best offensive line in the nation by The Sporting News. The Bodyguards did a good job of protecting David Carr last year, allowing just 31 sacks in 542 pass attempts. They were the building blocks of the offense that shattered school records for total yards (7,022) and points scored (560/40.0 ppg). Thus far, the Bodyguards have allowed just 1.9 sacks per game.

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 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. Two Bulldogs, Nick Burley and Cameron Worrell, won blackshirts for their performances against Wisconsin. Burley also received a blackshirt last week for the San Diego State game. Jason Stewart and Nick Burley each received a blackshirt for their performance against Colorado State.

Filling Carr's Shoes
Coming out of preseason camp, the undaunting task of filling David Carr's shoes was won by redshirt junior Jeff Grady, who opened the season by going 21-of-42 with 262 yards and three touchdowns. But he suffered a deep bruise of his left hip in that game, meaning redshirt freshman Paul Pinegar had to take over in his place. Against San Diego State and Oregon, Pinegar threw for a combined 397 yards in leading the Bulldogs to a win over the Aztecs and a narrow loss to the Ducks. Grady then started against Oregon State but suffered a right hip pointer, and since Pinegar has been masterful, winning three games in a row.

Fresno State - A.K.A. "Quarterback University"
The Bulldogs have three quarterbacks in the NFL for the 2002 season, tying Michigan and Florida State for the most of any college. Neither Michigan nor Florida State has had a quarterback taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL draft since 1990, while Fresno State has produced two. Here are some other QB University Notes (since 1990):

Each of Pat Hill's two starting quarterbacks are in the NFL (Billy Volek and David Carr).
Fresno State is one of three schools (Washington State and Tennessee) to have a quarterback as a No. 1 NFL draft pick and another taken in the Top 10. Of those, only Fresno State's quarterbacks are both still active.
Fresno State is one of five schools (Tennessee, Washington State, Oregon and Houston) to have two quarterbacks selected among the top 10 NFL draft picks. Of those, only Oregon and Fresno State's quarterbacks are both still active.
Fresno State's Trent Dilfer is the only top 10 drafted quarterback since 1990 to win a Super Bowl.
There have been 17 quarterbacks taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL draft since 1990, and Fresno State has produced two of them.

Fresno State's three current NFL quarterbacks
David Carr, Houston Texas (No. 1 NFL Draft pick)
Trent Dilfer, Seattle Seahawks (No. 6 NFL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Billy Volek, Tennessee Titans (free agent signee entering his third year in the league)

Tricks are For Kids
The Bulldogs have thwarted seven 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 San Jose State on Nov. 23, 2001, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped eight of the last nine fake attempts dating back to 1997.

'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 27-4 under Pat Hill at home, including wins in 22 of the last 24 games.
FS is 20-2 in its last 22 WAC home games.
Under Pat Hill the Bulldogs are 32-5 when leading at the half, including wins in seven of the last eight.
The Bulldogs have 20 sacks this year, good for first in the WAC.
Under Hill, Fresno State is 6-0 in WAC openers, with the last four openers having been played on the road. Fresno State has won six consective WAC games dating back to last season.
Fresno State's 2001 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 in 2001, the largest attendance ever to witness a Bulldog victory.
FS has thrown 114 touchdowns and only 27 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 134 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 158 of the last 159 home games.
FS is 27-7 under Pat Hill when the Bulldogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 33-6 under Pat Hill when the Fresno State has less turnovers than their opponents.
Fresno State is +50 in turnover margin since Pat Hill became head coach, including +5 this season.
The Bulldogs allowed a school record-low 13 quarterback sacks in 1999 and just 67 over the last three seasons.
Fresno State had a 100-yard rusher against Tulsa, Louisiana Tech and Colorado State in 2001, the first time since the 1996 the Bulldogs had that happen in three consecutive games. The Bulldogs have had a 100-yard rusher each of the last two weeks (Rodney Davis).
Fresno State has produced eight first-team All-WAC defensive players over the last three seasons.
This season marks the the second consecutive year Fresno State is playing 13 regular season games and seven road games.
The Bulldogs have led the WAC in scoring in three of the last nine years, including a nation's best 40.5 average in 1992. They averaged 40 points per game in 2001, which ranked fourth in the nation in scoring offense.
FS has produced three quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer, Billy Volek and David Carr) who set NCAA records in the last 10 years. All are in the NFL, Dilfer with the Seattle Seahawks, Volek with the Tennessee Titans and Carr with the Houston Texans.
FS has produced two first-team All-WAC punters (Jason Simpson, 2001; Jeff Roberts, 1998) and two kickers (Asen Asparuhov, 2001; Jeff Hanna, 1999) since the 1998 season.
Nearly every Fresno State starter is from California. Only kicker Asen Asparuhov, a native of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and Victor Taifane, from American Samoa, are not California natives.
Fresno State is 9-8 in its 17 national television appearances over the last three seasons, including 2-3 in 2002.
Fresno State played in front of above-capacity crowds in four of its first seven games this year (at Wisconsin, at Oregon, at Oregon State, vs. SMU).
For the second consecutive year in 2001, Fresno State set a stadium attendance record in the home opener. Last year, 42,410 fans jammed Bulldog Stadium, surpassing the former record of 42,285, established against California in the 2000 opener. But in the last five games, the 42,881 that have attended established and tied yet another attendance record due to additional seating added to Bulldog Stadium.
Fresno State has sold out 11 of the last 15 games at Bulldog Stadium with an average attendance of 41,897, 866 more than the stadium's capacity of 41,031.
Fresno State is 17-3 in its last 20 games when the starting running back scores a touchdown.
The Bulldogs are 12-4 in their last 16 games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in 24 of the last 29 games has been a TD.
Pat Hill needs two more wins to tie Darryl Rogers for fourth-most (43) by a head coach in FS history.
Fresno State's losses to Boise State and Hawai'i last year were the team's first back-to-back WAC defeats since 1998. The Bulldogs have yet to lose three conference games in a row under Pat Hill.
Fresno State won six road games last year, most in program history. The Bulldogs won their first away game of 2002 last week at Rice.
Last year, FS marked up its first 10-win season since 1991 and went to a bowl game for the third consecutive season, just the second time in program history that has happened.
Fourteen of Fresno State's 19 seniors from last season graduated, with five of the remaining players one semester from graduating. In addition, two are two semesters from receiving their degrees.
The Bulldogs' first three games this year were decided by a combined total of eight points.
Four of Fresno State's first five contests were away from home. The team did not play a home game the entire month of September.
Fresno State has been inside the opponent's 25-yard line, or "compete zone," 23 times this year, scoring 15 touchdowns and four field goals. The opponent has been inside Fresno State's compete zone 25 times, scoring 13 touchdowns, five field goals and failing seven times.
The Bulldogs have turned the ball over just 10 times in 2002, but only once has the opponent scored their possession following that turnover. That came against Wisconsin in the opener when Fresno State fumbled and the Badgers recovered on the 1-yard line.
Fresno State has defeated Colorado State in each of the last three meetings, all taking place since the 1999 season.
Fresno State's win at Rice was its second in a row in the state of Texas and improved the Bulldogs' overall record in the Lone Star State to 4-11-1.
After Fresno State's game at Boise State, it has three consecutive home games.

'Dog Bones (Individual)
#35 David Adamo, 6-2, 235, Sophomore, Linebacker, Fresno, Calif. (Math)

Has two starts at outside linebacker and played very solid.
Has 31 tackles on the year, including 17 solos.
Moved to middle linebacker for the Colorado State game.
Missed the Oregon State game with a dislocated elbow but made a sooner-than-expected return to the lineup at Rice.

#32 Asen Asparuhov, 6-5, 215, Senior, Kicker, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Computer Science)

Leads the WAC and ranks sixth in the NCAA in field goals per game (1.8).
Lou Groza Award Candidate and has been rated the sixth best kicker by The Sporting News.
Has made 44-of-61 field goal attempts (.721) during his career, including 23-of-30 (.767) last year. His 23 field goals last year set the Fresno State single season record.
Has made 13-of-18 field goal attempts in 2002 (.722), including a 4-for-4 day on Sept. 21 at Oregon State. His misses this year have come from 55, 52, 50, 43 and 33 yards.
Was named a semifinalist for the 2001 Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the nation's top placekicker.
Made a career-high four field goals against Colorado State, including a 48-yarder as regulation time expired to send the game into overtime and a 41-yarder to win it in the extra stanza. The game winner was selected the No. 6 Play of the Week by ESPN's Chris Berman.
Nailed a career-long 52-yarder at Oregon State.
Set a school record in 2001 for points points by a kicker (129).
Has made over 82 percent (.823, 28-34) of his field goal attempts under 40 yards in his career

#20 Juan Bautista, 5-7, 185, Senior, Cornerback, Fresno, Calif. (Health Science)

Was awarded a scholarship during fall camp of 2002 and was the unanimous selection by his teammates as the special teams captian for the 2001 season.

#2 Bernard Berrian, 6-2, 190, Senior, Receiver, Winton, Calif. (Communications)

Was named to the 2002 Playboy All-America team.
Had two receptions for 54 yards and a 22-yard touchdown in the season opener vs. Wisconsin before leaving the game with the knee sprain. He has missed the last four games and is questionable for Colorado State.
No. 5-rated player for the 2003 NFL draft by ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr.
Had the type of game an all-purpose wideout dreams about against Nevada in 2001. He had 166 receiving yards, 79 rushing yards on one carry, a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 49-yard kickoff return. All told, he set a school record for all-purpose yards with 357.
Finshed the season ranked first in the nation in all-purpose yardage (2,776) and second in all-purpose yards per game (199.3).
Had 300 all-purpose yards against Wisconsin in 2001, including a 96-yard kickoff return for touchdown.
Was named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association in 2001.
Was 10th in the nation in punt returns at 14.2 and 28th in kickoff returns at 24.9. He returned both a punt and kickoff return for a touchdown last year.
Was named first-team All-WAC in 2001 as both a receiver and a return specialist.
Shattered the WAC record for all-purpose yardage in 2001 with 2,776 yards, the second highest total in NCAA history by a receiver.
Ranked 13th in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (97.7) and 31st in the nation in receptions per game (5.85) in 2001.
Averaged 17.5 yards per game every time he touched the ball last season.
Had 1,364 receiving yards, third most in Fresno State history and 13 touchdown receptions, second most all-time.

#90 Nick Burley, 6-4, 250, Senior, Defensive End, East Palo Alto, Calif. (Child and Family Studies)

Selected to participate in the 2003 Hula Bowl.
Named to the Lombardi Award Watch List.
Had five tackles, three for loss, two sacks and a pass deflection in the season opener against Wisconsin, earning a blackshirt.
Rated the nation's 15th-best defensive end by The Sporting News.
2001 first-team All-WAC selection.
Has 19 career sacks, fifth among active college players.
Has four fumble recoveries and one interception with a 27-yard return for touchdown.
Played all last season with a cast on his left thumb, protecting a broken bone and torn ligament suffered in the final scrimmage of the 2001 fall camp.
Could have had three interceptions last season without the cast, but couldn't hold onto the ball.
The Bulldogs' defensive leader against San Diego State with nine tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery. He earned a blackshirt for his performance.
Is fifth on the team with 41 tackles and five sacks through the first seven games.

#31 Marc Dailey, 6-1, 230, Junior, Middle Linebacker, Fresno, Calif. (Criminology)

Started all 14 games at middle linebacker last season, recording 86 tackles, third most on the team.
2001 honorable mention All-WAC selection.
Had seven tackles, one sack and a tackle for a loss and forced a fumble against Wisconsin.
Has 11 tackles, two for losses and a sack on the season.
Missed the Oregon State and Rice games due to a personal emergency.

#1 Marque Davis, 6-0, 185, Junior, Receiver, Dos Palos, Calif. (Sociology) Pronounced: Markay

Had a monster game at Rice, catching six passes for a career-high 133 yards and one touchdown.
His 26 catches and 406 receiving yards are both team bests.
Fourth on the team in 2001 with 29 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns despite missing two games with an ankle injury suffered against Colorado State.
Best game was vs. Colorado in the 2001 season opener with eight receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Has one blocked punt and on another occasion tackled the punter before he could punt the ball in 2001.
Has two touchdown receptions over 65 yards this season (72 vs. Rice, 67 vs. SMU).
Brother Rodney is the Bulldogs' starting running back.

#22 Rodney Davis, 5-9, 210, Junior, Running Back, Dos Palos, Calif. (Undeclared)

Leads the team in rushing yards (701), ranks third in the WAC and 31st in the nation in yards per game (100.1)
Had a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns vs. SMU (Oct. 12, 2002).
Had 125 yards vs. No. 22 Colorado State (Oct. 4, 2002).
Averaging 122.4 yards per game over the last five games.
Has 10 receptions for 78 yards.
Brother Marque is the Bulldogs' starting wide receiver.

#39 Kendall Edwards, 5-11, 200, Junior, Cornerback, Riverside, Calif. (Chicano and Latino Studies)

Fresno State's top cornerback who suffered a torn ACL vs. San Diego State and will miss the season.

#7 Therrian Fontenot, 5-11, 180, Sophomore, Running Back, Lawndale, Calif. (Chicano and Latino Studies)

Fastest player on the team (4.3 in 40-yard dash) who can break a game open.
Had 266 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry last season in a limited role.
Returned to the lineup in a limited role against Oregon State, carrying the ball four times. He did catch a screen pass, which he turned into a 21-yard gain.

#15 Jeff Grady, 6-2, 200, Junior, Quarterback, Huntington Beach, Calif. (History)

Completed 21-of-42 passes for 238 yards three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start, which came in the opener at 23rd-ranked Wisconsin.
Suffered a bruised hip vs. Wisconsin and missed the San Diego State and Oregon games.
Returned to the starting role against Oregon State, going 15-of-36 for 191 yards, but sustained a hip pointer in his right hip midway through the game. Has not played since.
Played in 10 games in his career before earning his first start vs. Wisconsin.
Honor student who will contend for academic awards.

#81 Alec Greco, 6-3, 230, Junior, Tight End, Auburn, Calif. (Entrepreneurship)

Had a career-long 50-yard reception at Oregon.
Started 12 games last season and caught 24 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns.
Started 24 games in his career, playing in all 31 games over the last three seasons.
Has scored seven touchdowns in his career.
Has 12 receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns this season.

#18 Adam Jennings, 5-9, 185, Redshirt Freshman, Receiver, Granite Bay, Calif. (Undeclared)

Second on the team with 23 receptions for 197 yards.
Leads the team, ranks second in the WAC and 27th in the NCAA in punt returns (13.2 per return).
Has great speed and quickness and has emerged as one of the top receiving threats on the team.
Earned the Bulldog Award after spring drills for outstanding overall performance.

#74 Logan Mankins, 6-4, 305, Sophomore, Left Tackle, Catheys Valley, Calif. (Agricultural Education)

2001 first-team Freshman All-American.
Started every game at the critical left tackle position last year as a freshman and allowed just two sacks.
Played through the Sept. 21 contest at Oregon State despite battling the flu all week.
Has started 21 consecutive games at left tackle.

#5 Bryce McGill, 5-11, 210, Junior, Linebacker, Bakersfield, Calif. (Communication and Journalism)

Led the team with eight solo tackles vs. Wisconsin, plus forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
Named the Special Teams MVP of the Silicon Valley Football Classic after blocking a punt.
Rated as the nation's 19th-best safety by The Sporting News.
Has 15 career sacks, with the last one coming against Rice (Sept. 28, 2002).
Has 41 tackles, third-most on the team with seven tackles for loss and three sacks.
Had the Bulldogs' lone sack against Oregon State. Also made eight tackles against the Beavers.
Lined up as a linebacker against Rice to stop its triple option attack. He had 13 tackles and one sack in his first experience at that position.
Is expected to remain at outside linebacker for the time being.

#72 Rodney Michael, 6-4, 305, Senior, Center, Tehachapi, Calif. (Sociology)

Named to the Outland Trophy watch list prior to the season.
Has already graduated and is working on his master's degree.
Rated as the 21st best center in the nation by The Sporting News.
Leads the offensive line that is rated as the nation's seventh-best unit byThe Sporting News.
A consensus preseason All-WAC selection.
Has started 44 games in his career, including 32 consecutive.

#13 Paul Pinegar, 6-4, 215, Redshirt Freshman, Quarterback, Woodland, Calif. (Undeclared)

Earned his first start on 24 hours notice and guided Fresno State to a 16-14 win over San Diego State on Aug. 29. He completed 21-of-35 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown.
Was solid again at Oregon, going 16-of-36 with 201 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-24 loss.
Fresno State's first freshman starting quarterback since Trent Dilfer in the 1991 season.
Ranks fourth in the WAC and 42nd in the nation in passing efficiency at 133.1
Passed for a career-high 325 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Rice. It was the best day for a freshman QB since Kevin Sweeney in 1983.
Has not thrown an interception since the Oregon State game, a span of 87 pass attempts.

#30 Matt Rivera, 5-9, 195, Freshman, Running Back, Fresno, Calif. (undeclared)

A walk-on redshirt who earned a spot at running back through hard work and production.
Is the best blocking back on the team.
Sixth among Bulldogs with 11 receptions for 90 yards.

#23 James Sanders, 5-11, 190, Redshirt Freshman, Strong Safety, Porterville, Calif. (Undeclared)

Received his first career start vs. Rice.
Has racked up 42 tackles, second-best on the team. Also has one sack.
Picked off the first pass of his career at Oregon State.

#75 Joe Schey, 6-6, 330, Senior, Right Tackle, Diamond Bar, Calif. (Sociology)

Did not allow a quarterback sack all last season and has not allowed one in 23 straight games.
Has started 35 games in his career, including 31 in a row.
Named to the Verizon Academic All-District second team in 2001.
Has a 3.27 grade point average and is on track to graduate in December.
A consensus preseason All-WAC selection and rated the 18th best tackle in the nation by The Sporting News.

#48 Jason Simpson, 6-1, 195, Senior, Punter, Garden Grove, Calif. (Administration-Leisure Studies)

Averaging 40.4 yards per punt, second-best in the conference.
Has placed eight of his 39 punts inside the 20-yard line.
First-team All-WAC in 2001 who is rated as the nation's ninth-best punter in the preseason by The Sporting News.
Entering his third year as the starting punter.
Averaged a WAC-best 43.5 yards per punt in 2001, 18th best in the NCAA
Placed 20 punts in 2001 inside the 20-yard line.

#91 Jason Stewart, 6-1, 285, Senior, Nose Tackle, Bakersfield, Calif. (Sociology)

Entering his third season as a starter and has 40 tackles and three sacks this season.
Honorable mention All-WAC in 2001.
One of the strongest players on the team and plays with great enthusiasm and emotion.

#67 Fitu Tu'ua, 6-5, 325, Junior, Left Guard, Oceanside, Calif. (Criminology)

Second-team All-WAC selection in 2001.
Started 21 games in his career, including 17 of the last 18.
Selected preseason All-WAC by several publications.

#29 Raymond Washington, 6-0, 191, Reshirt Freshman, Cornerback, Long Beach, Calif. (Undeclared)

With the injury to Kendall Edwards, Washington should see more time at cornerback.
Blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt as time expired vs. San Diego State to preserve a win for Fresno State.
WAC Special Teams Player of the Week after his heroics in the San Diego State game.

#40 Sam Williams, 6-5, 245, Senior, Outside Linebacker, Clayton, Calif. (Sociology)

Led the team in tackles prior to his injury.
Second-year starter who was selected defensive team captain.
Emerged late last season and earned honorable mention All-WAC honors despite only starting the last seven games.
Injured his shoulder against Oregon State and could see his first action since then this week.

#24 Cameron Worrell, 5-11, 205, Senior, Free Safety, Chowchilla, Calif. (undeclared)

Earned his first blackshirt after getting eight tackles, forcing a fumble, getting a tackle for a loss and a sack against Wisconsin.
A walk-on to the team who earned a scholarship in 2001 and earned the starting spot at free safety.
Had four tackles for losses and two quarterback sacks last season to go along with 31 tackles.
Has four career interceptions, the last coming against No. 22 Colorado State on Oct. 4.
Leads the team in tackles with 57, pass breakups with five and interceptions with three.

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