Football Travels to Rival San Jose State

Nov. 18, 2002

Fresno State (6-5, 4-2 WAC) at San Jose State (6-6, 4-3 WAC)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23
Kickoff: 2 p.m. PST
Site: San Jose, Calif.
Stadium: Spartan Stadium (30,000)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580); 'Dog Talk at 11:30 a.m.; Pregame Show at 1:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Vince Wesson; Sidelines: Ron Shapley
TV: KFRE WB 59 (cable 5)
Play-by-play: Ralph Wood; Analyst: Randy Rosenbloom

This Week
Fresno State continues its drive toward a possible bowl bid this week with a game at rival San Jose State. The Bulldogs and Spartans tangle Saturday at 2 p.m. at Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised throughout the San Joaquin Valley by KFRE WB 59 (cable 5).

Last Week
The Bulldogs returned two interceptions for touchdowns and held on late for a 38-30 victory over Nevada at Bulldog Stadium. Fresno State was outgained 461 yards to 332, but Cameron Worrell and Dee Meza both scored defensive touchdowns in the third quarter as the Bulldogs kept alive their hopes of a fourth consecutive bowl berth. Rodney Davis rushed for 98 yards and Paul Pinegar was 15-of-28 for 179 yards and one TD.

All-Time vs. San Jose State
San Jose State holds a slight 32-31-3 edge in the series. But Fresno State has dominated since 1988, defeating the Spartans 10 out of 11 times. In the last eight contests, the Bulldogs have defeated SJSU by an average score of 40-16. Fresno State is 11-16-2 all-time against the Spartans in San Jose.

Last Time vs. San Jose State
FRESNO, Calif.- Nov. 23, 2001: David Carr threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns as No. 22 Fresno State defeated San Jose State 40-21 at Bulldog Stadium. Carr also ran for two scores and had a career-high 61 yards rushing against a Spartans defense that dropped seven, and at times even eight, men into pass coverage. After the game, Fresno State accepted an invitation to play in the Silicon Valley Football Classic for the second year in a row.

November to Remember
A staple of Fresno State teams under Pat Hill has been the ability to finish the season strong. One look at the Bulldogs' record in November since 1997 is clear evidence of that. Fresno State has won eight games in a row in November, the last loss coming Nov. 11, 2000, at TCU. The Bulldogs have also won 10 of their last 11 home games in the 11th month, the loss coming in 1997 when San Diego State defeated Fresno State.

Davis Climbing the Charts
Rodney Davis etched his name further into the Fresno State record books last week when he moved up to fifth on the program's single-season rushing list. He needs just 54 yards to jump up to third, just behind Ron Rivers (1,477) and Aaron Craver (1,313). Following is where Davis currently rests on the Bulldogs' single-season rushing list:

  Name           Games   Year   Yards  Needed to Pass1) Ron Rivers       11    1993   1,477        3632) Aaron Craver     11    1989   1,313        1993) Jamie Kimbrough  11    1998   1,168         544) Michael Pittman  11    1996   1,132         185) Rodney Davis     11    2002   1,114          -

Finishing With a Flourish
Fresno State has won its last two games, something that history dictates is not a coincidence. Since 1997, when Pat Hill took over, Fresno State has been one of the WAC's best teams in the latter part of the season. A perfect example of this came in 2001, when after suffering consecutive losses to Boise State and Hawai'i, the Bulldogs posted five wins in a row to end the campaign. Here is a breakdown of Fresno State's strong finishes under Hill:

Year   Started    Finished   Final Record   Note1997     2-4        4-2          6-6        First non-losing season since 19931998     1-5        4-1          5-6        Only losing season under Hill1999     4-3        4-1*         8-5        WAC co-champs; played in Las Vegas Bowl2000     3-3        4-1*         7-4        Played in Silicon Valley FB Classic2001     6-2        5-0*        11-3        Played in Silicon Valley FB Classic2002     4-5        2-0           -         Eight wins in a row in November under Hill* Record reflects finish to regular season and does not include bowl game

Injury Update
Fresno State has suffered a rash of injuries this year, but one group that seems to have been especially hard hit is the defensive line. Three of the Bulldogs' top defensive ends - Brian Morris, Clarence Denning and Ryan Smith - are all out for the rest of the year, Morris and Smith with injuries and Denning because he quit the team. Against Colorado State, star defensive end Nick Burley fractured his left thumb, but he continues to play with a cast. The line was hit yet again last week when freshman Garrett McIntyre went down with a sprained MCL, which could cause him to miss this week's game. The defense also lost Kendall Edwards, the team's best cornerback, for the year during the San Diego State game with a torn ACL.

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. The Sept. 21 game at 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
Fresno State has suffered two blowout losses this year, something that is very rare since the Bulldogs began their string of three consecutive bowl appearances in 1999. Since then, Fresno State has lost 12 games by 10 points or less, including the team's most recent loss to Hawai'i. On only seven occasions have the Bulldogs lost by more than 10 points, the last being the Boise State game two weeks ago. Five games in 2002 have been determined by a final margin of four points or less.

Over the Hill
Even though Hawai'i walked out of Bulldog Stadium with a victory over Fresno State on Oct. 25, the Bulldogs are still very difficult to beat at home. Hill's charges are 29-5 at home and 22-3 in WAC home games with wins in 19 of the last 21 conference games at Bulldog Stadium. Only three WAC teams have ever won at Bulldog Stadium: San Diego State (1997), Boise State (2001) and Hawai'i (Oct. 25). Hill's .853 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years' experience. His conference home winning percentage of .880 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' five home losses over the last five-plus seasons is only two defeats more than the number of home losses Fresno State suffered in 1996, the season before Hill took over as head coach.

Still Tough at Home
Fresno State may have lost to Hawai'i on Oct. 25, but the Bulldogs have still proven themselves as one of the WAC best home teams. Since Pat Hill took over, Fresno State has won 29 of 34 games at Bulldog Stadium, including 24 of its last 27. Under Hill, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined 1,165-625 for an average margin of victory of 35-18. In addition, the Bulldogs are drawing well, averaging 38,569 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 Nearing Freshman Record
The learning process of Paul Pinegar continues with every week. The redshirt freshman quarterback has passed for a 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns in his last three games, but has also thrown seven interceptions and been sacked 14 times. The Woodland, Calif., native has started nine games in 2002 - including the last six in a row - and has racked up 2,245 yards passing along with 16 touchdowns. In his first nine games as Fresno State's starter in 2000, David Carr had very similar numbers. He passed for 1,955 yards, had 16 TD passes and 11 interceptions before becoming one of the best in program history. Pinegar is also close to becoming the most prolific freshman passer in program history. Kevin Sweeney passed for 2,359 in 1983 and currently holds the record for most passing yards by a freshman QB ever at Fresno State.

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. Garrett McIntyre was also moving up the depth chart until he sprained his MCL last week against Nevada. With season-ending injuries to defensive ends Brian Morris and Ryan Smith, redshirt freshman Doug Roush and Asa Taylor have stepped in as the backups.

Penalty Problems
Fresno State had its penalty problems pop back up in last week's game. The Bulldogs were called for 10 infractions last week for 105 yards, which is an improvement compared to the 13 penalties they committed against Hawai'i. Fresno State also had 10 infractions in a loss to Boise State. The Bulldogs allowed the Wolf Pack one first down via penalty, bringing its total to 23 opponent first downs by penalty, including 13 in the first four weeks. The Bulldogs are currently averaging 75.9 penalty yards per game, third-most in the WAC.

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 37 punts and kicks, including punt last week that was recovered and returned for a touchdown. 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      1         2        3--------------------------------Totals   18*       19       37* includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punter
before he could get kick away.

Many Happy Returns
Fresno State's special teams have 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 13 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)
5 blocked punts/FGs returned for TDs (last: Oct. 25, 2002 vs. Hawai'i)
3 team safeties (last: Oct. 4, 2002, vs. Colorado State)

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. He hit five different receivers last week and has completed a pass to 16 Bulldogs in 2002. Pinegar's favorite targets have been Marque Davis and Jermaine Jamison, who lead the team with 724 and 565 receiving yards, respectively. Either Jamison or Davis have been the team's leading receiver in nine of their 11hb games in 2002.

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. This year, however, Fresno State has not found the same degree of success away from Bulldog Stadium. The team is just 1-4 on the road in 2002, including a 67-21 pounding at the hands of Boise State in the team's last foray into hostile territory. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are averaging just 23.8 points per road game while piling up 35.2 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.

Pinegar in Step With Carr
Paul Pinegar has been solid as Fresno State's first freshman quarterback since Trent Dilfer in 1991. He has started seven games, leading the Bulldogs to victories over Rice, SMU and 22nd-ranked Colorado State. A look at his numbers show an eerie similarity to Pinegar's predecessor at quarterback, David Carr. Here is a breakdown of the two QBs numbers through their first nine career starts:

        Record   A     C    I    Pct   Yards   TD   Lg     YPGPinegar    6-3   294   180   8   .612   2,116   15   77   235.1Carr       5-4   273   165  11   .617   1,955   16   50   217.2

Berrian to Redshirt
Three weeks ago, Bernard Berrian announced 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. 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

The Blackshirt Award
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. Thus far in 2002, Nick Burley has earned four blackshirts (Wisconsin, SDSU, CSU, Tulsa), Jason Stewart three (CSU, SMU, Tulsa), Cameron Worrell (Wisconsin, Tulsa) two and Marc Dailey (SMU) one. Blackshirts for the Nevada game are pending.

Special Kicker
Fresno State features one of nation's top placekickers in Asen Asparuhov, who has been named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the country's best kicker. It marks the second year in a row the senior has made the semifinalist list. This year, he has made 15-of-20 field goals and all 33 of his extra points. Asparuhov currently ranks 21st in the nation in field goals per game at 1.4 although he has only attempted one in the past three games. He is also tops in the conference in field goal percentage at .750. The Plovdiv, Bulgaria, native established a Fresno State single-season record last year in scoring with 129 points and was named first-team All-WAC.

Special Punter
The Bulldogs are also fortunate to possess the WAC's top punter in Jason Simpson. The senior is currently tops in the conference with a 41.5 average. This comes a year after Simpson was 18th in the nation in punting. A first-team All-WAC punter last year, 17 of his 60 kicks this year have been downed inside the 20.

WAC Coaching Leaders
With victories in the last two games, Pat Hill has moved into second place in winning percentage among Western Athletic Conference coaches with more than two years of experience. Hill is now 42-30 (29-13 WAC), a percentage of .589, just behind Hawai'i's June Jones (.617). Here's how the other top WAC coaches rank in career winning percentage.

Overall (years)         Record           Pct     Current School  PctJune Jones, Hawai'i____ 29-18 (3)       .617     29-18 (3)      .617Pat Hill, Fresno State_ 43-30 (5)       .589     43-30 (5)      .589Ken Hatfield, Rice_____ 160-115-4 (23)  .581     45-53-1 (9)    .460

The Brothers Davis
Brothers Marque and Rodney Davis have become integral parts of the Fresno State offense. Marque has been especially productive the past seven games, catching 35 passes for 585 yards and five touchdowns, three of which have been in excess of 65 yards. He has also racked up the only two 100-yard games of his career during that span. Rodney, a transfer from Fresno (Calif.) City College, has paced the Bulldog rushing attack by averaging 101.3 yards per game, third-best in the WAC. He had another solid game last week, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown. Rodney has also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in rushing, becoming just the ninth Bulldog ever to accomplish that.

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 and East-West Shrine Game 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 13 quarterback hurries, 12 tackles for loss, six pass breakups and five sacks, all 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 117 sacks, the second-best number in the nation during that time.

Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 17 losses dating back to 1999, 16 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. Four of the Bulldogs' losses this year have come to teams that are either ranked or have been ranked at some point this year (Wisconsin, Oregon, Oregon State and Boise State). Fresno State has played six teams that made an appearance in the national polls in 2002, and all but Colorado State have been on the road. Since 1999, the Bulldogs' only loss to a non-ranked, non-bowl team came Oct. 14, 1999, a 24-14 defeat at the hands of SMU.

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.

Trouble at the Start
The Bulldogs scored a touchdown on their opening possession of the game two weeks ago against Tulsa, the first time this year they opened the game or the second half by hitting paydirt. Nonetheless, the opening to either half has been one of the stark differences between 2001 and '02. Last season, Fresno State recorded 18 scores coming out of the locker room, 17 of which were touchdowns. This year, out of 20 opening drives to a half, 14 have resulted in punts, two in interceptions, two in field goals, one in a touchdown, one in a missed field goal, one in a turnover and another when Fresno State took a safety.

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 the starter, playing with a veteran's poise while compiling a 5-3 overall record. He is also closing in on the Kevin Sweeney's freshman passing yardage mark. Pinegar needs only 114 yards to surpass the former Bulldog standout and become the most prolific rookie passer in school history.

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)

Bulldogs After Byes
Fresno State continued its success after bye weeks with its victory over Tulsa on Saturday. The Bulldogs are now 6-1 under Pat Hill after bye weeks, the lone loss coming earlier this year when Oregon State knocked off Fresno State. The Bulldogs have one more bye coming up after the San Jose State game. Here is how Fresno State has fared when they have had extra time to prepare:

  Date             Opponent           Location              Result

Nov. 9, 2002 Tulsa Bulldog Stadium W, 31-12
Sept. 21, 2002 at Oregon State Corvallis, Ore. L, 59-19
Oct. 13, 2001 at Colorado State Fort Collins, Colo. W, 25-22 (ot)
Sept. 22, 2001 at Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. W, 37-18
Oct. 5, 2000 at Rice Houston, Texas W, 27-24
Sept. 23, 2000 California Bulldog Stadium W, 17-3
Oct. 2, 1997 Utah Bulldog Stadium W, 27-13
Thirty Means Victory
Fresno State racked up a season-high 38 points against Nevada, improving the Bulldogs' record to 4-0 when scoring more than 30 points. The team is now 27-6 under Pat Hill when scoring 30 or more points, including victories in 27 of the last 31. This year, Fresno State has scored 30 or more against Rice (31), Colorado State (32), SMU (31) and last week against the Wolf Pack.


'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 29-5 under Pat Hill at home, including wins in 24 of the last 27 games.
FS is 22-3 in its last 25 WAC home games.
Under Pat Hill the Bulldogs are 34-5 when leading at the half, including wins in nine of the last 10.
The Bulldogs have 25 sacks this year.
Fresno State has produced a 1,000 yard rusher in seven of the last nine seasons, including in 2002 as Rodney Davis reached that plateau against Tulsa. It marked the second consecutive year Fresno State has produced a 1,000-yard rusher.
Under Hill, Fresno State is 6-0 in WAC openers, with the last four openers having been played on the road.
The Bulldogs are also 6-0 in Senior Days under Hill.
FS has thrown 121 touchdowns and only 34 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 136 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 160 of the last 161 home games.
FS is 28-7 under Pat Hill when the Bulldogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 34-6 under Pat Hill when the Fresno State has less turnovers than their opponents.
Fresno State is +51 in turnover margin since Pat Hill became head coach, but are even this season.
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 9-10 in its 19 national television appearances over the last three seasons, including 2-5 in 2002.
Fresno State played in front of above-capacity crowds in five of its first 10 games this year (at Wisconsin, at Oregon, at Oregon State, vs. SMU, at Boise State).
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 12 of the last 17 games at Bulldog Stadium with an average attendance of 41,101, which is above the stadium's capacity of 41,031.
Fresno State is 19-4 in its last 23 games when the starting running back scores a touchdown.
The Bulldogs are 14-5 in their last 19 games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in 26 of the last 32 games has been a TD.
Saturday's win over Nevada gave Pat Hill 43 victories as head coach of the Bulldogs, tying him for fourth all-time with Darryl Rogers.
Fresno State has won eight consecutive games in the month of November and has won 10 of 11 November home games under Pat Hill.
Fresno State won six road games last year, most in program history. The Bulldogs have one road win this season with two remaining.
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," 38 times this year, scoring 23 touchdowns and 11 field goals. The opponent has been inside Fresno State's compete zone 50 times, scoring 25 touchdowns, 13 field goals while failing 12 times.
The Bulldogs have turned the ball over 21 times in 2002, but on only five occasions has the opponent scored a touchdown on the possession following that turnover. Fresno State has also allowed a field goal after a turnover.
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.
The Bulldogs scored a touchdown on their opening drive of the first or second half this year for the first time against Tulsa. The Bulldogs took the opening kick and marched 65 yards on 9 plays for a touchdown.
Fresno State knocked off No. 15 Colorado State on Oct. 4, the third time in the past two years the Bulldogs have defeated a team that was at one point ranked in the Top 25.
With Hawai'i breaking into the national rankings this week, all five of Fresno State's losses have come to teams that have been ranked at some point in 2002.


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

Has five starts at linebacker and has been very solid.
Received a start in three of the last five contests.
Has 45 tackles on the year.
Moved to middle linebacker for the Colorado State game to fill in due to injuries.
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)

Second in the WAC and ranks 21st in the NCAA in field goals per game (1.4).
Lou Groza Award semifinalist fo r the second straight year, and has been rated the sixth best kicker by The Sporting News.
Has made 47-of-65 field goal attempts (.723) 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 15-of-20 (.750) field goal attempts in 2002 , 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 and 2002 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 (.829, 29-35) of his field goal attempts under 40 yards in his career.
Has made eight of his last nine field goal attempts.


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

Was named to the 2002 Playboy All-America team.
Has elected to redshirt the 2002 season after spraining his knee in the first quarter of the season opener at Wisconsin. He will return at 100 percent next year.
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 and East-West Shrine Game.
Named to the Lombardi Award Watch List.
Has earned three blackshirts in 2002 - against Wisconsin, San Diego State and Colorado State.
Rated the nation's 15th-best defensive end in the preseason by The Sporting News.
2001 first-team All-WAC selection.
Has 19 career sacks.
Has four fumble recoveries and one interception with a 27-yard return for touchdown.
Played all of last season with a cast on his left thumb, and is having to wear one again this year due to an unrelated injury.
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 sixth on the team with 54 tackles and leads the team wirth five sacks despite being double-teamed, and sometimes even triple-teamed, all year.


#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.
Earned a blackshirt for his 15-tackle performance against SMU. He was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week for the performance.
Fourth on the Bulldogs with 58 tackles.
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 49 catches and 724 receiving yards are both team bests.
Is the only Bulldog to catch a pass in every game this year.
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.
Has two 100-yard receiving games in the last six contests.
Four of his touchdowns have been in excess of 65 yards, the last coming against Boise State on Oct. 18.
Has one blocked punt and on another occasion tackled the punter before he could punt the ball in 2001.
Brother Rodney is the Bulldogs' starting running back.


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

Became the ninth player in Fresno State history to reach 1,000 yards. His 1,114 yards rank as the fifth-best season in school history.
Ranks third in the WAC and 35th in the nation in yards per game (101.3).
Had a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns vs. SMU.
Has four 100-yard receiving games in 2002, including in three of the last four contests.
Caught 15 passes for 114 yards.
Needs 363 yards to break the Bulldog single season record of 1,477 yards set by Ron Rivers in 1993.
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. He has served as the backup 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)

Possesion receiver who 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 26 games in his career, playing in all 34 over the last three seasons.
Has scored seven touchdowns in his career.
Has 15 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns this season.


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

Second on the team with 31 receptions for 280 yards.
Ranks fourth in the WAC and 69th in the NCAA in punt returns (9.6 per return).
Returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' victory over Colorado State.
Emerged as one of the team's top play-makers during spring drills, for which he earned the "Bulldog Award," presented to the player who turns in the best performance during the practices.


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

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 23 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, but has since moved to linebacker to help out at the injury-riddled position.
Has 15 career sacks, the last coming against Rice.
Has 55 tackles, fifth-most on the team, with eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
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 rest of the season.


#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 48 games in his career, including 36 consecutive, the longest streak on the team.


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

Ranks fourth in the WAC and 42nd in the NCAA in passing efficiency (128.6).
The top ranked freshman quarterback in the NCAA, and has thrown for more touchdowns (15) and yards (2,066) than any freshman quarterback in the country.
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.
Has two 300-yard games this year, including a career-high 371-yard performance in a loss at Boise State, in which he also threw a career-high three touchdowns.
Played the entire Rice, Colorado State and SMU games without tossing an interception.
Has thrown 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in the past six games.


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

Received his first career start vs. Rice and has started each game since.
One of the team's best freshmen, he is tied for second among Bulldogs with 68 tackles.
Tied for third on the team with eight tackles for losses.
Picked off the first pass of his career at Oregon State and leads the team in pass breakups with six.


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

Had started 31 consecutive games before sitting out against Boise State with a sprained left knee.
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 41.5 yards per punt, best in the conference.
Has placed 17 of his 60 punts inside the 20-yard line, including three inside the five against Hawai'i.
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 is third on the team in tackles with 67.
Honorable mention All-WAC in 2001.
He has also racked up 11 tackles for loss and four sacks.


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

Second-team All-WAC selection in 2001.
Started 25 games in his career, including 21 of the last 22.
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 FS.
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)

Missed three games after an injury during the Oregon State game but returned against Boise State.
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.
Has 44 tackles, 10th-best on the team and was the team tackle leader at the time of his injury.


#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.
Has four career interceptions, the last coming against No. 22 Colorado State on Oct. 4.
Leads the team in tackles with 92 and in interceptions with four.
Had a 62-yard interception return for a TD in a victory over Nevada.
WAC Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 18 after his performance against the Wolf Pack.

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