Football Off This Week After Clinching Bowl Berth

Nov. 25, 2002

EXTRAS

Fresno State (7-5, 5-2 WAC) at Louisiana Tech (4-7, 3-4 WAC)
Date: Thursday, Dec. 5
Kickoff: 6 p.m. PST
Site: Ruston, La.
Stadium: Aillet Stadium (30,600)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580); 'Dog Talk at 3:30 p.m.; Pregame Show at 5:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Vince Wesson; Sidelines: Ron Shapley
TV: ESPN 2
Play-by-play: Mike Tirico; Analysts: Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit; Sideline: Jerry Punch

This Week
Fresno State gets a chance to catch its breath this week with a bye. The Bulldogs' next game is Dec. 5 at Louisiana Tech, a contest that will be televised by ESPN 2.

Last Week
The Bulldogs defeated rival San Jose State 19-16 at Spartan Stadium, and in doing so earned an invitation to the Silicon Valley Football Classic. Fresno State parlayed a blocked punt at the end of the first half into its only touchdown and rode the left leg of Asen Asparuhov, who tied a career high by booting four field goals. The big star in the game was the Bulldog defense, which recorded a season-high nine sacks and held SJSU to just three points in the second half.

Going Bowling...Again
With Saturday's 19-16 victory over San Jose State, Fresno State earned a berth in the Silicon Valley Football Classic on Dec. 31 against a Pac-10 opponent. For the Bulldogs, it marks their fourth bowl game in a row, a first in program history. Fresno State has gone 8-8 in bowl games but have lost its last four, the last victory coming in the 1992 Freedom Bowl over USC. Although the Bulldogs may not know their opponent for two weeks, possible teams include Arizona State, Oregon, Oregon State and UCLA. Fresno State has played in the two previous Silicon games, played at SJSU's Spartan Stadium.

All-Time vs. Louisiana Tech
Fresno State has defeated Louisiana Tech in the three previous meetings, including 38-28 in last year's contest at Bulldog Stadium. The two teams also met in 1986 and 1992, with the Bulldgos winning handily both times in Fresno.

Last Time vs. Louisiana Tech
FRESNO, Calif. - Sept. 29, 2001: Paris Gaines rushed for a career-high 203 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 37-yard scoring pass with 4:35 to go as 10th-ranked Fresno State hung on for a 38-28 victory over a dogged Louisiana Tech team. La Tech quarterback Luke McCown passed for 313 yards and two TDs, but it was the passing of running back John Simon, who had two halfback option throws for scores, that carried LTU. David Carr had 319 yards passing and two touchdowns.

Davis Climbing the Charts
Rodney Davis etched his name further into the Fresno State record books last week when he moved up to third on the program's single-season rushing list. He needs just 103 yards to jump up to second, just behind Aaron Craver (1,477), who rests in first. 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        2662) Aaron Craver     11    1989   1,313        1023) Rodney Davis     12    2002   1,212          -

Fresno State's Bowl History
Fresno State is 8-8 all-time in bowl games, including victories in four in a row from 1982-89. This year, the Bulldogs will be looking for their first bowl win since 1992. Following is a list of every bowl game in Fresno State history:

Bowl                         Date             Opponent              ResultLittle All-American Bowl     Dec. 25, 1937    Arkansas State        WON 27-26Pineapple Bowl               Jan. 1, 1941     Hawai'i               WON 3-0Raisin Bowl                  Jan. 1, 1946     Drake                 LOST 13-12Mercy Bowl I                 Nov. 23, 1961    Bowling Green         WON 36-6Camellia Bowl                Dec. 14, 1968    Humboldt State        LOST 29-14Mercy Bowl II                Dec. 11, 1971    Cal State Fullerton   LOST 17-14California Bowl II           Dec. 18, 1982    Bowling Green         WON 29-28California Bowl V            Dec. 14, 1985    Bowling Green         WON 51-7California Bowl VIII         Dec. 19, 1988    Western Michigan      WON 35-30California Raisin Bowl IX    Dec. 9, 1989     Ball State            WON 27-6California Raisin Bowl XI    Dec. 14, 1991    Bowling Green         LOST 28-21Freedom Bowl IX              Dec. 29, 1992    USC                   WON 24-7Jeep Eagle Aloha Bowl        Dec. 25, 1993    Colorado              LOST 41-30EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl     Dec. 18, 1999    Utah                  LOST 17-16Silicon Valley FB Classic    Dec. 31, 2000    Air Force             LOST 37-34Silicon Valley FB Classic II Dec. 31, 2001    Michigan State        LOST 44-35

Finishing With a Flourish
Fresno State has won its last three 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        3-0           -         Nine wins in a row in Nov. 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 one more time against Nevada when freshman Garrett McIntyre went down with a sprained MCL, which caused him to miss the SJSU game. The defense also lost Kendall Edwards, the team's top cornerback, for the year during the San Diego State game with a torn ACL.

November Reign
A staple of Fresno State teams under Pat Hill has been the ability to finish the season strong, and this year is proving to be no exception. Fresno State has won nine games in a row in November, the last loss coming Nov. 11, 2000, at TCU. The Bulldogs have also won 11 of their last 12 at home in the 11th month, the last loss coming in 1997 against San Diego 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 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). Fresno State will play another BCS team in the Silicon Valley Football Classic on Dec. 31.

Nine in a Row over SJSU
The Bulldogs' victory over San Jose State on Saturday was their ninth in a row over the Spartans, the longest winning or losing streak in the history of the rivalry. It also tied the all-time series 32-32-3, the first time the two teams have been knotted up since 1948, when it was 7-7-3. Fresno State's nine-game winning streak against SJSU is one of the longest it has against any team. Here is a look at the lengthy winning streaks the Bulldogs currently own:

No  Name                Streak       Last Played1)  Long Beach State*     11            1991    New Mexico State      11            19913)  San Jose State         9            20024)  Cal State Northridge*  7            1991    Northern Arizona       7            1993    UC Davis               7            1952No longer sponsors a football program

Close Calls
In Saturday's 19-16 victory over San Jose State, Fresno State continued to perform the high-wire act that has characterized the Bulldogs in 2002. The win was the eighth this year - in 12 games - that has been decided by 10 points or less. Fresno State is 5-3 in such contests. Of those eight games, six have been decided by four points or less. Since 1999, when the Bulldogs began their string of four consecutive bowl appearances, the team has suffered 18 losses, 12 coming by 10 points or less.

Over the Hill
Fresno State has been a very difficult team to beat at home since Pat Hill took over in 1997. Under Hill, the Bulldogs 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 (2002). 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.

Home Cooking
Not only are the Bulldogs winning at home, they are doing it convincingly. Including going 29-5 at Bulldog Stadium under Pat Hill, Fresno State has outscored its 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.

Pure Pinegar
As Paul Pinegar's learning process continues, Fresno State continues to pile up victories. Behind the redshirt freshman QB, the Bulldogs have won six of their last eight, including a 19-16 victory Saturday over San Jose State that clinched a fourth consecutive bowl berth for Fresno State. Against the Spartans, Pinegar also became the most prolific freshman quarterback in program history. The Woodland, Calif., native has passed for 2,420 yards in 2002, passing Kevin Sweeney's 2,359, the mark that had stood as the best for a freshman QB. Since the WAC opener at Rice on Sept. 28, Pinegar has tossed 13 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions. On the year, he has 17 TDs and is completing his passes at a 57 percent clip.

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 two weeks ago 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.

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 (Wisconsin, SDSU, Colorado State, Tulsa) and Jason Stewart (Colorado State, SMU, Tulsa, Nevada) have earned four blackshirts, Cameron Worrell (Wisconsin, Tulsa, Nevada) has three and Marc Dailey (SMU) one. Blackshirts for the San Jose State game will be announced this week.

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 2-4 on the road in 2002, but did win their last foray into hostile territory with Saturday's 19-16 victory over San Jose State. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are averaging just 23.6 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. The Bulldogs racked up the most frequent flyers miles in the nation last season and has had long road trips this year to Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin) and Houston (Rice). The team just completed their shortest trip of the season with a victory over San Jose State, but follow that up with one of their longest, that coming next week when Fresno State plays at 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 13th-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 seven career starts:

                     Rec    A     C    I    Pct   Yards   TD   Lg     YPGPinegar as a starter  7-3   327   185   8   .566   2,291   16   77   229.1Pinegar in 2002        -    345   196  10   .568   2,420   17   77   201.7Carr in 2000*         6-4   291   179  11   .615   2,094   16   50   209.4* Carr started every game in 2000

WAC Coaching Leaders
With victories in the last three 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 44-30 (32-14 WAC), a percentage of .595, just behind Hawai'i's June Jones (.625). Here's how the other top WAC coaches rank in career winning percentage.

Overall (years)         Record           Pct     Current School  PctJune Jones, Hawai'i____ 30-18 (3)       .625     30-18 (3)      .625Pat Hill, Fresno State_ 44-30 (5)       .595     44-30 (5)      .589Ken Hatfield, Rice_____ 160-115-4 (23)  .581     45-53-1 (9)    .460

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)

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 38 punts and kicks, including a block last week that lead to Fresno State's only touchdown and helped tilt the momentum the Bulldogs' direction. 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      2         2        4--------------------------------Totals   19*       19       38* includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punter
before he could get kick away.

Penalty Problems
Fresno State racked up 10 penalties for 95 yards against San Jose State, the fourth time in the last five games the Bulldogs have been flagged for at least 10 infractions. The team was flagged for a team-high 13 penalties in a home loss to Hawai'i on Oct. 25. In addition, Fresno State allowed San Jose State four first downs via penalty, bringing its total to 27 on the year. In 2002, the Bulldogs are averaging 77.5 yards of penalties per game, the third-most in the conference.

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 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 24 opening drives to a half, 16 have resulted in punts, three in interceptions, two in field goals, one in a touchdown, one in a missed field goal and another when Fresno State took a safety.

Special Kicker
Fresno State features one of nation's top placekickers in Asen Asparuhov, who was 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 made the semifinalist list. This year, he has made 19-of-25 field goals and all 34 of his extra points. Asparuhov currently ranks seventh in the nation in field goals per game at 1.6, a number helped when he tied his career high by nailing four against San Jose State last week. 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. Asparuhov has 91 points in 2002, the fifth-best total in the 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 and 42nd in the nation with a 41.3 average. This comes a year after Simpson was 18th in the country in punting. A first-team All-WAC punter last year, 21 of his 65 kicks this year have been downed inside the 20.

Thirty Means Victory
Fresno State racked up a season-high 38 points against Nevada on Nov. 16, improving the Bulldogs' record to 4-0 in 2001 when scoring more than 30 points. The team is now 27-6 under Pat Hill when scoring 30 or more, including victories in 27 of the last 31. In 2002, Fresno State has scored 30 or more points against the Wolf Pack, Colorado State (32), Rice (31) and SMU (31). The last time the Bulldogs scored 30-plus points and lost was during last year's Silicon Valley Football Classic, when Michigan State defeated Fresno State 44-35.

Berrian to Redshirt
Earlier this year, 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

Bulldogs After Byes
Fresno State continued its success after bye weeks with its victory over Tulsa on Nov. 9. 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 a bye this week prior to their game against Louisiana Tech on Dec. 5. 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 The Brothers Davis
Brothers Marque and Rodney Davis have become the key components to the Fresno State offense. Marque, a wide receiver, has caught 52 passes for 823 yards and six touchdowns, including the Bulldogs' only score last week in a 19-16 win over San Jose State. Three of Marque's TDs have been in excess of 65 yards. Rodney, a transfer from Fresno (Calif.) City College, has paced the Fresno State rushing attack by averaging 101.0 yards per game, third-best in the WAC and 35th in the nation. He had another solid game last week, pounding the SJSU defense for 98 yards on 26 carries. Rodney has 1,212 yards rushing in 2002, the third-best mark in Fresno State history.

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 16 quarterback hurries, 16 tackles for loss, six pass breakups and nine sacks, all team highs. He was a one-man wrecking machine last week, destroying SJSU's offense by totaling four sacks and 11 tackles, both game highs. Behind Burley, Fresno State has become one of the most sack-happy teams in the nation. Since 2000, the Bulldogs have posted 126 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.
'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 31 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. Davis has gone over 1,200 yards this season.
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 122 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. The team's next game, against Louisiana Tech, is on ESPN 2.
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 33 games has been a TD.
Saturday's victory over San Jose State gave Pat Hill 44 victories as head coach of Fresno State, tying him for fourth all-time in program history.
Fresno State has won nine 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 two road wins this season with one remaining.
The Bulldogs victory over San Jose State garnered them a berth in the Silicon Valley Football Classic, the program's fourth bowl game in a row. That is the longest current streak of any team in the WAC.
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," 44 times this year, scoring 24 touchdowns and 15 field goals. The opponent has been inside Fresno State's compete zone 53 times, scoring 26 touchdowns, 15 field goals while failing 12 times.
The Bulldogs have turned the ball over 22 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.
With their victory over 13th-ranked Colorado State, the Bulldogs have now defeated a team ranked in the top 15 two consecutive years.
Due to injuries, Fresno State has not started the same defensive lineup in consecutive games this year.


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

Has five starts at linebacker and has been very solid on special teams.
Received a start in three of the last five contests.
Has 47 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)

First in the WAC and seventh in the NCAA in field goals per game (1.6).
A Lou Groza Award semifinalist for the second consecutive year, and has been rated the sixth best kicker by The Sporting News.
Has made 51-of-70 field goal attempts (.729) 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 19-of-25 (.760) field goal attempts in 2002.
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 in 2001, 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 on Sept. 21.
Set a school record in 2001 for points points by a kicker (129).
Has made over 82 percent (.821, 32-39) of his field goal attempts under 40 yards in his career.
Has made 12 of his last 14 field goal attempts.
Was WAC Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking four field goals against San Jose State.


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

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.
Was named to the 2002 Playboy All-America team.
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 prior to the season.
Has earned four blackshirts in 2002 - against Wisconsin, SDSU, Colorado State and Tulsa
Rated the nation's 15th-best defensive end in the preseason by The Sporting News.
2001 first-team All-WAC selection.
Has 23 career sacks, including a career-high four last week in a win over San Jose State.
Piled up a game-high 11 tackles in helping lead the Bulldogs' defense in a 19-16 win over SJSU.
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.
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 fourth on the team with 65 tackles and leads the team wirth nine sacks despite being double-teamed, and sometimes even triple-teamed, all year.
Named WAC Defensive Player of the Week after piling up four sacks and 11 tackles against SJSU.


#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.
Fifth on the Bulldogs with 61 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 57 catches and 823 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 on the year.
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 just the third player in school history to surpass 1,200 yards rushing. He needs only 102 yards to move into second on the Bulldogs' single-season rushing list.
Ranks third in the WAC and 35th in the nation in yards per game (101.0).
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 16 passes for 126 yards.
Needs 266 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 35 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)

Has caught 33 passes for 295 yards.
Ranks fourth in the WAC and 67th in the NCAA in punt returns (9.2 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 24 consecutive games at left tackle.
Has been playing on an injured right ankle for the second half of the season.


#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 49 games in his career, including 37 consecutive, the longest streak on the team.


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

Ranks third in the WAC and 47th in the NCAA in passing efficiency (126.2).
The top ranked freshman quarterback in the NCAA, and has thrown for more touchdowns (17) and yards (2,420) 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 a 7-3 record as a starter, including wins in the last three 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 second among Bulldogs with 72 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 eight.


#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 41.3 yards per punt, best in the conference.
Has placed 21 of his 68 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 71.
Honorable mention All-WAC in 2001.
He has also racked up 13 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 26 games in his career, including 22 of the last 23.
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 has seen some playing time at cornerback.
Blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt as time expired vs. San Diego State to save 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 54 tackles, eighth-best on the team and was the team tackle leader at the time of his injury.
Was key last week against San Jose State, picking up 10 tackles, including two for loss.


#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 102 and in interceptions with four.
Had 10 tackles against San Jose State.

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