Football Looks to Rebound at Rice

Sept. 23, 2002

Fresno State (1-3, 0-0 WAC) at Rice (0-3, 0-1 WAC)
Date: Satuday, Sept. 28
Kickoff: 5 p.m. PDT
Site: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Rice Stadium (70,000)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580); 'Dog Talk at 3 p.m., Pregame Show at 4:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Vince Wesson; Sideline: Ron Shapley
TV: KFRE (cable channel 5)
Play-by-play: Ralph Wood; Analyst: Randy Rosenbloom

This Week
Fresno State looks to snap a two-game losing streak in the WAC opener against Rice. The game starts at 5 p.m. PDT at Rice Stadium and will be televised locally by KFRE WB 59 (cable channel 5). The contest is the Bulldogs' third in a row on the road.

Last Week
Oregon State handed Fresno State the worst loss of the Pat Hill Era, a 59-19 drubbing before a sold out Reser Stadium. Steven Jackson rushed for 227 yards and Derek Anderson passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns as the Beavers used a 28-point third quarter to put the game away.

All-Time vs. Rice
Fresno State is 3-0 all-time against Rice, including a win in its only trip to Houston. However, in that one visit to Rice Stadium, the Bulldogs were forced to escape with a 27-24 victory on Asen Asparuhov's 43-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining. The Owls had led 24-16 with 1:58 left. The two contests in Fresno have been more one-sided, with the Bulldogs winning by 47-18 and 52-24 verdicts.

Last Time vs. Rice
FRESNO, Calif. - Nov. 3, 2001: David Carr threw five touchdown passes and ran for another in leading Fresno State to a 52-24 victory over Rice at Bulldog Stadium. Carr passed for 334 yards, 145 of which went to receiver Rodney Wright. But the Bulldog defense was equally superb, holding Rice's vaunted triple option attack to just 188 yards on the ground, 90 below its average. The win snapped Fresno State's two-game losing streak after it began the season 6-0.

Playing the Best of the Best
Fresno State may be 1-3 at the moment, but their losses have come to opponents who are having exceptional seasons. The Bulldogs have come up short against Wisconsin (5-0), Oregon (4-0) and Oregon State (4-0). Combined, those teams have gone 13-0 this year, and all are currently ranked in the Top 25.

Hitting the Road
This week, the Bulldogs finally bring a month-long road trip to a close. Fresno State will go 35 days in between home games, a stretch which has seen them travel to play No. 13 Oregon and Oregon State. The trip ends Saturday at Rice, after which the Bulldogs return home to prepare for 23rd-ranked Colorado State on Oct. 4.

Getting Out of the Blocks
Fresno State heads into this week's WAC opener 1-3 on the season. It marks just the second time since Pat Hill took over the Bulldogs have started 1-3, the other being 1998, Fresno State's only losing season under Hill. That year's squad finished 5-6 after beginning 1-5.

Injury Update
The Fresno State sports medicine staff has had its hands full with the litany of injuries Fresno State has suffered thus far in 2002. Here is a look at the Bulldogs' injury report heading into this week's game against Rice:

QB Jeff Grady: Suffered a hip pointer to his right hip against Oregon State. He will be re-evaluated this week and could play against Rice. This injury is not to the same hip Grady injured against Wisconsin.

WR Bernard Berrian: Sustained a sprained knee at No. 23 Wisconsin and has missed all but one quarter of the 2002 season. He will be re-evaluated early this week, at which point his status for the Rice game will be determined.

CB Kendall Edwards: Tore his ACL against San Diego State and will miss the rest of the season.

DE Brian Morris: Had ankle surgery last week and will miss the rest of the season.

LB David Adamo: Suffered a dislocated left elbow recovering a fumble at No. 13 Oregon. He may play this week against Rice, although he is unlikely to start.

LB Sam Williams: Sustained a sprained shoulder against Oregon State and will miss at least the next three weeks.

Bulldogs vs. the BCS Conferences
In the first three games of the 2001 season, Fresno State proved it is as good as teams from the power conferences. The Bulldogs opened the year with a 24-22 win at Colorado of the Big 12, which afterward won five consecutive games, the Big 12 Conference and eventually played in the Fiesta Bowl. The following week, FS took out 2000 Pac-10 co-champ and 10th-ranked Oregon State 44-24. Just six days later, the Bulldogs traveled to Madison, Wis., and defeated the Big Ten's Wisconsin Badgers, winner of two of the last four Rose Bowls, 32-20. After opening with No. 23 Wisconsin on Aug. 23 then taking on No. 13 Oregon last week, the Bulldogs have one more games against a BCS team this year: Oregon State on Saturday.

Bulldogs vs. the BCS Conferences - Part II
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).

Bulldogs in the Lone Star State
Fresno State hasn't had much success in its history in the state of Texas. The Bulldogs are only 3-11-1 all-time in the Lone Star State but did win their only trip there last year, a 38-13 victory over SMU in Dallas. Prior to that, Fresno State's victories in Texas came in 2000, a 27-24 win at Rice, and 1992, a 43-18 victory in El Paso. This week's trip to Houston is the Bulldogs' only trip to Texas in 2002.

Close Calls
Last week's defeat at the hands of Oregon State was an anomoly in that the Bulldogs were defeated decisively. Even with that loss, Fresno State had proven successful by either beating teams from the BCS Conferences or playing nearly each one extremely close. 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 Saturday's Oregon State game. Going into Saturday, 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 25-4 at home and 19-2 in WAC home games with wins in 16 of the last 17 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 .862 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years experience. His conference home winning percentage of .905 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' four home losses over the last five 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 25 of 29 games at Bulldog Stadium, including 21 of its last 23. Since Hill took over prior to the 1997 season, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined 1,044-527 for an average margin of victory of 36-18. In addition, the 'Dogs are drawing well, averaging 38,527 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.

Tricks are For Kids
The Bulldogs have thwarted six consecutive fake field goal or fake punt attempts over the last two seasons, denying either a first down or touchdown. The last team to attempt a fake field goal on the Bulldogs was Tulsa on Sept. 22, 2001, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped seven of the last eight fake attempts dating back to 1997.

Penalty Problems
Fresno State has had its problems so far this year with penalties, something that has worried head coach Pat Hill. In the opener against No. 23 Wisconsin, the Bulldogs had 11 penalties for 99 yards and gave the Badgers five first downs via penalty. Then against San Diego State, Fresno State had seven more penalties for 74 yards and gave the Aztecs four first downs via penalty. After shoring things up against Oregon, the penalty woes came back against Oregon State. The Bulldogs were flagged 12 times for 112 yards, both season highs, against the Beavers.

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 35 punts and kicks, perhaps none bigger than Aug. 29, when Raymond Washington blocked a 31-yard field goal as time expired, preserving Fresno State's 16-14 win over San Diego State. 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         1        1--------------------------------Totals   17*       18       35* includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punterbefore he could get kick away.

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. This year, the Bulldogs have played just one home game but still rank 33rd in the nation in percent of capacity filled. Fresno State did sell more than 30,000 season tickets for the third consecutive season.

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. Unfortunately, Fresno State has slipped on the road this year, going 0-3 with losses at No. 23 Wisconsin, No. 13 Oregon and Oregon State, which entered the Top 25 this week at No. 24. The Bulldogs also find scoring on the road more difficult than at home. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are averaging just 23.6 points per road game while piling up 36.0 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 will have 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
Fresno State has had its share of magnificent wide receivers throughout the last 25 years, and it appears that legacy is continuing in redshirt freshmen Adam Jennings and Jermaine Jamison. With the absence of star receiver Bernard Berrian due to injury, Jennings and Jamison have combined to catch 23 passes for 297 yards and one touchdown. In fact, Jennings is the Bulldogs' top receiver on the year with 17 receptions for 162 yards.

Big-Time Bryce
Each game last year, it seemed as if junior free safety Bryce McGill made his presence felt. Not only did he finish second on the team in tackles with 95, but he did the intangibles that helped the Bulldogs win. In this year's season opener, McGill picked up where he left off in 2001, making nine tackles against Wisconsin. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has racked up 22 tackles this year, good for fifth on the team, as well as three tackles for loss and two sacks, one of which came against Oregon State on Saturday. McGill also has five interceptions in his Fresno State career, which entering the 2002 season was the ninth-best total in the nation.

Berrian Blows Up
Wide receiver Bernard Berrian was simply one of the biggest offensive weapons in the nation last year. The 2001 All-American set a WAC record with 2,776 all-purpose yards and has been listed as one of the top seniors in the nation by ESPN's NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. In two games last year - Wisconsin and Nevada - Berrian had overall 300 yards in total offense. After totaling 1,364 receiving yards last year, the Winton, Calif., native needs 1,218 to become No. 1 on Fresno State's all-time receiving yardage list, a spot currently held by Rodney Wright, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. Unfortunately for Fresno State, Berrian suffered a sprained knee in the season opener at Wisconsin and has been out since. He is questionable for this week's game at Rice.

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

Now That's 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, 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 finished 2001 with 129 points, best in program history, and is 8-of-10 on field goals this year, including a 4-for-4 day Saturday with a career-long 52-yarder. The senior is fifth in the nation in field goals per game at 2.00. Simpson is currently second in the WAC and 26th in the nation with a 42.2 per game punt average after finishing 18th in the nation a year ago. Both players were first-team All-WAC picks last year.

WAC Coaching Leader
Pat Hill is now tied for second among WAC coaches with more than two years experience in winning percentage with a record of 38-28 (27-12 WAC), a percentage of .575. Here's how the other top WAC coaches rank in career winning percentage.

Overall (years)         Record           Pct     Current School  PctKen Hatfield, Rice_____ 156-111-4 (23)  .583     41-49-1 (9)    .456June Jones, Hawai'i____ 23-17 (3)       .575     23-17 (3)      .575Jack Bicknell, La Tech_ 20-19 (3)       .513     20-19 (3)      .513

Davis Connection
Wide receiver Marque Davis had a big year in 2001 and will serve as a strong complement to All-America candidate Bernard Berrian in 2002 once Berrian recovers from his knee injury. Davis played in 11 games last season, catching 29 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns. This year, the junior has 14 catches for 139 yards. Marque is joined in 2002 by his brother Rodney, a junior running back who transferred from Fresno City College. Rodney had a monster game at No. 13 Oregon, rushing for a career-high 118 yards on 20 carries. In the past three games, Rodney has racked up 276 yards rushing.

Hurly Burley Man
Fresno State possesses one of the WAC's most dominating defensive players in senior end Nick Burley. The Lombardi Award and All-America candidate 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. Through four games this year, Burley has five tackles for loss and four sacks to go along with his 24 tackles overall. 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 111 sacks, the best number in the nation during that time.

Bulldog Sack NumbersCareer SacksNo Name                       Sacks1. Dewayne White, Louisville____ 282. Antwan Peek, Cincinnati____ 23.53. Aaron Hunt, Texas Tech_______ 224. Nick Burley, Fresno State____ 18

The Bodyguards
Quarterbacks Jeff Grady and 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 Grady and Pinegar with time to throw and the running backs with holes to run through. 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 1.5 sacks per game.

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 No. 23 Wisconsin, No. 13 Oregon and Oregon State, which joined the rankings this week. In fact, those three teams have combined to go 13-0 thus far in 2002. Fresno State's next scheduled ranked opponent is No. 23 Colorado State on Oct. 4. 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.

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. There have been no blackshirt recipients the last two games.

Filling Big Shoes
The undaunting task of filling David Carr's shoes was won by junior quarterback Jeff Grady. Grady, who had attempted just 23 pass attempts in his career, redshirted last season. He opened the season with a strong performance at Wisconsin, going 21-of-42 with 262 yards and three touchdowns. However, in that game Grady suffered a deep bruise of his left hip, an injury that caused him to miss the next two games. While Grady is out, redshirt freshman Paul Pinegar took over and performed well, throwing for a combined 397 yards in a win over San Diego State and a narrow loss at 13th-ranked Oregon. Grady returned to the starting role last week and threw for 191 yards, but had to leave with a hip pointer in his left hip midway through the game. Pinegar relieved and threw for 116 yards and one touchdown.

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 No. 1 NFL draft pick quarterback and another quarterback 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 in 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)

WAC Attack
Although the Bulldogs have the most wins (26 overall, 17 WAC) among WAC teams over the last three 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.

'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 25-4 under Pat Hill at home, including wins in 21 of the last 23 games.
FS is 19-2 in its last 21 WAC home games.
Under Pat Hill the Bulldogs are 31-5 when leading at the half, including wins in five of the last six.
The Bulldogs have 18 sacks this year, good for first in the WAC.
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 110 touchdowns and only 27 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 132 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 156 of the last 157 home games.
FS is 26-7 under Pat Hill when the Bulldogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 31-6 under Pat Hill when the Fresno State has less turnovers than their opponents.
The Bulldogs allowed a school record-low 13 quarterback sacks in 1999 and just 64 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.
Fresno State has produced eight first-team All-WAC defensive players over the last three seasons.
This season marks the the second straight season Fresno State is playing 13 regular season games and seven road games.
The 'Dogs have led the WAC in scoring in three of the last nine years, including a nation's best 40.5 average in 1992. They averaged 40 points per game in 2001, which ranked fourth in the nation in scoring offense.
FS has produced two quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer and Bill Volek) who set NCAA records in the last seven years. Both are in the NFL, Dilfer with the Seattle Seahawks and Volek with the Tennessee Titans.
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 8-7 in its 15 national television appearances over the last three seasons, including 1-2 in 2002.
Fresno State have played in front of above-capacity crowds in three of its first four games this year (at Wisconsin, at Oregon, at Oregon 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 10 of the last 12 games at Bulldog Stadium with an average attendance of 41,897, 866 more than the stadium's capacity of 41,031.
Fresno State is 16-3 in its last 19 games when the starting running back scores a touchdown.
The Bulldogs are 11-4 in their last 15 games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in 24 of the last 27 games has been a TD.
The Hawai'i loss Oct. 26, 2001, snapped FS's five-game road winning streak. That was the team's longest since the 1988 and '89 seasons.
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.
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.
Twelve 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.
Through four games, Fresno State has a total of 18 sacks, good for an average of 4.5 per contest.
Four of Fresno State's first five contests are away from home. The team does not play a home game the entire month of September.
Fresno State has been inside the opponent's 25-yard line, or "compete zone," 13 times this year, scoring eight touchdowns and four field goals. The opponent has been inside Fresno State's compete zone 17 times, scoring eight touchdowns, five field goals and failing four times.
The Bulldogs have turned the ball over 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 is 1-3 this year and has started 1-4 only one time under Pat Hill, that coming in 1998, the Bulldogs' only losing season under their current head coach. They finished that year 5-6.
Once the Bulldogs complete this current stretch which has seen them play four of their first five games on the road, they will play five of their next six at home.

'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 10 tackles, including eight solo trackles in the first two games.
Suffered a dislocated left elbow against Oregon and missed last week's game at Oregon State. He may return this week against Rice.

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

Lou Groza Award Candidate, rated the sixth best kicker by The Sporting News.
Has made 40-of-55 field goal attempts (.727) 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 8-of-10 field goal attempts in 2002 (.800), including a 4-for-4 day last week at Oregon State. His two misses this year have come from 55 and 43 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).
One of three players on the team not from the state of California and the only foreign player on the team

#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 two games and is questionable for the Rice game.
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)

All-America and Lombardi Award Candidate.
Named to the Lombardi Award Watch List.
Had five tackles, three tackles for losses, 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 18 career sacks, fifth among active college players.
Has 29 career tackles for losses and 128 yards.
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.
Tied for fourth on the team with 18 tackles and four sacks through the first four 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 trip due to a personal emergency. He is expected to return to the lineup this week for the Rice game.

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

Has 14 receptions for 139 yards through three games.
Led the team with six receptions for 69 yards against Wisconsin.
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.
Brother Rodney is the Bulldogs' starting running back.

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

Had the best game of his brief career Sept. 7 against Oregon, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Has 276 rushing yards in his past two games.
Has six receptions for 60 yards.
Emerging as Fresno State's top threat out of the backfield after joining the team in the fall.
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.
Returning starter who earned honorable mention All-WAC honors last year despite playing in only nine games.
Had three interceptions and 27 tackles last season.
A special teams star and one of the hardest hitters on the team.

#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 last week, 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 last week, going 15-of-36 for 191 yards, but sustained a hip pointer in his right hip midway through the game. He is questionable for this week's game.
Played in 10 games in his career before earning his first start vs. Wisconsin.
Honor student who will contend for academic honors.

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

Had a career-long 50-yard reception at Oregon.
Started 11 games last season and caught 24 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns.
Started 23 games in his career, playing in all 29 games over the last two seasons.
Has scored seven touchdowns in his career.

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

Tops on the team with 17 receptions for 162 yards.
Leads the team and is second in the WAC in punt returns (14.0 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 last week's contest at Oregon State despite battling the flu all week.

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

Led the team with eight solo tackles vs. Wisconsin, plus forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
Second on the squad with 95 tackles in 2001, including 10 for loss, four sacks and a team-high four interceptions.
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.
Pound for pound the strongest player and hardest hitter on the team.
Has 10 career sacks and five career interceptions.
Has 22 tackles, fifth-most on the team, with three tackles for loss, two sacks, one fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Had the Bulldogs' lone sack against Oregon State. Also made eight tackles against the Beavers.

#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 41 games in his career, including 29 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, a 4-yarder to Deandre Gilbert.
Was solid again at Oregon, going 16-of-36 with 201 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-24 loss.
Has shown good poise and precision when under pressure in the pocket.
Fresno State's first freshman starting quarterback since Trent Dilfer in the 1991 season.
Ranks sixth in the WAC after two games in passing efficiency (111.7).

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

Rushed for 21 yards and had six receptions for 58 yards in his first career game.
A walk-on redshirt who earned the starting running back position by hard work and production.Leaped up from fourth on the depth chart because of his consistency and ability to make big plays.
Is the best blocking back on the team.
Third among Bulldogs with 11 receptions.

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

Emerged as Fresno State's nickel back.
Has racked up 19 tackles, seventh-best on the team. Also has one sack.
Picked off the first pass of his career last week at Oregon State.
A physical presence on the field and has been one of the most effective cover men.

#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 20 straight games.
Has started 32 games in his career, including 28 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 42.2 yards per punt, second-best in the conference.
Has placed three of his 22 punts inside the 20-yard line.
First-team All-WAC in 2001 who is rated as the nation's 9th-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 17 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 20 games in his career, including 14 of the last 15.
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.
One of the most athletic players on the team.
Has six tackles this season.
WAC Special Teams Player of the Year after his heroics in the San Diego State game.

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

Leads the team with 27 tackles.
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.
Had 61 tackles last year, seventh-most on the team, including four tackles for losses and two sacks.
Injured his shoulder against Oregon State and will miss at least the next three weeks.

#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 three career interceptions, the last coming against San Diego State on Aug. 29.
Is tied for first on the team in tackles with 27 and has one sack, four pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble.

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