Fresno State Athletics
Football Hosts Third Straight Home Game
10/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 30, 2007
Complete Football Release in PDF Format
Dogs Close a Three-Game Home Stand: The Dogs wrap-up a three-game home stand with WAC rival Utah State. Fresno State can become bowl eligible with a victory while the Aggies look for their first victory of the season. Fresno State has one home game remaining this season after this week, while the Aggies return home next week for their home finale against Boise State.
Against the Aggies This will be just the fourth meeting between the two schools this decade, but the series started in 1952. Fresno State and Utah State shared the same conference and played each other for 14 consecutive years from 1978-91 in a very competitive series, that the Aggies led 7-6-1. The WAC series between the two schools is 1-1, with Fresno State beating the Aggies 53-21 in Fresno in 2005 and Utah State getting a 13-12 win last season in Logan. The Dogs are 9-2-1 all-time against the Aggies in Fresno and 7-0-1 in Bulldog Stadium.
Memorable Aggie Game In the 2001 season, the Bulldogs and Aggies were scheduled to play on Sept. 15, but the 9-11 tragedy happened on the Tuesday of that week so the Bulldogs and Aggies agreed to postpone the game until Dec. 1. In what was David Carr's last appearance in Bulldog Stadium, he threw for a school record six touchdowns and 432 yards in just three quarters of action in Fresno State's 70-21 victory.
About Last Year On Oct. 7, 2006, Utah State got its only win of the season with a 13-12 victory over Fresno State in Logan, Utah. It marked just the second time in the Pat Hill era the Dogs lost to a WAC team that finished the season with a losing record. Freshman quarterback Riley Nelson threw a 30 yard touchdown pass to Kevin Robinson with 55 seconds remaining to give the Aggies the win.
The Games of November Pat Hill uses the words of former Bulldog coach Jim Sweeney to sometimes motivate his team, and one of his favorite Sweeney sayings is: "The games of November are the ones you remember." Under Hill, the Dogs have taken that to heart with an impressive 28-9 record in games played in the 11th month. The Dogs have won 20 of their last 24 November games since the 2000 season for a winning percentage of 83 percent. Fresno State closes the regular season with four consecutive November games.
Another "State" School As a member of the California State University system, Fresno State is proud to be a member of the nation's largest state college system. That said, it seems fitting that Fresno State is playing a state school for the third straight week. This season, the Dogs are playing six state schools, two of which are members of the CSU System (Sacramento State and San Jose State). The other state schools in addition to this week's opponent, Utah State, are Boise State, Kansas State and New Mexico State.
Bowl Eligibility The Bulldogs need one more win this season to become eligible for a college football bowl game. It would mark the eighth time in the last nine seasons the Dogs would be bowl eligible. Fresno State played in seven straight bowl games from 1999-2005 before that string was snapped last season.
Last Game After a tough played first half, in which the two teams were tied 14-14 after the first quarter and Boise State led 17-14 at halftime, the Dogs allowed two second half touchdowns as the Broncos defeated the Dogs 34-21 at Bulldog Stadium. It snapped Fresno State's four-game winning streak and gave the Dogs their first WAC loss of the season.
Last Game Tidbits Fresno State's attendance of 40,607 was a season high and the most for any WAC school this season ... Tom Brandstater threw for a career-high 263 yards and tied his career-high for passes completed with 21 ... Ryan Mathews started a game for the first time in his career in place of injured Lonyae Miller, who didn't play ... Boise State's Jeremy Avery scored the first touchdown against Fresno State's defense at home this season ... Orlando Scandrick's blocked field goal in the second quarter was the first Clint Stitser allowed in his career ...Stitser moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Bulldog career scoring list ... Clifton Smith's punt return for a touchdown was Fresno State's 32nd special teams touchdown of the Pat Hill era.
Batman Strikes Again Senior Clifton Smith's 65-yard punt return against Boise State was the fifth of his career, breaking the all-time Bulldog record. Smith had previously shared the record with Phil Borjas (1971-72). It was his second return for a touchdown this season. He needs one more for the single season record, held by Borjas in 1972. He is one shy of the all-time WAC record of six set by Hawaii's Chad Owens (2001-04). Smith finished the game with four returns for 95 yards and improved his Fresno State career record punt return average to 17.6 (42-738 yards). Smith's nickname is Batman, his favorite superhero. Smith has worn the same Batman t-shirt under his shoulder pads since high school.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - Fresno State continues play at Bulldog Stadium next Saturday, November 3 vs. Utah State at 2 p.m. Join Fresno State football along with Fresno State management students to fight valley hunger. The two have teamed up with the Community Food Bank to show their commitment to the community. Bring a canned food item to the game on November 3. Drop off points can be found throughout the parking lot, and at all Bulldog Stadium entrances. For tickets, go to the ticket page at www.gobulldogs.com, call 559-278-DOGS or stop by the Bulldog Ticket Office.
