Fresno State Athletics
Countdown to Kickoff: 6 Days
8/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 26, 2008
No. 25 Fresno State (0-0, 0-0 WAC) at Rutgers (0-0, 0-0 Big East)
Date: Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
Kickoff: 1 p.m. PT
Site: Rutgers Stadium (43,500); Piscataway, N.J.
Radio: KMJ (AM 580); Dog Talk (11 a.m.) Countdown to Kickoff (12:30 p.m.)
Play-by-Play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Jordan Christensen; Sideline: Ralph Wood
ESPN Deportes (1600 AM) in Spanish
Play-by-Play: Jess Gonzalez; Analysts: Sam Sosa and Doug Kessler
Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Dave Pasch; Analyst: Andre Ware; Sideline: Rob Stone
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Dogs Open the Season at Rutgers
Fresno State opens the season on Labor Day at Rutgers in the first meeting between the two schools. The game will be televised on ESPN. Fresno State last started the season on the road in 2004, earning a 35-16 win at Washington. Fresno State is 2-4 in road opening games under Pat Hill, with wins at Colorado and Washington and losses at Colorado, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Tennessee. All of the losses were to ranked teams.
September Openers
For the third straight season the Dogs open the season with a game on September 1. Fresno State defeated Nevada 28-19 in a nationally televised game to open the 2006 season and beat Sacramento State 24-3 last season at Bulldog Stadium. The Dogs are 3-0 in games played on September 1, including a 27-22 win at Arizona on Sept. 1, 1984.
About the Scarlet Knights
Rutgers has proven to be a tough place to play under Greg Schiano, who has won 11 of 13 non-conference home games since the 2003 season. Among those include wins over Michigan State, Illinois, Army and three wins over Navy. The Scarlet Knights have a record of 19-7 over the last two seasons and have bowl victories overs Kansas State and Ball State. Fifth-year quarterback Mike Teel returns to lead the team after throwing for 3,147 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. The biggest loss for Rutgers will be that of outstanding running back Ray Rice, who ran for 2,012 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Schiano has a 38-46 record in seven seasons at Rutgers, but over the last three years Rutgers is averaging 8.7 wins per season.
Against the Big East
The Dogs have never played a team from the Big East Conference.
Road Warriors
Under Pat Hill, Fresno State is no stranger to playing tough non-conference opponents on the road. Here's a look at some of the toughest road trips Fresno State has played:
1997: at Oklahoma State (L, 35-0); at No. 16 Oregon (L, 43-40 OT)
1998: at No. 21 Colorado (L, 29-21); at Texas Tech (L, 34-28)
1999: at Oregon State (L, 46-23); at No. 11 UCLA (L, 35-21)
2000: at No. 13 Ohio State (L, 43-10); at No. 16 UCLA (L, 24-21)
2001: at No. 18 Colorado (W, 24-22); at No. 23 Wisconsin (W, 32-20)
2002: at No. 18 Wisconsin (L, 23-21); at No. 16 Oregon (L, 28-24)
2003: at No. 13 Tennessee (L, 24-6); at No. 1 Oklahoma (L, 52-28)
2004: at Washington (W, 35-16); at No. 13 Kansas State (W, 45-21)
2005: at No. 21 Oregon (L, 37-34); at No. 1 USC (L, 50-42)
2006: at Washington (L, 21-20); at No. 5 LSU (L, 38-6)
2007: at No. 23 Texas A&M (L, 47-45 3OT); at No. 10 Oregon (L, 52-21)
ESPN Loves the Dogs
Fresno State will make its 55th national television appearance this decade when the Dogs travel to Rutgers. ESPN/ESPN2 will televise six consecutive Fresno State games, the last four of the 2007 season and the first two games of the 2008 season. Fresno State is scheduled for six nationally televised games on the ESPN networks in 2008, including the home opener against No. 12 Wisconsin on Sept. 13 on ESPN2.
Rutgers: The Birthplace of College Football
Fresno State's is proud to enter the place where college football was born. Rutgers hosted Princeton in the first football game ever played on Nov. 6, 1869 on a plot of ground on the present Rutgers campus. Rutgers won that game 6-4. Approximately 100 spectators attended the game. Those two campuses are approximately 20 miles apart. The Fresno State and Rutgers campuses are approximalely 2,900 miles apart and it would take over 43 hours of driving time.
Back East
The game at Rutgers is the furthest east the Bulldogs have ever played a game. It's the first time Fresno State has played in the Eastern Time Zone since Aug. 30, 2003 when the Dogs traveled to Knoxville, Tenn. to play the Tennessee Volunteers.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The first Big Ten team will travel to the Valley on September 13th as the No. 25 `Dogs take on Wisconsin in the home opener at 7:30 pm. The game can be seen nationally on ESPN2. All tickets are on sale now. In the month of August, get your official Wisconsin game day t-shirt at the Bulldog Shop for only $10 with any purchase. To purchase tickets, click on the tickets icon at the top of this page, call the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS, or stop by the Bulldog Ticket Office.
