Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Riding High, Eager for Aggies
10/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 28, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - As the Bulldog football team prepares for Saturday's game against Utah State at Bulldog Stadium, here are some news and notes from the team:
Mathews: What could be?
Because of Fresno State's large wins in the last three games, Ryan Mathews continues to lead the nation in rushing by nearly 26 yards per game despite only playing a total of two plays in the fourth quarter of the last three games combined.
He also only played one half vs. UC Davis (11 carries for 106 yards) in the opener as the Dogs led 35-0 at the half. That's a grand total of TWO fourth quarter runs in four of Fresno State's seven games this season.
If you take the three full-games he's played, he averages 6.6 carries per quarter. For the four games he's missed those quarters, that would equate to 26.4 more carries he would have had. At 7.2 yards per carry, that averages to an additional 63.4 yards per game, or a grand average of 224.96 yards per game.
When Being in the Top 30 Isn't So Bad
The Bulldog football team has one of the nation's best winning percentages this decade. Here's a breakdown of the Top 50 teams winning percentage this decade. The Dogs are ranked higher than some regional and nationally prominent schools, including Cal, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Arkansas, Alabama and Penn State.
Of teams on the west coast, including Pac-10 and WAC teams, only Boise State, USC, Oregon and Oregon State have higher winning percentages.
The Dogs have turned that into an unprecedented streak of making a bowl game in nine of the last 10 seasons.
Top Winning Percentage This Decade (as of Oct. 17)
1. BOISE STATE ..................... 104 17 .860
2. TEXAS ................................. 103 18 .851
3. OKLAHOMA ........................ 105 22 .827
4. USC..................................... 98 23 .810
5. OHIO STATE ......................... 96 25 .793
6. LSU ....................................... 95 28 .772
7. GEORGIA .............................. 94 29 .764
8. FLORIDA ............................... 93 29 .762
9. TCU ....................................... 89 28 .761
10. VIRGINIA TECH .................... 94 31 .752
11. MIAMI (FL) ............................ 88 30 .746
12. AUBURN ............................... 85 36 .702
13. UTAH ..................................... 81 34 .704
14. OREGON .............................. 82 36 .695
15. BOSTON COLLEGE ............. 85 37 .697
16. WEST VIRGINIA ................... 82 36 .695
17. LOUISVILLE .......................... 81 37 .686
18. MICHIGAN ............................ 81 38 .681
19. TEXAS TECH ........................ 81 41 .664
20. WISCONSIN .......................... 81 42 .659
21. TENNESSEE ......................... 79 41 .658
22. FLORIDA STATE .................. 80 42 .656
23. NEBRASKA ........................... 78 42 .650
24. OREGON STATE .................. 76 42 .644
25. SOUTH FLORIDA ................. 72 40 .643
26. BRIGHAM YOUNG ................ 76 43 .639
27. IOWA ..................................... 76 43 .639
28. GEORGIA TECH ................... 76 46 .623
29. CLEMSON ............................. 73 45 619
30. FRESNO STATE ................... 76 47 .618
31. PENN STATE ........................ 72 45 .615
32. TOLEDO ................................ 72 45 .615
33. HAWAI'I ................................. 76 48 .613
34. CINCINNATI .......................... 72 47 .605
35. MARYLAND ........................... 71 47 .602
36. ALABAMA .............................. 72 48 .600
37. WESTERN KENTUCKY ........ 70 47 .598
38. PITTSBURGH ........................ 70 47 .598
39. SOUTHERN MISS ................. 71 49 .592
40. NOTRE DAME ....................... 68 48 .586
41. TROY ..................................... 66 48 .579
42. KANSAS STATE .................... 69 51 .575
43. BOWLING GREEN ................ 66 49 .574
44. CALIFORNIA ......................... 67 50 .573
45. SOUTH CAROLINA ............... 67 50 .573
46. MISSOURI ............................. 66 51 .564
47. NORTHERN ILLINOIS ........... 64 50 .561
48. ARKANSAS ........................... 66 52 .559
49. ARIZONA STATE .................. 65 52 .556
50. AIR FORCE ........................... 64 52 .552
Check-out this Gun Show!
The Dogs have some serious firepower in their offensive arsenal. In addition to NCAA rushing leader Ryan Mathews, the Dogs rank fifth in the nation in rushing (266.7 ypg), are seventh in scoring offense (36.1 ppg) and ninth in total offense (453.9 ypg). The Dogs have done that by playing a schedule that includes three of the nation's top 40 defensive teams, No. 12 Boise State, No. 31 Cincinnati and No. 38 Wisconsin). (Those teams would all be ranked higher if the Fresno State stats were removed.)
Wylie Return Expected
Fresno State's outstanding receiver and return specialist Devon Wylie missed the New Mexico State game due to injury, but he has returned to practice this week and is expected back in the line-up. He leads the Dogs with four touchdown receptions and ranks second in the WAC in punt return average, 9.4 yards.
"We Are Your Team" Spend your Halloween with the Bulldogs when they take on the Utah State Aggies. Kick-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. It will be Youth Football Day at Bulldog Stadium. For special youth ticket deals, including tickets as low as $16 each, be sure to click the tickets link at the top of this page or call the Bulldog Ticket Office at 278-DOGS.
