Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Ready for NIU
12/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 17, 2010
uDROVE HUMANITARIAN BOWL
Fresno State (8-4, 5-3 WAC) vs Northern Illinois (10-3, 8-0 MAC)
Date: Saturday, December 18, 2010
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. PT
Site: Bronco Stadium (34,000); Boise, Idaho
Radio: KMJ (AM 580); Bulldog Live (Noon p.m.) Countdown to Kickoff (3 p.m.)
Play-by-Play: Paul Loeffler; Analyst: Jordan Christensen; Sideline: Ralph Wood
ESPN Deportes (1600 AM) in Spanish
Play-by-Play: Erwin Higueros; Analysts: Jose Salas and Jesse Beltran
ESPN National
Play-by-Play: Justin Kutcher; Analyst: David Diaz-Infante; Sideline: Marty Cesario
Television: ESPN/ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Carter Blackburn; Analysts: Brock Huard and Mike Bellotti
Bowl week is winding down and starting Thursday the Fresno State football team put on their game faces. The final preparations are starting in Boise, Idaho for the 2010 uDrove Humanitarian Bowl. The Dogs face Northern Illinois in their 11th bowl game in the last 12 years.
This will be the first meeting between the two schools since 1991 when the Dogs won 55-7 in Fresno. NIU is the first MAC opponent the Dogs have faced since 2008 when they earned a 55-54 double overtime win at Toledo. Fresno State is 11-4 all-time against MAC schools.
The Bulldogs and Huskies have just one common opponent, Illinois. Fresno State defeated the Illini 25-23 in its last game. Illinois beat NIU 28-22 on Sept. 18.
"NIU is a very good football team," said head coach Pat Hill. "They won 10 games, went undefeated in the MAC and have chance to win 11 games for the first time in school history so they have a lot to play for. We've had a great week in Boise but now it's time to really dial in on the game. We have a great senior class with great leadership and I know this game is important to them. They want to end the season with nine wins and a bowl championship."
The Dogs last bowl win came in 2007 at Bronco Stadium when Fresno State defeated Georgia Tech 40-28. Fresno State is 2-0 in the Humanitarian Bowl and owns a win over Virginia, at the time ranked No. 18 in the nation, 37-34 in overtime in 2004. Fresno State is 4-1 against MAC schools in bowl games.
Fresno State is 2-2 all-time against the Huskies, one of those losses was one of the most lopsided loss in school history, 73-18 in 1990 in Dekalb, Ill. The first time the two teams met Fresno State's Darryl Rogers was in his final season as head coach.
Fresno State is led by senior end Chris Carter, the 2010 WAC Defensive Player of the Year, and four other Dogs on the All-WAC first-team (DT Logan Harrell, K Kevin Goessling, LB Ben Jacobs, OT Kenny Wiggins). Four Bulldogs were named second team: LB Travis Brown, OT Bryce Harris, CB Desia Dunn and WR Jamel Hamler.
"We Are Your Team!" -- Fans are encouraged to check www.gobulldogs.com for information regarding the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl, including ticket, travel and hotel accommodations.
