Bulldogs surge past Rice for third straight win

Saturday, September 26

Fresno, CA

7 p.m. PT

Fresno State

3-1 , 0-0

Rice

1-3 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Rice	7	10	0	7	24
Fresno St.	0	14	10	14	38

Simeon Harris, K'vion Thunderbird celebrating INT

Bulldogs surge past Rice for third straight win

9/26/2026 11:49:00 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Instant Highlight Postgame Press Conference

By: Fresno State Athletics Strategic Communications

FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State scored 24 second-half points and totaled 459 yards of offense to defeat Rice 38-24 on Saturday night at Valley Children's Stadium.

The Bulldogs (3-1) overcame a three-point halftime deficit behind a balanced offensive performance. Fresno State rushed for 249 yards and passed for 210 while finishing the night without a turnover for the third-straight game.

Rayshon Luke led the ground game with a career-high 167 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, averaging 15.2 yards per attempt. Jayden Mandal completed 22-of-34 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns while adding 57 rushing yards. Mandal connected with three different receivers on his touchdown passes.

Defensively, K'vion Thunderbird led the defense with nine tackles. Tommy Nix added seven, while Simeon Harris and Niko Baumgartner recorded six apiece. Tytus Khajavi finished with two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Harris recorded his third interception in as many games, picking off Brown in the first quarter and returning it eight yards.

How it Happened
Fresno State came out flat on the first possession, but the Bulldog defense came up with its first turnover of the night on the first Rice possession with an interception by Simeon Harris. Rice, however, opened the scoring on Ben Grice's 88-yard touchdown run with 5:45 remaining in the first quarter. The Bulldogs answered with an eight-play, 69-yard drive that carried into the second. Jayden Mandal capped the possession with a six-yard touchdown pass to Josiah Freeman, tying the game at seven.

The Owls regained the lead on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jacurri Brown to Max Mosey. Fresno State responded late in the half, covering 64 yards in just 46 seconds. Mandal completed the drive with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jahlil McClain with 1:04 remaining.

Rice kicked a 22-yard field goal as time expired to take a 17-14 lead into halftime.

KIcking off to start the second half, the Bulldogs spiced things up with an onside kick to take possession. The Bulldogs strung together a 12-play drive that took more than five minutes off the clock. Manaki Watanabe finished the possession with a 29-yard field goal to tie the game at 17. That would be the turning point in the game, shifting momentum in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs' defense created the game's first major turning point on Rice's ensuing possession. Tytus Khajavi sacked Brown for a 15-yard loss and forced a fumble that Dylan Hampsten recovered at the Rice 19-yard line.

Fresno State turned the takeaway into seven points. Mandal connected with Ezekiel Avit for a seven-yard touchdown, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the night at 24-17.

The Bulldogs extended their advantage early in the fourth quarter with a nine-play, 65-yard drive. Julius Gillick scored on a five-yard run to put Fresno State ahead 31-17 with 13 minutes remaining.

Rice pulled within seven on Brown's 50-yard touchdown run, but Fresno State answered immediately. After gains of six and 17 yards moved the Bulldogs near midfield, Luke broke free for a 52-yard touchdown to restore the two-score lead at 38-24.

The defense ended Rice's final two possessions with turnovers. Loyall Mouzon broke up a fourth-down pass with 4:58 remaining, allowing the Bulldogs to run out the clock with a nine-play drive.

Up Next
Fresno State opens Pac-12 play at Washington State (1-3, 0-0 Pac-12) next weekend. It is Fresno State's first trip to Pullman since 1994. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on USA Sports.