Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State-Utah State Postgame Notes
Fresno State at Utah State
Maverik Stadium
Nov. 14, 2020
Pregame
Maverik Stadium
Nov. 14, 2020
Pregame
- Team Captains: Matt Smith, Evan Williams, Kevin Atkins, Jake Haener
- Matt Smith was the coin toss captain representative
- Utah State won the coin toss and deferred.
- Kickoff Temp: 34 degrees. West wind, 17 mph
- Attendance: 0
- Fresno State improved its all-time series record over Utah State, 18-13-1.
- Fresno State is on its first three-game win streak since 2018.
- In its current win streak, Fresno State has scored 35+ points in each contest.
- Fresno State has outscored its opponents 20-0 in the fourth quarter over the last two games.
- The Bulldogs have a four-game streak of 400+ total yards offense. It's the longest stretch since 2013. It is the first time since 2009 that the Bulldogs' have gone for more than 400 yards in their first four games of a season.
- With 541 yards total offense, the ‘Dogs recorded 500+ yards total offense for the first time since recording 514 at Hawaii on Nov. 2, 2019. And it was the most yards since totaling 562 versus Hawai’i on Oct. 27, 2018.
- The 21 points in the second quarter were the most in a single quarter since 21 points were scored in the fourth quarter against UNLV on Oct. 18, 2019.
- It was Haener’s 73rd pass attempt since an interception when he threw an INT in the red zone on the opening series. It was Utah State’s first takeaway of the season.
- First career touchdown catch for Josh Kelly (from Jake Haener), 71 yards. Longest pass play since an 86-yard reception by Jamire Jordan on Nov. 17, 2018 against San Diego State. A pass from Marcus McMaryion.
- Jake Haener set a career-high in passing yards in the first half with 318 yards.
- Jake Haener is the first Bulldog to throw for 400+ yards in a game since Derek Carr against Utah State in the 2013 Mountain West championship game.
- Rivers tied Anthony Daigle’s career touchdown record in the first half with a 4-yard touchdown rush.
- Rivers extended his streak to 12 straight games having scored at least one touchdown in a game. He has scored a TD in 14 of last 15 games, and 22 of the last 24 games.
- Back-to-back 100-yard games for Rivers. It is his eighth career 100-yard game.
- Rivers moved past Dean Philpott in all-time career rushing yards, and now sits No. 7 all-time with 2,561.
- Rivers moved into the all-time top 10 for career all-purpose yardage, now sitting at No. 10 all-time with 3,914. He passed Charles Smith, KeeSean Johnson and Dale Messer on Saturday against Utah State.
- Rivers became the first player in Fresno State history to record 2,500 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a career.
- Back-to-back 100-yard games for Rivers. It is his eighth career 100-yard game.
- Cropper set a record for most career single catches in the first quarter.
- Cropper is the first Bulldog with 10+ receptions in a game since KeeSean Johnson registered 10 catches on Nov. 17, 2018.
- Cropper is first Bulldog with three receiving touchdowns since KeeSean Johnson recorded three touchdowns on Sept. 30, 2017 versus Nevada. Â
- Cropper is first 200+ yard receiver since Davante Adams on Nov. 29, 2013. It was the 16th 200+ yard receiving game in Fresno State history.
- Cropper’s 256 all-purpose yards ranked as the ninth-most single game all-purpose yards in program history.
- In the second quarter, Cropper owned his most career catches, longest career catch, most career receiving yards and most career touchdowns in a single game.
- The Bulldogs shutout an opponent in the second half for the first time since Nov. 17, 2018 (versus San Diego State).
- Fresno State forced two turnovers – both forced fumbles.
- Evan Williams forced a fumble and Bralyn Lux recovered in the second quarter.
- David Perales forced a fumble for a third-straight game. It was the first force and recovery by the same player on the same play since Jasad Haynes on Sept. 1, 2018Â vs Idaho. It is the second time this season that Perales has recorded both a forced fumble and fumble recovery in a game.
- Points off turnovers: Fresno State 14, Utah State 6.
- Fresno State record six sacks on back-to-back weeks. Last week it was the first time a Fresno State team recorded six sacks in a game since 2015. This marks the first time since 2013 that Fresno State recorded back to back games with at least six sacks.
- Fresno State recorded 10+ TFLs for the first time since traveling to Washington on Sept. 16, 2017.
- Evan Williams blocked Utah State’s first PAT of the game. It was the first blocked PAT by a Bulldog since Kevin Atkins blocked a PAT on Sept. 21, 2019 against Sacramento State.
- Fresno State allowed a 94-yard kickoff return for touchdown to Savon Scarver. It was his sixth career KO return for touchdown in his career. It was the first return for touchdown allowed by the Bulldogs since Velus Jones of USC returned a kickoff 91 yards for a score on Aug. 31, 2019.