Fresno State-Utah State Postgame Notes

Captains: Erik Brooks, Levelle Bailey, Devo Bridges, Mose Vavao

Toss: Utah State wins, defers. Fresno State receives opening kick.

Team Notes

Fresno State became bowl eligible for the third time in the last five years.
Fresno State won its third game this season when allowing 30+ points.
Fresno State had its longest scoring drive of the season, going 98 yards for its first touchdown of the game (1Q).
Fresno State’s first two touchdown drives were 14 and 11 plays. It is the second time this year that the Bulldogs have had two double-digit play touchdown drives.
Fresno State was tied at the half with its opponent for the first time this season.
All four of Utah State’s touchdown passes were of 24 or more yards, the most chunk play TDs the Bulldog defense has given up this season. The last time that happened was Sept. 24, 2016 versus Tulsa.
Prior to Friday night, Fresno State had only given up one TD play of over 20 yards on the season – 84 yard pass play at Purdue (Sept. 2).
Head coach Jeff Tedford won his 25th MW matchup.

Offensive Notes

QB Logan Fife got his first start of the season, and his first start since Oct. 15, 2022 vs. San Jose State.
Fife threw for a career-high 291 yards.
Fife improves to 3-2 as Fresno State’s starter. He was won three games in a row that he's started.
RB Malik Sherrod rushed for a career-high 129 yards against the Aggies on 23 carries.
It was his second-career 100-yard rushing game.
Sherrod’s 46-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the second-longest rush of his career.
Sherrod became the first Bulldog since Jordan Mims on Nov. 25, 2022 to score three rushing touchdowns in a game.
TE Tre Watson recorded a career-high 57 yards receiving in the first half. He finished with 76 on five receptions.
Watson is the first tight end to lead Fresno State in receiving yards in a game since Jared Rice on Oct. 13, 2018 (7 receptions for 94 yards vs. Wyoming).
Watson had two touchdown receptions, the second and third of his career.
WR Jaelen Gill threw his second touchdown pass of his career (both in 2023), a 19-yard pass to Watson.
Gill is 2-of-2 in his career on pass attempts.
WR Josiah Freeman had a career-high 75 yards receiving on a career-high four catches.
WR Mac Dalena left the game with injury mid-way through the first quarter.

Defensive Notes

LB Phoenix Jackson recorded a career-high 10 tackles.
Jackson and DB Dean Clark led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles apiece.
DT Jacob Holmes had a career-high two sacks. It was the most sacks in a game by any Bulldog this season.
DE Devo Bridges made his first career interception in the third quarter.
Bridges had Fresno State’s first interception by a defensive lineman since David Perales at Nevada on Nov. 19, 2022.
DB Morice Norris Jr. sealed the win with his second career interception.
DB Al’zillion Hamilton had a career-high six tackles.
LB Malachi Langley tied his season high in tackles with eight to go with his third sack of the year.
DE Jahzon Jacks earned his first career start.

Special Teams Notes

Utah State attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Jake Tarwater for the Bulldogs.
With a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, Dylan Lynch has made a field goal in every game this season.

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