Fresno State-San Diego State Postgame Notes

Captains: Levelle Bailey, Erik Brooks, Devo Bridges, Mose Vavao
Toss: Fresno State wins toss, defers

Team Notes

Fresno State lost possession of the Old Oil Can for the first time since losing it in 2019.
Fresno State lost its second-straight game in the series with the Aztecs in the city of San Diego.
Fresno State scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the eighth time this season.
Fresno State lost its first game of the season when scoring first. The Bulldogs were 7-0 prior to this weekend when scoring before its opponent.
Fresno State gave up its second-longest touchdown run of the season on a 70-yard run by QB Jalen Mayden in the second quarter. It was the longest TD run by an Aztec QB since at least 1986.
Fresno State trailed at the half for the fifth time this season, moving to 1-4 when doing so.
San Diego State had the ball for 40:51. The time of possession is the most by a Bulldog opponent since Air Force had the ball for 42:38 on Oct. 24, 2015.
The Aztecs were the second straight opponent to have the ball for more than 39 minutes.
Fresno State did not force a turnover against the Aztecs. It was the fifth time this season, moving the ‘Dogs to 2-3 in games without a turnover. All-time under Tedford, Fresno State is 8-10 with no takeaways.
The Bulldogs were held to just one third-down conversion (1-of-9). Their previous low in 2023 was four.
Fresno State had just one penalty in a game for the third time this season. It resulted in a season-low eight penalty yards.

Offensive Notes

RB Malik Sherrod set the program record for most all-purpose yards in a game with 312. He passed Robbie Rouse’s record of 311 yards which was set on Nov. 6, 2010 against Louisiana Tech.
Sherrod and Rouse are the only Bulldogs to surpass 300 all-purpose yards in a single game.
Sherrod had career highs in rushing yards (138), receiving yards (44) and kick return yards (130).
Sherrod scored the game’s opening touchdown on a 62-yard run. It was the second-longest rush of his career.
Sherrod has now scored three touchdown runs of 50 or more yards this season. He is the first Bulldog to have at least three rushing TDs of 50 or more yards in a season since Ryan Mathews had seven in 2009.
Sherrod surpassed 100 yards rushing in the first half.
Sherrod had his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Sherrod had his second-career game with at least two rushing touchdowns.
Sherrod and Erik Brooks each had a team-high five receptions.
QB Mikey Keene completed just 58% of his passes (21-of-36), his third time this season throwing below 60%.
Keene didn’t throw a touchdown on Saturday. It marks his second-straight game without a passing touchdown after opening the season with nine-straight games with a passing TD.
Daniel Taumalolo got his first start of the season at left tackle.

Defensive Notes

LB Malachi Langley led the team in tackles with 13 tackles to tie his career-high in back-to-back games.
DB Carlton Johnson had a season-high seven tackles.
DB Camryn Bracha had a career-high seven tackles.
DE Isaiah Johnson tied his career-high with 2.0 TFLs. His most in a game since Sept. 10, 2022 against Oregon State.
Levelle Bailey ended SDSU’s opening drive with his first sack of the season.
Bailey finished with a career-high 1.5 sacks.
Fresno State sported a new defensive look in starters with three Bulldogs earning their first career starts in linebackers Tuasivi Nomura and Tyler Mello, and defensive lineman Merhauti Xepera.

Special Teams Notes

Dylan Lynch converted a 43-yard field goal to end the first half. It was his 11th straight game with a made field goal.
Carson King had six punts in a game for the third-straight game.
RB Malik Sherrod had a career-high 130 kickoff return yards.
Sherrod’s longest KO return was a 37-yarder in the fourth quarter, the second-longest KO return of his career and the third-longest KO return for the Bulldogs this season.

Fresno State Athletics