Fresno State Football

After 15 years as the head coach of the Fresno State Bulldogs football team, Pat Hill was relieved of duties Sunday afternoon.

Fresno State director of athletics Thomas Boeh held a press conference on Sunday at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California to inform the media and talk about the future of the program.

Boeh pointed towards the last several years as part of Hill's undoing.

"Well, I think that there are a lot of things that added up here. What we have really been primarily focused on is the last six to seven years and the record both in the regular season as well as post-season play," said Boeh in regards to the deciding factors to part ways with Hill.

The Bulldogs finished the season at 4-9, their worst finish since 2006 when they finished 4-8. The team also lost to the San Jose State Spartans for the first time since 1990.

Hill was 112-80 at the helm. However, not winning a Western Athletic Conference title outright is something that has been stuck in the fans' craw for quite some time.

College football is a business and declining attendance at Bulldog Stadium has affected the bottom line.

According to the Fresno State Media Advisory, attendance has declined by 42 percent in the last six seasons, resulting in a 25 percent drop in ticket revenue.

The Bulldog fanbase has become very vocal over the past few years in regards to their discontent toward Hill, and Boeh alluded to the fact. 

We’ve been evaluating data after each season for the last several years and we saw a trend that was not reflective of us being able to pursue the goal of a conference championship,” Boeh said. “And our community was not responding any longer to the record that we had.”

If fans are wondering if their are any candidates that have been considered to be Hill's successor, you won't get an answer from Boeh. 

"I would rather not talk about that tonight. We will start the search immediately, it starts tonight," said Boeh in regards to the coaching vacancy. "Quite frankly to be candid with you guys, were not going to talk about it until we finish the conclusion of the search in the same way that we did with basketball."

Hill's motto, "Anybody, Anytime, Anywhere," gave the the program a national identity and a national platform such as ESPN, which has aired Fresno State games on several occasions. 

Nowadays it seems as though fans would take a WAC title rather than get beat by the big boys in the BCS. They might even be willing to give up the national attention that comes with the television exposure if the Bulldogs could manage to put up double digits in the win column for the first time since 2001.

There will be a follow-up to this piece, with Pat Hill's thoughts and reactions.

Hill will hold his weekly press conference on Monday, December 5.

Quotes were taken firsthand by Gean May at the Thomas Boeh press conference on 12-4-2011

In a season filled with disappointment, there have been a few rays of sunlight that have burst through the rubble of the Fresno State Bulldogs’ 3-5 season with five games to play.

That ray of sunlight has been the Bulldogs' offense; no question about it.

Expectations were high at the start of  the 2011 season for Bulldogs fans.

A new quarterback and a fleet of young talented receivers, along with a nice stable of running backs, had fans anxious to start the season.

Defensive tackle Logan Harrell and safety Phillip Thomas were supposed to lead the defense and complement the offense.

The defense has been decimated by injuries and not performed well, giving up too many back-breaking big plays on what seams like a game-by-game basis.  The defense is allowing almost 36 points per game, which ranks them darn near dead last in that category at 113th.

Now, back to the offense.  Other than the Cal and Boise State games, the Bulldogs have not had a problem scoring points.  The Bulldogs are averaging 28.6 points per game, which is good enough to land them almost right in the middle at 59th.

The offensive side of the ball is chalked full of young talent.

Sea of Hands

There is no shortage of talent at the wideout position.  Wide receivers coach Keith Williams has done a tremendous job of developing this group of mostly young players.

Five guys in this group have caught 24 or more balls respectively.

Junior Rashad Evans leads the team in receptions at 32.

Sophomore Jalen Saunders has 26 catches, but he has a gaudy 23.1 per catch average with 600 total yards receiving and six touchdowns, which leads all receivers. 

Senior Devon Wylie and sophomore Isaiah Burse have 24 grabs each respectively.

Let’s not forget about the young pup of the group, Freshman Josh Harper has 28 catches for 361 yards and three touchdowns.

The Running Back

Yes, running back, not running backs.

Coach Pat Hill went to the stable, picked out a hoarse and has rode him all season long. 

Rouse has carried the ball 192 times for 984 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards every time Derek Carr puts the ball in his gut.

This Saturday against Louisiana Tech, Rouse should surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight year.

Rouse doesn’t just carry the ball when asked. He is in on almost every play on offense, blocking, being a decoy or whatever it takes to help his team.

No. 4

Derek Carr has not disappointed and has lived up to his preseason billing.

The receivers that were mentioned earlier have their sophomore quarterback to thank for the bounty of balls that have found their way into each of their grateful hands.

Carr spreads the ball around nicely and does so with accuracy.  He can get you the ball by firing it out of his cannon for an arm, or he is more than capable of putting a nice touch on the ball when he needs to.

No. 4 has completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 1,980 yards and 15 touchdowns against five interceptions.

Keep an Eye Out

I know, nobody wants to here the wait until next year talk, trust me; I hate to do it.  I will put a different spin on it though.  Wait until the end of the season.  How does that sound?  Alright, let me explain.

 With all the young talent the Bulldogs have on offense (let's not forget that the offensive line has been plagued by injuries and is young as well), these guys could be clicking on all cylinders by season's end.  As good as these guys have been, there are five games left, and they will continue to improve.

All of the aforementioned offensive weapons with the exception of Wylie will most likely be back next year.

So, when the season comes to an end, fans will know what the future holds on offense, and I think all will be in agreement that it will be bright.

Let’s just hope the defense is able to catch up.

I’m just saying!

The Fresno State Bulldogs are 2-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.  They currently share first place with the Nevada Wolf Pack, who are also undefeated in the WAC.

As they say in boxing, “Somebody’s O has to go."

The Bulldogs will travel to Reno to to take on the Wolf Pack this Saturday for sole possession of first place in the conference.

“It should be a heck of a football game,” said Coach Hill in anticipation of Saturday's’s matchup.  Is Saturday’s game a must-win?  Hill thinks so.  “This will be a great game this weekend, both teams will be in a must win situation,” said Hill.

Saturday's game in Reno is definitely a big game against a good opponent, but Coach Hill doesn’t seem to think that Nevada is the only team to worry about.  “I think the conference is really really balanced,” said Hill about the talent level in the WAC.

For the first time since 2007, the Bulldogs will face a Nevada team that doesn’t include “Mr. run all over the place” Colin Kaepernick at quarterback.  “Offensively they’re still rolling up numbers, they get big yards, they get huge yards”, said Hill about life without Kaepernick at Nevada.

Big yards indeed!  The Wolf Pack averages 239.5 yards through the air and 248.8 on the ground.  The latter is good enough to rank 10th in the country.

The defense shouldn’t be overlooked either.  “I think Nevada is very very improved on defense,” warned Hill.

Nevada’s defense gives up 25.8 points per game, which lands them almost right in the middle at 58th as far as the rankings are concerned.

With the way San Jose State has Been able to “cowboy up” this year, beating Hawaii and darn near beating Nevada, Pat Hill is definitely onto something by talking about parity in the WAC.

This Saturday is only another step towards the Bulldogs' goal of a WAC championship; there are plenty of games left, so the boring mantra of “one game at a time” has to be repeated over and over until the end of the season.

The quotes for this article were gathered by Gean May at Pat Hill’s press conference in Fresno California on 10/17/2011.

Boise State head coach Chris Peterson brought his gaudy 65-5 record into Bulldog stadium on Friday night.

By the time the first half ended, it was apparent that Peterson was going to get his 66th win.

The Broncos led 37-0 at the half, on their way to a laying a 57-7 beating on the Bulldogs. It was a rough night for the home team, as Boise State’s offense out gained Fresno State’s 464 to 270.

Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore got things going in a hurry on the Broncos first drive with a 48-yard pass to receiver Matt Miller. The seven play drive ended with a four yard touchdown pass to Miller, putting them up 7-0.

Moore completed 23 out of 31 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns, while only playing a little more than a half of football, giving way to backup Joe Southwick early in the third quarter.

The Broncos dominated the entire game, but Fresno State did themselves no favors, they had two fumbles and a punt blocked, leading to 21 points for Boise State.

After a Devon Wylie fumble, the Broncos took over at the Bulldogs’ 25-yard-line and and scored on an end-around to receiver Mitch Burroughs on the next play extending the lead to 16-0 after Boise State missed the extra point.

Boise blocked an Andrew Shapiro punt in the second quarter, taking over at the Bulldogs 24-yard-line, eventually scoring on a seven-yard run by running back D.J. Harper.

Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr was also responsible for one of the three turnovers that led to points for the Broncos. Carr finished the night completing 17 out of 30 passes for 126 yards.

Moore’s second touchdown of the night came early in the second quarter on an 18-yard pass to Geraldo Boldewijn. The same duo hooked up again later in the second quarter on a four-yard TD pass making it 37-0.

Boise started the second half scoring with a five play 78-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by running back Doug Martin, making it 43-0 with over a quarter and a half to play.  After that, Boise took their foot off the gas and coasted for the rest of the game.

The Bulldogs’ only score came on a 79-yard punt return by Devon Wylie in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, making it 50-7.

Coach Pat Hill seemed to take the loss pretty hard, making no excuses for his team’s bad night.  “We fell flat on our face, that one is as hard a game that I have gone through since I’ve been here," said Hill.  “The game lasted forever,” added Hill.

The Bulldogs return to WAC play next Saturday against Utah State at Bulldog Stadium with their hopes of winning a WAC title still alive.

Quotes for this article were taken first hand by Gean May at Pat Hill's post-game press conference at Fresno State University.

Friday night the Fresno State Bulldogs will play the Boise State Broncos, the highest-ranked team to ever play at Bulldog Stadium.

“Why should I bother going to the game or watch it on television?”  “The Bulldogs are going to get rolled up.”  Any of this sound familiar?  It does to me.

If the Bulldogs win this game, it would be the biggest win in the history of Fresno State football.  That’s why!

What do you have to lose? If you’re a fan and usually go to the games, why on earth would you miss a chance to watch them play the No. 5 team in the nation?

In 2005, my wife and I traveled to southern California to watch the Bulldogs take on the mighty Trojans of USC, the No. 1 team in the nation at that time.

The situation was a little bit different, the Bulldogs were actually on a pretty good roll, winning seven games in a row and were ranked 16th in the nation heading into that game.  Still, expectations were low and most fans, including myself, gave the Bulldogs no chance in that game.

We all know how that game turned out, but when I left the L.A. Coliseum that night, I told my wife, “that was the best football game I had ever attended, college or pro”.  I stand behind that statement still today.

I’m not saying that another heart breaking loss is what Bulldogs fans want or need. I’m just asking you to think back to how you felt during that USC game; It was a fun ride even though the final destination was not ideal.

Appalachian State Mountaineers vs the No.5 ranked Michigan Wolverines in 2007.  Remember how that turned out?  If not, I’ll refresh your memory.  The Mountaineers, a Division-1 FCS team went into Michigan Stadium and upset the Wolverines 34-32.

Anything can happen!  Yeah I know, that phrase is old and tired and Bulldogs fans are tired of hearing it.

Sports is one of the best forms of entertainment,  if you like reality television, there is no better show.

If the Dogs pull off this upset, don’t come whining to me if you didn’t go to the game or tune in to watch on ESPN.

I’m just saying!

When Fresno State football fans first laid eyes on the Bulldogs' 2011 schedule, the opponents lined up for them looked like a daunting task.  It still does, but after four games, things have been put into perspective.

Coach Pat Hill’s group has proven that it will fight to the whistle, game in and game out regardless of the opponent and the previous game’s outcome.

One Game Does not Define the Season

After a lackluster performance against the Cal Bears, fans went into panic mode and seemed to think that the performance in the opener was a big enough sample size to gauge the entire season.  I’m not trying to call out Bulldogs fans, but the fans that were on the proverbial ledge after that first loss, you know who you are.

The Bulldogs rebounded with a hard fought loss against the No. 10 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. The loss was followed by a 27-22 win over the North Dakota Fighting Sioux and the grumbling started all over again.  The thinking around Bulldog country was the team underachieved against an inferior opponent.  They may be right, but a win is a win and the Dogs moved on to Idaho and put up big numbers in a 48-24 win in a game that was a tad bit closer than the score indicated.

The Nebraska game is proof positive that no team should be taken lightly and a bad outing may not be a microcosm of the entire season.

The Bulldogs are set to take on the Ole Miss Rebels at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday, making it the first time an SEC team has set foot on Bulldog soil.

With Ole Miss limping in with a 1-3 record, the Bulldogs need to have the mindset that they are facing an SEC team, and that alone should be enough to motivate the team regardless of the Rebels' record.

One Game at a Time

I know it’s the most over used cliche in sports, but it definitely should be the theme for the Bulldogs in 2011.  The Bulldogs have had to deal with injury after injury to key players this season, starting with their starting center Richard Helepiko going down in the first series of the season opener after losing their star safety Phillip Thomas for the season prior to that game.

So, taking things one game at a time is not a bad idea for a team that has had to make adjustments every time they turn around.

The Bulldogs have taken their lumps this season, and more will appear, maybe before the others heal, but the season is young and no one is saying wait until next year.  An 11-2 record is probably not in the cards, but a WAC title may be.

The point of this rant is to get fans to enjoy the moment, the Bulldogs have a huge upside.  They are loaded with talent on offense led by quarterback Derek Carr who has taken giant strides every time he steps between the lines.  Running back Robbie Rouse has been outstanding and the deep receiving corps has made big plays when called upon.

If you thought the one game at a time cliche was tired, try this one on for size: When they win, don’t get too high, when they lose, don’t get too low.

I’m just saying!

Sometime around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Fresno State Football team was wrapping up practice, but wide receivers coach Keith Williams wasn’t done yet.  He was screaming and yelling and seemed to be having a good time with a few of his receivers.

Once the extra session concluded, I was able to talk to a couple of the pupils that Williams held after school, so to speak.

Rashad Evans and Josh Harper are two wideouts on a team chalked full of talent at the position.

I asked Harper what Williams was yelling about.  “He was just showing us this drill we do to get ready for press,” said Harper.  "He’s passionate about all that, so that’s what he was doing.” 

Harper acted as if it was an everyday occurrence. 

Josh Harper: Big Eyes or Ready to Go?

Harper started his career as a Bulldog in some big venues against tough opponents. 

The team started their season in San Francisco against the Cal Bears and then headed to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers.

“Leading up to the game, (against Cal) it was like butterflies. I thought, 'Man, this is about to be my first career game.  Once I hit the field, it was all go.  All the butterflies left and I was just out there playing football,” said Harper on his first career game.

Harper, a red-shirt freshman, is one of the “young pups” of the group.  Although he is young, Harper has wasted no time making his presence felt on the field.  No. 3 has 10 catches for 154 yards and three touchdowns.  His first touchdown came in his first game as a Bulldog against the Cal Bears on September 3, 2011. 

"That was a big relief, to get my first career touchdown; I was excited,” said Harper.

 

Not Enough Balls to Go Around?

Both receivers don’t seem to have any problem with the Bulldogs being so deep at wide receiver.  "We all believe who ever is on the field at that time can make a play,” said Harper.  “We all get passes; we’re enjoying it, we’re loving it.  It’s all good with us,” added Evans.

Evans Praises Robbie Rouse

A good passing game is more likely to flourish if the team has a solid running game.  The Bulldogs have just that in running back Robbie Rouse.  Evans is very aware of how much Rouse means to his team.  “He’s the most passionate player I have ever played with,” said Evans. “He never quits.  You have to put a lot of people in the box for Robbie, which leaves us one-on-one coverage, so if we beat one guy and we get the ball, it could be a touchdown,” added Evans.

As Harper is the youngster, Evans is one of the veterans.  The junior wideout leads all receivers with 21 catches.

Coach William’s Impact

Evans and Harper are quick to point out how they feel about the fiery Keith Williams.  “He’s a big influence, he’s someone to look up to,” said Evans. “He played college football, he knows what we’re going through on and off the field, not just football-wise.  We can always call him at anytime and talk to him about anything.  He plays a big part, he’s a real good dude.”

“He’s a big help,” said Harper on Williams’ impact on his play.  "He has taught us a lot about wide receiver-play in general.”

Derek Carr Plays No Favorites

With quarterback Derek Carr slinging the ball all over the field, plenty of guys will get their hands on the ball, with Evans and Harper certainly benefiting from Carr’s generosity as well.

The Fresno State football team is coming off a 27-22 victory over the North Dakota Fighting Sioux.  The win was the Bulldogs’ first of the season, putting them at 1-2 to start 2011.

The Bulldogs open WAC play this Saturday against Idaho at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

Pat Hill held his weekly press conference on Monday.  Hill recapped the North Dakota game and looked ahead to Idaho as well.

Following is a look at what the coach had to say on Monday.

Defense Hurting

The Bulldogs defense suffered another big blow on Saturday when safety Deron Smith left the game with a broken arm. 

With Phillip Thomas already out for the year the team is definitely thin in the defensive backfield.  Smith is out for the year and this may force Hill to dig deep for replacements in the secondary.  “We’re really looking hard at taking Charles Washington out of his redshirt year,” said Hill.  “I might have to open that bottle a little early.” Washington is a freshman that played at Crespi High School in Encino, California.

“The safety position has been a position that has been hard hit,” added Hill.

On the bright side, defensive back Terrance Dennis will return to the team after a one-game suspension for an illegal hit in the Nebraska game.

Third Quarter Struggles

Against Cal, Nebraska and now North Dakota, the third quarter has been a huge problem for the Bulldogs.  The team has been outscored 34-3 in the third quarter so far this year.  Pat Hill is well aware of his team's third quarter woes.  “We have failed in the third quarter all year,” said Hill.

The Tall Man Cometh

The Bulldogs are deep at the wide receiver position with guys like Jalen Saunders, Rashad Evans, Devon Wylie and Josh Harper, but the more the merrier right?

During the past two off-seasons there has been a lot of buzz about 6'5" wideout Victor Dean.

Dean may finally get his chance to shine, his foot injury is healing ahead of schedule and Hill is optimistic about his return.  “He’s ready to go,” said Hill.  He scrimmaged last night at full speed.  His foot is 100 percent.”

Rouse is the Guy

Before the 2011 season started, the Bulldogs had a nice stable of running backs to bolster their run game and they still do.  You just wouldn't’t know by looking at the box score.  Running back Robbie Rouse has carried the entire load for the Bulldogs for the most part.  Pat Hill has made it clear that this will not change, at least for now.  “Right now we are going with the horse that’s really playing,” said Hill on sticking with Rouse.  Rouse’s playing time is definitely warranted, “Mighty Mouse” has 365 yards with 80 carries and three touchdowns.  Rouse is averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Hill on Idaho

Saturday's matchup against Idaho could be the last time the two teams meet, the Bulldogs are headed for the MWC, making it unlikely they will meet any time soon.

Hill discussed their opponent, giving an overview of what they bring to the table.  “One of the trademarks of Idaho football is the aggressiveness of the offensive line.  We are going to have to stop a balanced attack,” said Hill.

The coach also talked about what his team will see from their defense.  Hill said, “We’re going to see some multiple fronts, a lot of stunting and a lot of blitzes.”

Awards

Logan Harrel was named the national defensive lineman of the week on Sunday and the Verizon WAC defensive player of the week on Monday.  Harrell had 11 tackles, 4.5 of those for a loss, and 1.5 sacks against North Dakota on Saturday.

Quotes from this article were taken from Pat Hill’s press conference on 9/19/2011.

The Fresno State Bulldogs took on North Dakota at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday night, in their home opener.

In a game that most thought would be a walk in the park against an FCS school, the Bulldogs had to hold on for the 27-22 victory.

With back-to-back road losses to Cal and Nebraska, the Fighting Sioux should have been just what the doctor ordered.

After the completion of the first Quarter, it seemed as though the doctor might have mixed up the prescriptions, with the Bulldogs only leading 14-9.

The problem of giving up the big play followed the Bulldogs from Cal to Nebraska, and now it showed up again in Fresno.

With under six minutes to go in the first quarter, Fighting Sioux running back Jake Miller ripped off a 70-yard touchdown run making it 14-6 after the extra-point was blocked.  Miller, the player that pretty much carried North Dakota, finished his night with 21 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

After another big run by Fighting Sioux running back Mitch Sutton of 33 yards, they kicked a field goal making it 14-9.

There were no shortages of big plays for the Bulldogs as well.  The first play from scrimmage was an 86-yard bomb from Derek Carr to Jalen Saunders for the first touchdown of the game.

The Bulldogs next score came via the same duo as the first.  Carr hit Saunders on a 52 yard strike making it 14-0.  Saunders finished the game with three catches for 154 yards, and two touchdowns.

Punt returner Devon Wylie got in on the action for the Bulldogs as well, with a 48 yard punt return to the North Dakota 11-yard-line.  The Bulldogs were able to get the ball down to the two-yard-line, and Robbie Rouse took it from there to make it 21-9.   North Dakota was content to run out the clock after receiving the kick-off after the Rouse touchdown.

To start the third quarter, the Fighting Sioux came out firing, taking just four plays to score a touchdown to make 21-16.

After not being sacked, and barely even touched, against Nebraska last week, Carr was sacked three times against North Dakota.  “Last week we play against the “Black Shirts” of Nebraska and the quarterback doesn’t get touched,” said Coach Pat Hill.  “Every week is a challenge.  It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you better be ready to play,’”added Hill.

Despite the three sacks, Carr had a nice game.  No. 4 only threw the the ball 17 times, but he was efficient, completing 11 with two touchdowns.

Rouse continued to be the Bulldogs’ “Bell Cow Back,” with 27 carries, making it his third game in a row with 25 or more carries.

Rouse’s final line was 27 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

Rouse sealed the game on third and 12 with just over a minute to play,  picking up 18 yards for a first down.  “It was a big down. It was third and 12 and I just wanted to get in that victory formation,” said Rouse about his final run to ice the game.

Things started to get real anxious for Bulldogs fans late in the third quarter, as North Dakota scored a touchdown on a one-yard run by Miller to give them a 22-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Rouse scored on a one-yard touchdown with just over nine minutes left in the game to put his team up for good 27-22.

After the Fresno State Bulldogs' last performance against the Cal Bears, fans had plenty to worry about with the team headed to Lincoln to take on the No.10 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Fans received a pleasant surprise on Saturday as the Bulldogs gave Nebraska all they could handle in a 42 -29 loss.

The score does not really indicate how close the game was.

With 2:10 left in the game the Bulldogs had a chance to get the ball back trailing 35-29. On third-down and 3, Cornhuskers' quarterback, Taylor Martinez kept the ball on what looked like an option play to the left, but instead ran 46-yards himself for the game clenching touchdown, making it 42-29.

As disappointing as the loss was for Fresno, the team played much better in most phases of the game, especially when compared to their performance against Cal.

Following is the report card for Saturday’s game.

Overall Offense B

This grade would be higher if the Bulldogs were able to put six on the scoreboard more often,  instead of three when the team was in scoring position. Kevin Goessling kicked three field goals when the offense stalled out on the 5, 19 and 20 yard-line. The Bulldogs finished the day with 444 total yards of offense.

The revamped offensive line played very well, not allowing a sack and paving the way for running back Robbie Rouse’s big game.

Overall Defense C+

The defense gave up too many big plays, plain and simple.

Nebraska quarterback Martinez had 219 yards passing and 166 yards rushing. The Bulldogs could have lived with these numbers, but the yardage, whether by ground or by air, was in huge chunks that eventually did them in. Martinez ran the ball 15 times with runs of 38 and 46-yards, with the latter being the touchdown run that broke the Bulldogs’ collective backs.  Same goes for the pass defense, a 43-yard pass and 53 yard- pass both led to Nebraska touchdowns.

Special Teams C-

The only reason this grade was not an F was due to a 67-yard punt return by Devon Wylie in the first quarter.

Nebraska freshman Ameer Abdullah ran wild against the Bulldogs, returning five kicks for 211-yards, including a 100-yard run in the fourth quarter that extended Nebraska’s lead back to nine after a Bulldogs’ touchdown had just cut the lead to two.

Passing Game B+

Derek Carr played very well going 20-41 with 254 yards and a touchdown with no picks.  Carr spent most of the day rolling out and keeping the Nebraska defense at arms length while he was able to complete some key passes.  On third-down and 15 in the fourth quarter Carr hooked up with Josh Harper on a 26-yard touchdown in the back corner of the end zone, cutting Nebraska’s lead to two after the two-point conversion failed.

Running Game A

Running back Robbie Rouse picked up where he left off against Cal and then some.  Rouse had 36 carries for 169 yards averaging 4.6 yards per carry.  No. 8 was able to keep the Cornhuskers defense off balance opening things up for Carr and the passing game.

Overall Effort B

This was a game that Fresno State’s player’s and coaches probably think they could have won.  The performance by the Bulldogs was a valiant effort against a top ten team in the country.

The experience and confidence gained in this game should pay off down the road for a Bulldogs' team that showed a lot of guts mixed with some excellent performances by players like Carr and Rouse, who are only going to get better as the season matures.