Juan Villa / The Collegian
Beat the Bulldogs.
This is not a phrase common to Fresno State, but when your first conference foe has the same mascot, you make exceptions.
Coming off of consecutive losses to BCS conference programs Texas A&M and Oregon, Fresno State looks to regain their footing next Saturday against Louisiana Tech.
“We’re gonna play faster and faster and faster,â€Â Coach Pat Hill lectured to his players at the end of Wednesday’s practice. “This game is a must win. The only game that matters right now is Louisiana Tech.â€Â
The Bulldogs ended last season with a 4-4 conference record and did not qualify for a bowl game for the first time in eight years. Fresno State was able to pull out a victory against Louisiana Tech last year in Ruston due to some late-game heroics from former running back Dwayne Wright.
“We gotta beat Louisiana Tech,â€Â Hill said. “That’s all that we need to focus on right now, beating Louisiana Tech. We’ll worry about other teams when we get there.â€Â
More recently the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) has started to garner respect in college football. With the recent success of Boise State, the sudden emergence of Hawaii and continued success of the Bulldogs, people are starting to recognize the WAC as a legitimate conference.
The success of mid-major programs in recent years has led to the outcry for a formal 16-team playoff system that would include teams from non-BCS conferences.
“The BCS has turned into an arms race,â€Â Hill said. “It’s just not an even playing field right now. I support a playoff system, it would definitely make a level playing field.â€Â
As of right now, a team that wins the WAC would not be considered for a BCS bowl bid unless it ended the season ranked in the top 12 of the BCS rankings or ahead of a BCS conference champion.
Going into conference play, the Bulldogs are battered and bruised with the loss of guard Cole Popovich and a season-ending leg injury to defensive lineman Jason Roberts.
This has led to the need of younger athletes to step into bigger roles. Hill stated that between 10 or 13 freshmen might see playing time against Louisiana Tech.
“The key with younger players is to not have to change your gameplan,â€Â Hill said. “We just need to keep working and pounding away to overcome all the adversity.â€Â
One man who needs little work on his game is tight end Bear Pascoe.
The junior has been the spark of the Bulldogs̢۪ offense this season. He is a Mackey Award nominee as one of the nation̢۪s top tight ends and has 228 yards receiving to go along with four touchdowns.
Pascoe could expect to see a lot of double coverage in conference play due to his productivity.
“If they double-team me that just means somebody else is open,â€Â Pascoe said. “I’ll just have to find ways to get open. As long as we win the game that’s all that matters to me.â€Â
Pascoe has also been selected to the preseason All-WAC team.
“All of the recognition is very nice,â€Â Pascoe said. “But like I said, it’s all about winning football games.â€Â
If the Bulldogs hope to stay competitive in the conference they will have to start playing high-quality football. The Bulldogs have committed eight turnovers this season and are rebounding from a game in which they were penalized 12 times, resulting in 105 yards total.
“We took a big step back against Oregon last week,â€Â Hill said. “Twenty-one out of the first 28 points we gave up were on mistakes. We have to cut down on the mental mistakes.â€Â
Louisiana Tech̢۪s record also stands at 1-2. Louisiana Tech opened its season with a win over Central Arkansas, but proceeded to drop their next two games to Hawaii and California. They did give Hawaii its closest game this season, pushing the Warriors to overtime.
The key for Fresno State will be to stop Louisiana Tech running back Brandon Jackson who has rushed for 286 yards and three touchdowns this season.
“We can’t make early game mistakes going into Louisiana Tech,â€Â Hill said. “We need to start playing smart, physical football.â€Â
The “Battle of the Boneâ€Â kicks off at 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Bulldog Stadium.
State of the Bulldogs
Here are some updates regarding the Fresno State Football team.
̢ۢ Cornerback Damon Jenkins will start next Saturday against Louisiana Tech despite a recent leg injury.
̢ۢ Ikenna Ike will start in place of defensive end Jason Roberts, who suffered a season-ending leg injury against Oregon.
̢ۢ Linebacker Quaadir Brown pleaded no contest to misdemenaor vandalism and trespassing charges Wednesday. He will serve one year of probation along with paying restitution and completing anger management courses.
Frank Costanza • Sep 24, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Go Bears and go Dawgs!!! When the students of Berkeley can begin to appreciate the taxpayers of California for subsidizing their first rate education, rather than joining reconquista and marxist student groups, perhaps the good ‘ole Bulldogs can travel to Cal and take on the ex-QB, Mr. Tedford. Staging a game like that should be a priority for the two schools.
The ‘people’s campus’ vs. the ‘liberal elitist’s’ campus
Frank Costanza • Sep 24, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Go Bears and go Dawgs!!! When the students of Berkeley can begin to appreciate the taxpayers of California for subsidizing their first rate education, rather than joining reconquista and marxist student groups, perhaps the good ‘ole Bulldogs can travel to Cal and take on the ex-QB, Mr. Tedford. Staging a game like that should be a priority for the two schools.
The ‘people’s campus’ vs. the ‘liberal elitist’s’ campus
Benjamin Baxter • Sep 24, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Mr. Macchio was in a movie or two.
Benjamin Baxter • Sep 24, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Mr. Macchio was in a movie or two.
Nick Hatamiya • Sep 23, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Indeed–Berkeley was a very “subversive” and “seditious” campus back in the day, but the students were simply expressing their right to freedom of speech. It certainly was not an “enemy of the United States people” nor is it today. Nowadays, there is a minimal amount of campus activism and it is definitely not as wild and liberal as it was back then. I mean, yes, there are still demonstrations (the lame tree people who refuse to let our school built a new athletic training facility, janitors going on strike for higher wages, random people protesting the war, etc.), but on the whole, activity here has calmed down significantly.
The intentions of my comments on here were not to bash anyone, nor were they to criticize or demean Fresno State as an institution. I was simply trying to express my support for both the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Cal Bears. Therefore, I am kind of confused as to why you would choose to lash out and attack Berkeley in your comment Mr. Macchio…
But then again, Mr. Macchio, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I do respect yours. It is too bad that you cannot recognize and appreciate Berkeley for what it truly is though–the number one public university in the world with a rich history and tradition. It honestly disappoints me that people still view Berkeley as being, “…a subversive and seditious campus and an enemy of the United States people.”
Anyhow, I said it once on here and I’ll say it again…
GO DOGS!!!
&
GO BEARS!!!
I really hope that you can respect and value my opinion as I do yours. Hopefully Berkeley will prove itself to be a finer institution in your mind so you no longer have to regard to it as being an enemy of the People.
Thanks for your time Mr. Macchio and again, I appreciate your opinion.
Nick Hatamiya • Sep 24, 2007 at 6:53 am
Indeed–Berkeley was a very “subversive” and “seditious” campus back in the day, but the students were simply expressing their right to freedom of speech. It certainly was not an “enemy of the United States people” nor is it today. Nowadays, there is a minimal amount of campus activism and it is definitely not as wild and liberal as it was back then. I mean, yes, there are still demonstrations (the lame tree people who refuse to let our school built a new athletic training facility, janitors going on strike for higher wages, random people protesting the war, etc.), but on the whole, activity here has calmed down significantly.
The intentions of my comments on here were not to bash anyone, nor were they to criticize or demean Fresno State as an institution. I was simply trying to express my support for both the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Cal Bears. Therefore, I am kind of confused as to why you would choose to lash out and attack Berkeley in your comment Mr. Macchio…
But then again, Mr. Macchio, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I do respect yours. It is too bad that you cannot recognize and appreciate Berkeley for what it truly is though–the number one public university in the world with a rich history and tradition. It honestly disappoints me that people still view Berkeley as being, “…a subversive and seditious campus and an enemy of the United States people.”
Anyhow, I said it once on here and I’ll say it again…
GO DOGS!!!
&
GO BEARS!!!
I really hope that you can respect and value my opinion as I do yours. Hopefully Berkeley will prove itself to be a finer institution in your mind so you no longer have to regard to it as being an enemy of the People.
Thanks for your time Mr. Macchio and again, I appreciate your opinion.
Ralph Macchio • Sep 23, 2007 at 11:40 am
Berkeley is a subversive and seditious campus and an enemy of the United States people.
Ralph Macchio • Sep 23, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Berkeley is a subversive and seditious campus and an enemy of the United States people.
Nick Hatamiya • Sep 23, 2007 at 10:41 am
well thats good, becuase I am not at Fresno State. I am a California Golden Bear through and through…you should be glad I root for the Dogs
Nick Hatamiya • Sep 23, 2007 at 5:41 pm
well thats good, becuase I am not at Fresno State. I am a California Golden Bear through and through…you should be glad I root for the Dogs
FSDogs1 • Sep 21, 2007 at 11:10 am
Great story for the bye week! Any updates on how long Cole Popovich is out, or is he expected back for La Tech?
What was Jenkins’ leg injury?
Oh, and to the guy who commented above…here at Fresno State, we don’t say “go” for ANY OTHER team!
GO ‘DOGS!!!
BEAT LA TECH!
BEAT LA TECH DOWN!
FSDogs1 • Sep 21, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Great story for the bye week! Any updates on how long Cole Popovich is out, or is he expected back for La Tech?
What was Jenkins’ leg injury?
Oh, and to the guy who commented above…here at Fresno State, we don’t say “go” for ANY OTHER team!
GO ‘DOGS!!!
BEAT LA TECH!
BEAT LA TECH DOWN!
Nick Hatamiya • Sep 21, 2007 at 3:22 am
GO FRESNO ST BULLDOGS!!!!
GO CAL BEARS!!!
Nick Hatamiya • Sep 21, 2007 at 10:22 am
GO FRESNO ST BULLDOGS!!!!
GO CAL BEARS!!!