Fresno State̢۪s football program is back in full force.
With a 40-28 victory over Georgia Tech in The Roady̢۪s Humanitarian Bowl, Fresno
State completed its turnaround from last season̢۪s disappointing 4-8 record to finish 9-4.
Senior running back Clifton Smith showed America why he was voted team MVP for the Bulldogs. Smith ran for a career-high 152 yards and scored twice, on top of the fact that he was picked as the game̢۪s MVP. Talk about a swan song.
Junior quarterback Tom Brandstater wasn̢۪t too shabby either, finishing off a solid season by passing for 285 yards with a touchdown against the Yellow Jackets. He also ran in for a score.
Fresno State was the only team from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to win a bowl game this season.
Nevada lost to New Mexico 23-0 in the New Mexico Bowl, Boise State lost 41-38 to East Carolina in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and formerly undefeated Hawaii was pummeled 41-10 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl by Georgia.
Fresno State football fans have a lot to look forward to in 2008. The Bulldogs took a huge step forward this season and are now poised for greatness.
Brandstater now has his primary targets in the passing game with Marlon Moore starting to emerge, along with Seyi Ajirotutu and Jason Crawley. If Bear Pascoe stays for his senior season, that will make the offense even more electric.
An additional bonus for the passing game will be the much-anticipated return of star wide receiver Chastin West, who sat out this season with an injury.
The ground game will be even more lethal than the passing game with Lonyae Miller, Ryan Mathews and Anthony Harding all coming back for the Bulldogs in 2008. I better start thinking of a nickname for the three of them.
However, the road to glory will not get any easier for the Bulldogs in 2008. Their non-conference schedule consists of UCLA, Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Toledo.
Don̢۪t start groaning, it wouldn̢۪t be Bulldog Football if Pat Hill didn̢۪t schedule these types of teams. And don̢۪t forget that the Bulldogs have to travel to Boise next season and try to beat the Broncos on the smurf turf.
Boise State was undefeated and went to BCS bowl game in 2006. Hawaii did the same thing in 2007. Could Fresno State be next in 2008?
Opening night is August 30 in Pasadena against the Bruins, see you there.
FSDogs1 • Nov 24, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Since my previous comment was removed, let me try to be as “polite” as I can in pointing out that the story is factually misleading in that Fresno State does not play Cincinnati next season.
The Bulldogs non-conference schedule includes:
at UCLA
at Kansas State
Wisonsin
at Toledo
Also, Bear Pascoe announced after the H-Bowl that he will be returning for his senior season.
NoDoginthe Hunt • Jan 11, 2008 at 9:19 pm
The only point I will disagree with Joe on is that blog owners reserve the right to delete unnecessarily negative, derogatory, and inflammatory comments, especially those that employ character assasination. That is a blog owner’s right.
If you were a little more respectful and diplomatic in your comments, most of the reading public would have some respct back for your opinions.
And..that’s my opinion, for what it’s worth, but it is based on experience.
NoDoginthe Hunt • Jan 12, 2008 at 4:19 am
The only point I will disagree with Joe on is that blog owners reserve the right to delete unnecessarily negative, derogatory, and inflammatory comments, especially those that employ character assasination. That is a blog owner’s right.
If you were a little more respectful and diplomatic in your comments, most of the reading public would have some respct back for your opinions.
And..that’s my opinion, for what it’s worth, but it is based on experience.
NoDoginthe Hunt • Jan 10, 2008 at 4:42 pm
“The Collegian Online is a public forum for student expression.” See below. If you scroll down to the bottom of the screen you can read this.
If you are not a student, you really should not be blogging here (including me, but people are getting out of control and I had to say something). Stick to your own regular blogs and everything will be fine.
Thank you
NoDoginthe Hunt • Jan 10, 2008 at 11:42 pm
“The Collegian Online is a public forum for student expression.” See below. If you scroll down to the bottom of the screen you can read this.
If you are not a student, you really should not be blogging here (including me, but people are getting out of control and I had to say something). Stick to your own regular blogs and everything will be fine.
Thank you
TacoNoodleDinner • Jan 9, 2008 at 12:47 pm
What a joy it was to watch Fresno win that bowl game. It really capped off a great holiday for our family. Keep up the good work. We are really looking forward to next year.
TacoNoodleDinner • Jan 9, 2008 at 7:47 pm
What a joy it was to watch Fresno win that bowl game. It really capped off a great holiday for our family. Keep up the good work. We are really looking forward to next year.
jeff spicoli • Jan 7, 2008 at 11:36 pm
“willy lump lump” is wrong. Blogs are reporting New Mexico Bowl is going nowhere. The Sunbelt and WAC are playing ina new Reno Bowl.
jeff spicoli • Jan 8, 2008 at 6:36 am
“willy lump lump” is wrong. Blogs are reporting New Mexico Bowl is going nowhere. The Sunbelt and WAC are playing ina new Reno Bowl.
Allen Xiong • Jan 7, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Fresno State is adding women’s swimming and lacrosse in 2008-09? This is stupid. Why not add indoor sports like gymnastics to boost the Savemart center?
Allen Xiong • Jan 7, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Fresno State is adding women’s swimming and lacrosse in 2008-09? This is stupid. Why not add indoor sports like gymnastics to boost the Savemart center?
joe sucks • Jan 5, 2008 at 3:01 pm
look, this is the internet, grandPA.
what kind of moronic policy is it to delete sigs on a message board? in case you were too myopic to notice, YOUR leave-a-comment form prompts its users to enter a Web site!!!
and then when they put a web site in their message it’s somehow crossed a line? this policy is a copout, and whoever came up with it is a spineless fascist.
how can you work for a newspaper, a champion of free speech, then turn around and try to regulate internet interactivity?
we’ll see how long this comment lasts. though there’s no debate whether it contributes to the open discussion on a pathetic policy that only drives readers away.
joe sucks • Jan 5, 2008 at 10:01 pm
look, this is the internet, grandPA.
what kind of moronic policy is it to delete sigs on a message board? in case you were too myopic to notice, YOUR leave-a-comment form prompts its users to enter a Web site!!!
and then when they put a web site in their message it’s somehow crossed a line? this policy is a copout, and whoever came up with it is a spineless fascist.
how can you work for a newspaper, a champion of free speech, then turn around and try to regulate internet interactivity?
we’ll see how long this comment lasts. though there’s no debate whether it contributes to the open discussion on a pathetic policy that only drives readers away.
willy limp lump • Jan 5, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Word out of Reno is that a 4th WAC bowl will be added. This one will take the final WAC qualifier and match that school with the MWC entry at the cancelled New Mexico Bowl. The MWC and Sun Belt will have a bowl played at Cowboy Stadium in 2008.
willy limp lump • Jan 5, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Word out of Reno is that a 4th WAC bowl will be added. This one will take the final WAC qualifier and match that school with the MWC entry at the cancelled New Mexico Bowl. The MWC and Sun Belt will have a bowl played at Cowboy Stadium in 2008.
Dirk Diggler • Jan 4, 2008 at 1:28 pm
ok Joseph Hollack, I’m gonna call you the Collegian Nazi.
Dirk Diggler • Jan 4, 2008 at 8:28 pm
ok Joseph Hollack, I’m gonna call you the Collegian Nazi.
FSDogs1 • Jan 4, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Since my previous comment was removed, let me try to be as “polite” as I can in pointing out that the story is factually misleading in that Fresno State does not play Cincinnati next season.
The Bulldogs non-conference schedule includes:
at UCLA
at Kansas State
Wisonsin
at Toledo
Also, Bear Pascoe announced after the H-Bowl that he will be returning for his senior season.
Allen Xiong • Jan 3, 2008 at 7:17 pm
The schedule is mostly fixed. Cincy bought us out and wouldn’t come to the ‘No. Still, I expect only 5 home games next season since we can’t play a 13th (Not making the trip to Hawaii in 2008).
Still, it’s the Bulldogs and BYU as the frontrunners for ‘BCS Buster’ in 2K8. Let’s keep the WAC streak rolling.
Allen Xiong • Jan 4, 2008 at 2:17 am
The schedule is mostly fixed. Cincy bought us out and wouldn’t come to the ‘No. Still, I expect only 5 home games next season since we can’t play a 13th (Not making the trip to Hawaii in 2008).
Still, it’s the Bulldogs and BYU as the frontrunners for ‘BCS Buster’ in 2K8. Let’s keep the WAC streak rolling.