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.