Joseph Herr / The (Toledo) Independent Collegian

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS 55, TOLEDO ROCKETS 54 (20T)

Rockets pull out all the stops, but Brandstater̢۪s five scores help Fresno State prevail in
Overtime

Long before the Bulldogs traveled to Toledo to take on the Rockets, coach Pat Hill knew that the game was going to be close.

The long journey to Ohio was sandwiched between what was called the biggest game in Valley history and this Saturday̢۪s game at the Rose Bowl.

“I had circled this game a long time ago in between Wisconsin and UCLA,â€Â Hill said.

Lucky for the Bulldogs, the Rockets were not overlooked.

In the double overtime thriller that lasted more than four hours, the Bulldogs squeaked out a win over the Rockets, 55-54.

“That was a great game, the best I’ve ever been a part of,â€Â Bulldog center Joe Bernardi said.

The game was back and forth for all four quarters and then some, with the outcome of the game being decided on a two-point conversion try in the second overtime period.

The Bulldogs were up 55-54 after the Rockets scored a touchdown in the second overtime and the Rockets elected to try to win the game on a two-point conversion.

The game was going to be decided either way on the final play of the game and the gamble did not pay off for Toledo.

“It was time to decide the game,â€Â Toledo coach Tom Amstutz said. “We felt confident in it and we went for it.â€Â

After escaping the rush of defensive tackle Logan Harrell, Toledo quarterback Aaron Opelt threw the final pass of the game into the end zone.

Fresno State linebacker Nico Herron was there just in time to knock down the pass in front of Toledo̢۪s receiver.

And as the ball fell to the ground, elation and relief came over the Bulldogs.

“In my 143 games, that is the greatest effort I’ve ever gotten out of a team in a hostile environment, on the road, against a team that played their hearts out too,â€Â Hill said.

Dave Hochandel / The (Toledo) Independent Collegian

The two-point conversion try was not the only exciting play of the game; the Rockets pulled out all the stops to try to take down the No. 25 Bulldogs.

The Rockets̢۪ offense featured double-passes and trick plays, but the special teams helped to keep Toledo in the game.

In the fourth quarter, with less than three minutes left in the game, the Toledo kickoff team caught the Bulldogs off guard with a surprise onside kick.

The Rockets recovered and promptly drove down the field to kick a field goal that tied the game 41-41.

The trick plays took the Bulldogs by surprise a few times in the game, but the Toledo offense was able to move the ball at ease throughout the night.

Both Toledo running backs went for over 100 yards and Opelt threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bulldog offense was led by senior quarterback Tom Brandstater, who had a career day with 231 yards and four passing touchdowns.

He added his fifth score of the day on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulldog gave up 54 points, by far the highest of the year. Coming into the game, the defense allowed a total of 20 points in two games.

Even though it was a tough night for the defense, the Bulldogs relied on the strong play of linebacker Ben Jacobs.

Jacobs tallied 14 tackles in the game and he scored the Bulldogs̢۪ first points with a 27-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the game̢۪s opening drive.

It was a long journey for the Bulldogs and the game was too close for comfort, but Hill and his team were just happy to leave with the victory.

“It’s always about the “Wâ€Â with me and it always will be,â€Â Hill said.

With the win, the ̢۪Dogs have remained in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, staying at No. 25 and jumped to No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

Fresno State will put its ranking on the line once again this week when the team travels to Pasadena to take on UCLA.

The Bruins lost to Arizona Saturday and are 1-2 on the year.

Joseph Herr / The (Toledo) Independent Collegian

Collegian Players of the Game

Tom Brandstater
Offense

Ben Jacobs
Defense

A.J. Jefferson
Special Teams

The Collegian sports staff hands out its game balls following every Fresno State football game:

Offense: Quarterback Tom Brandstater – The senior signal-caller had a career-night against the Rockets. He was 22-of-28 passing and threw for four touchdowns. He also ran in for a score and orchestrated two scoring drives in overtime.

Defense: Linebacker Ben Jacobs РThe sophomore has been filling the void left by Marcus Riley. He scored the game̢۪s first touchdown Saturday night, returning a backwards pass for a 27-yard score. He added 14 tackles.

Special Teams: Kick returner A.J. Jefferson РJefferson was responsible for a hefty portion of the Bulldogs̢۪ total yardage Saturday night. He returned five kicks for 191 yards. The All-American frequently put the Bulldogs in favorable field position.

Coming up Next…

Fresno State will now make the trip through the Grape Vine to Pasadena to take on the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl Saturday afternoon. The last time the Bulldogs hooked up with the Bruins was back in 2003 at the Silicon Valley Football Classic when they upset them 17-9. It was the Bulldogs̢۪ only win over the Bruins in seven tries. UCLA is coming off two consecutive losses to BYU and Arizona. The Bruins started the season with a big win over Tennessee, but have struggled since then.