Bryan Cole / The Collegian

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS 24, SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS 10

Second half surge over intrastate rival leads to seventh victory for Bulldogs

SAN JOSE – With hopes of a bowl game and postseason aspirations hanging in the balance, the Fresno State Bulldogs needed to make a statement Friday night.

It may have taken until the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs to make that statement, but with 183 yards rushing in the second half and three scores, Fresno State pulled away with a 24-10 come-from-behind victory at Spartan Stadium over San Jose State.

The Bulldogs (7-4, 4-3 WAC) have now almost definitely secured a bowl spot and will head to Boise State this Friday for the season finale against the conference champion Broncos.

Fresno State was held to minus-13 yards rushing in the first half of play and trailed 10-3, committing three turnovers, including two by quarterback Tom Brandstater.

But thanks to a three-tight end set that coach Pat Hill implemented in the second half, the Bulldogs were able to gain 183 yards on the ground and score two rushing touchdowns.

“We had three different running plays that we repeated over and over again,â€Â Hill said. “For us to come back and win it in the fourth quarter with so much on the line for both teams really showed a lot.â€Â

Fresno State put two drives together in the fourth quarter that basically epitomized Hill̢۪s philosophy of Bulldog football.

The Bulldogs executed an 11-play, 69-yard drive in the fourth quarter that took 5:34 off the clock and they ran the ball on every single play of the drive.

Junior tailback Anthony Harding capped off the march downfield with an 8-yard run into the end zone to put Fresno State up 17-10.

Bryan Cole / The Collegian

On the Bulldogs̢۪ next possession, the offense drove 90 yards on eight plays and only threw the ball once, milking 4:17 off the clock.

Harding scored on that drive as well with a nifty double move on a 21-yard run and sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.

He finished the night with 99 yards rushing and said he loved the fact that the offense focused on just running the ball in the second half.

“That’s probably the best feeling ever,â€Â Harding said. “Just knowing that we’re going to pound the ball and say ‘no passing, just run the ball downhill.’ That’s Bulldog football.â€Â

What really woke up the Bulldogs from their first-half slumber was a punt return from junior Chastin West in the third quarter.

West weaved his way through the entire San Jose State coverage team and got some help along the way en route to a 49-yard touchdown return.

After West̢۪s return the entire Fresno State sideline erupted and many players said that was the spark the Bulldogs needed.

“It was just all reaction,â€Â West said. “I just did what I had to do and did what I was supposed to do – take it to the end zone.â€Â

Defensively, the Bulldogs held an opponent to negative rushing yards for the second straight week, holding the Spartans to measly minus-5 yards on the ground.

San Jose State̢۪s lone touchdown came on a double-pass trick play in the first quarter, but besides that and a field goal, the Bulldogs̢۪ defense didn̢۪t allow much.

Juan Villa / The Collegian

Middle linebacker Ben Jacobs said everybody on the defense has started to learn their roles better and make proper adjustments.

“If you fill your gap, that guy next to you is going to fill his,â€Â Jacobs said. “Our coaches have really emphasized team defense.â€Â

Jacobs said the Bulldogs haven’t even thought about what bowl game they’re going to, but they are focusing on only one thing – beating Boise State.

“We want to knock them off bad,â€Â Jacobs said.

Kickoff at Bronco Stadium is set for this Friday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.

Bowl situation

With their seventh win of the season, the Fresno State Bulldogs have almost certainly clinched a bowl game spot, but things are still up in the air.

With its win over Idaho, Hawaii clinched a spot in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, leaving only three more spots in WAC bowl games.

Spots in the Poinsettia Bowl, New Mexico Bowl and Humanitarian Bowl are still open for four bowl-eligible WAC teams.

Boise State will most likely take one of those spots as they are undefeated and Utah will be going to the BCS.

Fresno State and Louisiana Tech both have seven wins and Nevada has won six games.

The Wolf Pack will play Louisiana Tech this Saturday.