Michael McKeown / The News Record

Pivotal moments in all three of the Bulldogs’ losses come down to fear

In sports, especially football, there is a big difference between playing to win and playing not to lose.

When I hear that phrase, “playing to win,â€Â I think of all the clichés and the old sayings from Disney sports movies.

“Every player, every play, giving 110 percent!â€Â

“There is no ‘I’ in team!â€Â

“All 11 players, playing snap to whistle!â€Â

OK, so most people can come up with more of these overused expressions that fit nicely into this “playing to winâ€Â category. But the idea of playing not to lose is far less documented.

Not many movies are made about the team with the offense that holds onto the ball for 43 minutes of a football game trying desperately to keep Cincinnati̢۪s offense from touching the ball.

And I wasn̢۪t able to find any books about the coach who rips half the pages of his playbook out because he is afraid of his quarterback throwing an interception.

No one cares about the team with more talent than its opponents that finds a way to lose down the stretch.

Fresno State has played the last three games trying desperately not to lose, motivated by the fear of defeat, not the thrill of victory.

The Bulldogs haven̢۪t been outmatched or out-schemed by Cincinnati, Boise State or Wisconsin. The ̢۪Dogs had the most talent on the field in all three of those games, but still managed to do what they feared most.

In all of Fresno State̢۪s losses, there was that moment. It was just a split-second in time that was the one and only chance for the Bulldogs to take the reigns and win.

In all three chances, the ̢۪Dogs couldn̢۪t escape their fears. It̢۪s impossible to do when fear settles the front of the mind.

On the first play of the second overtime period against Wisconsin, quarterback Ryan Colburn was afraid of throwing his third pick of the game. Guess what happened? He under threw Chastin West and it was intercepted.

Against Boise State, safety Marvin Haynes had a sure interception, the easiest pick of his career, thrown right at him with the Bulldogs down by three points. Aren̢۪t the simplest plays the most difficult to make? He had too much time to think about dropping the ball before it slipped through his hands.

And on Saturday morning, the Bulldogs had a fourth and two on the Cincinnati six-yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter. The ̢۪Dogs were down 21-17 at that point, looking to take the lead for the first time.

Tailback Ryan Mathews carried the team all day, eventually finishing the game with 145 yards on 38 carries. Fearing that Mathews would be stopped for the first time all day, the Bulldogs ran a play-action pass the short side of the field, forcing Colburn to throw across his body.

And that fear of an interception came back again. The Bearcats would score another touchdown in less than two minutes, going up 28-17.

Fear is inescapable, unless it is replaced with confidence and belief.

With eight games remaining this season and only one year left on his contract with Fresno State, head coach Pat Hill̢۪s attitude will determine the outcome of the season.

If he is coaching not to lose his job, then count on a 6-6 regular season and an invitation to a bowl game sponsored by American Standard toilets that only 13 people have ever heard of.

If Hill and his staff rally and start coaching without fear of losing, his players will follow suit and naysayers will have nothing left to say. The next eight games are very winnable and a 9-3 season is their reach, but only if the Bulldogs believe it.