Matt Weir / The Collegian
It̢۪s the same story just another year for the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Fresno State made it close at times, but trailed the Boise State Broncos for the entire game, coming as close as three points, but the Bulldogs eventually fell 51-34 at Bulldog Stadium on Friday night.
The Bulldogs are now 1-8 against Boise State since the Broncos joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2001.
The two teams combined for 987 total yards of offense and went back and forth pretty much the entire night until Boise pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Junior tailback Ryan Mathews had a career night for the Bulldogs, scoring three touchdowns and rushing for 234 yards.
Mathews scored from 69 and 60 yards out on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter to bring the Bulldogs back to a seven-point deficit.
Fresno State was in a hole early, falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter.
Quarterback Ryan Colburn was picked off for a touchdown return on the very first possession and the defense allowed Bronco tailback D.J. Harper to score from 60 yards out.
The Bulldogs inched closer in the third quarter when Ryan Colburn hit Devon Wylie in the back of the end zone for a 21-yard score to cut the lead to 27-24.
The dagger came from Boise State in the fourth quarter after Ryan Mathews scored from 68 yards out to bring Fresno State within a touchdown.
The Broncos immediately responded when Boise quarterback Kellen Moore hit Jeremy Avery on a 67-yard screen pass to put Boise State ahead 48-34.
Pat Hill̢۪s ballclub now heads back on the road to Cincinnati to take on the Big-East Champion Bearcats.
It will be the first meeting between the two teams.
Make sure to check back on Monday for a full game wrap, column and of course, The Collegian̢۪s Red Wave Podcast.
Nanook • Sep 20, 2009 at 5:56 pm
true, but a loss is just that. One win against the Boise side in the ENTIRE DECADE doesn’t cut it when looking at the larger picture. Bulldog fans do deserve better. We now get a miserable home schedule (2009) with perhaps one marquee game annually, few wins against historically ‘name’ programs, no conference titles, many excuses, and two conference foes that year-after-year can’t be figured out—–the home losses against Hawaii and Wisconsin were pretty awful last year, but it’s Boise State that should make 2010 Hill’s last year at the helm. So great, we can’t keep rehashing the 2001 win over Oregon St, the 03 and 08 wins over UCLA, and the two bowl victories over Ga. Tech, but where have we gotten since?
Nanook • Sep 21, 2009 at 12:56 am
true, but a loss is just that. One win against the Boise side in the ENTIRE DECADE doesn’t cut it when looking at the larger picture. Bulldog fans do deserve better. We now get a miserable home schedule (2009) with perhaps one marquee game annually, few wins against historically ‘name’ programs, no conference titles, many excuses, and two conference foes that year-after-year can’t be figured out—–the home losses against Hawaii and Wisconsin were pretty awful last year, but it’s Boise State that should make 2010 Hill’s last year at the helm. So great, we can’t keep rehashing the 2001 win over Oregon St, the 03 and 08 wins over UCLA, and the two bowl victories over Ga. Tech, but where have we gotten since?
wannabebulldogfromChicoState • Sep 19, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Dog Crew!
At times this contest looked liked a “flag” football game. If things are to get better for the Dogs I think a few items need to be addressed:
1. Kevin Goessling just kicks field goals. The ball must be kicked to the goal line.
2. Our 11 best people ( tacklers) MUST be on our kick off team. Players must STAY in their lanes when they cover kicks AND take proper pursuit angles.
3. Sad to say–It is open enrollment on the QB position. Ryan played a GUTSY 2nd half but his throws are too soft and jump balls to wideouts is not good pass offense. If you couple that with some highly questionable play calling it directly affected the outcome.
4. Defense can not give up big plays. However considering how much time they spent on the field and WHO they were playing they did ok.
5. One super positive note: It would have been real easy to “roll over” at 24-3…but they didn’t. That is a real tribute to Pat Hill and his staff. ANYONE who saw this game got their moneys’ worth and I would never question Bulldog heart or effort.
Let’ move on to Cincinnati –Wannabe
wannabebulldogfromChicoState • Sep 19, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Dog Crew!
At times this contest looked liked a “flag” football game. If things are to get better for the Dogs I think a few items need to be addressed:
1. Kevin Goessling just kicks field goals. The ball must be kicked to the goal line.
2. Our 11 best people ( tacklers) MUST be on our kick off team. Players must STAY in their lanes when they cover kicks AND take proper pursuit angles.
3. Sad to say–It is open enrollment on the QB position. Ryan played a GUTSY 2nd half but his throws are too soft and jump balls to wideouts is not good pass offense. If you couple that with some highly questionable play calling it directly affected the outcome.
4. Defense can not give up big plays. However considering how much time they spent on the field and WHO they were playing they did ok.
5. One super positive note: It would have been real easy to “roll over” at 24-3…but they didn’t. That is a real tribute to Pat Hill and his staff. ANYONE who saw this game got their moneys’ worth and I would never question Bulldog heart or effort.
Let’ move on to Cincinnati –Wannabe