Brianna Campbell / The Collegian Online
Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4, 6-2 WAC) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (6-6, 4-4 Mountain West)
Breakdown: Bulldogs
Coming into the 2009, the Fresno State Bulldogs weren’t expected to win eight games, but somehow, Pat Hill rallied the troops and put together a respectable and somewhat surprising season.
The ’Dogs finished 6-2 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and capped the year with a thrilling 53-52 victory against Illinois on the road.
The Bulldogs even boast the nation’s leading rusher, but still, Fresno State is stuck in the New Mexico Bowl for the second year in a row.
Fresno State must avoid a letdown like last year in the New Mexico Bowl, a game the ’Dogs lost 40-35 to Colorado State. This year, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the ’Dogs.
Fresno State will have a healthy lineup this season, including tailback Ryan Mathews. The junior is leading the nation in rushing yards per game, averaging 151 yards a contest.
Hill, much to the chagrin of his detractors, will force Mathews down the Cowboys throats and allow the First Team All-WAC to carve up a suspect defense.
The main priority for the defense will be to get pressure on freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels. If a four-man rush can get pressure on the signal-caller, then the ’Dogs should be hoisting a Native American clay pot after four quarters.
Breakdown: Cowboys
Going into their final week of the season, the Wyoming Cowboys were clinging on to bowl hopes, needing a sixth win against a struggling Colorado State squad.
With its bowl aspirations on the line, Wyoming squeaked by Colorado State, 17-16, to earn a trip to the New Mexico Bowl.
The Cowboys haven’t made a bowl game since the 2004 season, a 24-21 win against UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Not one player on the roster played in the 2004 Las Vegas bowl and the Cowboys had to claw their way in this year’s bowl. This team is inexperienced in the postseason, but it could be hungry for an upset bowl win.
Led by quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, the Mountain West Conference (MWC) Freshman of the Year, the Cowboys rank 112 of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in total offense — literally the worst offense playing in a bowl this year. But Carta-Samuels has only thrown four interceptions this season.
On defense, the Cowboys are in the middle of the pack, ranking 83 among the FBS teams.
Either the Cowboys will be fired up to face Fresno State and ready to earn their school a bowl victory, or they will play like an undeserving team that is just happy to cash a bowl game check.