Brad Meyer / The Daily Illini
350-pound Devan Cunningham caught a deflected pass to score a game-winning two-point conversion in thrilling victory
I have seen a few things in my time following the Fresno State Bulldogs.
I saw the rise to No. 8 in 2001, I was on the field last time the goal posts were torn down at Bulldog Stadium and I was in the crowd when the ’Dogs led 21-13 at half against the No. 1 team in all the land.
This team has been a huge part of my life for the past ten years or so and I have felt all the highs and all the lows. I have to tell you, it’s really not easy being a Bulldog fan.
While I was watching Saturday’s 53-52 thrilling, last-second victory, I felt it coming on again — I really thought Fresno State was going to lose and disappoint me and other Red Wavers once again.
The game felt like it was going to be like all the other disappointing loses to Bowl Championship Series (BCS) teams over the years.
It felt like the 50-42 loss to USC in 2005. It felt like the 21-20 loss to Washington in 2006. It felt like 47-45 double overtime loss to Texas A&M in 2007. It felt like the 13-10 loss to Wisconsin in 2008.
The Bulldogs have one of these losses every year it seems. There is always one game where Pat Hill has his team ready to fight one of college football’s big boys and trades blows for 12 rounds, but then takes one on the chin in the final minutes.
Brad Meyer / The Daily Illini
As far as 2009 goes, Fresno State already had its disappointing loss to a BCS team in September. The ’Dogs lost 34-31 in double overtime to Wisconsin, catching that right hook at the worst time.
But instead of leaning on the ropes and hoping to survive until the end of the round, like he did at Wisconsin, Hill made a call that will be talked about for years to come.
Saturday at Illinois, Hill and the ’Dogs had a flailing counterpunch for all the marbles. If the punch didn’t land, the fight was over. If it did, it was a sure knockout.
After an unbelievable 23-yard touchdown catch by Jamel Hamler on fourth and 10 with only six seconds remaining to put Fresno State within one point, 52-51, the Bulldogs reared back and threw one last punch with all they had left.
I could barely watch, feeling the same thing as the other 14 Bulldog fans that get the Big Ten Network were surely going through.
I just had the feeling that punch was going to miss and the underdogs would again come up short.
But for once, it went the ’Dogs’ way. Finally.
Fresno State had the right play call, but so did Illinois. Quarterback Ryan Colburn, a lefty, opened to the left side of the field with the receivers’ routes all overloading the left.
Dana Santarinala / The Daily Illini
But the Illini countered with a blitz off the right end, putting a man in Colburn’s face. It looked like Colburn would be down for the count, but somehow he got the throw off and got it to the end zone.
The ball hit Hamler in the right hand, and for a split-second, it looked like he was going to pull it in and make the play of his career, but an Illini defensive back swatted the ball out of his grasp.
But just as the Bulldogs were going down to the canvas, left guard Devan Cunningham caught a batted ball, barely clinching it with one arm and oh-so gracefully falling into the end zone. The underdogs landed the knockout blow and Fresno State won 53-52.
I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it in my life. And to think, that was my team making one of the most exciting plays of the college football season, maybe of all-time.
After years of coming up short in the final rounds of the fight, Fresno State finally escaped with a win in a close game against a BCS school. The Bulldogs didn’t wait around and try and last for the whole fight. They put it all on one play, knowing they could not take even one more punch.
I don’t know if Pat Hill should come back next year or have his contract extended. But if he doesn’t come back, I am not sure the university will be able to find a coach with the experience he has in the 12th round and a coach who has the guts to go for two in that situation.