Matt Weir / The Collegian
The Fresno State football team won their seventh-straight season opener, topping the Bearcats, 28-14.
Before quarterback Ryan Colburn completed his first pass of the season, he threw an interception that led to two-straight scoring drives by Cincinnati’s offense as the Bearcats got off to a fast start and led 14-0 by the second quarter.
“We started out in the hole 14-nothing, but we talked about that in the locker room before the game,” head coach Pat Hill said. “Games go up and down and you just need to keep playing and we kept playing.”
Colburn kept playing and responded to his early game struggles by completing the last 10 passes of the game to lead the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind 28-14 win over the visiting Bearcats.
Colburn and the offense started off slowly, failing to convert a first down until the 11:44 mark in the second quarter. The ‘Dogs offense sputtered out of control after converting just one first down in the ‘Dogs first six possessions. The Bearcats’ defense forced the ‘Dogs to four-straight three-and-outs to start the game.
“I have to give Cincinnati credit,” Hill said. “We only had one first down midway through the second quarter. They were playing very good defense.”
Colburn explained that the ‘Dogs slow start was due to their unfamiliarity with the opposing team and their defense.
“We didn’t know a lot about these guys,” Colburn said. “They were a team that we did not have a lot of film on. They had a lot of new players and a whole new coaching staff. We had not a lot to go off of.”
With the offense struggling early, it was the defense that stepped up and provided the much needed spark to jump-start the offense.
After setting up the Bearcats’ offense in a third-and-long situation at the Cincinnati 30, defensive tackle Logan Harrell flushed quarterback Zach Collaros out of the pocket and sacked him for a 20-yard loss.
The sack supplied the momentum for the offense and Colburn led the ‘Dogs on a four-play, 49-yard touchdown drive. Colburn would find running back Robbie Rouse running wide open near the goal line for a 20-yard touchdown strike.
Colburn’s comfort level as a second-year starter finally settled in after his first touchdown toss of the year.
“After we scored that first touchdown that really kind of got me in a rhythm,” Colburn said. “I kind of got a feel of how they wanted to play us.”
Defensive end Chris Carter’s sack-strip on Collaros on the next drive would give the ‘Dogs the possession back in Bearcats territory with 39 seconds left to play in the first half.
The ‘Dogs offensive prowess soon dominated from there on out. Colburn marched the offense down the field in 23 seconds to tie the game at 14-14 with a touchdown pass to receiver Jamel Hamler in the corner of the end zone.
To start the third quarter, Colburn drove the offense the length of the field by capping off an 80-yard drive with Colburn’s third touchdown pass of the night, hitting receiver Devon Wylie in the middle of the end zone to give the ‘Dogs their first lead of the game, 21-14.
Matt Weir / The Collegian
“We made some big plays,” Hill said. “It was a big play offense tonight instead of the typical grind it out [offense].”
With the defense’s dominating performance in the second half, the ‘Dogs added an insurance touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Receiver Rashad Evans flew past two defenders and hauled in a 59-yard touchdown pass down the seams. Colburn finished the game completing 75 percent of his passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns, tying a career high.
Defensively, the ‘Dogs held the Bearcats to two scoreless quarters and collected eight total sacks: Four by Harrell, three by Carter, one by linebacker Travis Brown, and defensive end Chris Lewis was also credited with a sack.
“Our defense just played outstanding,” Hill said.
The ‘Dogs have this week off before traveling to Logan, Utah to take on Western Athletic Conference foe, Utah State on Sept. 18 at 5:00 p.m.