Dalton Runberg / The Collegian
Fresno State head coach Pat Hill is known both locally and nationally for his mantra “anyone, anytime, anywhere.” He has lead Fresno State to 15 wins against Bowl Championship Series (BCS) teams since the year 2000. With the amount of wins Fresno State has accumulated against some of the top competition in the country, it has essentially taken on the role of the little football program that could.
However, recently it hasn’t seemed like Fresno State has beaten any top-notch programs around the nation. The ‘Dogs schedule a handful of top-tier teams each season, forcing them to try to beat one of the Goliaths from the six BCS conferences in the past couple years.
This begs the question: when was the last time Fresno State beat a good team?
It hasn’t happened so far this year with the ‘Dogs playing California, who is a BCS team from the Pacific-12 Conference, in the season opener. It wasn’t in week two against No. 10 Nebraska at Memorial Stadium, who is also a BCS team in the Big Ten Conference. And it certainly wasn’t a couple weeks ago against Boise State where the ‘Dogs lost in dominating fashion, 57-7.
Maybe it was during the 2009 and 2010 seasons? Fresno State played three BCS teams in Cincinnati, Mississippi and Illinois last season, but all three finished well below the top of their conferences. It also played No. 3 Boise State last year, but that outcome was painfully similar to one that Fresno State fans experienced this year at Bulldog Stadium.
In 2009, it had to be during that three-game stretch where the ‘Dogs played against Wisconsin, a Big Ten competitor, No. 10 Boise State and No. 14 Cincinnati of the Big East. But, again, it didn’t happen that year as Fresno State came up short losing at the end in each game. All three schools finished in the regular-season top 25, with Boise State and Cincinnati eclipsing the top 10.
So when was the last time the ‘Dogs got a big win in the Hill era? Anyone know?
The last big win at Fresno State happened seven years ago at the end of the 2004 season. Seven years ago. The ‘Dogs were playing in the MPC Computers Bowl on Boise State’s Smurf Turf against No. 18 Virginia, an Atlantic Coast Conference school. Fresno State won the game in overtime after the then-junior quarterback Paul Pinegar threw five touchdown passes, including the game-winning score.
A lot has changed since that season at Fresno State. There is a new Carr behind center in David’s little brother Derek and a bunch young players maturing with each passing week. There is still one constant at Fresno State: the tough non-conference schedule.
Fresno State is on tap for another tough run through the early part of the 2012 season as it is to face Oregon, who won back-to-back Pacific 10 Conference championships and looks poised to take the conference again with only Stanford in the way. The ‘Dogs also face Pac-12 competitor Colorado and Tulsa, which seems to play up to any challenge.
Fresno State will have to do a couple things to prepare for next year’s non-conference schedule and start the 2012 season with that seemingly unattainable big win.
It first has to finish this season off strong, especially this weekend against Nevada. If Fresno State wins on Saturday, it puts itself in phenomenal position to give Hill his first outright WAC championship.
After the Nevada game, Fresno State will have Hawaii as the lone team that can really pose a threat to the Bulldogs’ Western Athletic Conference title aspirations.
If the ‘Dogs win the WAC title, receive a decent bowl game bid and win the bowl game, then they will be going into the offseason with momentum that has been lost at the conclusion of the past few seasons.
The key for Fresno State to get that big win during the 2012 non-conference schedule. It could provide the opportunity for the young offense to mature quickly and for the defense to become more of a strength. If the ‘Dogs do this then the Bulldog faithful could be celebrating like they were in 2004.