No. 5 Boise State will be the highest ranked school to ever come to
Fresno State when it visits on Friday. The Broncos also are the
highest ranked school since Oregon State came to Bulldog Stadium in 2001.
Matt Weir / Collegian File Photo
The ‘Dogs haven’t come out of their matchup with Boise State on the winning end since the 2005 season when they won 27-7 at Bulldog Stadium.
When the No. 5 Boise State Broncos step into Bulldog Stadium on Friday night’s national stage, they will be the highest-ranked team to ever step foot on Jim Sweeney Field.
The Broncos currently hold a 9-4 all-time record over the Bulldogs, but the rivalry between Fresno State and Boise State has been lopsided in recent memory. When the Broncos were in the Western Athletic Conference, they perennially dominated the head-to-head matchup, recording a 9-1 record over the last decade.
With the large task looming ahead, Fresno State has at least developed some offensive chemistry in 2011. The Bulldogs have built a balanced attack this year with quarterback Derek Carr passing for nearly 260 yards per game and running back Robbie Rouse rushing for over 100 yards in the last four weeks.
Rouse leads the country in carries with a total of 133, rushing for 625 yards over that span. Carr simply said his unit needs to continue what it’s doing and execute when Boise State comes to town.
“We need to play fast, just go out and do our assignments,” Carr said before Monday’s practice.
Boise State is now a member of the Mountain West Conference and the change of scenery has done little to sway it from continually trying to break into a Bowl Championship Series bowl game. The Broncos have already defeated then-No. 19 Georgia on the road this season, 35-21 in the Georgia Dome. They have outscored their other three opponents 111- 46, including defeating former WAC rival Nevada 30-10 last Saturday, who ended Boise State’s chances at a BCS bowl berth last season.
The Broncos are currently 4-0 this season and have not scored less than 30 points in any of their games. They have also averaged 446.8 yards per game of total offense. The defense has been as stout as usual, allowing an average of 16.8 points per game and is the 19th-ranked defense in the country. The Broncos have also forced an average of more than two turnovers per game.
In the last three games between the two teams, the Broncos have scored 163 points with Heisman Trophy hopeful Kellen Moore throwing nine touchdowns against only one interception. Last year’s game against Boise State was one of the poorest Fresno State games in recent memory with the ‘Dogs losing 51-0 in Idaho.
This will be the first non-conference meeting between the teams since 1996, which was also the year the Broncos moved up to Division 1A, formally known as the Football Bowl Subdivision, when they were a part of the Big West Conference.
During head coach Pat Hill’s 14-year career at Fresno State, the Bulldogs have beaten a top-10 opponent just once at home — a 44-24 win over Oregon State in 2001. The Bulldogs have amassed a record of 63-19 at Bulldog Stadium in Hill’s tenure.
In 2005 Fresno State defeated the Broncos, ending Boise State’s 31-game winning streak in WAC play. Seven of Boise State’s wins in the series have been by two touchdowns or more. Hill talked about playing in front of nationally televised audience and playing one of the best teams in the country.
“Anytime you get that type of exposure it’s great [and] we get it again Friday night,” Hill said. “Hopefully, we can end it on the side of a win.”