Here are real-time notes from Fresno State’s game against Cal Poly at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday night. This post will be updated.
Fourth Quarter: Fresno State 41, Cal Poly 25
The Mustangs scored 22 unanswered points after Derek Carr and most of the first-team units on offense and defense were subbed out for reserves late in the third quarter.
Carr came back in late in the fourth quarter — with four minutes left in the game.
Carr finished 22 0f 31 for 205 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Cal Poly had 372 total offensive yards in the second half. Josh Quezada ran for a team-high 71 yards on 18 carries.
Fresno State improves to 2-0 and will face Colorado on the road next week. That’s a wrap from Bulldog Stadium.
Updated at 10:22 p.m.
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Third Quarter: Fresno State 41, Cal Poly 10
Cal Poly got on the board early to start the second half with a 41-yard field goal from Bobby Zalud with 13:21 to play in the third quarter.
The score came after a 52-yard run by Kristaan Ivory in the first play of the second half — doubling Cal Poly’s offensive output (the Mustangs finished the first half with 44 total yards to Fresno State’s 242).
Davante Adams reached the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr with 10:52 to play in the third. Adams extends his streak of at least one touchdown per game to 10 games — which leads the NCAA. The all-time mark is 18 straight games.
The official attendance for tonight’s game was tallied at 33,260, a slight increase from Fresno State’s season opener against Rutgers (33,098).
Carr moves up in the Fresno State record books: he now has 71 career touchdown passes. He now trails only Paul Pinegar, who exited Fresno State with 84 career touchdown passes.
Carr’s stat line (probably for the night): 21 of 28 for 201 passing yards and three touchdowns. Backup Brian Burrell relieved Carr late in the third quarter.
Cal Poly found the endzone for the first time in the game on a 7-yard pass from Chris Brown to Willie Tucker late in the quarter.
Updated at 9:39 p.m.
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Second Quarter: Fresno State 34, Cal Poly 0
The second quarter came, and with it came the traction the Fresno State offense has routinely gained at home since the start of last season.
Derek Carr connected with Isaiah Burse for a 15-yard score and Colin McGuire so far is two-for-two in field goal attempts, knocking off a 21-yarder in the second quarter.
Carr is 17 of 24 for 147 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Play of the game so far (and maybe of the enitre night)? A hook-and-ladder pass from Carr to Davante Adams to offensive tackle Austin Wentworth. Carr threw to Adams for six yards, who then pitched the ball to Wentworth for a 7-yard score 6:21 to play in the half. It was Wentworth’s first career touchdown.
Isaiah Burse returned another punt for a touchdown — this one from 58 yards out — with 30 seconds left in the half to bring Fresno State up 34-0. Keep in mind: the Bulldogs averaged 48 points per game at home last season and put 52 on the board in their overtime win against Rutgers last week.
Marcel Jensen is having a career game so far. He has three receptions for a career-high 66 yards in the game.
Mustangs quarterback Vince Moraga is feeling the pressure from Fresno State defense — Cal Poly has punted eight times so far.
Updated at 8:34 p.m.
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First Quarter: Fresno State 10, Cal Poly 0
Fresno State was held to a field goal in its first drive, with Cal Poly visibly intent on trying to contain quarterback Derek Carr and Fresno State’s passing game.
Then came Isaiah Burse, who scrambled 61 yards on a punt return with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter. Burse first ran across the field, receiving key blocks before finding an open lane.
The play came after Kyrie Wilson sacked Cal Poly quarterback Vince Moraga to force 3rd-and-21 deep in Mustangs territory.
The Bulldogs led 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bulldogs are wearing the white helmets they wore in their season opener against Rutgers, their home red jerseys and the white pants they usually wear on away games. That’s a Fresno State first.
Billy Volek, former Fresno State standout and retired 12-year NFL veteran, was the honorary game captain for Saturday night’s game and received a big applause from the crowd when the PA announced his name.