The wait is finally over for the Fresno State football team, as it has captured its first win in the post-Derek Carr era.

The Bulldogs (1-3) took down Southern Utah (0-4) 56-16 Saturday night at Bulldog Stadium.

“I was really pleased with the effort of our guys,” Fresno State head coach Tim DeRuyter said. “I thought we didn’t start off real well but we hung in there and we found a way to win.

“We played a team in Southern Utah that I thought was very well-coached. They had a ton of fight in them and give them credit for playing as well as they did. In the second half I thought we started getting into a rhythm in all three phases which created some excitement.”

In an up-and-down game early on, DeRuyter’s squad used a defensive play late in the second quarter to find motivation and give them a 14-9 lead.

The Bulldogs found energy and momentum that fueled them the rest of the game in Kyrie Wilson’s pick-six. The interception returned for a touchdown came after Wilson was nearly ejected from the game for targeting Southern Utah’s Ammon Olsen.

“I sensed that it gave us energy and mojo,” Wilson said. “Everybody was fired up after that big play, and we just all started playing together and playing as a team. That’s how we are supposed to play.”
Three quarterbacks saw playing time in Saturday’s contest for the Bulldogs. Upperclassmen Brian Burrell and Brandon Connette. Redshirt freshman Zack Greenlee also stepped on the field but now until late in the third quarter.

Burrell and Connette accounted for a combined 196 passing yard and three touchdowns.

The running game however, was the highlight in the Bulldogs’ win. The ‘Dogs racked up 360 yards on the ground, the most in a game since 2004.

Four backs carried the load but primarily Marteze Waller and Josh Quezada who each had a touchdown and 117 and 84 yards, respectively.

The Bulldogs will begin conference play Saturday when they hit the road to take on the New Mexico Lobos (1-2), who are also coming off their first win of the season.