The Fresno State football team opened Mountain West play Saturday night against Boise State hoping to end a three-game losing streak. Instead, the Bulldogs left Idaho with another loss as the Broncos claimed a 40-20 blowout victory.
Known for its offensive firepower, Boise State stayed true to its identity in this game with its rushing attack. For the second consecutive week, the Broncos ran the ball for a total of 316 yards.
Fresno State Head Coach Jeff Tedford commented on the Bulldogs’ inability to prevent the Broncos’ runs as Boise had multiple opportunities for big plays during the game.
“I think we only ran 15 plays in the second half on offense,” Tedford said.
With the Bulldogs unable to slow down the run, the team could force a few quick outs. An interception in the first half earned the Bulldogs a good field position, but in the second half they couldn’t create big plays on either side of the ball.
Running back Jordan Mims averaged only 2.9 yards per carry, and backup quarterback Logan Fife only threw for 134 yards in the game.
Fife’s performance in the ‘Dogs’ first conference game showed significant improvement from the Bulldog’s game against University of Connecticut, according to Tedford.
“We got stuck in the second half with bad field position, getting sacks, and had a guy open that we missed. They are learning experiences for him. Each one of these things, this is a really valuable experience for him and this type of environment to handle this and the speed of the game. That’s the No. 1 defense in the [Mountain West Conference],” Tedford said.
On Fresno State’s first drive of the game, it went three and out, and the Bulldogs were forced to punt. Boise State followed with its first drive, ending in a 9-yard touchdown run by quarterback Taylen Green.
The ‘Dogs took the field for the second time on defense after pinning Boise back inside its own 10-yard line with a punt. On third down, linebacker Malachi Langley intercepted a pass and set Fresno up for a goal-to-go situation. The ‘Dogs took advantage and tied the game at 7-7 after a 1-yard touchdown run by Fife.
This back-and-forth style of play continued between the two teams all the way up until the half, where Boise State took a small 20-17 lead into the locker room.
Fresno State stopped Boise to start the half and tied the game with a field goal with nearly nine minutes left in the third quarter. However, Boise State mounted an 11-play drive in response, resulting in a 5-yard touchdown pass to junior running back George Holani.
From there, the Broncos continued to increase their lead. After a field goal early in the third quarter, Fresno State failed to score again and fell to the Broncos, 40-20.
This was Fresno State’s fourth loss of the season and its first loss in Mountain West play. The Bulldogs now sit at an overall record of 1-4.
According to Sportsbook, Fresno State will be the 7-point underdogs in its next game against San Jose State. The Bulldogs will host the Spartans for Fresno State’s homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 15.