The Red Wave

Pitching could be a huge factor for the Bulldogs

2009-02-28T10:23:00.000-08:00

If you've gotten a chance to watch this team or maybe you're just reading the box scores or hearing first person accounts from friends, you've probably heard a pattern emerging. That pattern seems to the pitching for the Bulldogs.

Over the last five games, four of those five games have been decided by three runs or less, only two of the four have the Bulldogs come out on top. Yesterday was, yet another, example of just how good their pitching really is, but maybe it's showing how disappointing their offense may be. The Bulldogs hung tough, shutting out Oregon through eight full innings before giving up the game winner in the home half of the ninth, dropping a 1-0 decision in Eugene.

Senior right-hander Holden Sprague has his second great outing in as many starts. Sprague went 7 2/3 shutout innings, giving up just four hits and striking out four. Unfortunately, his efforts were matched by Oregon's started, who went eight shutout innings.

Bulldogs' head coach Mike Batesole, "It was a great atmosphere and they have done a great job with this field. It reminds me a little bit of being in Reno. We played outstanding defense. Tommy (Mendonca) had some really nice plays. We did a lot of good things, but offensively you have to give their guy credit."

If Fresno State is going to make a run at defending their title, their offense needs to get going right along with their good pitching performances. They don't want to waste a great outing from their pitchers, giving them no help offensively. It could make for a very long season.

After opening home stand, Bulldogs head north

2009-02-27T05:26:00.000-08:00

So after the Bulldogs finish their season opening home stand at 2-2, after taking 2-of-3 from Washington, then being on the losing end of a 13-11 decision to Cal Poly, Fresno State will head to the Pacific Northwest as they open a 3-game series against the Ducks of Oregon. Oregon currently sits at 1-2 after their 3-game series against St. Mary's last weekend.

The 15th ranked Bulldogs will go into hostile territory with the biggest of bullseyes on their backs, especially being the defending National Champions. Teams will use them as a scale for their own team, if they can beat the champs, maybe they're better than they originally thought. If the Bulldogs can show the same kind of pitching they showed in games one and three of their three game series against Washington, I think they should be able to win 2-of-3 before they take on UC Davis on Wednesday, March 4th.

Game times for the series against Oregon will be 2pm on Friday and then 1pm starts on both Saturday and Sunday.

Bulldogs take 2 of 3 from Washington

2009-02-23T09:03:00.001-08:00

The Bulldogs are off to a good start in what was one of the most memorable weekends in Bulldog sports history. Fresno State would win 5-4 on Friday and 3-1 on Sunday, dropping an 11-4 decision to Washington on Saturday.

In both wins, it was Fresno State's pitching that would impress. On Friday it was Sr right-hander Holden Sprague, who would throw six strong innings for the Bulldogs, giving up just 1 run while striking out six. On Sunday, it was Sophomore right-hander Jake Floethe throwing six shutout innings, striking out six. He would give way to Freshmen right-handers Taylor Garrison and Derek Benny who would finish out the final three innings, behind Floethe, giving up just one run. Pretty impressive for two freshmen making their debuts.

This is a very promising start for the Bulldogs, especially knowing that two young freshmen can come in and hold a two run lead. We know this offense can put up runs, but knowing there are pitchers that can come in in close game situations and hold leads has to be promising to the Bulldog coaches.

The Bulldogs will finish out their first home series of the year with one game against Cal Poly on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm PST.

It's baseball season again

2009-02-18T21:31:00.001-08:00

Are you ready? No, seriously, are you ready? The Fresno State Bulldogs begin their 2009 season unlike any way they've started a season before in the school's history. This time, it's as the defending National Champions. This year, the Bulldogs have the target on their backs, teams will be gunning for them, looking to make a statement, looking to knock off the champions. The most important thing is how this team responds to the challenge, will they step up and accept the challenge of being the champions and carrying themselves as such, or will this young team falter under the pressure, playing below the level they're capable of playing?

All these questions, and more, will begin to take shape as the defending National Champions will take the field on Friday night as they welcome in the University of Washington Huskies for the first of three games at Beiden Field. The Bulldogs will raise their championship banner and will receive their championship rings in a ceremony prior to the first pitch. Opening night is already sold out...WELL DONE BULLDOG FANS! However, there are still single game tickets available for Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, so make sure you pick up those tickets for both games and make sure that Washington leaves Fresno knowing full well who the champions are and who their fans are.

Let the Red Wave rock Beiden Field and let there absolutely be NO doubt...WE ARE FRESNO STATE! GO 'DOGS!

Watney gets come from behind victory at the Buick Invitational

2009-02-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

Former Bulldog, Nick Watney, was always looked at as a talented golfer, a champion in the Nationwide Tour and always a presence on the leader boards on the PGA Tour. He finally got the performance he needed as he landed a birdie putt on the 72nd hole to get just his 2nd PGA Tour victory, winning the Buick Invitation in La Jolla, CA., capping a come from behind win after being down five strokes going into the final round.

Watney had a chance to land a share of the lead on 16 and, looking like a seasoned veteran rather than just his sixth year as a pro, sank a 38-foot birdie putt and followed that up with leaving a 63-foot putt on 18 to within 3 feet. Watney finished with his best round of the tournament, a 4-under 68 on Torrey Pines' South Course.

Watney had worked with Tiger Woods' former coach Butch Harmon and it seems to have paid off. Watney's caddie, Tim Goodell who's been his coach since Watney turned pro six years ago, has seen how far the young golfer has come and says, it was all about Watney believing in himself. “Confidence, he didn't have it last year. He's got it now. That's all it is. “He had been through a lot of putters, and he went back to the one he used when he won in New Orleans (Zurich Classic, Watney's first PGA win). There was nothing wrong with his putting. It was just confidence. He didn't believe. In the past, on a 40-footer he was just trying to two-putt. Even a 20-footer, he was just trying to get it close.”

Although Watney isn't quite ready to challenge the likes of Tiger Woods, he's well on his way to making a name for himself and if he continues to build his confidence, there's no telling what his limits will be.

Title defense begins in just over a month

2009-01-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

The Fresno State Bulldogs will begin their National Championship title defense, that journey begins in just over a month.

On February 20th, the Bulldogs will join their fans as they raise the 2008 National Championship banner high above Beiden Field. After that, the Bulldogs will take the field as they take on the Washington Huskies for a 3-game set, thus beginning a title defense that could be as improbable as their run to the National Championship last season, a run that made College World Series history and a team that became a national darling.

Coming into the 2009 season, the Bulldogs are ranked 16th in the pre-season collegiate polls and having guys like Alan Ahmady, championship game hero Steve Detwiler and Tommy Medonca back, they have the experience and they have guys that know how to win and know what it means to be counted out, only to come from nowhere to be the national champion.

Could this team possibly be better than last season, could they repeat? The journey starts on February 20th, where that journey takes this team and their fans is why the ride is worth taking, because in 2008, that ride ended with a 'Dog pile in Omaha.

2009, the year of the Dog

2009-01-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all you Bulldog fans, I'm sure we all have a New Year's resolution whether it's to lose weight, be a better person, get a better job, etc. Here's a resolution that I'd like to see come true, less complaining and more constructive comments or comments that have facts to back them up.

I know I've written these kind of posts before, but I'm done reading fans comments wanting Pat Hill fired but then stop their argument right there. I've yet to see one person put out a name they want to be the next head coach at Fresno State, who will take this team farther than Pat Hill ever has? I'm just tired of seeing this, I'm tired of listening to Bulldog fans wanting champaigne on a cheap wine budget, there's only so much Pat Hill has to work with.

With the recruits Hill has coming in, having all three running backs returning to the backfield as well has having a healthy Ryan Mathews back after missing 6 games in 2008 and not being the same after his injury. The Bulldogs will also usher in a new season with a new quarterback at the helm after graduating Sr Tom Brandstater moves on, and with three more than capable young arms battling for the spot, it could be an exciting 2009.

Until then, and I hate to use an old line from the San Diego Padres, but keep the faith. Yes this team didn't have the season a lot of us thought they would have, but with a new quarterback, new pieces coming in defensively, this could be a big year for a seemingly young team.

Veteran leadership, experience key in 2009

2008-12-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

Improbable, Wonderdogs, underdogs, Cinderella, unbelievable...all words that were used to describe the run that the Bulldog baseball team made through the College World Series enroute to their very first National Championship, a team that won the nation's hearts.

In 2009, there's only two words that will be important when talking about this team: Leadership and Experience. This team has the veteran leadership to drive them and the experience to know how to handle themselves against tough opponents. They know what it takes to make it back to Omaha, they know how to come together as a team, they know how to win.

The Bulldogs will have some familiar faces coming back for 2009, guys like Alan Ahmady who's already been selected as a pre-season All-American, Tommy Mendonca, Danny Muno the young freshman who started the pivotal double-play in the 9th inning and, of course, the hero of the championship game Steve Detweiler. These four guys will need to be the team leaders as the Bulldogs open their 2009 season, they'll need to teach the incoming freshman what it means to come together as a team and overcome even the greatest odds.

This was a team that wasn't even expected to make it out of the first round of the WAC Tournament, then wasn't expected to last the first weekend of the College World Series. But when it was all said and done, it was Fresno State that hoisted the National Championship trophy and it's Fresno State that will raise the National Championship banner at Beiden Field when they open the 2009 season in February.

The Bulldog will always be known as one of the best stories to ever come out of the College World Series, a team that knocked off a few of the top ranked teams twice, including North Carolina and Georgia, to prove that anything is possible. It doesn't matter if you roar into the postseason or limp into it, as long as you make the right run at the right time, a National Championship is never out of reach.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

As we count down the hours to Christmas Day and as we look forward to the entrance of 2009, I wanted to pass along my well wishes to all those back in Fresno and all those Bulldog fans who are spending time with their families this holiday season. I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...here's to a very prosperous 2009.

Enjoy time with your family and friends, enjoy the holidays and enjoy doing the one thing that we all love doing this time of year....eat! Seriously though, stay safe, have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all the Bulldog fans out there.

We'll see you back here for 2009 as we look forward to Fresno State on the backstretch of their 2008-2009 basketball schedule and the defending National Champion baseball team will be getting ready for their 2009 season which will open the first week of February at home against Washington.

There's a lot to look forward to in 2009, and we'll be here to talk all about it.

Happy Holidays!

Pre-season rankings out

2008-12-22T22:49:00.000-08:00

After an improbable run through the College World Series, the Fresno State Bulldogs will be ranked 16th in the Collegiate Baseball pre-season poll that were just released today.

Last season, though the Bulldogs didn't have an impressive season leading up to the WAC tournament, they made one of the best runs through Omaha that has ever been made before, hence "Underdogs to Wonderdogs."

They were the perennial underdogs, the lowest seed in the College World Series, not expected to last the weekend. Bulldog merchandise was slim pickings, but before long, Bulldog mania was running rampid through Rosenblatt Stadium, fans from all over the country were jumping on the bandwagon and becoming Fresno State fans. Even though it was a Bulldog vs. Bulldog final between Fresno State and Georgia, it was a sea of Fresno State red all throughout the stadium.

As the final out was recorded, Fresno State fans took to the streets, celebrating with passing cars and even with the firemen that road by in their firetrucks. Bulldog pride had returned to the Central Valley, the Fresno State Bulldogs are the National Champions and they will be forever remembered in the history books as one of the best stories ever in College Baseball.

So, on February 20th, make sure you get your tickets for what is sure to be the second biggest party in Fresno, after the National Championship celebration, as the Bulldogs will raise their 2008 National Championship banner at Beiden Field in front of what I'm sure will be a sold out crowd. It's been a long time coming, but this is something Fresnans will always remember, a story to tell and re-tell for years to come.

Is Iowa State after Coach Hill?

2008-12-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

Well, the rumors have reared their ugly head again. According to internet reports, Iowa State was reportedy interested in Pat Hill for their vacant head coaching position, but Hill says those rumors are absolutely not true.

"I'm not involved in any other jobs or job searches. End of conversation, period. ... I'm just trying to keep my job in Fresno."

We've heard Coach Hill say this before, it was actually prior to him interviewing for the head coaching position at the University of Washington, a position he also said he was not interested in or had been asked about. Do you believe him this time around, or is he serious when he says he's just trying to keep his job at Fresno State.

That part of the quote actually brings up more of interesting question, doesn't it? "I'm just trying to keep my job in Fresno." Is Pat Hill in danger of losing his job as the head coach of the Bulldogs? It's just an interesting way to word what he said.

With all that being said, Hill does have a job to do. He has the job of getting his team ready for the New Mexico Bowl tomorrow afternoon against the MWC's Colorado State Rams. A game that, regardless of how little attention it might get, it still means a lot to the departing seniors on both sides, because neither wants to remember their last game as a loss. So, the Bulldogs will run practice today and then get a nice rest in before returning to the field tomorrow morning for pre-game warmups before the game officially kicks off at 11:30am PST tomorrow.

Can Fresno State come up with one more dominant performance, or will they have the letdown of playing a team that shouldn't even compare? Only time will tell...

Bulldogs and Rams to face off in New Mexico

2008-12-17T23:55:00.000-08:00

The Fresno State Bulldogs will have a lot of their seniors playing in their final games in Bulldog uniforms, and you can bet they don't want to go out losers.

The Bulldogs arrived in Albuquerque on Wednesday and got right to work with a 2-hour practice, the teams' first practice since Sunday. They weren't allowed to practice Monday or Tuesday due to finals schedules.

Though they did get a practice in, they also had time to have a little fun as both teams faced off in a cooking and entertainment challenge. Fresno State players Chris Carter, Bobby Lepori, Joe Bernardi, Sharrod Davis, Jason Crawley, and Drew Lubinsky took part in the cooking challenge, they were judged by the owner of El Pinto Mexican Restaurant, a landmark there in Albuquerque. In the entertainment portion of the day, Crawley recruited teammate Nico Herron as they to do this rap...talk about confidence.

"Green V on my helmet for Central Valley
Takin' the trophy back to Cali
New Mexico winter means it might snow
Tommy makes it rain touchdown throws.
Defense up the middle, sick with the sacks
Special teams on the field
And we'll run one back.
Offense gets you red,
defense gives the blues.
Those C. State Rams are crazy in the head,
Cuz we're Bulldog born and Bulldog bred.
We just took finals, now here's a lesson:
Playcalls on the field, will keep you guessin'.
You sure you wanna play?
Cuz the lambs are silly.
We're the hottest things in red,
Since sweet red chile.
Goin' for five of six, Another bowl game snack.
Sorry Mountain West, It's another win for the WAC."

Though the team might be a little over confident, it might be just the thing this team needs to put together one more dominant effort to show just how strong this team is. The game is scheduled to get underway at 11:30am PST and will be televised by ESPN.

Bulldogs announce their 2009 schedule

2008-12-17T23:45:00.000-08:00

As the defending national champions, has a nice ring to it doesn't it, prepare to not only defend their WAC crown but also make another run through Omaha the Fresno State baseball team released their schedule for the upcoming 2009 season.

The Bulldogs will open the 2009 season at home against the Washington Huskies (2/20 - 2/22), who finished in the middle of the PAC-10 in 2008, where the Bulldogs will raise their National Championship banner in front of what should be a sold out crowd at Beiden Field. They will also face the University of Oregon in Eugene (2/28 - 3/1).

The 31st annual Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic will take place March 9-14 and will feature not only the Bulldogs but also Buffalo, Portland and Cal State Bakersfield.

Young Bulldogs seem to have hit their stride

2008-12-12T19:51:00.000-08:00

For the first time, in their still young season, it seems the Bulldogs may have found their stride.

After beating Pacific the other night on a buzzer beater, the Bulldogs used their height to their advantage as they dominated Cal State Bakersfield 66-51 in a game that wasn't even that close. The Bulldogs were led by young freshman Paul George who finished with a game high 17 points including a career high five three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds. That wasn't even their highlight, the 'Dogs had their best defensive effort of the season, holding Bakersfield to 30.6% shooting from the field for the entire game, 29.7% in the second half alone.

Is this team starting to click as a team after eight games already in the books? After having a few off games, Jr. transfer Sylvester Seay had a good turnaround, finishing the game with 15 points in just 19 minutes in the game. It's going to take guys like that to perform on a consistant basis, along with George, Sr. guard Dwight O'Neil and Freshman guard Mychal Ladd. The one thing I noticed about this team against Bakersfield is, even though Ladd (23 minutes - 2/4 - 8 points) and O'Neil (31 minutes - 4/11 - 9 points) had off nights, George and Seay were there to pick them up. It's also going to take same kind of defensive effort as well, especially if they want to compete with teams like Boise State and Nevada who were picked towards the top of the WAC in the preseason coaches poll.

In his 100th game as the Bulldogs' head coach, Steve Cleveland has a chance to really make this team his own. His recruits, his players, his record. If he can bring this young team together and mold them into a cohesive group, the WAC better watch out or they're going to be surprised by this young team.

I'm not saying that this team is going to win the WAC, I don't think they're nearly that good...yet. Give them another season or two and this could be the team to beat.

Pat Hill being 'Dogged' by fans

2008-12-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

Are you fans done with Pat Hill?

I could just ask that one question, post it, and let the Bulldog fans run rampant with speculation and opinions on whether they think Pat Hill should return to Fresno State or have his final 2 years of his contract bought out. Are you fans really over Pat Hill?

Let's start right here...if Bulldog fans are that done with coach Hill, who do you want instead? Who do you want as the next head coach of the Fresno State Bulldogs? Who is going to lead this team to a WAC title and beyond? That's one thing I haven't heard from anyone, you want Hill gone so badly, yet I haven't heard one name thrown out there to replace Hill. Do you want an internal candidate, one that already knows this team or do you want someone from outside the program?

I read so many articles and comments about how Pat Hill can't win a WAC title...is that all they should be striving for...seriously? So, as long as they win a WAC title, go to a lesser known bowl game or maybe an average bowl game (Holiday Bowl, Poinsettia Bowl) fans would be ok with that? I don't think you can sit there and tell me fans wouldn't tire of that as well...you can try all you want, but I'm not gonna buy it. Soon, they'll be wanting more, as all fans do. They'll be saying "a WAC title isn't good enough anymore."

Pat Hill is the head coach at Fresno State for the next two years and unless his contract is bought out, that's the way it's gonna be. Now, if you have a name you want to throw out there, I'd be more than happy to listen, but I'm tired of hearing "Pat Hill has to go" but noone knows who they want in his place.

My name...and this is one a lot of NFL fans will know, a guy who currently is not coaching but is teaching at San Diego State University and could be in line to replace Chuck Long as the head football coach of the Aztecs. It's long time NFL coach Dennis Green. Don't tell me his name alone wouldn't entice recruits, especially kids coming out of high school. Maybe his name wouldn't interest Fresno State, maybe he's too expensive, but he'd be worth talking to even just to gauge his interest.

Bulldogs to face Colorado State

2008-12-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

The opponent has been chosen.

When Fresno State made the announcement that they were going to play in the New Mexico Bowl on December 20th, the only question left to answer was who were they going to face. Well, that question was answered on Sunday....Colorado State.

The Rams are coming off a 6-6 season (4-4 in conference) under first year head coach Steve Fairchild and although it may not be the kind of year Fairchild was hoping for, he says they're headed in the right direction. "We still have a lot of work to do here at Colorado State, in all areas of our program, but this is obviously a step in the right direction, and a tremendous reward for our 17 seniors, who've worked extremely hard during their time here in Fort Collins."

It will be the 12th meeting all time for these two teams with Colorado holding a 6-5 series lead against Fresno State. The game is scheduled to kick off at 11:35am PST and will be televised by ESPN.

Bulldogs headed for New Mexico Bowl

2008-12-05T14:57:00.000-08:00

In an announcement made yesterday, the Fresno State Bulldogs will be headed to Albuquerque, on the campus of the University of New Mexico, to play in the New Mexico Bowl on December 20th which will be the first bowl game of the bowl season.

It will be Fresno State's ninth bowl invitation in the last ten years. They are scheduled to play a team from the Mountain West Conference, a team that is scheduled to be announced on Sunday.

Ok, so it's not the bowl game that a lot of us Bulldog fans expected at the beginning of the season and no it's not a bowl game that anyone takes seriously if you win, but it's still one more game.

With Pat Hill hitting the recruiting trail, fresh off his announcement that he had pulled his name from consideration for the head coaching vacancy at the University of Washington, he's already gotten a verbal committment from David Carr's younger brother, Derek, who's a standout at Bakersfield Christian High. The one area he desperately needs to focus on is their defensive line, who really struggled in the middle of the season. If he can address that and keep the offense as strong as it has been most of the year, it should be an exciting 2009 season.

As for right now, we've got one more game to watch and one more game to root on our Bulldogs. So it's only the widely unknown New Mexico Bowl, but getting a win in that game is just as important to Pat Hill and his team as any other game during the season.

Hill tells prized recruit "I'm staying"

2008-12-04T05:41:00.000-08:00

It looks like Pat Hill is returning as Fresno State's head coach in 2009. Hill went to visit his prized recruit, Derek Carr, yesterday evening and told him that he is returning to Fresno State and will not be the head coach at the University of Washington.

If the last name rings a bell, it should, Derek is the younger brother of former Bulldog quarterback and current NY Giants backup QB David Carr, who also played under Pat Hill. The younger Carr, a high school standout at Bakersfield Christian High, was also recruited by Washington but will stay with Hill and Fresno State.

Earlier yesterday, it was reported by the Seattle Times that Hill had told Washington to either offer him the job before the end of the day or he would would pull his name from consideration. Asked whether Hill had pulled his name as of last night, Derek Carr's father Roger said "I don't really know how. He just said he was here. He said, 'I'm here.' He said he's staying in Fresno." There was also a poll conducted by ABC 30 in Fresno and it had some interesting results.

Also asked if Derek would honor his verbal committment to Fresno State had Hill left for Washington, Roger Carr responded, "That would have been a tough decision. There were literally 72 schools that contacted us. But Derek wanted to go to Fresno State, and Pat Hill was a big part of that."

Pat Hill front runner for Washington job?

2008-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

According to Tom Deinhart of Rivals.com, Pat Hill interviewed for the vacant coaching job at the University of Washington after Fresno State got trounced by Boise State 61-10 last Friday night.

With the Clemson hiring Dabo Swinney and Tennesse's latest hiring of former Oakland Raider's head coach Lane Kiffin, Pat Hill is the hot name for Washington's opening. It also helps that, apparently, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has endorsed Hill to Washington president Mark Emmert and athletic director Scott Woodward.

Washington is expected to make a quick decision on their opening so their new head coach can jump into recruiting for the 2009 season.

Is the Pat Hill era over at Fresno State and who will the Bulldogs look for as their new head coach? As the names start coming in and the rumors start flying, we'll post them here.

Fresno State @ #8 Boise LIVE blog

2008-11-28T15:34:00.000-08:00

1ST QUARTER

Fresno State jumps out quickly on an interception returned for a touchdown by Damion Owens. Bulldogs out to a 7-0 lead.

Lead short lived as Boise drives right down the Bulldogs throat and quarterback Kellen Moore hits Jeremy Childs from 8 yards out to tie the game 7-7.

After a quick 3 and out by Fresno, Boise was driving but a couple of good defensive plays and Boise had a field goal attempt. Thanks to great special teams play from the Bulldogs, it was tipped and hit the right upright and is no good. Game still 7-7. Great defense on that drive.

Offensive line is getting manhandled by Boise State right now, Brandstater is getting little to no time to throw and they can't get the running game going. They are really missing Ryan Mathews at this point, it shows how much of an impact he makes on this offense.

Brandstater took another hard shot on a linebacker blitz and looks to be shaken up, we'll see if he's able to continue though I don't doubt that he'll be back out there. Pat Hill might get Sophomore backup Ryan Colburn up and throwing to get loose, just in case.

After a full quarter of play, the Bulldogs are hanging in there. 7-7 tie, Bulldogs will have the ball 3rd and 3 to start the 2nd quarter.

2ND QUARTER

Brandstater really looks like he's favoring his right ankle as he came off the field after an incomplete pass on 3rd down. Boise will take over on their own 9.

The Bulldogs got a good rush on 2nd and 15, but a good pass by Kellen Moore to Jeremy Childs and it's 3rd and 6

Austin Pettis with a 10 yard reception, 1st and 10 Boise State

Boise State making it look easy on this drive. After starting on their own 9 yard line, they're up to mid-field after a 23 yard reception by Ian Johnson.

After a holding penalty, the Bulldogs tried to come on a blitz, but was read nicely by Broncos' quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore dumps it off to Avery and it's first and goal from the Bulldogs 7 yard line. The Bulldogs need to step it up defensively because this looks way too easy for Boise State right now.

Fresno State seems to know when to play defense when it's inside the Red Zone, but I'm trying to figure out why they're not this good the rest of the time. Boise State will be forced to another field goal, the previous one was blocked but no problem on this 28-yarder. Boise takes their first lead in the game, it's 10-7 Broncos.

After a 3rd down completion from quarterback Tom Brandstater to Sr Tight End Bear Pascoe, Fresno State gets dumped behind the line for the 2nd time in a row on two rushing attempts from Lonyae Miller. The Bulldogs just can not run the ball on this Broncos' defensive line.

Screen pass from Brandstater to Anthony Harding on a 3rd and 13 and a great effort from Harding on the last few yards gets the Bulldogs a much needed 1st down.

Fresno State inside the Red Zone for the first time today. First and goal from Boise State 9 yard line. Complete pass to Adam McDowell, 6'4" 290 lbs former offensive lineman. Second and goal from the 6 yard line.

Incomplete pass from Brandstater on 3rd down, but an injury timeout will give the Bulldogs an opportunity to think about going for it on 4th down. I don't know how you can this early only down 3 points, kick the field goal and tie up the game.

The Bulldogs do kick the 21-yard field goal to tie up the game. Fresno State 10 Boise State 10...the Bulldogs playing the 8th ranked Broncos tough.

Boise State driving again and is already inside Fresno State territory to the 28 yard line, but Fresno State starting to hold tough. An incomplete pass from quarterback Kellen Moore and then a stop behind the line on 3rd down brings up another field goal try. This one from 46 yards and it's right down the middle. Boise back on top 13-7 with just over a minute left in the first half.

The Bulldogs continue to struggle on the ground, they are unable to put any dent in the Boise State defensive line. If the Bulldogs can't get their ground game going, it's gonna force Brandstater to use the pass more and it may not go the way they want.

Brandstater completion to Chastin West to the Bulldogs' 35 yard line, then hits Marlon Moore across the 40 for a first down. They will have to use their first timeout and with just 0:35 seconds to go in the half, can they get Kevin Goessling into field goal range. Let's not forget, Goessling hit a 58-yarder to win the game against Utah State a few weeks ago.

Boise State gets a sack on Brandstater and it forces Fresno State to use their 2nd timeout with 27 seconds left to play. They'll need a few big plays to get into field goal range and get a tie going into half time.

A completion from Brandstater to Chastin West, but West can't get out of bounds and the Bulldogs will have to heave the ball towards the end zone or hope they can do a quick out pattern and get out of bounds for 1 more play.

They get a great completion over the middle but there wasn't enough time to get another play off before half time. A disappointing way to end a first half not being able to get into field goal range to tie up the game, but you take a victory of staying within 3 points of the 8th ranked Boise State Broncos. Fresno State is still in the game with another half of football to play.

HALF TIME: BOISE STATE 13 FRESNO STATE 10

First half stats:

Fresno State: Tom Brandstater 15-18, 134 yards, Lonyae Miller 6 carries 15 yards

Boise State: Kellen Moore 12-18, 175 yards, 1 TD, Ian Johnson 7 carries 31 yards

3RD QUARTER

We're underway in the 2nd half, Boise State will have possession and will start from their own 30-yard-line.

Kellen Moore complete to Jeremy Childs on 3rd and 4 nets Boise State a first down. The Bulldogs need to get better coverage on Moore's favorite target.

Kellen Moore getting all sorts of time the pick the receiving he wants to throw to. The Bulldog defensive line needs to put a whole lot more pressure on him and force Moore to make a decision. He can't just be allowed to stand back and have that kind of time.

Just when I talk about the defensive line, Broncos' running back Jeremy Avery scores from 30 yards out. Boise State jumps out quickly here in the 2nd half. 20-10 Boise State.

Fresno State seems to be abandoning the run to start the 2nd half, two straight pass plays, the first an incompletion to Bear Pascoe, the 2nd a completion to Marlon Moore, but still 5 yards short of a first down.

Brandstater hits Seyi Ajirotutu gets his first catch but a yard short of the first. Fresno State is gonna go for it on fourth down, but not before they spend a timeout to discuss it.

Real quick note, I'm getting real tired of the ESPN announcers dogging Fresno State for just about every decision they've made thus far. I know you're biased, but don't make it so obvious.

A big first down by Lonyae Miller...ESPN's guy still dogging Fresno State. "A risky decision, I wouldn't have done it, what would have happened if they didn't make it." Are you serious?

Fresno State, after a big fourth down play, has two dropped passes and will have to punt.

Well, it looks like Boise State is the 2nd half team because they just got a 90 yard punt returned for a touchdown, they now take a 27-10 lead over Fresno State. This game has quickly gotten away from Fresno State.

Well, this hasn't gone the way Fresno State fans hoped it might go after only trailing by three points after one half of play. Boise State, since then, has gotten a 90 yard punt return for a touchdown, two interceptions, and has turned both of those into touchdowns. A 21-0 run by Boise State here in the 3rd quarter and there's still 5 minutes left to play and another full quarter of football after that. How much worse can this get?

Final thoughts: Well, it got uglier by a long shot. Boise State runs off 49 unanswered points in the 2nd half and shuts out Fresno State and currently leads 61-10. This was not the 2nd half that Pat Hill and his Bulldogs were hoping for and what a disappointing season end for Sr. quarterback Tom Brandstater. He came off limping after the last drive and will be replaced by Sophomore, and future Bulldog quarterback, Ryan Colburn with just over 5 minutes left to play in the game.

What can you say about this Boise State team though, give them a ton of credit, they in my opinion deserve a shot at a BCS bowl. I think they would give a big time team a lot of trouble, just like they did when they upset Oklahoma a few years ago in the Fiesta Bowl. Congrats to Chris Peterson and the 12-0 Broncos, they've had an amazing season. Here's an unbelievable stat for you, the Boise State Broncos have gone undefeated for the third time in five seasons. There isn't another team in the country that can say that! I'm a Bulldog fan, but I'm also a fan of the Western Athletic Conference, so congrats to Boise State.

Seay, George lead Bulldogs past Seattle

2008-11-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

After a disappointing 2 points against San Diego State, Freshman guard Paul George showed what he could do when he stays out of foul trouble as he and Jr transfer Sylvester Seay led the Bulldogs to a 79-58 win over Seattle University last night.

Seay, a transfer from Arizona State, led the Bulldogs with a career high 22-points (6-of-9) while George added his 2nd career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Mychal Ladd also had a career high night as he dropped in 15 points as well as grabbing six rebounds while Sr guard Dwight O'Neil came up just short of a triple-double. O'Neil would finish the night with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting, 8 rebounds and 9 assists.

Up next for Fresno State (2-2) will be a matchup with Pac-10 opponent Oregon State on Sunday. Tip off is scheduled for 2pm at the Save Mart Center.

Bulldogs close out the season on the "Smurf Turf"

2008-11-24T15:51:00.000-08:00

As Fresno State winds down the 2008 season, they have one more game yet to play, and it's a fitting way to end the season if you ask me.

Friday night, Fresno State will be on the "Smurf Turf" in Boise, ID to take on 9th ranked Boise State. The Broncos of Boise State come into this game with a perfect record and have everything, including a BCS game, to lose by losing this game, which is why Fresno State should be the looser of the two teams going into the game. They know they having nothing to lose, they should be a lock for a bowl game, whatever and wherever that game happens to be so win or lose, they will have a post season.

Call Fresno State's season a disappointment if you wish, but let's look at it this way. The Bulldogs had Wisconsin and Hawaii beaten in the final seconds, but missed field goals would eventually lead to a Bulldog loss. If Goessling makes just two of the six combined field goals he missed, we're talking about Fresno State sitting at 9-2 overall and 5-2 in WAC play. So, I don't think blaming a 7-4 record on Pat Hill is exactly fair, do you?

With all the talk about San Diego State firing Chuck Long after 3 seasons and now Charlie Weis being on the hot seat at Notre Dame after four seasons, I'm sure rumors have started about Pat Hill also being on the hot seat, but isn't that the case every year?

With the players Pat Hill has recruited and brought in to learn the Bulldog system, I think they are the verge of a breakout season, a season like a lot of us Bulldog fans saw back in 2001 when David Carr led Fresno State to a Top 10 ranking and a win against a high powered Wisconsin team, on the road no less.

So now that I got sidetracked with what I was writing about, let's finish talking about this big game coming up. Do I think the Bulldogs can win a game of this magnitude against a team like Boise State? My biased answer would be yes, but the realistic side of me says absolutely not. This is a very good Boise State football team and one that could have a date with another high bowl game come January. If Fresno State can just stay with the Broncons, I'll call it a success, but somehow, I don't see that happening either.

Either way, it's been a fun season to watch and I look very much forward to seeing where Fresno State ends up playing and in which bowl game. After that, we'll hang up the cleats and we'll focus on Fresno State basketball and look forward to the 2008 College World Series Champion baseball team starting up spring drills. Let's get past winter before we start talking about spring shall we?

Experienced Aztecs too much for young Bulldogs

2008-11-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

The Bulldogs had traveled to beautiful San Diego, CA to take on long time rival San Diego State at Cox Arena on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the more experienced Aztec team had no problem winning a 80-56 decision against the younger Bulldog squad. The largest margin of victory over Fresno State since an 80-58 victory on Feb. 19, 1977.

Aztecs' guard Kyle Spain tied a career high as he dropped in 22 points, on 6-of-12 from the field, to go along with 11 rebounds as well as hitting all 8 of his free throws to lead San Diego State. Also scoring in double figures for the Aztecs was Ryan Amoroso, who had 11.

Unfortunately for Fresno State, their young freshman Paul George was in foul trouble most of the game and was held to just 2 points, his lone basket coming in the final minutes of the game. George had been averaging 19.5 points per game as well as 7.5 rebounds per game. It didn't help the young Bulldog squad that, as a team, they finished the night shooting just 33.3% (22-60) while San Diego State finished at a balmy 51.3% (30-64). Silvester Saey, a Jr. transfer from Arizona State, led Fresno State with 13 points on 5-of-14 from the floor. Freshmen Mychal Ladd finished the night with 8 points on 3-of-12 from the field while Sr. guard Dwight O'Neil would add 12 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists but turned the ball over 6 times in the game.

Up next for Fresno State (1-2, 0-0), they will return home to close out the month of November as they welcome in Seattle University on Tuesday the 25th, that game will tip off at 7pm, then close out the month against Pac-10 opponent Oregon State on Sunday the 30th, which is a 2pm scheduled tip off.

Bulldog defense dominates in win over Spartans

2008-11-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

In what was a must win game, the Bulldogs brought their 'A' game for the 2nd straight week as they knocked off San Jose State 24-10 on Friday night.

Defensively, Fresno State was outstanding. They had to be in the field more than I'm sure they wanted to, but they were up for the challege. They would give up the only points the Spartans would score (10) in the first half, shutting them out in the 2nd half and allowing their offense to run away with the game with three second half scores including two from running back Anthony Harding and a 49-yard punt return from Chastin West.

The team was, again, without the team's leading rushing Ryan Mathews as he is still nursing his ankle injury, but they would show just how strong the running back trio of Mathews, Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding are. Miller would carry the ball 14 times for 67 yards while Harding would have an even bigger night, carrying the ball 17 times for 99 yards and 2 scores. Jr. running back Jamaal Rashad would even get into the act as the Bulldogs' third option, finishing the night with 5 carries and 41 yards rushing.

The Bulldogs used the ground game to their advantage and it was much needed, as they got a season low 71 yards through the air from Sr. quarterback Tom Brandstater on 5-of-18 passing and an interception.

This should be an incredible confidence boost for this team as they look forward to their showdown against 9th ranked Boise State on the blue turf. With the kind of defense this team has played in recent weeks, they'll need to put up an even bigger effort against a very high powered offense.

With the win, Fresno State (7-4, 4-3) should be a lock for a post season bowl game, though we'll have to wait until probably mid-December before that is announced, but the win definitely helps their chances. Their game against Boise State will be a nationally televised game on ESPN2 on Friday afternoon. Kickoff scheduled for 3pm local time.

The Red Wave talks to Paul Loeffler

2008-11-21T14:22:00.001-08:00

Paul Loeffler, current voice of Bulldog Baseball, gets the chance to step into the huge shoes of Bill Woodward and is very graceful when he calls Mr. Woodward the "only voice of Bulldog sports." He covers not only that but also his new book coming out, some memories about the College World Series and the performance of one Steve Detweiler.

The Red Wave: Talk about the book "Underdogs to Wonderdogs" and at what point did a book become an idea?

Paul Loeffler: The book was an absolute blast to put together. It was a pretty intense month working hard to get it done, but it was worth it. In the weeks after the Bulldogs won the championship, I received a call from a publisher I had encountered when his company put out a book on local veterans of World War II. His name is Kent Sorsky, and his company is Linden Publishing. He asked if I’d be interested in writing a book about the Diamond Dogs and their magical season, and I told him I would be, as long as Fresno State was on board with the idea. Paul Ladwig at Fresno State had already been examining the idea of a book, and when he said he wanted to team up with us, it was full speed ahead. I think we’re all really pleased with the finished product. It’s a big, coffee table-style hardcover book with a sharp full-color dust jacket. 200 photos squeezed into 168 pages, taking you from the season opener to that unforgettable dogpile and beyond. I learned a lot by going back and interviewing the coaches and players, and a lot of those behind-the-scenes stories really add to the book. Quite a few radio calls are included, and the bold red typeface for those really makes them stand out and makes the book flow. The final chapter is made up of comments from three dozen other voices, from Dr. Welty and Bob Bennett to Chris Berman and Erin Andrews. It’s a pretty wide-ranging mix, and I think it really helps put the significance of this incredible underdog story in perspective.

The Red Wave: Take me back to the WAC Tournament, at what point did it look like this team just might be able to do something?

Paul Loeffler: I’m a bit ashamed to admit this, but heading to Ruston, I wasn’t convinced the Bulldogs would win the WAC Tournament. They had struggled on the road all year, had just split with the team they’d be opening against (6th place Sacramento State), and I thought the hitter’s park that Louisiana Tech has would favor Nevada or New Mexico State. One thing Mike Batesole said after that Memorial Day win over Nevada to send the Dogs back to the NCAAs stuck with me. He said “we aren’t a very good team right now… but these guys know how to win.” His whole quote is in the book, but that’s the gist of it. The biggest thing was their bullpen was starting to come around, and that would really be a difference-maker over the weeks ahead.

The Red Wave: I'm sure you saw the players as they made their way to Omaha. What was their demeanor and how awestruck were they when they arrived?

Paul Loeffler: I actually had to rely on their accounts of that process because I wasn’t there to see that moment in person. My grandfather had passed away and we had his funeral the day after the Bulldogs’ first game in Omaha. Bill Woodward was kind enough to handle that blowout win over Rice, and I made it to Omaha in time for the first battle with North Carolina. The book does cover those welcome to Omaha moments for the team, with one player commenting on how the crowd for batting practice was larger than any crowd they’d played a game in front of all year.

The Red Wave: Was there ever any comments, either from opposing fans or media about Fresno State to the extent of "what are they doing here" or "they won't last the weekend?"

Paul Loeffler: A lot of the players overheard people making comments to that end, and I can tell you that just in terms of marketing and what souvenirs were available initially, it was clear that the Bulldogs weren’t expected to stick around that long. A few days later, Fresno State items were going like hotcakes and the “neutral” Omaha fans had really started to fill up the bandwagon.

The Red Wave: Talk about the gutsy performance of Steve Detwiler. Will his performance, in the National Championship game against Georgia, go down as being one of the best of all time?

Paul Loeffler: I think it has to go down in history that way. To struggle at the plate the way he did for most of the CWS, only to come up huge with that kind of superhuman effort, was absolutely incredible. The best moment came in the post-game news conference when Detwiler tried to downplay his contributions. Brandon Burke had to pick up a box score and point out that Detwiler had driven in all six Bulldog runs. Steve’s energy really made a difference throughout the season. His performance in the final game was spectacular, but in the book I detail my favorite play of his in 2008, and it actually happened at Beiden Field, long before the Dogs even sniffed Omaha.

The Red Wave: I can't let you go without asking you about the man you're going to be taking the place of. Talk about Bill Woodward and what he has meant to Bulldog sports and talk about stepping into his shoes as the new Voice of Bulldog football and basketball as well as baseball.

Paul Loeffler: Bill is the only “Voice of the Bulldogs” many of us have ever known. He’s been doing this longer than I’ve been alive. Growing up in Los Banos, I listened to Bill call games like Kevin Sweeney breaking the NCAA record, the College World Series in 1988 and 1991, and some memorable moments from the likes of Carl Ray Harris and Dave Barnett on the basketball court. After my four years at Syracuse, I came back to the Valley and got to hear him call buzzerbeaters from the likes of Courtney Alexander and Demetrius Porter, the magic of the 2001 football season, and one of my favorites, Stephen Spach’s winning TD in the MPC bowl against Virginia. Anyone who has ever worked around Bill knows that he handles himself with class, he cares about the student-athletes, and he’s committed to making his broadcasts about them and what they’re doing, not about himself. Those are all qualities that I admire and hope to mirror as I follow in his footsteps. It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen for this role, and to be trusted with the responsibility of being the eyes and ears for Bulldog fans everywhere. I’m excited about what the future holds, and am already excited about this young but athletic and energetic hoops squad that Coach Cleveland has assembled.

The Red Wave: Lastly, give the fans the release date of the book, will you be doing a book signing and if so, when and where?

Paul Loeffler: We will have some book signings, and Coach Batesole will be at some of them with me. I’m really looking forward to that. I’m a rookie in the book business, but apparently, getting a book like this turned around this quickly is extremely rare. We are expecting the books to arrive in late December. We’re hoping they are here before Christmas, but with the variables of trade winds, customs, etc. we can’t guarantee that. As soon as the books arrive, we will start to set up some book signings and get the word out ASAP. I think it would make sense to have the first signing on campus, perhaps at the Bulldog Shop, and from there we’ll schedule more, in Fresno and beyond, as long as the demand for the book remains strong. For now, you can preorder the book at http://wonderdogsbook.com/ or by calling (559)233-6633. Ordering by the end of November gets you a $5 discount of the cover price of $34.95. Since Underdogs to Wonderdogs is officially licensed, a portion of the proceeds go back to the Fresno State program, so you’re supporting the Bulldogs when you buy the book for yourself or for a friend. Don’t forget to pick up season tickets for 2009 too. The Dogs open at home on February 20 against the Washington Huskies, and I hear there’s a possibility of Governor Schwarzenegger coming to Beiden Field to throw out the first pitch. The Governator isn’t in the book, but his Conan sword does make an appearance, and you’ll get a kick out of what Mike Batesole was doing with it.

Thank you for the chance to talk about the book and the Bulldogs. It was a thrill and a privilege to be along for the wild ride, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading Underdogs to Wonderdogs as much as I enjoyed writing it.

A big thank you goes out to Paul Loeffler for doing the interview. If you want to get the book, you can go to http://www.wonderdogsbook.com/ or call (559)233-6633 to get your copy of "Underdogs to Wonderdogs."

This is arguably the biggest victory in Fresno State history and getting your copy of this book will ensure that you have the memories to cherish. It'll also give the chance for future Bulldog fans to know what this Wonderdog team did and how they overcame injuries and a slow start to the season to become the 2008 National Champions.

The Red Wave sits down with Bill Woodward

2008-11-19T05:46:00.000-08:00

A voice that I'm sure a lot of us grew up listening to, the voice of every snap of Bulldog football, every big shot during Bulldog basketball and we even heard him call a couple of games during the magical run the baseball team made to the College World Series Championship this past June. Bill Woodward has been the man behind that voice and is retiring after 37 years behind the mic after this football season comes to a close. He will be missed by all of us that look forward to hearing his calls, especially to those of us who live too far away to make any of the home games, he always makes us feel like we're a part of The Red Wave.

I had a honor to interview him and get some insight to his memories and what he plans to do next.

The Red Wave: After 30+ years behind the mic, all the Bulldog games good and bad, all the traveling, how long do you think it'll take to sink in that this is it?

Bill Woodward: Hopefully not that long. This is a move I have been anticipating for a couple of years. I might have stepped down this past summer, but the stock market went south with a lot of my money.

The Red Wave: I'm sure people tell you that they used to enjoy listening to you growing up and now their kids are getting to enjoy your calls as well. How much does that mean to you that so many generations have listened to and enjoyed your calls of Bulldog sports?

Bill Woodward: First of all, I'm honored that they listened and hopefully liked what the heard. I know you can't please everyone, but you can try. Secondly, when players tell me they listened to me when they were little, just like their dads....then I think it's time to take my wife and go smell the roses.

The Red Wave: Take me back in time, to the 1992 Freedom Bowl against USC. How big of a win was that for this University and where do you hold that victory all-time?

Bill Woodward: Obviously it was a huge win for the program, the school and the alumni. I really enjoyed it because it was so great for Jim Sweeney. Fresno State got a lot of mileage out of it in the valley, but sadly, not a whole lot in the state. It's still a benchmark for the program, just like the near upset of the Trojans a couple of seasons ago. I rank it right up there.

The Red Wave: I know that you're not only the Voice of the Bulldogs, but you're also a fan. Talk to me about the 2008 College World Series Championship team as Bill Woodward the fan.

Bill Woodward: That was really weird. I hadn't broadcast a baseball game since the NCAA regionals in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1993, so I had been away from the program for several years. To be honest, I didn't think they would go very far in the regionals. After all, they were sent to Long Beach State and that regional not only included Long Beach, but #2 San Diego and Cal, teams that had beaten the Bulldogs. San Diego was supposed to have the best pitching in the country. I was asked to do the series because the fellow who was doing the games had a prior committment to work the national spelling bee in Washington D.C. So I was really more of a fan than a broadcaster, but I managed to muddle my way through it and was really delighted when they advanced to the Super Regional at Tempe where Arizona State seldom loses, but you know what happened. I was so pleased that they were going to Omaha and then a couple of days later, my boss called me into his office and told me to get to Omaha because the regular broadcaster, Paul Loeffler, again had a prior committment. ( I guess he didn't think they would get that far) I did the first game against Rice and then Paul got there and I was able to just watch the remainder of the series and yell for the Diamond Dogs. It was fun!

The Red Wave: You've seen so many quarterbacks in Bulldog history from Mark Barsotti to Trent Dilfer to Billy Volek to David Carr and now Tom Brandstater. Who was the best Bulldog quarterback and why?

Bill Woodward: That's tough. I'm going to surprise you. Jon Anabo....he was the quarterback, along with Beau Carter, who guilded the 1961 team to an unbeaten season and a win in the Mercy Bowl over Bowling Green. Most fans don't realize how big a deal that was, but it was huge. There have been some outgstanding quarterbacks at Fresno State, and rather than try and pick one of the current crop, I think it's more fun to just remember their accomplishments and the pride they brought to the fans.

The Red Wave: Looking to the future and looking at the talent this Bulldog football team has in the coming years, is there one player that Bulldog fans should be excited about?

Bill Woodward: The ones they should get excited about are the ones that are on the field when they go to the game. Few fans, unless they have played the game, know the sacrafices these young men have to make in order to build a good team......it is a team game and those who play it will take something away from it that will last a lifetime.

The Red Wave: All in all, when you describe your 30+ years behind the mic for Fresno State, if you had to describe it in one word, what would it be?

Bill Woodward: Satisifaction

The Red Wave: Last question and I'm honored that you took the time to answer my questions, what's next for Bill Woodward? Is there a possibility we could see a book come out sometime in the near future?

Bill Woodward: I plan to spend my time with my wife Sheila. She stayed at home while I was out running around the country callilng games for 37 years and raised out two sons and did an outstanding job. We've never been able to go to New England in the fall and see the beauty of the turning leaves, but now we can. We'll do some traveling and what ever strikes our fancy. I'm really looking forward to it. As for a book, I understand James Patterson has a new one out.

Freshmen impress, but Bulldogs fall

2008-11-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

On what was arguably the biggest college basketball event in recent history, the Fresno State Bulldogs traveled to Moraga, CA to take on St. Mary's as part of a 24-hour live ESPN telecast that started late Monday night and will continue until tonight.

Freshmen Paul George and Mychal Ladd impressed in their first nationally televised game and showed what kind of players they were going to be in the near future, but St. Mary's was just too much for Fresno State as the Gaels won a 99-85 decision on Monday night.

After the game, Bulldogs' head coach Steve Cleveland was thrilled with his teams' effort, especially with his two future stars. "All of our freshmen weren't intimidated. They played hard and gave us great minutes. They will be better as the season goes on and will be better because of this game."

Impressing the most was first year guard Paul George, who recorded his first double-double of his young career, finishing with 25 points, 10 rebounds and a highlight dunk that was just a sign of things to come.

Having a great night as well as Freshman Mychal Ladd, who surpassed his first game total of 10 points as he dropped in 13 for the Bulldogs. Senior point guard Dwight O'Neil fell one rebound short of a double-double as he racked up 12 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

All in all it was an impressive showing from this young Bulldog squad, they just faced a tougher faster Gaels' squad that jumped out early and didn't allow the Bulldogs to make a full comeback.

Up next for Fresno State (1-1), they will travel to San Diego, CA on Saturday to face off against the San Diego State Aztecs from Cox Arena. Tip off is scheduled for 1pm local time.

Bill Woodward to appear on The Red Wave

2008-11-17T19:07:00.001-08:00

I was honored to get a chance to interview long time KMJ-580 AM voice, and the voice of the Fresno State Bulldogs, Bill Woodward.

I'll be posting the Q&A with him as we talk about his favorite memories, former players and the future players that Bulldog fans can look forward to.

Mr. Woodward's voice behind the mic will be missed, not only by myself as a long time Bulldog fan, but all those who grew up listening to him. That being said, Paul Loeffler not only has big shoes to fill but I believe will fill them better than any of us expect.

Never too early to look ahead

2008-11-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

With the college football slowly winding down and college basketball just getting underway this past week, I thought we might have a little fun at looking ahead at the 2009 Fresno State football team and who you could look forward to seeing next season.

Quarterback:

Current - Tom Brandstater Status - departing Senior

Candidates:

Ryan Colburn - Colburn is 6'3" 220 lbs Sophomore from Visalia, CA (Central Valley Christian). 2008 marked the 2nd straight season that he has been the backup to Brandstater. He also saw game action in 2007 against Oregon, so he does have some playing time under his belt.

Matt Faulkner - The 6'2" 195 lbs Redshirt Freshman is getting a lot of talk as far as what his capability is as a passer. He has the strong arm of past Bulldog quarterbacks and could fit that mold in the future. Whether or not he'll win the job as a Sophomore will have to be determined during sprill drills when they begin next year.

Ebahn Feathers - The 6'1" 210 lbs Freshman from Washington Union High School is getting more talk than the previous two candidates, and for good reason. He led Washington Union to the North Sequoia League Championship, he was league MVP, 1st team All League (twice), offensive player of the year, Fresno Bee player of the year, and has over 7,800 total yards and 98 touchdowns in his high school career. This may be one of the most exciting quarterbacks Fresno State will ever see. He's got a lot to learn, but if he's a quick learner, we may see him on the field in no time.

My prediction: With Ryan Colburn already having experience in game situations, I think he is the odds on favorite to open the 2009 season as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback. If he struggles right out of the gate, I think it's going to be a close battle between Faulkner and Feathers as who takes the reigns.

Running Backs:

Current - Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, Anthony Harding

Since all three of the aformentioned running backs should be back in Bulldog uniforms, they should hold their starting roles. I don't think we'll see a changing of the guard until probably 2010.

Tight End:

Current - Bear Pascoe Status - Departing Senior

Candidates:

David Gory - A 6'4" 235 lbs Freshmen from San Ramon, CA that lettered in football in both 2006 and 2007 at California High School. He'll have a lot of learning to do in his Sophomore year, but getting to see how departing Senior Bear Pascoe goes about his day-to-day routine might help any young player.

Ryan Skimore - Skidmore will not only enter the 2009 season as a Redshirt Sophomore but also 2nd on the depth chart behind starter Bear Pascoe. He impressed in spring scrimmages prior to the 2008 season and showed a knack for getting open. The 6'5" 240 lbs tight end was listed as the 9th best tight end according to one recruiting service during his senior year of high school, which would explain being recruited by Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State along with Fresno State.

Tapa Taumoepeau - Taumeopeau, the 6'3" 220 lbs Freshman out of Euless, TX chose to play for Fresno State because they were the only Division 1 school that recruited him. He lettered in his senior year of high school, was the offensive MVP as well as the 3rd team Writer's Association All State for the 15-1 State Champions. This guy definitely has talent, don't rule him out in his Junior year, but I think he spends next season learning from guys like Skidmore.

My prediction - With Skidmore already being 2nd on the depth chart, I don't see Gory or Taumoepeau making enough of an impact on the coaching staff to change that, so look for Ryan Skidmore to be the starting tight end for Fresno State in 2009.

In the sections to come, we'll talk about the wide receivers and talk a little bit about the departing seniors on the offensive line as well as what changes we can expect to see on the defensive side.

Bulldogs get a win in Bill Woodward's final home game

2008-11-15T17:48:00.001-08:00

The long time voice of Bulldog football called his last home game and the Bulldogs made sure that he went out with a victory.

After 37 years, Bill Woodward has called his final home game at Bulldog Stadium and was honored, before the game, at midfield by Fresno State Athletic Director Thomas Boeh, former head football coach Jim Sweeney and current men's basketball head coach Steve Cleveland. He was given a # 37 football jersey for the number of years behind the mic, an autographed College World Series framed commemorative poster and a special plaque after the coin toss.

Bill Woodward on his time at Fresno State, "It goes by so fast. The 37 years were great. It's exciting, it's something that takes awhile to sink in, but it hasn't yet. When I started we were going up the steps at Ratcliffe Stadium and now we are at this beautiful stadium. I can remember the first game we played here when there was a rabbit running around the field petrified."

Current head football coach Pat Hill, "Bill Woodward has been synonymous with Fresno State athletics for nearly 40 years. His voice brought home so many great Bulldogs memories to fans. We are proud of Bill. He's the consummate Bulldog."

Men's basketball head coach Steve Cleveland, "The main thing about Bill is that he has so much passion for the program. He was more than a play-by-play guy or radio personality. He truly cared about the young men in our program. He cared as much as the coaches. It's been great working with Bill through the years. I've known him a long time and we have many great memories together."

As for the game, the Bulldogs made sure of two things. The first being that their long time radio voice didn't see a loss in his final home game, the second being that after defeating New Mexico State 24-17 tonight, that the Bulldogs are now bowl eligible. If they do end up getting to a bowl game, Bill Woodward will be behind the mic for one last post season game.

If you read the interview I did with Sam Wasson of bleedcrimson.net, I talked about quarterback Tom Brandstater being this teams' biggest strength. Well, he proved it tonight with two rushing touchdowns, the only two offensive touchdowns this team would score tonight. The other coming on a 25-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by safety Sharrod Davis in the 2nd quarter. Also having, arguably, his best game of the 2008 season was running back Anthony Harding. He carried the ball 23 times for 101 yards on the ground.

The biggest surprise of the game was the Bulldog defense, who shut out the Aggies for the entire 2nd half after going into halftime tied at 17-17. They also kept New Mexico State from running the ball at all, totalling negative nine yards when the night was over. I talked about Jon Monga making a difference in this game and he did just that, getting what might have been the game saving tackle on a possible game tying touchdown late in the game.

With the win, the Bulldogs (6-4, 3-3) are now bowl eligible but they still have two more tough tests coming up. Next Saturday, they'll travel to San Jose to take on the Spartans who are just coming off a lopsided loss in Reno against the Wolf Pack, so they're sure to be ready for the Bulldogs when they come to town. Then, Fresno State will close out the season on the blue turf up in Boise against the 9th ranked Broncos, a game I don't see even being close.

As for New Mexico State (3-7, 1-5), they're sure to continue their streak of 41 straight years without going to a bowl game. The Aggies will return home on Saturday to face another Bulldog squad, this one from Louisiana Tech, then they'll finish the season on the road in Logan, UT against Utah State.

Bulldogs open 2008-2009 season with victory

2008-11-15T15:23:00.001-08:00

The Fresno State men's basketball team got their 2008-2009 season off on the right foot, getting 17 points from Jr. transfer Sylvester Seay and used a quick second half surge to defeat Sacramento State 77-65 on Friday night.

Seay transfered to Fresno State last season from Arizona State and had to site out the 2007-2008 campaign before making his debut last night. The Bulldogs also got 14 points from Freshman Paul George and 10 points from Sr. Dwight O'Neil as well as seven rebounds and a career high seven assists in the victory. The Bulldogs led by as many as 26 at one point, 71-45, before Sacramento State closed the game with a 20-6 run thanks to the hot hand of Loren Leath who finished with a game high 21 points.

Bulldogs head coach Steve Cleveland, "We played aggressively on defense tonight and this team continues to get better. This is a very unselfish team and I like how we attacked the ball."

Up next for Fresno State, they will travel to Moraga, CA on Monday to take on St. Mary's as part of ESPN's 24 hours straight of NCAA basketball coverage. That game is not slated to start until 11pm PST. The Bulldogs will then be in San Diego, CA on Saturday the 22nd to take on San Diego State at Cox Arena, that game is scheduled to get underway at 2pm PST.

As for Sacramento State and first year head coach Brian Katz, they will play three straight games on the road to close out the first month of their season. They will be in Riverside, CA to take on UC Riverside on Tuesday, to Pullman, WA on Friday the 21st against Washington State, then finish out their three-game road trip in Bakersfield, CA on Tuesday the 25th against Cal State Bakersfield before they return home on December 1st against Idaho.

Fresno State signs 3 to letters of intent during early signing period

2008-11-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

Head Coach Steve Cleveland announced that he has signed three players to letters of intent during the early signing period for the 2009-2010 seasons.

Those three players are Greg Smith, Garrett Johnson, and Jerry Brown, Jr.

Greg Smith, currently attending Westwind Academy (Charter) in Phoenix, Ariz, is a 6'9" 240 lbs post player and is expected to log significant minutes as a freshman next year.

Head Coach Steve Cleveland on Smith: "Greg will obviously have an immediate impact in the program. He is a gifted athlete who understands the game. I love his unselfish play yet he is also capable of taking over a game offensively and defensively."

"It is such a positive thing for the program when you have a talented young man who had so many options yet he chose to come back home and help rebuild this program. Greg's work ethic and energy level will be a great asset to this team and also has the versatility to play multiple positions."

Garrett Johnson, a 6'5" 190 lbs guard from Diamond Bar, CA, is also expected to make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs next season.

Cleveland on Garrett Johnson: "Garrett is a versatile guard that can play all three positions on the perimeter. He has a great understanding of the game. He is a strong and physical player who will have an immediate impact on the program."

"Garrett is a high character student-athlete who will represent this university and community in a positive manner."

Last, but certainly not least, Jerry Brown Jr a 6'6" 195 lbs post player from San Francisco who's currently a stand out at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Cleveland on Jerry Brown Jr: "Jerry will also play multiple positions. He has the ability to beat a big off the dribble and post up smaller guards."

"Jerry's length and athleticism will be a great asset to our program defensively. Jerry is another young man who has a great work ethic on the court and in the classroom."

The Red Wave on the Aggies

2008-11-13T15:01:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: 1:22am CST

The interview is up on their site, thanks again to Sam Wasson of bleedcrimson.com for doing the interview. If you want to read the Q&A, you can find it here.

11/13/08
I was honored to be asked by Sam Wasson, the editor of Bleed Crimson, a website covering the New Mexico State Aggies, to do an interview on Fresno State as well as their upcoming matchup with New Mexico State.

I was all to happy to oblige, so keep your eyes open for that interview and as soon as it's posted to his site, we'll go ahead and have a link available to it from here.

Thanks again to Sam Wasson and bleedcrimson.net for the request.

Bulldogs may be in a win or go home situation this Saturday

2008-11-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

Fresno State looks towards their home finale, just under 48 hours away, as a win or go home situation when New Mexico State comes to town. If the Bulldogs are unable to get a win against the Aggies of New Mexico State on Saturday, it's likely that Pat Hill and his staff will start to look towards the 2009 season.

Fresno State did get a few pieces of good news yesterday as they learned that defensive tackle Jon Monga and the teams' leading rusher Ryan Mathews will make their return to the Bulldog lineup. Both players should be a huge boost for this Bulldog football team and especially in the situation they're in. Monga has been a big part of the defensive line and could be a much needed boost for a defense that gave up over 400 yards rushing to Nevada last Saturday. As for Mathews, he'll be a definite boost and will take the rushing load off the shoulders of Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding, who have struggled in recent weeks, especially with Miller missing the entire Louisiana Tech game with an injury. With all three seemingly at full strength, it should also take a huge load off the mind of quarterback Tom Brandstater, who has had to throw the ball more in the past two weeks because of the limited action that Miller saw and not having Ryan Mathews at all.

Say the Bulldogs do get a win this weekend, which I believe they will, they will need absolutely heroic efforts to knock off San Jose State and 9th ranked Boise State, both games will be played on the road. That's why the Bulldogs absolutely need a win on Saturday.

Have the Bulldogs had their chances to win games, absolutely they have, but this team was horrendous on defense last week against Nevada, they missed crucial field goals against Hawaii and Wisconsin that cost them both games as well as turning the ball over way too much. It's not time to look towards 2009 yet, but if they can't get a win on Saturday, it'll be time to head from Bulldog Stadium over to The Save Mart Center to support the basketball team who, though they are young and somewhat inexperienced, could surprise a lot of teams this season if this team is able to come together.

Time will tell...

Basketball opens 2008-2009 season on Friday

2008-11-13T05:52:00.001-08:00

The Fresno State Men's Basketball team will begin their 2008-2009 campaign on Friday night as they welcome in the Hornets of Sacramento State tonight at the Save Mart Center.

This young Bulldog squad, led by Sr guard Dwight O'Neil, will try to be the surprise of this very tough and very deep Western Athletic Conference. This team boasts eight newcomers to the Bulldog roster, with six freshmen and two junior college transfers, so this team will not have a lot of experience, but may just have the talent to stay with a lot of teams, it's just gonna depend on how well this team learns how to play together.

Sacrament State comes off a 4-24 season and will be under first year head coach Brian Katz, who is coming off a 19-year junior college coaching career at both Lassen and San Joaquin Delta College. The Hornets will have four returning players, led by guard Loren Leath (13.1 PPG), as well as twelve newcomers.

Head-to-head, Fresno State has not lost to the Hornets in Fresno (24-0) and holds an overall record of 38-10 record against Sacramento State including winning the last 21 contests and 26 of the last 27. The two teams last met on December 11, 2004, the Bulldogs coming out on top 72-54.

Tonight, for the first time, you may notice something different, a different voice to Bulldog Basketball. This will mark the first time that KMJ-580AM will go on the air without the long time voice of Bill Woodward calling the game. Instead, you'll hear the newest voice of Bulldog Basketball, as well as baseball and football, Paul Loeffler as he'll take the mic opposite Randy Rosenbloom when the game tips off on Friday night. Game time is set for 7pm.

National Champions visit the White House

2008-11-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

Almost six months after their improbable run to the National Championship, members of the Fresno State Bulldogs National Championship baseball team met with President Bush at the White House yesterday afternoon.

The President touted the Bulldogs as "a team that refused to quit," adding "I suspect some wrote you off … I thank you for your willingness to never say die, your willingness to keep fighting."

Bush is a big baseball fan, as noted by Bulldog pitcher Brandon Burke, "He's a big baseball guy, he knows how it is." Bush was the managing General Manager of the Texas Rangers from April 1989 until he decided to run for governor in 1994. He was one of those responsible for the building of, what is today, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington which broke ground on October 30, 1991.

If you want to read the full remarks made by the President, you can see them here

Bulldogs in danger of missing the postseason

2008-11-10T13:41:00.001-08:00

Fresno State is in danger of missing the postseason for the 2nd time in three years, not playing in a bowl game in 2006 after going through a rough 4-8 season, then turning it around in 2007 with an 8-4 finish and a 40-28 victory over Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl.

The Bulldogs will need at least one win in their next three games starting this Saturday against New Mexico State, Fresno State's home finale. They'll finish up the 2008 season at San Jose State then at 9th ranked, and undefeated, Boise State, neither of which I expect Fresno to win so it's win or go home against the Aggies this weekend.

The biggest problem for Fresno State this season has not only been the horrible defense, but injuries, turnovers and missed opportunities have been this team's downfall all season long. Against Wisconsin, a 13-10 loss, kicker Kevin Goessling missed 3 FG's that would be been the difference between a 3 point loss and a Bulldog victory. A few weeks later, again at home, against Hawaii, Goessling would again miss three FG's that eventually would cost them the game, one of which came at the end of regulation that would have given Fresno State the victory. Notch a victory in both those games, and instead of currently being at 5-4 they would be sitting pretty at 7-2 going into Saturday's game against New Mexico State.

Will missing the postseason mean that Pat Hill's job is on the line? I doubt it, but the rumors will begin to swirl I can almost guarantee that. I don't believe Hill is responsible for missed FG's in crucial situations, the injuries they sustained that have really cost this team or the lack of ball control this offense has been plagued with, but Hill will always tell you that he's responsible for getting the team ready. The two injuries that have hurt this team the most were Sr. lineman Cole Popovich and Sr. defensive tackle Jon Monga, both players were lost early on in the season and it's shown how much of an affect it has had on this team.

We'll see what this team has the final three weeks of the 2008 season. Are the out of gas? Only time will tell.

Pre-Sales underway for Underdogs to Wonderdogs

2008-11-08T11:01:00.000-08:00

For those of you who didn't read the interview with Paul Loeffler, the voice of Fresno State baseball and the future voice of Fresno State football and basketball, has a book coming out called "Underdogs to Wonderdogs: Fresno State's Road to Omaha and the College World Series Championship."

Pre-sales are underway for the book, which should hit shelves at the end of December. So get your name on the list by clicking here.

Atrocious defense leads to second straight loss

2008-11-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

Well, how do you talk about a game like this without wanting to get extremely angry? How do you rationalize being on national television and have another team almost collect 500 rushing yards against you, at your own place?

That's exactly what happened tonight as Nevada ran up 472 yards of rushing offense, handing Fresno State their 2nd straight loss 41-28 on Friday night. It marks the sixth time in the last seven games that Fresno State has allowed 30 or more points and the second time this season they've given up 40 or more (Sept. 20th @ Toledo).

The Bulldogs would again be haunted by turnovers and it would eventually cost them the game. With the Bulldogs trailing 17-14 and looking poised and ready to take the lead back from Nevada, quarterback Tom Brandstater (14-of-23, 260 yds, 2 TD's) would find tight end Bear Pascoe over the middle, but as Pascoe tried to stretch for more yards, he would fumble the ball and Nevada would recover. The Wolf Pack would drive quickly down the field for a touchdown and stretch the lead to 24-14. Fresno State had two more drives in the final minutes, both ended with turnovers, an interception from Brandstater and a fumble, by receiver Seyi Ajirotutu at the Nevada 10 yard line with 1:57 left to play in the game, that was the nail in the coffin.

Nevada was led by running back Vai Taua who ran for a career best 263 yards and a touchdown as well as quarterback Colin Kaepernick who added 118 yards and 2 TD's on the ground. They barely needed Kaepernick's arm tonight, the same arm that baseball scouts were drooling over before he decided to give up the sport for football, going 7-for-17 for just 128 yards.

Bulldogs' head coach Pat Hill, "First off, I have to give credit to Nevada. We got beat by a good football team tonight. The time of possession was critical tonight. They had the ball nearly 38 minutes tonight and we had it 22."
"We're not the same team we were in September. We need to find a way to make this team win in November."

I know Bulldog fans are going to be all over Pat Hill after this loss, though how is that different from any other loss. I can't imagine the outcry if this team can't win at least one of their final three games (New Mexico State, San Jose State, Boise State).

Next up for the Wolf Pack of University of Nevada-Reno (5-4, 3-2), they'll return home for a very big showdown with San Jose State (6-3, 4-1) next Saturday, then play their home finale on Nov. 22nd against 9th ranked Boise State before finishing their 2008 schedule, Nov. 29th, against the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech.

As for Fresno State (5-4, 2-3), they need at least one win in their next three games in order be bowl eligible. That starts next Saturday, at Bulldog Stadium, as they'll welcome in the Aggies of New Mexico State (3-5, 1-3) for Fresno State's home finale. Their final two games, of the 2008 football season, will be at San Jose State and at 9th ranked Boise State, two games that I can't see this team winning, especially not after how they played tonight against Nevada, but stranger things have happened.

Bulldogs open exhibition schedule with a win

2008-11-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

Well, you can call it a good start to the basketball season for Fresno State, but I for one am a little worried after Fresno State knocked off Fresno Pacific 97-88 on Tuesday night.

The reason that I'm a little concerned you ask? Should the Bulldogs be giving up 88 points to Fresno Pacific? What's going to happen when teams like Nevada and Boise State come calling? Yes, I know this is a young team and they are definitely in a rebuilding mode with a lot of young players and just one senior, but the defense needs to tighten up. They'll face off against Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday afternoon at 2pm from the Save Mart Center.

The promising thing I take away from the victory is freshmen Paul George and Mychal Ladd, who led the Bulldogs in scoring. George lit up the scoreboard with a 28 point performance, on 11-of-17 shooting, as well as collecting five steals while Ladd chipped in with 21 points of his own, lone senior Dwight O'Neil added 16 points and 7 assists also for the Bulldogs.

Head coach Steve Cleveland, "I am most proud that these guys found a way to win the game by making plays. I appreciate all the fans that came out to watch and know that the support is going to continue to grow."

The attendance on the night was 8,657 at the Save Mart Center, not a bad turnout for an opening night exhibition game.

History is made, Obama elected President

2008-11-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

I know this has nothing to do with Fresno State, but it's history in the making. Although I didn't vote for him, this is what this country's democracy is all about.

Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th President of the United States of America, he only needed 270 electoral votes, he collected an astounding 333 to John McCain's 146.

This is a moment this country will never forget, a moment where the color barrier has been crossed and a new generation will begin on this day, November 4th, 2008.

Bulldogs, Fresno Pacific open exhibition schedule tomorrow night

2008-11-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

College Basketball has returned! Well, not officially, not yet anyway. Fresno State will open the exhibition portion of their schedule as they welcome in Fresno Pacific, tomorrow night at 8pm, then they'll face off against Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

Though these won't be the toughest tests this young team will face, it'll give the fans as well as head coach Steve Cleveland and his staff an idea of how this team will perform in certain situations and against certain calibre teams.

The exhibition schedule will prepare this team for when they open the season on national television on November 17th. Fresno State will take part in a 24-hour basketball coverage being held on ESPN. That game will be at the Save Mart Center and will tip off at 11pm local time. It will be the first of two games that will get national exposure, the second of which will be on February 19th as they'll host the Hawaii Warriors at the Save Mart Center.

This is a very young team with just one senior, that being Sr guard Dwight O'Neil, but O'Neil has take the role of the leader on this team. We'll see if he makes enough of an impact on these young players to hopefully make a good showing in the Western Athletic Conference.

If you don't want Pat Hill, do you want Phillip Fulmer?

2008-11-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

Now I know this is really far fetched and maybe I shouldn't be talking about it, but since I've heard so many people call into the post game shows after a Fresno State loss, I thought I'd throw out a well known name that will be jobless after the completion of the 2008 college football season.

That name? Soon to be former Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer. He has a National Championship under his belt, could be the coach Fresno State needs to get them over the hump? Is he a name Fresno State would even be interested in or do they even have the money for him to listen to offers?

Ok, yes this is WAY far fetched, but for those of you who want Pat Hill out, let's hear who you think Fresno State should consider? Lane Kiffin, formerly of USC it out as the Oakland Raiders coach, how about another name that will come out of left field, former NFL coach Jim Fassel. Whether or not an NFL coach would come to a relative unknown, more unlikely than likely, is a matter of money..something Fresno State just doesn't have a lot of, especially to woo coaches like Fassel and Fulmer.

If Pat Hill does lose his job in the next few years, here are a few names to keep in mind, and one of these is a former Bulldog and former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl Champion. Watch for Trent Dilfer's name to possibly come up, maybe not seriously, but his name will come up.

Bottom line is, however, that it would take consecutive losing seasons for Hill to lose his job and I don't see that happening any time soon.

Bulldogs unable to capitalize on Brandstater's big night

2008-11-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

Quarterback Tom Brandstater had one of his best games of the season, but Fresno State couldn't capitalize as Louisiana Tech would win the battle of the Bulldogs 38-35, Fresno State's first road loss this season.

The game might have been won on two big plays in the third quarter, leading to 10 Louisiana Tech points, giving them a 24-21 lead. The first was an interception thrown by quarterback Tom Brandstater, which Louisiana Tech would convert into a touchdown to tie the game at 21-21. The second was a blocked punt, the first allowed by Fresno State since 2002 against Oregon, which allowed Louisiana Tech to take a 24-21 lead on a field goal. Fresno State would eventually take a 28-24 lead on a 33-yard hookup from quarterback Tom Brandstater to wide receiver Seye Ajirotutu, but those previous two scores from Louisiana Tech was possibly what decided the game.

Brandstater would finish his night 23-of-38 for 295 yards and 4 TD's, throwing two a piece to wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu and tight end Bear Pascoe, the other touchdown coming on a 56-yard punt return by Rashad Evans.

Defensively, Fresno State would struggle again, giving up 297 yards on the ground while the Bulldogs' 3-headed monster, minus Ryan Mathews and Lonyae Miller, gained only a grand total of 85 yards. Lonyae Miller missed the entire game due to injury while Ryan Mathews re-aggrivated an injury he suffered against UCLA and missed the entire second half, leaving Anthony Harding to shoulder the load.

With the win, Louisiana Tech will improve to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Bulldogs will travel to San Jose State as they'll take on the 2nd place Spartans. Game in San Jose is set for 8pm local time.

For Fresno State, it almost guaruntees that the WAC will probably be won by Boise State who remains unbeaten after blanking New Mexico State 49-0 on Saturday, that is, if they remain unbeaten or San Jose State drops another game or two. The Bulldogs still have a bowl game to play for, though they still have Nevada, San Jose State and Boise State to deal with, so that bowl game may not be in the picture if they can't win at least 2 of those 3 games. They'll (5-3, 2-2) return home as they welcome in the Nevada Wolfpack (4-4, 2-2) on Friday night, it'll be a late start due to national coverage. Game time will be 9pm PST.

Bulldogs tip off 2009 season with annual Red/White Scrimmage

2008-10-28T04:54:00.001-07:00

The Fresno State Men's Basketball team will tip off their 2008-2009 season with the annual Red/White Scrimmage, which will take place October 29th at the Save Mart Center. The doors will open to the public at 6:30pm with the festivities getting underway at 7pm, admission is free.

The events will not only feature a slam dunk contest between freshman high-flyer Paul George as well as fellow freshman Mychal Ladd, but also a shooting skills competition featuring sophomore forward Nedeljko Golubovic, junior forward Sylvester Seay, sophomore guard Myles Green and freshman guard Taylor Kelly.

With just over a week left before Fresno State opens its exhibition schedule on November 5th against Fresno Pacific, this will give fans a chance to see this young team in action and see the players they can look forward to for years to come. So, get out to the Save Mart Center tomorrow night, it doesn't cost you anything to get in, bring the kids out and let them enjoy the dunk contest and maybe teach them a little about the game of basketball. This event usually isn't sold out, so this might be the best opportunity to see these players close up.

This Fresno State team is a young squad, they may need a year or two to learn from each other, but watch out for them in 2011. In two years, with the talent this team has at this point, this is going to be a very dangerous Bulldog team to deal with. Maybe you can look back and say, "I saw these kids when they were just starting out," it might be a memory you might enjoy.

Bulldogs need last second FG to top Aggies

2008-10-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Fresno State kicker Kevin Goessling had been taking a lot of heat in the media for missing kicks in two crucial losses to Wisconsin and Hawaii, two wins that would have Fresno State unbeaten at this point in the season. Tonight, he became the hero, kicking three big field goals including a game winning, 58-yard, field goal as time expired giving the Bulldogs a 30-28 win over Utah State. It was the first win for the Bulldogs up in Logan, UT since 1989 and just their third win their all-time.

The Bulldogs trailed 28-27 with just 36 seconds left to go in the game and it seemed like they would lose another game to a team that shouldn't stay with this Bulldog squad. Tom Brandstater would lead the Bulldogs down the field and into field goal range when he would hit wide receiver Rashad Evans with an 18-yard strike to the Aggie 48-yard line then a crucial 6-yard pickup to receiver Seyi Ajirotutu to the 41-yard line with just 1 second to go. Enter kicker Kevin Goessling, imagine the pressure squarely on his shoulders, Bulldog fans hiding their heads in their hands imagining the kicks he had missed, but Goessling squared up and nailed the 58-yarder, sending the Bulldog sideline into a frenzy like they had just won the BCS Championship game.

I talked a few days ago about Tom Brandstater needing to have a better game than his previous two and he did me proud. The Bulldog quarter back finished the night 25-of-36 for 257 yards and his 40th career touchdown pass as a Bulldog, putting him 7th on the All Time List, just 10 touchdown passes behind Mark Barsotti (1988-91). He was the field general on the last drive, completing 3 of 4 passes including the one to Ajirotutu to set up the game winning field goal. To make that drive with just 36 seconds to go, shows how big of a factor he can be for this offense.

On the ground, the Bulldogs were only able to muster 165 total yards on the ground while Utah State rushed for 211, including a team high 75 yards by Aggie quarterback Diondre Borel who also passed for 193 yards, giving him a total of 282 all purpose yards. Bulldog running backs Ryan Mathews (14 carries, 60 yards) and Lonyae Miller (12 carries, 69 yards) would get the other two touchdowns, one apiece, Miller having the longest of the two from 19-yards out.

With the loss, Utah State will drop to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in conference play. They will remain home as they welcome in Hawaii (4-4, 3-2) on Saturday, game time there set for 3pm local time.

As for Fresno State, they'll improve to 5-2 on the year and 2-1 in conference play. They will return to Fresno this week for practice as they get ready to travel to Ruston, LA to take on Louisiana Tech (3-4, 1-2) who's coming off a 14-7 loss to Army. Kickoff, between the 'Bulldogs', will be at 2:30pm local time, 12:30pm on the west coast.

Bulldogs hope for strong showing against Aggies

2008-10-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

With the Bulldogs giving up 30+ points in each of their last four games, Pat Hill and his coaching staff hope the bye week gave the team time to heal and get ready for their game tonight against Utah State up in Logan, UT. where it's expected to be mostly sunny and 65 degrees. One thing to keep in mind about these two teams is the Bulldogs haven't had much success up in Logan, having not won there since 1989 and are 2-8 all time, a streak the Bulldogs hope to break this afternoon.

Yes, Utah State is 1-6 currently on the year, but three of those losses have come to 18th ranked Oregon, 22nd ranked Utah and 8th ranked BYU, so they haven't played the easiest schedule this season. However, their last two losses have been of the lopsided nature, losing 30-7 to San Jose State two weeks ago and dropping a 44-17 decision to Nevada last week.

The one thing the Bulldogs need to exploit is the Aggies' run defense, which is currently giving uip 192.3 yards per game. With Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding making up the Bulldogs' 3-headed monster, they could easily run up 250+ yards today. Tom Brandstater also needs to be efficient today as well, he threw for just 125 (14/23) against Idaho two weeks ago, he needs to be more of a factor if they're going to put Utah away early. The Bulldogs have always been a 2nd half team, but they can't keep letting teams hang around, it's what cost them the Hawaii game three weeks ago and possibly the Wisconsin game towards the beginning of the season.

The one 'X Factor' with this Bulldog team is their defense currently giving up over 400 yards of total offense per game. Hopefully with the bye week, it's allowed some of their injured players to be able to heal enough to make the start today against Utah State. The defensive line needs to be solid as does their secondary, if they can improve in those two facets of the game, I don't see Utah State hanging around at all.

Prediction Time: Ok, like I've said the past few weeks, I'm done predicting blowouts....well, I WAS. Fresno State coming in with three of the top rushers in the WAC going against a team giving up almost 200 yards per game in rushing defense, look for the Bulldogs to use that to their advantage. Fresno State 41 Utah State 17

Do Bulldog fans expect too much?

2008-10-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so usually I write about something majority of fans already know, so I thought I would take a different angle and throw out something that may rile some of you up and some may agree with me.

I used to live in Fresno, so you can't say that I don't know what I'm talking about, because I've heard the same talk when I was living there. I hear the same things with San Diego Padre fans as well. What am I hearing you ask? Fans constantly complaining, about Pat Hill, about the football program trying to do too much, playing teams they have no business playing (USC, Ohio State, Wisconsin, etc).

So with all that said, let's start on the obvious topic which is how much longer is Pat Hill going to be at the helm? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he just sign a ten year contract extension prior to this season starting? So, if in fact, that is correct it means Pat Hill is the head coach of the Fresno State Football team for another 9 years and unless the team has consecutive losing seasons at any point over those next 9 years, don't count on him being fired any time soon. Now, I heard post-game 'Dog Talk on KMJ-580 AM after the loss to Hawaii, I understand fans' frustrations because I felt them as well, but people pointing the blame at Hill? Anyone forget that kicker Kevin Goessling missed 3 FG's, one of which should have been the game winner? Anyone miss the fact that Tom Branstater had a horrendous game, responsible for half (3) of the teams six turnovers, not throwing for a single touchdown? I have a hard time believing that Pat Hill should take the blame for that, but again, this is just my opinion.

As far as the teams Fresno State plays in their non-conference schedule. I've heard a lot of people ask why they even bother, why not focus on a WAC title first and not a BCS Bowl bid? Here's what I have to say to that. For the past several seasons, Boise State has just been that much better than Fresno State and they play the same kind of non-conference schedule that Fresno State does, not shying away from anyone, so it would have been hard to challenge them. With that being said, should Fresno State go out and schedule UC Davis, Cal Poly, Harvard, just to pad their record before you start conference play? If you say yes, I hope you have a good reason for saying yes, because I have no interest in going to Bulldog Stadium just to watch a blowout. I would much rather see how they stack up against the top teams in the country. Anyone hear about San Diego State playing Cal Poly this year? No? Didn't think so.

Are there some die hard, be there through winning and losing seasons, Bulldog fans absolutely there are but there are also a fair share of bandwagon jumpers. Let's get one thing straight, as long as the BCS is around, Fresno State will NEVER play for a National Championship. That is, unless, they play Florida, USC and Ohio State, win all 3 games, go undefeated in conference and win each of those games by 20 or more points, then they might get a consideration, but it's still a long shot. I know there's a lot of excitement about the Bulldogs winning the College World Series and rightly so, I loved watching the celebrations spill out onto Shaw Ave but still able to keep it peaceful (other college towns pay attention, notice no cars turned over, no riots, no looting?), but Pat Hill and his coaching staff are going about this the right way.

Fresno State's one problem right now is their defense, they've had a lot of injuries and their defensive line needs to figure out how to stop teams from running down their throats. Let me put it this way, if Goessling makes FG's against Wisconsin and against Hawaii, we're not talking about losses in either of those games and noone is calling for Pat Hill's head.

Let's put blame where it belongs, and where the players know it should go, squarely on their shoulders and theirs alone.

Bulldog wins ALCS MVP

2008-10-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

The Bulldogs are in the national spotlight again, and again it's for baseball and the season hasn't even begun.

Former Bulldog right-hander Matt Garza was named the ALCS MVP as he led the Tampa Devil Rays past the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 and into the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Garza struggled in his first start of the postseason against the Chicago White Sox, going six innings giving up 5 runs on seven hits and taking the loss in the Rays' ONLY loss of the division series. He would take the ball in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Red Sox and showed why Tampa Bay wanted to bring him over in a trade from Minnesota. Garza would prove them wise and he shut down Boston, allowing just one run in six plus innings in a 9-1 win.

In the biggest game in his young career, he would get the ball again in the final and decisive Game 7 in Tampa Bay. After giving up a 1st inning home run, he would give up just one more hit in seven strong innings, striking out nine Red Sox batters while walking just three, throwing a grand total of 118 pitches on Sunday night.

Rays' manager Joe Maddon on Garza: “He was a stallion tonight. He did everything he could, and I’m so proud of him and what he’s done this year and how far he’s come.”

Could a former player for those underdog Bulldogs, bring a World Series championship home to yet another underdog? We'll see...

Bulldogs begin preperation for 2008-2009 season Friday

2008-10-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

The anticipation for the 2008-2009 Men's basketball season officially kicks into gear this coming Friday as the team will have their first official practice. Unfortunately for head coach Steve Cleveland and his staff, he will be at a disadvantage with only 9 allotted scholarships instead of the usual 13 due to rule violations by former coaches and players.

The Bulldogs basketball team will open their exhibition schedule on November 5th against Fresno Pacific and then follow that up with their 2nd of 2 exhibition games on November 9th against Cal State Stanislaus. The Bulldogs will then open their regular season schedule at home on November 14th against Sacramento State, their official home opener at The Save Mart Center.

On Tuesday, the media and coaches voted on how the WAC conference would shake out, the pre-season All-Americans as well as their votes for player of the year. Fresno State was voted to finish 7th in the media poll while the coaches poll had them finishing 8th. Head Coach Steve Cleveland and Sr Guard Dwight O'Neil were part of a WAC Teleconference that afternoon. If you didn't get a chance to hear that teleconference, you can click this link and hear their thoughts on the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

Fresno State will be a part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, 23 hours of college basketball coverage, that will get underway at 11pm EST with a tripleheader. The first game, tipping off at midnight easter, will be Massachussetts at Memphis followed by Fresno State at St. Mary's at 2am EST and Idaho State at Hawaii at 4am EST. Coverage will finish at 9pm EST with Kentucky at North Carolina. For coverage breakdown as far as what you can look forward to seeing during those 23 hours, you can click HERE.

Bulldogs lose Ramos for the year

2008-10-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

The Fresno State defense could ill afford to lose another player to an already decimated defensive line, but they'll have to do without defensive tackle Wilson Ramos, possibly for the remainder of the 2008 season, joining offensive lineman Cole Popovich.

Ramos, a 6'4" 270 lbs Jr from Woodlands, CA who replaced defensive tackle Jon Monga (knee), suffered a high-ankle sprain and a slight stress fracture of his left leg Saturday in the Bulldogs' 45-32 win over Idaho at Bulldog Stadium.

With the injury to Ramos, it will force head coach Pat Hill to rely on younger players like true freshmen Chase McEntee and Logan Harrell, sophomore defensive tackle Mark Robert and sophomore defensive end Chris Lewis. Not to mention that the Bulldogs hope to have Jon Monga, who suffered a knee injury 3 weeks ago, back for the Utah State game a week from Saturday, which should definitely give this team a boost.

Other key injuries to this Bulldog squad that should be returning for the Utah State game are receivers Marlon Moore (ankle) and Jason Crawley (hamstring) as well as tight end Bear Pascoe (ankle). Starting safety Marvin Haynes should also be ready to go next weekend after sitting out the 2nd half of the Idaho game with back spasms.

Pre-Sale starts today on College World Series DVD

2008-10-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Do you want to re-live the magic of Fresno State's run through the College World Series every time you get the urge? Well, starting on Monday October 13th, the College World Series box set DVD will go on pre-sale through gobulldogs.com.

The price of the box set, starting on the 13th, will be $64.99 and that will stretch through October 31st. Then, on November 1st, it will officially go on sale through The Bulldog Shop, gobulldogs.com or any of your local retailers for $79.99. So if you want to save $15 and bring the memories home to remember for a lifetime, get your pre-order in by clicking here.

'Dogs ride 3-headed monster in win over Idaho

2008-10-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

If there was any question of how good the Fresno State running backs were, that question was answered on Saturday night.

Lonyae Miller, Anthony Harding and Ryan Mathews combined for 318 total yards on the ground, tying a season high, as the Bulldogs hung on for a 45-32 victory over the Idaho Vandals at Bulldog Stadium. Lonyae Miller would finish the night with 15 carries for an impressive 181 yards and a touchdown, which came on a 90 yard sprint down the sideline in the 3rd quarter. Anthony Harding would add 8 carries for 94 yards while Ryan Mathews, just back from missing last week's loss to Hawaii, was limited but still managed 8 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Tom Brandstater had another sub par performance, though he did throw for 2 touchdowns and ran for another, he ended the night just 14/27 for 125 yards passing while Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle was 22/39 for 237 yards and 3 touchdowns. Surprisingly, Bulldogs kicker Kevin Goessling was still the starter after missing crucial field goals against Hawaii in their overtime loss last week, but he didn't miss an attempt including a 46-yarder in the 4th quarter that barely cleared the crossbar. When asked about it, head coach Pat Hill responded, "Clint Stitser was our kicker here for three and a half years and only had two game-deciding kicks. Kevin Goessling has been our kicker for six games and has had six game deciding kicks."

Fresno State struggled again defensively against the Vandals, not only giving up more than 30 points for the fourth straight game, but allowed 452 total yards including 237 through the air and another 215 on the ground, not to mention allowing Idaho to hold possession of the football for a grand total 35:05 to Fresno State's 25:55. The Bulldog defense needs to get a whole lot better if they even hope to get into a bowl game this year, especially with games against Boise State and Nevada still upcoming on their schedule.

Next up for Idaho (1-6, 0-3), they will travel to Rustin, LA to take on Louisiana Tech (2-3, 0-2) as both teams look to gain their first conference win.

As for Fresno State (4-2, 1-1), they will have a bye weekend before they head for Logan, UT as they take on the Utah State Aggies (1-5, 1-1) on October 25th. Game time is slated for 12pm PST.

The Red Wave gets noticed

2008-10-10T16:24:00.001-07:00

BIG thanks to Matt James of the Fresno Bee for the plug to my little site here. He posted the Q&A that he and I did last week on his daily blog.

If you haven't seen it, and no it's not all sports it actually has some pretty funny content on there, go check it out here.

Bulldogs look to bounce back against Idaho

2008-10-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Coming off, what could be, their most disappointing loss in several years, the Bulldog football team will try to bounce back against the Idaho Vandals when they come calling tomorrow night at Bulldog Stadium.

Tom Brandstater was anything but impressive against Hawaii last Saturday, throwing three interceptions and fumbling once, giving Hawaii great field position on more than 3 drives, ultimately leading to the Bulldogs' overtime loss. Though kicker Kevin Goessing missing three field goals, including one that could have been the game winner, didn't help their cause either.

Don't think Pat Hill hasn't take the heat for the loss this past Saturday. During his weekly radio show on KMJ-580 AM in Fresno, callers repeatedly asked if he had reached the peak on where he is able to lead the Bulldog football program. Hill, instead of getting upset or frustrated, according to Bryant-Jon Anteola of the Fresno Bee, instead decided to challenge the fans saying "If you want good water, do you want to pay for it? Getting it to the next level is the support we need from the community. Let's see what happens in the Idaho game and filling it because we need to do that to get over the hump."

Former Fresno State assistant Tom Mason, who left this past offeason for SMU after 9 years at Fresno State, backed up his former boss. "The problem with Fresno fans is that they've got a champagne appetite, but Pat's doing it on a beer budget. He's really running a Top 25 program on a budget that probably ranks 90th in the country. He doesn't have the big-money guys that can write $100 million checks.

"My take is Fresno should appreciate the things that Pat Hill has done. It's just a crime if they're not. The schools with big football tradition, they're at games whether their team wins or loses. "

Regardless of the comments from both Hill and Mason, I don't expect a big crowd this weekend, regardless of the fact that it's homecoming weekend, against Idaho especially with the Vandals coming in at 1-5 (0-2 in conference). I would hope the Bulldog "fans" come out to watch this team but I think Mason is right. Take the baseball team for example, they barely got 2,000 fans per game during the season, all of the sudden the whole city jumped on the bandwagon after running through the College World Series.

I wish I could be at Bulldog Stadium for every game all season long, but I'm a little far away to be doing that but believe me when I tell you, I'll definitely be back for basketball's home opener as well as certain points of the baseball season.

Now that I got my rant out of the way, let's get to the keys to the game shall we?

Todd's keys to the game: Idaho comes into tomorrow night's game 1-5 on the season and is not a very good football team, though neither was Hawaii, but you can not take any team lightly for the remainder of the season and the Bulldogs can not afford another embarassing loss this year. The 'Dogs should have leading rusher Ryan Mathews back for this game after he missed last week's game against Hawaii with a knee injury. Though Lonyae Miller and Athony Harding showed they pick up the slack, rushing for 318 combined yards, but they both fumbled the ball still in Fresno State territory and cost them a couple of Hawaii field goals.

Defensively this team needs to step up, they've had some great special teams play this season, but they can't keep counting on blocked punts or field goals to bail them out. The defensive line and secondary need to get a lot better and they need to keep Idaho from running all over them, that seems to be what teams have been successful doing this season against the Bulldogs.

Todd's prediction: I'm done calling blowouts....Fresno State 27 Idaho 17

Secondary note: I couldn't resist this prediction, currently living in Texas the one thing that everyone is turning their focus to tomorrow will be the Red River Shootout between #1 Oklahoma and #5 Texas at the Cotton Bowl. This should be one of the best games this season and I expect it to live up to the hype. With Texas playing at home, I think they might sneak one out, plus Oklahoma is due for a letdown. Texas 35 Oklahoma 31

Fans sound off

2008-10-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is something I've wanted to do and I've heard the callers on Post Game 'Dog Talk on KMJ-580am in Fresno, especially after a very disappointing loss to Hawaii this past Saturday night and rightly so.

Bulldog fans, I want to hear what you have to say. How do you fix this team? Is it time to move on without Pat Hill? Are you ok with Hill's "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" mantra or is he focusing too much on the BCS and not enough on winning their own conference? Give me your thoughts and ideas and we'll post them here and maybe you might see your suggestion or question in the next Red Wave interview.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say, so send those comments or questions to thebulldogredwave@gmail.com.

Six turnovers doom Fresno State in overtime loss to Hawaii

2008-10-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

With Hawaii coming into Bulldog Stadium, a shell of their former selves, you would have thought the 'Dogs would have a relatively easy time with the Warriors, send them back to Hawaii with a 1-4 record. Unfortunately, that's not what happened on this night.

Fresno State had to play this game minus star running back Ryan Mathews, and tonight it showed just how important he is to this Bulldog offense. They would turn the ball over four times in the first half, by the time the night was over, Fresno State would have six turnovers, three of which were fumbles as Hawaii would snatch a 32-29 overtime win over the 22nd ranked Bulldogs.

They had their opportunities to put points up on the board early in the first half but would have three straight and four of their last 5 drives in the first half stopped by turnovers, two of which were fumbles lost by Lonyae Miller and quarterback Tom Brandstater. The second half started just the way the first half ended, with yet another turnover, an interception. Two possessions later and 1 play in, yet another Bulldog turnover and yet another fumble. So four of their last five 1st half possessions and two of their first three 2nd half possessions ended in turnovers. That's just the way the night would go for Fresno State.

With just under a minute left, the Bulldogs had a chance to put the game on ice and sneak away with their third straight close victory, but Hawaii would block a 36 yard field goal attempt which would send the game into overtime. Fresno State would get possession first and would have a chance to go up by three with a 40 yard field goal, Kevin Goessling would miss but was given another chance after Hawaii was called for roughing the kicker. It didn't do much good as Goessling would miss again, this from 35 yards, his third miss of the night and sixth in the last two home games (he missed three against Wisconsin). Hawaii would nail the game winning field goal in overtime, sending the Bulldog crowd home shocked at what they had just witnessed.

The lone bright spot were running backs Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding. Miller would carry the ball 20 times for 162 yards and 2 TD's while Harding had 22 carries for 158 yards and 1 TD. For quarterback Tom Brandstater, a night that he is going to want back a night he's going to want to redo, he was 12/24 for 208 yards but did not throw one touchdown pass tonight and was intercepted three times as well as losing a fumble, turning the ball over four times tonight on his own. This was by far his worst game of the season and he picked a bad team to have an off night against.

For Hawaii (2-3, 1-0), they will return to home and will host Louisiana Tech (2-2, 0-1) this coming Saturday.

The Bulldogs will go right back to practice this week and will get ready to host Idaho this coming Saturday at Bulldog Stadium. For the first time all season, Fresno State will open the game against the Vandals unranked as I'm sure they'll fall out of the polls come tomorrow morning.

Mathews to miss Hawaii game

2008-10-04T19:28:00.001-07:00

I know this is late and I want to thank Lance, a poster who brought this to my attention.

The Fresno State Bulldogs will be without Ryan Mathews for tonight's game against Hawaii at Bulldog Stadium. According to head coach Pat Hill, it's a knee injury that he suffered against UCLA last week, but did finish the game. Mathews has missed practice all week but Hill expects him to back in the backfield for the Bulldogs next week against Idaho.

With the depth that Fresno State has at running back with Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding, I don't expect the Bulldogs to miss a beat tonight.

Underdogs to Wonderdogs due out on shelves in December

2008-10-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

For those of you who want to relive Fresno State's run to through the College World Series and their National Championship, this is a book you absolutely have to pickup. It's titled Underdogs to Wonderdogs: Fresno State's Road to Omaha and the College World Series Championship, is due out in your local Barnes & Noble, Borders and other local book stores in December. The author, Paul Loeffler, the voice of Fresno State baseball was nice enough to answer a few questions on the 2008 team. You can read the interview below.

Hopefully, we'll have Paul back after the book is released to get his thoughts on it, so definitely look forward to that.

The Red Wave sits down with, the voice of Bulldog baseball, Paul Loeffler

2008-10-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

I know all you Bulldog fans remember the excitement, the celebration, the final out and the improbable run through the College World Series for the Fresno State baseball team. I got a chance to talk with the voice of the Bulldogs' baseball, a guy you hear on KMJ-580am Fresno, Paul Loeffler on his experience and on the 2009 team.

Todd Kaufmann: Take me back to the College World Series, was there ever a time where you said to yourself "this can't be real, is this team really doing what they're doing?"

Paul Loeffler: A time? How about dozens of times. I honestly wasn't sure they'd win the WAC Tournament. The way they were playing down the stretch of the season, their inability to win on the road throughout the year, all factors seemed to point to a wide open field in Ruston. They had some close calls there too against Sac St. and Nevada. Coach Batesole says the win over Long Beach was the defining moment for him. Even after that, they appeared to be toast so many times, but kept answering the bell over and over again. I recently finished writing a book about their season, and even after that, it STILL doesn't seem real. They went from an RPI of 89 going into the NCAA field and found a way to win it all. No one has ever done that before, in any sport, and I doubt it will ever be done again.

Todd Kaufmann: I talked to Andrew Marden of CBS 47 and he says the 2008 team "overachieved," is that a fair statement?

Paul Loeffler: For a good chunk of the year, the players and fans would have told you they underachieved. They knew going into the season that Omaha might be a possibility, but then they played themselves into a position where they needed to win the WAC tourney just to make the postseason. They certainly didn't have the talent or depth that ASU had, or the numbers that teams like Rice and UNC had, but they didn't go up against a single team that I thought could match their heart. I guess it's fair to say they underachieved and then overachieved, but the bottom line for me is that they demonstrated the power of trust.

Todd Kaufmann: In game 2, after Georgia had come from behind and beaten Fresno State, the Bulldogs were down 5-0, did you honestly think this team had what it took to put together the kind of rally they did?

Paul Loeffler: By that point I had learned not to count them out. If they could do what they did in Tempe, there was really no situation that was going to be more imposing. Again, the power of trust, the comfort and freedom that comes from believing in each other, not worrying who gets the credit, and just living in the moment.

Todd Kaufmann: Talk about Steve Detwiler and the guts it took to go out there and do what he did in the finale with a badly damaged thumb. Is this a performance that will be forever etched in College World Series lore?

Paul Loeffler: I think it has to be, not even so much for the injury - he'd been dealing with that for close to 2 months - but for what he had done before that in Omaha. He had been about the easiest out on the team going into that final game. I wondered if Mike Batesole would put Mendonca in the 6-hole, even though UGa was starting a lefty, but Bates said he had to stick with what got them there, and that was Detwiler batting 6th against LH starters. Trust epitomized again. Detwiler has something in his blood that most of us don't. He's all about energy, excitement, and adrenaline, and it's hard to imagine a day that will ever surpass that one for him in that regard.

Todd Kaufmann: I know some fans want their play-by-play guys to not be "homers," then there are those fans who love to hear the real emotion of their own guys. Take me through the final out and the emotion in the booth. Talk about what that was like for you personally?

Paul Loeffler: My philosophy is that, first and foremost, you have to be the 'eyes' for your audience. You have translate what you're seeing into words that paint a picture for the listeners at home, and the picture you paint better be an accurate representation of what's happening. If the other team makes a phenomenal play, a la UNC's Kyle Shelton sliding into the foul fence and making the catch, there needs to be some excitement in your call. A great play is a great play, no matter which team makes it, and a great player is a great player, no matter which uniform he wears. As Fresno State's announcer, I'm obviously going to be tailoring to a Bulldog fan's perspective, a Valley resident's perspective, but my hope is that someone listening will respect and appreciate the job I do, regardless of who he roots for. It was a great thrill to be there, and a tremendous privilege to try to capture the moment that so many Diamond Dog fans, alumni, ex-coaches, etc had been waiting for for such a long time.

Todd Kaufmann: That night, after the celebration on the field was over, when the players were back at the hotel, what was that like. I know most of them had to be up most of the night, was was the emotion like at the hotel?

Paul Loeffler: I didn't throw a pitch or swing a bat, but I was completely drained. It had been as long a stretch on the road as I've ever dealt with, and I realized I clearly had put a lot of energy into that championship game. I was a little dazed as I walked into the hotel, and one of the first things to greet me was a giant bear hug from Coach Batesole. I don't know if I was even coherent enough to properly congratulate him. I had to be at the airport before 6 the next day, so I crashed early, but I know the celebration did last a while. When I headed to the airport in the morning, Brandon Burke was still in the lobby chatting with Matt James of the Bee. I guess they slept on the plane.

Todd Kaufmann: If there were a few guys that Bulldog fans should keep their eye on when the 2009 season opens, who are those players and why?

Paul Loeffler: The first names that have to be mentioned are Mendonca and Ahmady. The Mendonca we saw in Omaha was the player we knew he always had the potential to be. If he can maintain that level of performance, that kind of success against lefties, and that ability to hit breaking pitches, he could be a legitimate player of the year candidate. The experience he gained in Omaha and on his world tour with Team USA will be extremely valuable. Ahmady can flat out hit, and is as clutch they come. We may see him used in different places and different roles in 2009. I look to Holden Sprague to set the tone for the pitching staff. He was the unsung hero of that staff in 2008, and has the mound makeup you wish everyone could take on. Muno will be solid again, Hedstrom built a lot of confidence, Detwiler should be more consistent and will continue to inject enthusiasm, Grubb learned a lot in 2008 and will be a leader, and we'll see which freshmen decide to step up, especially on the mound. It should be an exciting year.

Final note...great GREAT interview from Paul Loeffler. We all know the excitement Bulldog fans, and the city of Fresno, went through throughout the College World Series and the National Championship game, but it's always fun to hear the insight from the announcers and how they felt the entire way through. Big thanks to KMJ's Paul Loeffler for taking the time to do it. Check him out every Sunday afternoons at 4pm on KMJ-580am for his show Hometown Heroes.

Bulldogs ready for payback

2008-10-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

With the Hawaii Warriors in town, this Fresno State team is foaming at the mouth to do to them what Hawaii did to the Bulldogs a few times over the last few years. They want to take them down and they want to put them down early.

Hawaii visits Fresno State with a 1-3 record, not the same team that had a high powered offense and a defense that was just as good. Not the same June Jones, now at SMU, led team or quarterbacked by one of the best in Division 1 in Colt Brennan. The large shadow that once loomed large in the Bulldog schedule, is now just a blip in the road to what could be one of their best seasons in recent memory.

For the Bulldogs, it's coming down to how their defense plays or which one shows up tonight. They have struggled mightely against the run, giving up over 500 yards of offense on the ground alone. Even though Hawaii comes into today's game averaging under 100 yards per game in the run, Fresno State's defensive line still needs to step up and close off that part of their game, don't let them believe they can stay in this game. Offensively, the Bulldogs are one of the best in the nation as far as putting points on the board, you know Tom Brandstater and company are going to put up points. With offensive weapons like Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding in the backfield, then you look at Seyi Ajirotutu, Marlon Moore and Chastin West as the receiving corps, this is a very dangerous offensive squad.

Todd's keys to the game: I've said this the past 2 weeks and I'll continue to say it, defense is going to be the key for the Bulldogs again today, especially defending the home turf. Hawaii knows that the Bulldogs have struggled against the run and they'll try to exploit that today. The defensive line and secondary need to step up today and take away that part of the game, force Hawaii to beat you in the air, and we all know that isn't gonna happen.

Offensively, get Ryan Mathews involved early and often against a Hawaii team that is giving up over 130 yards per game on the ground. Once you establish the running game, it allows Brandstater to use the play action and go up top to his 3 weapons on the outside in Ajirotutu, Moore and West.

Prediction: Fresno State wins big 42 - 21

The Red Wave sits down with Matt James of the Fresno Bee

2008-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Fresno Bee's Matt James stopped by and gave a great interview on this Bulldog football team and a few thoughts on the College World Series and the Bulldogs' run to the National Championship.

Todd Kaufmann: Take me back to the National Championship game in Omaha between Fresno State and Georgia, for Fresno State fans that are no longer in Fresno, talk about the kind of buzz and anticipation there was all around the city. What was that like?

Matt James: I was in Omaha for the entire College World Series, 15 days I believe, so I really didn’t get to experience the height of the buzz. The beat reporter and I were even delayed in an airport (I think it was Denver, but I spend a lot of time in airports, so it’s hard to say) while the parade and the celebration was going on back in Fresno. The team apparently didn’t have to ride coach home. I know the excitement was pretty fierce, though. People who’d never been within a three-wood of Beiden Field (Fresno State’s home stadium) were emailing me every day. People who couldn’t have named two infielders and a pitcher a month earlier were nearly code blue on every pitch. Our stories from Omaha would be seven or eight of the top 10 most-read stores at Fresnobee.com every day. I was getting texts from friends all over the country. A couple of my old buddies from Wisconsin considered driving down for the final series then decided maybe getting fired wasn’t worth road tripping to see a team they’d never spent on 2 seconds thinking about in their entire lives. It was wild.

People tell me Fresno bars and restaurants were packed for every game. We also heard that after they won the title, so many people were celebrating on Shaw Avenue that police had to put up barricades and close it down. That turned out not to be true, but the fact that it was even believable – that they’d shut down a major four-lane street with a median – said something. College baseball is obviously a second-tier sport when it comes to attention and money, but the College World Series does mean something. This wasn’t rowing or a wrestling or softball. This was leading off “SportsCenter.” At the time, this was the story in American sports.

Todd Kaufmann: I think Pat Hill's "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" mantra that he brought to Fresno State has really allowed the Bulldogs and Fresno State as a university to be put back on the map. Do you agree or do you think fans have tired of it?

Matt James: I think it’s helped. Fresno State football is a product and Coach Hill is marketing the product. He’s given the program a label. How many college football programs have mantras that people across the country actually know? Now a lot of BCS programs don’t need labels, they have many more decades of tradition than the Bulldogs. But there are also a lot of BCS programs that wish they could get on national TV as often as Fresno State does. That’s been the idea, and it’s worked well. It’s a pretty simple formula: Play big-time opponents. Get on TV. Recruit good athletes by saying, “Hey, we play big games on TV.” The good athletes keep you competitive, which keeps you on TV. It’s a cycle that’s worked pretty well. I think people get tired of Hill sometimes because he can be such a glass half-empty kind of personality. There’s always something to complain about. I like Hill a lot, but he can absolutely wear you down with his whoa-is-me, nobody-appreciates-what-we’re-doing-here talk. At first I thought it was insecurity, needing to be reassured a lot, but I think he just thrives on having obstacles to overcome, being the underdog. Maybe that’s why he works so well at a mid-major school. Sometimes, though, I think he just invents things to overcome. His practice field grass isn’t as green as USC’s. Fresno State only has two different warm-up jerseys instead of three. I’m exaggerating, but only slightly. As for the mantra, though, I never hear anyone say they’re tired of it. Being tough will always be cool. I just wish the Fresno State coaching staff wouldn’t go quite so far with it, like repeatedly kicking to Terrence Austin, UCLA’s best returner, last weekend, just to prove they weren’t scared. OK, you’re tough. We get it. But the guy set the school record in return yardage and almost beat you by himself. Not sure it was worth it.

Todd Kaufmann: Talk about Ryan Mathews, how good of a running back is he and has he really gone unnoticed nationally?

Matt James: I really think Ryan Mathews will break every rushing record there is at Fresno State, besides maybe the single-game record that Dwayne Wright set against Louisiana Tech a couple years ago. Mathews legs and hips are just so strong. I’m not a scientist and definitely don’t stay at many Holiday Inn Expresses, but to me, it looks like he doesn’t slow down as much as other backs when he makes cuts. He can run exceptionally fast for short bursts with his body at odd angles, if that makes sense. And no one brings him down at the point of attack any more. He always takes two or three extra steps forward, no matter who is on his back. He was already a pretty amazing back, but he got a lot stronger in the offseason, part which is just being 19 instead of 18. You just don’t see many guys come out and perform the way he did as a true freshman at running back. At least not at a BCS level. It’s such a pounding on the body, and you could see that last year when he got hurt a few times. Lonyae Miller is a good college back, but you can see exactly how much difference there is in the talent level. If the hole opens up in front of him, Miller definitely has the burst to get through and make a big play, but if it isn’t there, he runs into a lot of his own linemen’s backs. Mathews’ mind and body is making that instantaneous analysis and decision and he’s almost always finding the hole, and not having to stall around forever to do it. He’s cutting to the anticipation of a hole that he sees developing. As he did on a play toward the end of the UCLA game, he’s cutting one way, to move the linebackers so he can cut to the opening they’re going to leave. And the play I’m thinking of, the grass gave out from under him and he slipped during the second cut. It’s as if physics and the earth wouldn’t allow what his body is capable of. I realize I’m gushing on a man-crush level right now, but he’s the 17th-leading rusher in the country and sharing carries with two other backs. He’s on pace to rush for 1,500 yards if Fresno State makes a bowl, and I really think with the WAC schedule ahead, it will be a couple hundred more than that. And he’s Barry Sanders, quiet, humble, hands the ball to the refs. How can you not like a guy like that?

As for national attention, I actually saw a preseason list on one of the ESPN shows that named the best non-BCS football players and he wasn’t even mentioned. That kind of blew me away, but it just goes to show you how tough it is to get noticed at a mid-major. Even David Carr wasn’t really being talked about nationally until he had that absurd senior year. It’s a bit of a no-win because you have to put up massive numbers to get noticed at a mid-major, but the more gaudy the statistics, the more I think people assume you’re playing inferior competition. Mathews was out for a few games last year, didn’t play the bowl game and didn’t quite make 1,000 yards, so you can see how he’d have slipped by relatively unnoticed. When agents are begging him to come out early for the draft, it probably won’t matter how under-recognized he was early in his sophomore season. Believe me, he’s OK with as little media attention as possible.

Todd Kaufmann: After holding Wisconsin to just 13 points, 3 of which came in the 2nd half, the defense has really struggled giving up 85 points over the last 2 games. Where is the major weakness in the Bulldog defense?

Matt James: Partly, we’ve realized a lot about Fresno State’s first opponent, Rutgers, now that the Scarlet Knights are losing to service academy schools and their quarterback is taking swings at teammates on national TV. And if you’ll remember, Rutgers actually put up quite a few yards on Fresno State, but the Bulldogs held at the goal line a couple times. Wisconsin just isn’t the kind of offense that’s going to put up a lot of points, as good as its running back is. The passing game just isn’t consistent enough to be a threat. The other part is losing both defensive tackles, Jon Monga and Cornell Banks. Monga is still out. Banks came back against UCLA. It’s hard to stick redshirt freshmen in at defensive tackle and expect them not to give up some yards. That’s the main weakness, along with some linebackers who are young and new to the position and still learning. They’re really biting on play-action passes. Overall, it’s just a young defense that should get better.

Todd Kaufmann: Looking at Fresno State's schedule the rest of the way, where do you see them finishing the season and could they possibly go into the season finale with Boise State with just 1 loss?

Matt James: I really think Fresno State will be 10-1 going into Boise State, and have a backdoor shot at a BCS game. Some people will roll their eyes at that because Hill and the ’Dogs have never gone through a WAC season without at least two losses, which is a stat that’s hard to believe. They always lose a game or two they shouldn’t. San Jose State is decent, New Mexico State can put up points, Nevada is good, the Utah State game is up at a high altitude. OK, I’m reaching there, but it’s not going to be easy. WAC teams get up for Fresno State the way the Bulldogs get up for BCS teams. There’s definite animosity there because the program so openly aspires to more than conference goals.

And if they do go to Boise State 11-1, the Bulldogs will still be a 14-point underdog. Boise State hasn’t lost at home since a 2005 bowl game against Boston College. Before that, it was probably some time during the Millard Fillmore administration. Does that team ever have an off-year? Seriously, it’s insane. Someone just told me that the Broncos have the best record of any team in Division I the last decade and I haven’t even bothered to check it. There’s no doubt. And the crazy part is it wasn’t even a D-I program until the mid-90s. I don’t know how they do it. Oh yeah, with all those really talented players they get from California.

You know what it is? It’s downtown Boise. Boise has a cool, clean downtown with fun nightlife and Fresno’s downtown looks like something out of a futuristic action movie where alien robots have taken over the earth and humans scamper between boarded-up buildings at dusk. But I’ve been known to exaggerate. Really, it’s probably easy to recruit to an offense that creative. That’s the Boise State label, its mantra, so to speak, and after that Fiesta Bowl, they probably don’t need to advertise.

Todd Kaufmann: You hear a lot of national sports writers talking about how these big time conferences don't want to schedule teams like Fresno State or Boise State. Do you know what schools they've talked to and been turned down?

Matt James: Hill would love to get a series going with a Pac-10 school in California; UCLA or USC or Cal or even Stanford. He’s told me he calls USC and UCLA about future dates and they aren’t interested. You’d think he’d be able to get something going with Cal because Jeff Tedford and he have so much history, but there just isn’t the interest there. Now that the NCAA is allowing an extra game against a I-AA team (I’m still refusing to call I-AA teams whatever the NCAA is calling them now), then why would you want to play another tough opponent beyond your conference games? Especially against a team like Fresno State that’s going to come in with a bunch of tough-as-tires farm boys and hammer the ball at you for three straight hours. It’s just a brutal style to play and if you’re UCLA right now, you’ll spend two weeks getting your team healthy again.

Fresno State has changed its philosophy slightly now that Thomas Boeh is the athletic director. The Bulldogs could get plenty of games when they would just go anywhere for a one-time cash game, which is how they ended up at Ohio State, Tennessee, Oklahoma and LSU. But now they want return home games so they can sell tickets, too. Usually that’s a two-for-one deal, and the other school ends up buying out of the trip to Fresno. I believe that’s what Texas Tech did. Kansas State bought out of a game with the Bulldogs in Manhattan, Kan., this season, which still blows me away. Coaches are trying to save their jobs and losing to a WAC school doesn’t help. I think people were genuinely surprised Wisconsin actually played the game in Fresno this year, although if you’ll remember, there was a huge cash offer to move the game to Lambeau Field. And it took Fresno State turning it down to make that game happen.

To a small extent I think the Fresno State coaching staff exaggerates the everyone-is-chicken-but-us thing, but the evidence is there. For once, though, I’d like to hear an opposing coach admit it. That will be my goal for the rest of this season.

Todd Kaufmann: Tom Brandstater, being his final year as a Bulldog, who do you see being behind center when the team opens their 2009 season or do you expect there to be a heck of a battle between a couple of guys for that spot?

Matt James: I really think Ebahn Feathers will be the starting quarterback as a redshirt freshman. No one has said that, probably no one knows yet, but he’s too much of a talent not to get out there. As Hill told me during one practice, “He could win us a lot of games, and he could also lose us a lot of games.” He means right now, as a raw, inexperienced freshman. I could be mis-reading this, but clearly he’s already thinking about what Feathers is capable of, and what he needs to work on. Put it this way, Hill and I have never had a conversation about back-ups Ryan Colburn or Matt Faulkner, who are supposedly No. 2 and No. 3 on the depth chart. Their arms just aren’t as strong Brandstater and Feathers.

This is new territory for Hill, bringing in a quarterback who can run as well, if not better, than he can throw. You don’t change a philosophy unless it’s for a unique talent. And Feathers is here to be a quarterback. He’s not switching to any other position. He takes snaps every day. He goes on all the road trips. I don’t remember Colburn going on all the road trips during his redshirt season. Actually, he wasn’t even on the sideline for home games. That just makes me think Hill is trying to get Feathers ready for next year, let him experience the road, opponents’ fans, what it’s like to play in the Rose Bowl on national television. It’s all part of the process. If he can start to get comfortable, become more accurate on the kind of passes he never had to throw in high school, know the playbook front to back, he will be fun to watch. They’ll have to add an entire chapter to the playbook just to utilize his speed.

Todd Kaufmann: When Ryan Mathews first came on the scene as a Bulldog running back, did anyone know what he was going to be capable of and did you imagine he was going to put up the numbers he has in just his sophomore year at Fresno State?

Matt James: I never saw Mathews play in high school because he was at Bakersfield West, and I just don’t get to see Bakersfield teams unless it’s in the Valley championships. But we knew he was good. He was the Fresno Bee’s player of the year. His statistics were something out of a video game. And when I heard how much effort the Fresno State coaching staff put into making sure he was an academic qualifier, I knew he must be some kind of player. The staff is stretched too thin to put in that much effort toward one player, especially a guy who could bail on them at the last minute for one of the Pac-10 schools, but they did. And sure enough, that’s what happened. It didn’t look like he was going to have the grades, so everyone stopped recruiting but Fresno State. Then he had a good senior year, qualified, and Pete Carroll reappears from USC. Luckily, Carroll wanted him to be a safety and Mathews wasn’t interested. That’s not some project Carroll was going to try. If you have any doubt what kind of athlete Mathews is, he was an all-state defensive player as a junior. His senior year, they took him off defense so he wouldn’t get hurt. I think Mathews would be starting on the USC defense right now if had any interest in defense or hadn’t been true to his commitment to the Bulldogs.

As soon as I saw Mathews in his first game, I was telling people he would be the starter soon and might go for 1,200 yards as a true freshman. His quickness is startling to the eye. His body didn’t ultimately hold up the entire year, but it seemed pretty obvious, like predicting John Goodman will be good at lounging.

Todd Kaufmann: You look at Hawaii, no June Jones, no Colt Brennan, but they're still Hawaii even though they come in with a 1-3 record. Give me your keys to this game and how does Fresno State put Hawaii away early.

Matt James: First off, the Bulldogs need to play-action pass earlier. That’s my opinion, and I’m the first to admit I’m not some great football mind. I’m some dude who can occasionally put a coherent sentence together with proper punctuation. But it seems like they’ve been keeping it pretty simple until the second half. Partly, it’s that they’ve been dropping passes and making bad throws and not opening holes for running backs – that’s pretty much the Triple Crown of inept offense right there – but there has also been a lot of running up the middle on first and second down and throwing on third-and-7 to a double-teamed Bear Pascoe.

Then in the second half there’s suddenly an end-around and a reverse and a long play-action pass and a well-timed screen and you think, “Where was all that in the first quarter when I was looking for a frying pan to hit myself in the face?”

Hawaii is a rival, but it really shouldn’t be much of a game. The Warriors just don’t have the skill players they’ve had the last few years. I really think Fresno State could blitz even more than they do, utilize the speed of those young linebackers and force some turnovers early. That would certainly help in putting the game away early.

Todd Kaufmann: I know you're a journalist, I know you have to be impartial for the most part, but how big of a fan were you a few months ago during Fresno State's run through the College World Series?

Matt James: You know, it’s weird. This job changes you. I’m not the sports fan I was growing up, not the nutty fanatic. Even the passion for my teams – the Royals, the Cubs, the University of Kansas – has faded a little bit. It’s not a sport anymore, it’s an event that I am being paid to describe. Like an election speech or a school board meeting. I was at a Cubs-Cardinals game at Wrigley Field this year on vacation, and it took me a while to be comfortable clapping. I rarely go to a sporting event as a fan. I kept looking around to see if anyone was watching, which makes no sense.

It’s silly, when you think about it, to care so much about football, to spend so much money watching men push each other around a grass field. I’d like to think I’m just growing as I get older, adding other interests, going to the library and the symphony a little more, but it’s also getting to see behind the curtain. You have to watch Cole Popovich tear yet another tendon or ligament and start another comeback rehabilitation, not knowing how well he’ll walk as a 40-year-old man. You get to see lurking agents in the parking lots after games and drunk men screaming expletives at 19-year-old college students. Remember that scene in “Good Will Hunting,” where the guys go to that youth baseball game and cheer like crazy? I do that once in a while, just stop at some random kids’ game and enjoy the purity of it all. (Except the air. There’s nothing pure about Fresno air.)

All that said, I still love sports, the history, what it’s meant to societal change through the years. I love that Jackie Robinson’s number is untouchable. On Wednesday, I broke multiple traffic laws trying to get home to watch the start of the baseball playoffs. And then I pulled into the garage and just sat there in my car listening to Vin Scully describe the first pitch of the Cubs vs. the Dodgers, knowing it had been 100 years since my team won the World Series. Don’t tell me it gets better than that.

I want Fresno State to win. You could say I’m a Bulldogs fan. I have Fresno State sweatshirts and t-shirts that I wear around the house and 40 years from now, I’m sure I’ll still be rooting for them. I still cheer for teams I’ve covered in the past, Alabama football and the Green Bay Packers. It’s almost impossible to spend so much time around a team, to get to know the players on a personal level, and not root for them. That Fresno State College World Series team will always be one of my favorites. I was a little kid the entire time.

Final note, this is probably one of the most enjoyable interviews to go back and read, not only because of Matt's answers, but his genuine love for what he does as well as the sports he covers. Big thanks to Matt James of the Fresno Bee for taking the time to put that together and I'd love to have him back again during the season.

The Red Wave sits down with Andrew Marden of CBS 47

2008-10-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

With the Bulldogs just a few days away from hosting the Hawaii Warriors, I thought it would be great to get a few minutes with Andrew Marden of CBS 47 and he was kind enough to give me a few minutes for an interview.

Todd Kaufmann: How much of an impact did the injury to Cole Popovich have on the Fresno State offense and how disappointed is he to be missing his senior year?

Andrew Marden: Cole Popovich was a four-year starter at left guard so not having him in the lineup is a huge blow to the Bulldogs. I haven't had the chance to talk to him since he injured his quadriceps tendon the week before the Wisconsin game, but I'm sure he'd say he's as disappointed about not being able to play as the Bulldogs are by not having him play.

Todd Kaufmann: I'm sure you get asked all the time about why Fresno State plays teams like Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee, Wisconson, etc when they end up losing those games. How do you respond to that and is it beneficial for the football program to play teams like that?

Andrew Marden: It really depends who you ask. I am a big fan of the way Fresno State makes its schedule because it continually keeps the program in the national spotlight. You can never have enough exposure, especially when you play in a non-BCS conference. Also, it helps with recruiting because players come to Fresno State knowing they'll be playing those types of games. Plus, for every "big" game the Bulldogs don't win, there are plenty where they do: Rutgers, Wisconsin and UCLA this year, USC in 2005, etc.

Todd Kaufmann: Fresno State, in the past, has been called Quarterback U but with guys like Ryan Mathews and Lonyae Miller has that now changed to Running Back U?

Andrew Marden: Don't forget about Anthony Harding, his numbers are very similar to Miller's! Mathews is dominant and will definitely be ranked among the NCAA leaders at the end of the season. That being said, though, Tom Brandstater continues the tradition of talented, well-coached signal-callers at Fresno State. He is very poised in the pocket and many college football experts say he has a decent chance to make it in the NFL.

Todd Kaufmann: We all know how Pat Hill was pursued by NFL teams to be their head coach a few years ago, how close was he to leaving?

Andrew Marden: I doubt we'll ever truly know the answer to that. Pat Hill is a terrific coach who has a great relationship with his assistants as well as his players. He also has the respect of opposing coaches as well. Hill has always said that he will listen to offers if they come his way but without knowing exactly what would make him leave, it's tough to guage where his mind is at. I do know he is happy right now with the way things are going at Fresno State.

Todd Kaufmann: Let's talk about the defending National Champions, with the recruiting this coaching staff did over the past few months, does the 2009 team have the potential to be even better than 2008?

Andrew Marden: Well it's tough to be better than National Champions! I'd never say never, but the 2008 team did overachieve. Fresno State's best pitcher, Tanner Scheppers (a 2nd round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates), was injured and didn't pitch the last two months of the season. And we all know how head coach Mike Batesole had to scrape together a pitching staff during the College World Series. The Bulldogs lose several key members of that team: OF Steve Susdorf and P Clayton Allison were seniors, juniors 2B Erik Wetzel, P Justin Wilson and P Justin Miller all opted for pro careers. It's way too early to tell what will happen in 2009, but Fresno State should be favored to win the WAC again. And once you're in the NCAA Tournament, as we know, anything can happen!

Big thanks to Andrew Marden of CBS 47 for taking the time to do the interview. We hope to have him back more than a few times during the remainder of the Bulldogs season. Check him out at www.cbs47.tv, scroll down towards the bottom left hand corner and click on '47 People' and you can find Andrew's previous stops along the way before his arrival to the Central Valley.

The Red Wave talks to Alexan Balekian of NBC 24 (KSEE)

2008-10-01T04:16:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to talk with Alexan Balekian of NBC 24 (KSEE) on the UCLA win, Ryan Mathews, Bear Pascoe and the upcoming showdown with Hawaii this coming Saturday.

Todd Kaufmann: There's those who say the win over UCLA, this past Saturday, wasn't as big of a win because of the amount of injuries to this Bruin squad. How do you respond to statements like that?

Alexan Balekian: This was a signature win for Head Coach Pat Hill and the Bulldogs. No Bulldogs football team had ever won in the Rose Bowl not to mention there was more red than blue in one of the most historical landmarks in sports. Both teams are dealing with injuries, no one ever talks about how the dogs offensive line is beat up. The anchor of the O-line Cole Popovich is out for the year and Center Joe Bernardi is also banged up. Oh by the way Tom Brandstater has only chipped in with 8 touchdowns in the last 2 games.

Todd Kaufmann: We all know about the rivalry with Boise State, but has the rivalry with Hawaii gotten even more heated especially after the allegations of mental and physical abuse by the Hawaii fans during the game against the Warriors and Bulldogs last year?

Alexan Balekian: Both rivalries are very intense and heated. The rivalry with Hawaii has turned into more hatred. In 2006 the Warriors put a beat down on the bulldogs on home soil with a record 68 points and the performed the Haka dance on the dogs turf. If that isn’t disrespectful I don’t know what is. The reason for Hawaii fans showing the dogs the love is because a few years ago it was rumored that June Jones was nailed with a screw driver that was thrown from the student section at Bulldog stadium. There was never any proof of this. In order for the dogs to reign supreme in the WAC they will have to demolish the Warriors and Broncos.

Todd Kaufmann: Talk a little bit about Seyi Ajirotutu. How dangerous of a target has he been for quarterback Tom Brandstater?

Alexan Balekian: I will “SEYI” this, Ajirotutu will be playing on Sundays. He has quickly become Brandstater’s favorite target and he has great hands. He is the playmaker the dogs need for the long ball.

Todd Kaufmann: How good is this receiving corps with not only having Ajirotutu, Marlon Moore and Chastin West, but also a much improved Ryan Mathews out of the backfield?

Alexan Balekian: In talking with Coach Pat Hill and Brandstater before the 2008 season kicked off, they told me that this offensive group is the most potent in Bulldogs History. Even more dangerous than the David Carr 2001 team. When healthy Moore and West are as good as anyone in the country running routes. But the Dogs secret weapon is Isaac Kinter out of the backfield, he is Brandstater’s third down weapon. Mathews, Miller and Harding will flat out wear down any defense and the Bruins can tell you that.

Todd Kaufmann: How big of an impact has Bear Pascoe made on this offense and with him being in his final year as a Bulldog, is there one guy you can point to and say "that's gonna be the next Bear Pascoe?"

Alexan Balekian: Bear Pascoe is the real deal. A first round draft pick in this years upcoming NFL draft. Pascoe dishes out the punishment and always has to be gang tackled. Pascoe will go down as the best tight end in program history. There will never be another Bear, but who knows maybe his brother Vince can grow into Bear’s shoe’s.

A big thanks to Alexan Balekian for taking the time to do the interview. If there are things you want to know about this Bulldog football team, you can drop me an email at thebulldogredwave@gmail.com and we'll be sure to pass them along.

The Red Wave's version of 'Dog Talk

2008-09-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

As each day goes by, as each game is played, we'll talk to local sports writers and sportscasters about Bulldog Sports. We'll cover everything Bulldogs, from football to basketball to baseball, the questions you want answered.

This week, stopping by will be Andrew Marden of CBS 47, Matt James of the Fresno Bee and Alexan Balekian of NBC 24. So keep your eyes open for those interviews, they should be good.

With Hawaii coming to town, the Bulldogs look for payback

2008-09-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

Make no mistake about it, Fresno State will be out for blood. With the Hawaii Rainbows set to visit Bulldog Stadium on Saturday, the Bulldogs will be looking for payback after losing each of the last 2 years, including a lopsided 68-37 Hawaii win in 2006.

Things have changed from then to now, former Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan has departed for the NFL, June Jones departed to become the new head coach at SMU and Hawaii hasn't looked the same since, dropping three of their first four games including their last one at home against San Jose State 20-17. They're no longer the high powered offense they used to be, and that should bode well for the Fresno State Bulldogs come this weekend.

Now, the tables are turned, it's Fresno State that has the high octane offense averaging over 31 points per game and over 400 yards of total offense per game including 180 yards per game on the ground from running backs Ryan Mathews and Lonyae Miller. Mathews showed just how explosive he could be last Saturday against UCLA with a 22 carry, 170 yard, 2 TD effort in a 36-31 Bulldog win over the Bruins.

The one thing this Bulldog team needs to improve on is their run defense, but with the Warriors only averaging 96 total yards per game on the ground, I think this game may be over by the end of the first half.

Bulldog fans will be clad in their Bulldog Red, the Red Wave will be in attendance and Bulldog Stadium will be rocking on Saturday night. Payback is inevitable.

Fresno State moves up the rankings

2008-09-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

With upsets galore in college football this past Saturday, it allowed Fresno State to move a few spots up in the Top 25 when the rankings were released this morning.

In the AP's Top 25 poll, Fresno State moved up to #22 while USA Today has them ranked #21.

AP Top 25
1.Oklahoma (43)
2.Alabama (21)
3.LSU
4.Missouri (1)
5.Texas
6.Penn St.
7.Texas Tech
8.BYU
9.USC
10.South Florida
11.Georgia
12.Florida
13.Auburn
14.Ohio St.
15.Utah
16.Kansas
17.Boise St.
18.Wisconsin
19.Vanderbilt
20.Virginia Tech
21.Oklahoma St.
22.Fresno St.
23.Oregon
24.Connecticut
25.Wake Forest

USA Today
Oklahoma (57)
LSU (1)
Missouri
Alabama (2)
Texas (1)
Penn St.
BYU
Texas Tech
USC
Georgia
South Florida
Ohio St.
Florida
Auburn
Utah
Kansas
Wisconsin
Boise St.
Vanderbilt
Oregon
Fresno St.
Oklahoma St.
Connecticut
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

Something to look forward to

2008-09-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

I asked and was granted an interview with Matt James of the Fresno Bee. We'll be talking Bulldog football, their season so far, and a look back at the National Championship game between Fresno State and Georgia just a few short months ago.

So keep your eyes open for that interview and a big thanks to Matt James for taking his time to do it.

Bulldogs better than Bruins on this day

2008-09-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Fresno State Bulldogs came into today's game against UCLA seeking payback for the loss they suffered a few years ago at the Rose Bowl.

They did just that, getting big days from quarterback Tom Brandstater (21/30 236 yds 3TD's 1 INT) and Ryan Mathews (22 carries, 170 yards, 1 TD) as well as a big fumble recovery late in the 4th quarter to knock off the UCLA Bruins 36-31.

For the Bruins, it's their 3rd straight loss after opening the season with a shocking win over Tennessee but have really fallen apart since then with lopsided losses to BYU and Arizona in consecutive weeks.

For Fresno State, it's a big win for the program but a win they were favored to get against a injury depleted Bruin squad. Their defense, again, was suspect especially against the run giving up long run after long run in the first half after jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead in the first quarter. UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft would throw one pass in UCLA's opening drive and then the Bruins would keep the ball on the ground and eventually tied the game at 7-7.

The game changed in one play, late in the fourth quarter with UCLA threatening already deep in Fresno State territory. Quarterback Kevin Craft would hand the ball to running back Derrick Coleman, but he would fumble the football and Fresno State's Wilson Ramos would recover. Fresno State would then use a 17-play 8 minute 55 second drive to run out the clock and give the Bulldogs a huge 36-31 victory over the Bruins.

Up next for UCLA, they will remain at home to host the Washington State Cougars next Saturday in hopes of avoiding their fourth straight loss.

Fresno State will return home to Bulldog Stadium to open conference play as they welcome in the Hawaii Warriors. The Bulldogs will be seeking their third straight win and fourth in their first five games. Game time will be 7pm pacific, 10pm eastern time.

Baseball has highest ranked recruiting class in team history

2008-09-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

Fresno State baseball has another notch they can put in their belt, this time, being ranked 10th in the nation with their current recruiting class according to Collegiate Baseball.

The Bulldog baseball team lost 12 players to graduation or the major league draft, majority of those were their pitching staff. So, the Fresno State coaching staff brough in 23 incoming freshman for the 2009 squad, 12 of those are pitchers.

Among the players players brought in by Head Coach Mike Batesole and the Bulldog coaching staff were Josh Poytress (Fowler High School), Derek Benny (Roseville High School), Charlie Robertson (Bella Vista High School), and Terrance Buchanan (Mt. Carmel High School) who were all drafted in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft. You can read some background on all four players here.

So, with their highest ranked recruiting class in team history, the Bulldogs will come into the 2009 season the defending National Champions and should be poised to make another run in Omaha. If you've never been to Beiden Field, it's one of the best venues to watch a college baseball game. So as Pat Hill painted the valley red and got Fresno to support that team, why not bring the same support for Mike Batesole and the defending 2008 National Champions? If that happens, it would make Beiden Field one of the toughest places to play in the country.

Showdown at the Rose Bowl

2008-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Fresno State Bulldogs, coming off their very hard fought 55-54 double overtime victory at Toledo, has spent this week getting ready for their much anticipated showdown with the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

Though UCLA has not looked good at all this season, this is the same team that knocked of Tennessee to open the season then ran into a very good BYU squad followed by getting beaten by Arizona this past weekend. Fresno State cannot look past this team, especially playing in Los Angeles, the Bruins do not want to drop their 3rd straight game so they'll be fired up and very motivated to get back on track.

On the Fresno State side, after needing two overtimes and defensive stop on a two point conversion, the Bulldogs need to have a big defensive effort and not have their usual slow first half start that they've been known for. This could be Tom Branstater's coming out party, though he didn't exactly have the showing Fresno State wanted against Wisconsin, he could really make a splash on Saturday with a good passing day for the Bulldogs.

Todd's keys to the game: I'm a believer in defense and I know how good this Bulldog defense is and how good they can be. They did not have a good showing at all last Saturday against Toledo, allowing over 200 yards on the ground by 2 different running backs, so the defensive line needs to tighten up on Saturday. UCLA is down to their 3rd string quarterback, Kevin Kraft who is a transfer from San Diego State where he played for his dad Tom Kraft, so the Bulldog offensive line needs to keep up the pressure on him, keep him off balance. If they can do that, Fresno State should dominate this game, but don't count on UCLA to let them walk all over them at their place, so it will be a hard fought game.

Todd's prediction: Fresno State pulls away late....Bulldogs 35 Bruins 17

Bulldogs remain in Top 25

2008-09-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

The Top 25 polls were released today and Fresno State will remain at #25 after a 55-54 double overtime victory over the Toledo Rockets on Saturday night.

They were joined in the Top 25 by Boise State, another WAC team, after their lopsided beatdown at Oregon on Saturday.

Bulldogs survive, win 55-54 in Double OT

2008-09-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

The letdown that a lot of us talked about and feared, happened in Toledo on Saturday night, but thankfully Fresno State stopped a Toledo 2-point conversion in double overtime and hung on for a 55-54 win over the Rockets.

The Bulldogs came out quickly, getting a defensive touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead, but that was short lived as Toledo would match the Bulldogs score for score and would eventually take a 21-17 lead into half time. Remember my blog on the eve of this game, don't let Toledo stick around and believe they could win? Well, Toledo hung around and hung around, scoring at will on a Fresno State defense that gave up just 13 points to then 13th ranked Wisconsin just a week prior.

Fresno State would score on its first four possessions of the 2nd half and it looked as if the Bulldogs would put the game away after taking a 41-31 lead and getting the ball back after Toledo went three and out. Toledo wouldn't go away, however, and would score ten unanswered including a game tying field goal with just under a minute to play in regulation.

The Rockets would get the ball first in overtime and only needed two plays before taking a 48-41 lead, but the Bulldogs would answer right back as QB Tom Brandstater would hook up with Isaac Kinter from seven yards out and with the extra point would send the game into a second overtime with the game tied 48-48.

Fresno State would get the ball to start the 2nd overtime and would take a 55-48 lead on a QB sneak from Brandstater. Toledo would answer right back when QB Aaron Opelt would hit John Allen for a 3-yard touchdown pass to pull the Rockets to within one. Instead of going for the tie, Toledo wanted the win, but Aaron Opelt's pass was knocked down and the Bulldogs survived a monumental scare and would squeak away with a 55-54 win.

The offense was there for Fresno State, they put points on the board but the defense was as bad as they've been all season. In their first 2 games (Rutgers, Wisconsin) they gave up a total of 20 points, they more than doubled that tonight against Toledo and were lucky to come away with a win. With UCLA up next, Pat Hill better get this defense in line or they'll be in for a long day next Saturday.

Bulldogs can not afford a letdown against Toledo

2008-09-19T05:07:00.001-07:00

On the eve of their matchup against the Toledo Rockets, the 25th ranked Fresno State Bulldogs look to bounce back from their disappointing 3-point loss to then 13th ranked Wisconsin Badgers. The fear across the Central Valley is the possibility of a letdown after a game that was in their grasp, the same type of letdown they went through a few years ago after a loss to #1 USC. The Bulldogs had maintained their #16 ranking after the loss to the Trojans, but after a 38-35 loss to Nevada the following Saturday, that ranking was gone for the remainder of the season.

This team cannot afford to look past this Toledo ballclub, especially since the Rockets have a bruising running back by the name of DaJuane Collins, a 5'10" 211 lbs Senior from Westville, NJ., was even offered a scholarship from Penn State but after learning they wanted him as a defensive back turned down the offer because he wanted to remain at running back. He's been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.45 where Bulldog running back Ryan Mathews has been clocked at 4.49, so Collins definitely has big play ability.

The one thing that may be against Toledo is Fresno State's defense, which held Wisconsin to just 3 points in the 2nd half last weekend as well as holding Rutgers to just 7 points in their season opening 24-7 win over the Scarlet Knights. If the Bulldogs can play that style of defense and the offense gets going early instead of waiting until the 2nd half, I think this should be an easy win going into their showdown at the Rose Bowl against UCLA next weekend.

Todd's keys to the game: Defense, defense and more defense. This Bulldog defense has been nothing short of outstanding in both of their games, but got very little help from their offense last weekend against Wisconsin.

Offensively, Fresno needs to jump on Toledo early and keep them out of the game, don't give them a chance at a comeback or give them the thought that they're still in the game. Put them away early, get the win and head back west to get ready for UCLA. Tom Brandstater and Ryan Mathews need to establish themselves early, Brandstater especially needs to be the field general and make smart decisions. The biggest question is going to be the hole left by Cole Popovich at left guard. Will sophomore Devan Cunningham be able to step in and fill that gap, or will Toledo exploit it?

Prediction: The Bulldogs should dominate...Fresno State 35 Toledo 10

The Bulldogs head for Toledo

2008-09-18T15:21:00.001-07:00

The #25 Fresno State Bulldogs traveled to Toledo, OH to get ready for their game against the Rockets, which was added to ESPNU's coverage, on Saturday night.

This will mark the first time, in that Pat Hill era, that the Bulldogs will play a team from the MAC conference on the road. The previous meeting with a MAC conference team was the team they face this Saturday, an easy 44-14 win over the same Toledo Rockets back in 2005. What's eerily similar about this situation is, leading up to the 'Dogs 2005 matchup against the Rockets, the 'Dogs were coming off a 3-point loss at Oregon (37-34) and the Houston area had just been hit by Hurricane Rita. That's about as ironic as you can get don't ya think?

The biggest fear in Bulldogs fans leading up to this game is the fear of a letdown coming off a tough 3-point loss at home against Wisconsin, a game that was very winnable. I, for one, think this team is going to be just fine. This team is better defensively than I've seen in a very long time and against Toledo they should shut them down and let the offense run up the score. I don't think this team has a problem knocking over Toledo before they come back west for the very much anticipated showdown against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

Fresno State football makes monumental announcement

2008-09-17T13:16:00.001-07:00

Fresno State football, coming just after hosting Wisconsin of the Big Ten conference, made a huge announcement this afternoon regarding their schedule for next season.

The announcement, made by Fresno State athletic director Thomas Boeh, was that Fresno State will play three teams from BCS conferences as a part of their 2009 non-conference schedule. The Bulldogs will play at Wisconsin (Sept. 12), at Cincinnati (Sept. 26) and at Illinois (Nov. 21).

In turn, the Bulldogs will host Cincinnati (Sept. 18) and Illinois (Dec. 5) as part of a 7 game home schedule in 2010. This marks the first time in school history that the Bulldogs will host more than one BCS conference school in a single season.

If this doesn't show that Pat Hill and Fresno State still believe in the "Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere" mantra, I'm not sure what does. Will this make Fresno State more attractive to local and national recruits? I think it should, but I'm sure there are plenty that will disagree and are done watching Fresno State get beat by big time teams like Oklahoma, Tennessee and LSU. I for one, think the Bulldogs are right on the cusp of doing what Boise State did just a few years ago.

Bulldogs may have lost Popovich for the season

2008-09-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

After the Bulldogs gut wrenching loss to Wisconsin last Saturday, there may be insult added to injury.

According to head coach Pat Hill, the Bulldogs' offensive line could be without 4-year starter Cole Popovich for the remainder of the season. Popovich suffered a quadriceps tendon injury during practice last week, which kept him out of Saturday's game against the Badgers, and was replaced by 6'6" 350 lbs sophomore Devan Cunningham. Cunningham was originally supposed to be redshirted this year, but with the injury to Popovich, he'll get the start at left guard.

Another new starter on the Bulldog offensive line is center Joe Bernardi replacing Richard Pacheco, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury. It's not known if Bernardi is going to start against Toledo or if Pacheco will be ready to go, it'll depend on how both perform during practice this week.

Bulldogs begin fall practice

2008-09-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Head Coach Steve Cleveland and the Fresno State men's basketball team have begun their preperations for the 2008-09 basketball season.

Already announced are the team's season schedule as well as the addition of point guard Bryce Cartwright to the Bulldog roster. Cartwright, a 6'0" Freshman guard out of Compton, led Dominguez High School to the 2008 state championship game averaging 12 points and 6 assists per game.

The Bulldogs will have their annual Red/White Scrimmage on October 29th, and will play exhibition games against Fresno Pacific on November 5th and Cal State Stanislaus on November 9th before opening their season schedule against Sacramento State on November 14th at the Save Mart Center.

Missed FG's, opportunities prove costly in Bulldog loss

2008-09-16T05:06:00.000-07:00

It was right there for the taking, the Bulldog had every opportunity to put the game away and they couldn't take advantage of the opportunities.

Four times in the ballgame, the Bulldogs had a chance to put points on the board and put the Badgers away for good, but out of those four opportunities, the Bulldogs scored a total of three points. They missed three costly FG's including one within 35 yards, a chip shot normally, was pushed right by kicker Kevin Goessling.

Give the Fresno State defense credit, they did their job against a good Wisconsin football team, holding them to just three points in the second half as well as blocking 2 kicks and stuffing Wisconsin on a 4th and goal from the Bulldog 1 yard line. Their biggest mistake gave the Badgers the winning FG and their only points of the 2nd half. Wisconsin would punt the ball back to Fresno State, and as cornerback A.J. Jefferson waved off his teammates away from the ball, it hit him in the back of the leg allowing Wisconsin to recover it at the Fresno State 23 yard line, which led to the FG that put the Badgers up 13-10.

With the loss, Fresno State will stay in the national rankings at #25 as they get ready for the Toledo Rockets this coming Saturday night at Glass Bowl Stadium in Toledo. Kickoff will be at 5:15pm.

Bulldogs review Rutgers game, prepare for showdown with Wisconsin

2008-09-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

Coming off a big win over Rutgers this past Saturday, the Bulldogs used Wednesday to go over game tape of their win this past Monday and will begin preperation for their showdown with Wisconson on September 13th.

While Fresno State will have a bye week this weekend, Wisconsin will host Marshall on Saturday. The last meeting between these two teams was played at Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin, you might remember the QB for Fresno State, a current NFL QB by the name of David Carr. Fresno State was not expected to even stay in the game, but they shocked Wisconsin with a 32-20 victory on their way to the schools highest national ranking ever, at one pointed ranked 8th in the national polls.

We all know this Bulldog team will be ready for the nationally ranked Badgers and you know Bulldog Stadium is gonna be rocking. According to the Bulldogs website, only 250 public tickets remain for the game next weekend and those should be gone prior to this weekend. The Red Wave will be on display to ESPN audiences and we all know that even though it's not listed as one of the Top 25 toughest places to play, there's a reason teams don't want to make the trip to Fresno and Bulldog Stadium.

Bulldogs overcome poor 1st half to beat Rutgers 24-7

2008-09-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

West Coast to East Coast? No problem for Pat Hill and the Fresno State Bulldogs as they knocked off Rutgers 24-7 on Monday afternoon.

Both teams went into half time unhappy with their play. Fresno's first 6 possessions ended in punts while Rutgers suffered through a few big dropped passes, one could have resulted in a touchdown, but give credit to both defenses for a scoreless first half.

Both teams came out ready to go in the 2nd half but it was the Bulldogs that would capitalize on their opportunites. Two long passes from Tom Brandstater would set up Ryan Mathews for 2 of his 3 touchdowns on the ground for the Bulldogs.

It's a big win for Fresno State as they return home to get prepared for nationally ranked Wisconsin at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday September 13th. Fresno State will have a lot of time to prepare for this game and they'll need all the time they can get, but make no mistake, this Bulldog team will be ready and Bulldog Stadium WILL BE ROCKING!

GO DOGS!

Corso and Herbstreit pick Fresno State to win

2008-08-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

I'm watching the end of College Gameday on ESPN and I listen as Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit both pick Fresno State to go to Rutgers and WIN. Good pick boys!

BULLDOG FOOTBALL RETURNS

2008-08-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Red Wave Bulldog fans. We're just 2 days away from Fresno State football opening their tough non-conference schedule against Rutgers coming up on Monday afternoon.

The team was ranked #25 in the pre-season polls and according to Steve Megargee of Rivals.com, this Bulldog team could be primed for a run at a BCS bowl game. To get there, they have to win, in my opinion, 2 of their first 3 games against Rutgers (road), Wisconsin (home) and UCLA (road) as well as possibly have to run through their conference schedule unscathed.

It starts Monday Bulldog fans, I know the National Championship the baseball team brought home is still fresh in our minds, dawn your Bulldog red, invite all your friends over and hang on...I have a feeling it's gonna be one hell of a ride.

GO 'DOGS!!