Fresno State's Got Talent

The strangest thing happened today. During the Pat Hill Show on KMJ 580 (which should be uploaded to podcast by tomorrow), Hill said boise state is more talented than Fresno State. Just about the time I realized what he'd said, and concluded that I must have misheard, he alluded to it again. And from the sound of things, he didn't think it was very close.

In the past, that's never been the case. The Bulldogs have almost assuredly had more talent than the Broncos 8 of the past 10 years. And with what seems like a loaded Bulldogs roster this season, it was someone surprising to hear Hill talk as if the talent difference is an issue.

But let's look deeper. And yes, this blog post required my visiting the official boise state athletics site to make sure I had the most up to date stats. I don't make a habit of visiting such sites, and am all for parents blocking said site from their children by any means necessary. So I quickly looked at the stats, cleared my browser history and ran to the bathroom to wash my hands -- twice.

So, is boise state really THAT much more talented than Fresno State right now...?

Obviously, and this is probably the most painful sports-related thing I've ever written, QB Kellen Moore is the best player in the country. He puts balls in his receivers' hands ever so gently, and right on the mark -- every time. No matter how tight the coverage (ask Isaiah Green) the ball is always catchable. Fresno State QB Ryan Colburn (a sixth-year senior counting the greyshirt year) struggled mightily on Friday night, completing just 6 of 23 passes for 76 yards with 2 interceptions. And, once again, looked miserable in blitz situations and delayed in decision-making. So that's one big edge for boise state.

But Fresno State's Robbie Rouse, 12th in the nation in rushing yards per game, is as good as anyone boise has and the wide receiving corps is ridiculously deep. The Bulldogs don't have anyone as dominant as Titus Young or Austin Pettis right now, but have an NFL-caliber target in Jamel Hamler and are far superior in depth at the position.

That brings us to the offensive line, which might be the answer. Fresno State is traditionally among the nation's leaders in sacks allowed, but this season has given up a whopping 25 sacks in 10 games. For a team that only passes 41% of its plays, and was projected as one of the nation's top lines in the preseason, that's insanely high. In comparison, boise state's line has given up 5 sacks on the season. Now, granted, part of that can be attributed to Moore make better, quicker decisions under pressure than Colburn does -- but part is also due to protection and picking up blitzes. boise state also averages 5.3 yards per carry, while Fresno State is at 4.3. Pat Hill use to preach that games are won and lost in the trenches, and he might still say that. If so, a lot of blame for Friday's 51-0 debacle lies here.

While boise state's defensive line is incredible, and leads the nation with 39 sacks, the Bulldogs also boast a very good defensive front (27 sacks). Chris Carter is perhaps as good any player on either line, and is tied for the WAC lead in sacks with teammate Logan Harrell (9 each). The difference is boise state has four dominant defensive linemen, while Fresno State has two, an above average DT Cornell Banks and an average Chris Lewis at the other DE spot (he was injured vs. boise).

Both teams have comparable linebackers, and Fresno State's Travis Brown is perhaps the best of any of them. Defensive backs are also comparable, with Phillip Thomas perhaps the best safety and Jermaine Thomas the best CB (although he missed the game with injury). That said, Will Venable is a force at whatever they call his hybrid position.

It'd be wonderful to hear Hill break down the talent difference by position (we won't hold our breath), but analyzing the rosters makes one wonder if he's really talking mostly about the QB position, with the offensive line a close second...?

Or is the real difference in how the two teams are coaching their talent...?

Bulldogs arrive in boise, walk on water marked with yard lines in walkthrough

Fresno State has finally arrived to the land of better-than-you, where pinky fingers aren't allowed near the drinking glass and the manliest man is the one who thumbs his nose up first to pick up the tab.

However, Kevan over at OBNUG and myself have created sort of a weird "Bring it On" mutual respect sort of thing. Kevan just recently posted my answers from our recent Q&A exchange over on OBNUG, with his answers to our questions to follow shortly here on our blog.

In the meantime, Kevan and the guys over at OBNUG have been talking 'Dogs/broncos all week and the rimshots are working overtime in the comment section to try and keep up.

Check back soon for Fresno State vs boise state related updates, but for now, feel free to praise my connections to the underground. Exclusively for Bulldog Bounce readers, a portrait of a young Kellen Moore. Amazing what a simple set of donkey ears can achieve.

Kellen Moore as "Donkey" from Shrek

Halloween 2001

WAC Rundown Week 2

Hawaii (0-1) @ Army (1-0)
Saturday, 9 a.m., CBSCS
Last week: USC 49, Hawaii 36 / Army 31, Eastern Michigan 27
This ain't (is that a word?) the same Bryant Moniz we saw last year QBin' Hawaii. He was well on pace to throw for 300 yards against USC in a 13-point loss last week before getting hurt. The question is, will he play this week? Strangely, there's no word one way or another on Hawaii's game notes (seems suspicious). Last time Army faced the Warriors, Hawaii set a school record for yardage in a blowout win in 2003. This time it's in the eastern time zone, the farthest from home Hawaii has been since 1975. But something tells me even if backup QBs Brent Rausch or Shane Austin have to play, the Warriors' offense will be too much.
Prediction: Hawaii

San Jose State (0-1) @ No. 11 Wisconsin (1-0)
Saturday, 9 a.m., ESPN
Last week: No. 1 Alabama 48, San Jose State 3 / No. 12 Wisconsin 41, UNLV 21
Credit San Jose State for playing a mighty tough non-conference schedule, but this is different than Fresno State scheduling tough early-season games -- for the Spartans they're body-baggers. San Jose State has lost 13 straight games against ranked opponents, and the closest its come in its last six road games against Top 25 teams was a 42-7 loss at then-No. 21 Boise State in 2007. We still don't know if Wisconsin is for real this year, but it's definitely for real enough to brutalize San Jose State at Camp Randall.
Prediction: Wisconsin

Idaho (1-0) @ No. 6 Nebraska (1-0)
Saturday, 9:30 a.m., FSNPPV
Last week: Idaho 45, North Dakota 0 / No. 8 Nebraska 49, Western Kentucky 10
Don't be overly fooled by Idaho's beatdown of a non-FBS team last week. The Vandals won't have as good a record as they did last season, even though they've got similar talent (sans first-round pick Mike Iupati of the 49ers). Nebraska has its most hype in about a decade and will overwhelm Idaho in Lincoln.
Prediction: Nebraska

Louisiana Tech (1-0) @ Texas A&M (1-0)
Saturday, 6 p.m., None
Last week: Louisiana Tech 20, Grambling State 6 / Texas A&M 48, Stephen F. Austin 7
The Male Techsters are still trying to figure out their own offense under first-year coach Sonny Dykes, who aims to spread it out more than his predecessor (he is a disciple of Mike Leach after all). With transfers all over the offense at skill positions, La Tech didn't have much to show for it against weak competition in its opener. And starting QB Ross Jenkins threw for just 101 yards, though he was efficient going 15 of 19. It'd be a shocker if this Tech team was up to par for a game in College Station. Oh, and Texas A&M is 9-0 all-time against the Dude Techsters, including a 45-14 beating in 2006.
Prediction: Texas A&M

San Diego State (1-0) @ New Mexico State (0-0)
Saturday, 5 p.m., AggieVision/Altitude 2/ESPN GamePlan
Last week: San Diego State 47, Nicholls State 0 / New Mexico State bye
Get ready to rub your eyes, wait for the blurriness to subside and repeat. San Diego State is about to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 1994. New Mexico State is one of just three FBS teams that didn't play last week, so we don't really know what to expect -- well, besides its usual loss in a football game.
Prediction: San Diego State

Idaho State (1-0) @ Utah State (1-0)
Saturday, 5 p.m., None
Last week: Idaho State 32, Montana-Western 3 / No. 7 Oklahoma 31, Utah State 24
If this game were on TV, I'd say tune in Fresno State fans. But it's not so I can't. The Bulldogs play the Aggies in Logan next week -- the same Aggies team that darn near pulled off its greatest win ever at Oklahoma last week. But they didn't. And now they go to the other side of the college football spectrum to play Idaho State. The only way Idaho State slows QB Diondre Borel enough to win this one is if the Aggies look real, real quick at the ISU logo (depicting a tiger) and mistake it for LSU (you know, because lower case 'l' looks like upper case "I"). Let's see how this strategy works out for them ...
Prediction: Utah State

Colorado State (0-1) @ Nevada (1-0)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Last week: Colorado 24, Colorado State 3 / Nevada 49, Eastern Washington 24
A rough, rather embarrassing start for Colorado State last week heading into a game against arguably a better team in Nevada. But the Rams beat Nevada last season (somehow). Wolf Pack QB Colin Kaepernick and RB Vai Taua had better not slip up again this season. With Kaepernick departing, who knows when the Wolf Pack will have another chance to compete for a conference crown? The Rams are starting true freshman QB Pete Thomas, and have lost 10 straight since beating Nevada last season.
Prediction: Nevada

Bye: Fresno State, Boise State

20 wins for 'Dogs hoops team?

Don't laugh. If Fresno State's 87-77 shellacking of Nevada wasn't enough to show these young pups can beat anyone in the WAC on a given night, then Thursday's 83-64 win over first-place New Mexico State certainly proved just that.

Now, if they could just add consistency to the mix. It's a marvel how a Bulldogs team that scored just 49 points in Boise a couple weeks ago and only 43 against Utah State can turn around and dump 83 on a New Mexico State squad that stayed in a trapping full-court press the whole night. But that's what the 'Dogs did behind Paul George's career-high 30 points in his first game back from injury.

Suddenly Fresno State has improved to 13-12, 6-5 WAC, with seven games remaining. So is 20 wins out of the question? Heck no. If the Bulldogs simply take care of business at home that gives them 17 wins. Winning out would give them 20 in the regular season. That's not counting WAC tournament play.

But what's realistic for this team? What will it take to win 20 games? How high can this group finish in the WAC standings? Are they even a threat to (gasp) win the WAC tourney and go to the Big Dance ... ?

Bozo State gets Paul Georged

With the adrenaline of Fresno State's 71-68 come-from-behind, WAC-opening win tonight against Boise State still lingering, I present my keys to a successful Bulldogs men's basketball campaign.

Tonight's game in front of nearly 8,000 fans was a nail-biter pretty much from tip off to final buzzer. And for a while, it looked like the Potato People were going to sneak out of the Save Mart Center with a win (not a common thing for Boise State). But the Bulldogs -- namely Paul George -- were clutch in the final minute as George completed two straight 3-point plays. Fresno State will need the clutch magic, as the parity-stricken WAC is set for a tough, hard-fought, gritty conference season. Here's what it'll take for the 'Dogs to stay in the WAC race:

Paul George: It's no secret George is considered lottery-pick material, but so far in his career the sophomore hasn't proven that he can consistently take over games. Even tonight he started 0 for 6 from the field before finishing 5 of 11 with 21 points. Fresno State needs George to reach a new plateau, where he's leading the team in scoring most every night and taking and hitting the biggest shots. And he had zero turnovers against Boise State, a huge step in the right direction for someone who's been bothered by turnovers all year.

Sylvester Seay: Seay played beautifully in the WAC opener, with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Most importantly, he wasn't forcing shots and playing 1-on-1 in situations that took his teammates out of the mix. Seay's had a tendency to do that in earlier games, and also a tendency to complain and blame others when things go wrong. A better attitude from Seay will only grow this team closer -- and there's no excuse for the team's only senior not providing that leadership.

Greg Smith: The freshman isn't quite a sensation yet, but he will be as soon as he becomes an imposing defender. The ineffectiveness of Boise State's big men are a credit to what a difference-maker Smith is already, but he's not a fear-inducing defender yet. And he certainly has the potential to be.

Mychal Ladd: It's no coincidence that when Ladd scores points, the Bulldogs are tough to beat. Ladd had 18 tonight and was on fire from downtown again. The Bulldogs need at least one of their guards scoring to keep defenses honest against the three bigs inside. Ladd creates one too many worries for opposing defenses.

Steven Shepp: Shepp to My Lou has developed nicely since the first few games of the season when he was plagued by turnovers. He's since turned himself into the WAC's leading assist man, and showed a sweet stroke from well beyond NBA rang on the perimeter. Steve Cleveland says Shepp is the team's best shooter and he needs to capitalize on more opportunities to prove it. If he can develop his penetrating game (both finishing and kicking out to open shooters) it will go a long way in solving the Bulldogs' offense woes.

Bench: There is basically no bench production offensively right now. That's a huge problem, and one that only a few guys are capable of fixing. The most promising change might be giving freshman Garrett Johnson more minutes than sophomore Brandon Sperling. Sperling has been a huge liability with his poor ball-handling and 3-point shooting -- Johnson at least deserves a chance to show if he can be an upgrade. Both get after it on defense, but Johnson is also stronger. Ned Golubovich has been hindered by hand/wrist injuries and won't be effective until he's recovered -- especially since he's still nowhere near the level of aggression he needs to be to turn into a solid rebounder and role player. Right now, he essentially is a role player without a role. "The Governor" Jerry Brown Jr. brings added intensity when he's on the floor, but still doesn't look completely comfortable in the offense. Big man Brandon Webster has seen very little playing time recently, but is making the most of his opportunities with much improved effort and aggression. He could be helpful against teams like Louisiana Tech with bigs the 'Dogs need to keep out of the paint.

Heard on "The Herd"

I don't normally listen to the Colin Cowherd show because, well, his opinions aren't very good. That said, I figure a lot of these big-time radio voices purposely form bad opinions to generate listener feedback.

Well today it worked, but I'm not calling in or emailing his show (which would allow said plan to work), I'm just writing about it here to get your feedback. The debate at hand is whether the NCAA basketball tourney should expand to 96 teams?

Syracuse's Jim Boeheim is in favor, as is Fresno State's Steve Cleveland. I haven't yet decided where I sit on the fence.

But get this, Cowherd says people don't want to watch underdogs. It's a "myth" he tells us. The ratings aren't good. The ratings plummet when Duke is eliminated. People want to see Duke and North Carolina and Kansas an Kentucky. And in football, the lowest rated BCS game will be Boise State-TCU, because people would rather watch USC (his favorite team), Ohio State and Notre Dame. Is this true? Is that who you'd rather watch? I certainly wouldn't.

But let's take Cowherd's argument as fact for argument's sake -- and now let's apply that logic to Title IX. If what's important in bowl games and NCAA tourneys is what gets the best TV ratings, because we have to give the people what they want, then apply that rule across the board. WAY more people like to watch men's football and men's basketball than all the women's collegiate sports put together. So does that mean women's sports don't deserve as much funding as the men's from their respective institutions?

And Mr. Cowherd, if I'm not mistaking the most popular College World Series ever for TV ratings was Fresno State's national title run in 2008.

How'd you vote in SI survey?

A Sports Illustrated survey like no other I've ever seen is getting in the minds of college football fans. How'd you vote and why'd you vote that way (comment and let us know)?

Below is my ballot:

1. What conference does your favorite team play in?
WAC

2. What is your favorite team?
FRESNO STATE

3. Are you a season-ticket holder?
Yes

4. How many of your team's home games a year do you attend?
5-plus

5. How many road games (including bowl) do you attend?
1-2

6. How would you rate the tailgate scene on game day?
Olympian

7. On average, how much tailgating do you do for each game?
4+ hours

8. What is your favorite football tradition at your school?
The Red Mile (which I went on to explain)

9. Which school is your biggest conference rival?
Boise State

10. What is your favorite stadium to visit in your team's conference?
San Jose State

11. Which school has the rudest fans for visitors?
Hawaii

12. Which school has the most polite fans for visitors?
Idaho

13. What is the worst incident you have witnessed against an opposing fan or yourself at the ballpark?
Besides Fresno State, Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada and San Jose State, no other WAC teams have accomplished enough to build up the passion/following that leads to negative incidents. And with Fresno State playing anyone, anywhere, anytime I've had a chance to see the 'Dogs play in many storied venues. The worst incident was theft. After returning to my vehicle after nearly out-slugging No. 1 USC in 2005, I discovered my Fresno State-themed license plate had been stolen (not the frame, the plate).

14. Outside of your own team's conference, which conference is the strongest on a year-to-year basis?
Pac-10

15. Outside of your own team's conference, which conference plays the most enjoyable brand of football?
Mountain West

16. Should student-athletes be paid?
No

17. How closely do you follow recruiting?
I am a recruitnik

18. Should alchoholic beverages be served at college football games?
Yes

19. How many college football games a week do you watch on TV?
4-5

20. Do you prefer college football to NFL?
Yes

21. When do you watch televised college football?
All days

22. Which postseason format do you prefer?
Full-blown playoff

WAC rundown Week 8

Louisiana Tech (3-3, 2-1) @ Utah State (1-5, 0-2)
Saturday, noon, ESPN 360
Last week: Louisiana Tech 45, New Mexico State 7 / Nevada 35, Utah State 32
Golly that stings for Utah State. A double-digit lead late against Nevada blown, and all of a sudden the Aggies are 1-5 with solid showings against Texas A&M, Utah, BYU and Nevada, and an inexplicable loss at New Mexico State. This thing is gonna go one of two ways for Utah State -- either it improves and picks up a big win or the season turns into a reeling mess. The La Tech defense is starting to look darn dangerous, but I'm goin' with the upset.
Prediction: Utah State

Idaho (6-1, 3-0) @ Nevada (3-3, 2-0)
Saturday, 1:05 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: Idaho 35, Hawaii 23 / Nevada 35, Utah State 32
Can you say statement game? That's exactly what this can be for the Vandals. Win, and even the latest bloomers blossom into Vandal believers. Lose, and it could be the start of a totally different second half for an Idaho team with games still remaining against Fresno State and Boise State. Nevada lucked out to come from behind and beat Utah State last week, but it's hard to picture that Wolf Pack offense not presenting a ton of problems for Idaho. For the record, I hope I'm wrong on this pick, because I'd thoroughly enjoy seeing Chris Ault be sad.
Prediction: Nevada

Fresno State (3-3, 2-1) @ New Mexico State (3-4, 1-2)
Saturday, 7:15 p.m., ESPNU
Last week: Fresno State 41, San Jose State 21 / Louisiana Tech 45, New Mexico State 7
The past three match-ups between these two teams have been decided by seven points or less, though Fresno State is 15-0 all-time against the Aggies. Coming into the season I proclaimed that New Mexico State might well be the nation's worst team -- there really is a huge lack of talent -- but somehow the Aggies have won three games. Still, they haven't seen any running backs like these, any receivers like these or any offensive line like this. And the Aggies flatout won't be able to slow the Bulldogs' offense.
Prediction: Fresno State

Boise State (6-0, 1-0) @ Hawaii (2-4, 0-3)
Saturday, 8:05 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: Boise State 28, Tulsa 21 / Idaho 35, Hawaii 23
It's really tough to figure this Broncos team out. It's the quickest they've ever reached such a high ranking, and maybe their highest hopes ever, but they've struggled with FCS UC-Davis and a much overrated Tulsa team the past two games. Hawaii falls somewhere in between those two squads, and beat the Broncos last time they met on the islands. But that was with Colt Brennan and Co. in Hawaii's BCS-bowl-crashing season (which seems so long ago now). Maybe Boise State will get caught sleeping at some point this year, but until it happens it would be ridiculous to pick against the Broncos.
Prediction: Boise State

WAC rundown Week 7

Boise State (6-0, 1-0) 28, Tulsa (4-2, 2-0) 21
Wednesday

Nevada (2-3, 1-0) @ Utah State (1-4, 0-1)
Saturday, noon, ESPN 360
Last week: Nevada 37, Louisiana Tech 14 / New Mexico State 20, Utah State 17
OK, so maybe the Aggies aren't anywhere near where we thought they were when they played some tough Utah and BYU teams close early in the season. A loss to New Mexico State is a joke. And Nevada is catching fire at a bad, bad time for Utah State.
Prediction: Nevada

New Mexico State (3-3, 1-1) @ Louisiana Tech (2-3, 1-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Last week: New Mexico State 20, Utah State 17 / Nevada 37, Louisiana Tech 14
New Mexico State has about three times more wins than I though it would. Last week was quite surprising. But this La Tech defense is going to get after 'em like no one has this season and put 'em back in place.
Prediction: Louisiana Tech

Hawaii (2-3, 0-2) @ Idaho (5-1, 2-0)
Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: Fresno State 42, Hawaii 17 / Idaho 29, San Jose State 25
I finally went with Idaho last week and it worked out, but where does this stop? It's a classic case of a team that's really not all that talented gaining an avalanche of confidence as it keeps rolling downhill over its opponents. But the Warriors can't be confident at all right now, despite great success in Moscow in recent years. Still, let's go out on a limb and disrespect the Vandals again.
Prediction: Hawaii

San Jose State (1-4, 0-1) @ Fresno State (2-3, 1-1)
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Last week: Fresno State 42, Hawaii 17 / Idaho 29, San Jose State 25
The Bulldogs' offense is screaming through the schedule, and it's near impossible to imagine a repeat of when these two teams met last year and Fresno State had just 58 yards passing. The Spartans, though, are in desparate need of a victory of any kind after losing at home to Idaho last week. But with a big talent differential and Fresno State having won 14 of the last 15 match-ups, it's tough to imagine anything different.
Prediction: Fresno State

WAC rundown Week 6

Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0) @ Nevada (1-3, 0-1)
Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN

Last week: Louisiana Tech 27, Hawaii 6 / Nevada 63, UNLV 28
Where the heck did that 700-plus yards of Wolf Pack offense come from? UNLV had it close at the half, before Nevada just embarrassed 'em. But La Tech did some embarrassing of its own, holding Hawaii touchdown-less on national TV. On the road, against a now-confident Nevada team, La Tech won't be able to duplicate such a defensive effort.
Prediction: Nevada

Idaho (4-1, 1-0) @ San Jose State (1-3)
Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: New Mexico State 20, New Mexico 17 / San Jose State bye
Are you kiddin' me Vandals? This is starting to get ridiculous, and as hot as they are, there's no reason to think the dreadful-looking Spartans can stop them. San Jose State has been solid at home under Dick Tomey, but struggled to beat Cal Poly two weeks ago. Idaho comes up big again against the Spartans' sad state of offense and will be one win from bowl eligibility -- unreal.
Prediction: Idaho

Utah State (1-3) @ New Mexico State (2-3, 0-1)
Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: BYU 35, Utah State 17 / San Diego State 34, New Mexico State 17
New Mexico State is real, real bad. Period. Utah State is much, much better. But the blueish/slight purple tinted Aggies of Logan have played tough competition with losses to Texas A&M, Utah and BYU. Utah State wins big this week.
Prediction: Utah State

Fresno State (1-3, 0-1) @ Hawaii (2-2, 0-1)
Saturday, 8 p.m., Bulldog Sports Network/ESPNU
Last week: Fresno State bye / Louisiana Tech 27, Hawaii 6
Pat Hill's Bulldogs have struggled mightily on the island, winning just one of six attemps under the fu manchu. It's just flat tough to justify picking against Fresno State this season with the talent differential, experience and depth.
Prediction: Fresno State

Byes:
No. 6 Boise State (5-0, 1-0)
Last week: Boise State 34, UC Davis 16

Doyel doesn't rule!

What's with this Gregg Doyel guy trying to come down with his hard-as-nails approach at Cincinnati and boise state?

While he certainly has a point that boise state has traditionally made its living by feasting on weak non-conference opponents, and because of that does not deserve a shot at the national title if it finishes the season undefeated, that's no reason to support the "haves" trying to keep the "have-nots" from joining the fray.

Why keep criticizing teams for their conference schedule? That's what is a waste of time. If schools like Fresno State and boise state had a chance to be in the Pac-10, they would jump at it. Then they'd both have better recruiting, an immensely larger budget (thanks to the BCS contracts), more attractive schedules that would garner more fans and attendance and they'd be able to hold on to great assistant coaches.

Speaking of Fresno State, Doyel lost all credibility by saying Oregon was boise state's best win and Bowling Green was its second-best win. Seriously Doyel, you think Bowling Green is better than Fresno State? Heck, one could argue Fresno State would beat Oregon this year, or Oregon State and Florida State (the other team you compared the Bulldogs to). The line on Fresno State vs. Bowling Green would be double digits -- if it were on the road.

National media is a big part of the reason why there's such a steep hill for schools from non-BCS conferences to climb in the first place. There are preseason magazines devoting pages upon pages of hype to even the nobodies from BCS conferences (think Washington State, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Syracuse, Baylor and half the Big East) while most teams from the WAC and Mountain West get a paragraph or three.

You turn on the TV and see constant coverage of usc, Florida, Texas -- same ol', same ol' -- and only see Fresno State news and highlights if the Bulldogs are still running undefeated. Think you'll hear another mention of Houston this year after its first loss? Nope, but you can bet you'll hear plenty more on Oklahoma State and Texas Tech (two teams Houston defeated this year, and two who cowardly backed out of a return game at Fresno State within the past decade).

It's time for the media to step up, and stop helping the injustices of college football continue.

WAC rundown Week 5

***I should be ashamed. I realized far too late the La Tech-Hawaii game was being played on Wednesday night. Then I had no clue Utah State-BYU was tonight. So I didn't get my predictions for those two games up in time. For the record, I woulda picked Hawaii and BYU. I would have been wrong and right.

Hawaii (2-2, 0-1) @ Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0)
Louisiana Tech 27, Hawaii 6

Utah State (1-3) @ No. 20 BYU (4-1, 1-0)
BYU 35, Utah State 17

UNLV (2-2, 0-1) @ Nevada (0-3, 0-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Last week: Missouri 31, Nevada 21
What was supposed to be an epic season for the Wolf Pack is in danger of falling apart. A loss to the in-state Rebels might buckle the players' spirt. But talent-wise, this game shouldn't be close. Don't prove me wrong again Nevada.
Prediction: Nevada

New Mexico State (2-2, 0-1) @ San Diego State (1-3, 0-1)
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Last week: New Mexico State 20, New Mexico 17
The Aggies might very well be the worst team in the country. Seriously. This isn't a joke. It's actually quite offensive how bad their team is. But the Aztecs are bad too, having already lost by double digits to Idaho. Still, expect the heavily-favored Aztecs to put another notch on the belt (do you get a notch for beaing New Mexico State?).
Prediction: San Diego State

UC Davis (1-2, 0-1) @ No. 5 Boise State (4-0, 1-0)
Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: Boise State 49, Bowling Green 14
Local radio personality Guy Haberman of 1430 ESPN joked this week that the line for this game should be about 56. He might not be far off. UC Davis was stomped 51-0 in its opener at Fresno State, and now faces a more dangerous defense. These two teams run the same system, but the Aggies are about to get a tutorial on executing it at a higher level.
Prediction: Boise State

Colorado State (3-1, 0-1) @ Idaho (3-1, 1-0)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Last week: Idaho 34, Northern Illinois 31
This is getting ri-gosh-darn-diculous. The Vandals are 3-1? Watch out for bacon bits falling from the sky. If Idaho can beat another Mountain West team (after San Diego State) and pick up another quality win (this and Northern Illinois count as quality wins for Idaho) then we'll know the Vandals are for real. You can guess from my prediction whether I think they are.
Prediction: Colorado State

Byes:
Fresno State (1-3, 0-1)
Last week: No. 14 Cincinnati 28, Fresno State 20

San Jose State (1-3)
Last week: San Jose State 19, Cal Poly 9

Fresno State in national title game?

Yes, Fresno State is 1-3, but the bye week has left us with too much time to think. And that brings about a few what-ifs. Like, what if Fresno State -- with a schedule featuring two top 10 teams in the first four games this year -- was 4-0 right now?

What if Fresno State went undefeated this season, with wins at Wisconsin, vs. No. 5 Boise State, at No. 10 Cincinnati and at Illinois later in the year? That's a darn solid resumé. And if the 'Dogs did pull off the magical undefeated run (which we obviously now know they won't) it would be worthy of an appearance in the national title game.

But, does Boise State, with its schedule, deserve to play for the national championship when its undefeated season is complete? The Broncos won at home vs. an Oregon team that looked terrible, but now pulled off a stunning blowout of Cal. And the Broncos won at Fresno State, a team with a high-powered offense that should be much better than 1-3 at this point.

Today's Yahoo! story seems to think Boise State in the biggest of big BCS bowl games is a possibility. Do you?

WAC rundown Week 4

No. 21 Missouri (3-0) @ Nevada (0-2)
Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN
Last week: Colorado State 35, Nevada 20
Getting shut out at Notre Dame was one thing, but a double-digit loss at Colorado State after a bye week must have the Wolf Pack questioning things. Missouri smoked Nevad 69-17 a year ago, and should win again, but it'll be closer in Reno.
Prediction: Missouri

Fresno State (1-2, 0-1) @ No. 14 Cincinnati (3-0, 1-0)
Saturday, 9 a.m., ESPN Regional/Bulldog Sports Network
Last week: No. 10 Boise State 51, Fresno State 34
A 1-3 start for a Bulldogs team this talented would be heartbreaking, but this Bearcats squad is determined to have its best season ever and has a flatout prolific offense. Weather permitting, it could turn into a high-scoring affair similar to Fresno State's game last week, but if it rains hard enough the edge swings greatly in Fresno State's advantage with its running game. Otherwise, the Bearcats' offense is built to deconstruct the Bulldogs' defense with the spread passing attack.
Prediction: Cincinnati

Idaho (2-1, 1-0) @ Northern Illinois (2-1)
Saturday, 12:30 p.m., Comcast/ESPN Gameplan
Last week: Idaho 34, San Diego State 20
Wow, would ya look at the Vandals? They surprised last week with a two-score win over the Aztecs, and now it's not unreasonable they could improve to 3-1 with a win this week. But the Huskies are coming off a 28-21 win at Purdue, and almost came back at Wisconsin in the opener. With home field, they get the edge. Plus, Idaho has reached its win quote for the next two years.
Prediction: Northern Illinois

No. 8 Boise State (3-0, 1-0) @ Bowling Green (1-2)
Saturday, 4 p.m., ESPN Gameplan
Last week: Boise State 51, Fresno State 34
Even without running back D.J. Harper, who was lost for the year with a knee injury, the Broncos are going to run away with this one. The tough travel hype in the media all week is nonsense. The Falcons' offense doesn't present near the challenge Fresno State's did.
Prediction: Boise State

Southern Utah (1-2) @ Utah State (0-2)
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Last week: Texas A&M 38, Utah State 30
Close losses to Texas A&M and Utah early in the season makes Utah State seem like a team on the verge of competing in the WAC -- just not this year. Still, playing an FCS team will get the Aggies in the win column.
Prediction: Utah State

Cal Poly (1-1) @ San Jose State (0-3)
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Last week: Stanford 42, San Jose State 17
The Spartans have had a rough early go of it with losses to USC, Utah and Stanford, but as long as their spirits aren't crushed they're too talented to lose to even a strong FCS program like Cal Poly's. Many questions remain to be answered about the Spartans' offense, and it'll be interesting to see if they figure them out this week?
Prediction: San Jose State

New Mexico State (1-2, 0-1) @ New Mexico (0-3, 0-1)
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Last week: UTEP 38, New Mexico State 12
New Mexico State is just bad. And so is New Mexico. The Lobos haven't come close against Texas A&M, Air Force or Tulsa. But it would still be a stunner if the Aggies beat anyone in the FBS, let alone a Mountain West team.
Prediction: New Mexico

Byes:
Hawaii
Last week: UNLV 34, Hawaii 33

Louisiana Tech
Last week: Louisiana tech 48, Nicholls State 13

Preview: Fresno State (1-2, 0-1) @ No. 14 Cincinnati (3-0, 1-0)

Quarterbacks
Edge: Bearcats
First-year starter Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) had an abysmal first half in last Friday’s 51-34 loss to then-No. 10 Boise State, throwing for just 10 yards and two interceptions. Colburn had more completions to Boise State defenders (1) than his Fresno State teammates (0) in the half. Coach Pat Hill said he considered inserting true freshman Derek Carr (6-3, 190) after halftime, but ended up sticking with the junior Colburn and it paid off. The lefty Colburn heated up and threw for 177 second-half yards and a touchdown, nearly helping the Bulldogs to a comeback. On the year, Colburn has thrown for 637 yards, 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions (55.4%). Shifty redshirt freshman Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210) led one drive, resulting in a field goal for the team’s first points of the game. If Cincinnati defenders are overly aggressive, the Bulldogs might use Feathers to burn them for a run this week.

Cincinnati’s potent offense starts with senior Tony Pike (6-6, 225), who loves to spread the ball all over the field and has put up ridiculous numbers while doing it. Pike averages nearly 100 yards per game more than Colburn and has completed 75 of 106 passes (70.5%) for 923 yards, 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Coaches won’t hesitate to let Pike keep it in the red zone – he’s got two rushing scores on the year. In a tight 28-18 win at Oregon State last week, Pike threw for 332 yards, 2 scores and a pick. Pike was named Big East offensive player of the week after a 362-yard performance at Rutgers in the opener.

Running Backs
Edge: Bulldogs
Wow. There’s no other word to aptly describe junior Ryan Mathews’ (5-11, 220) showing on national TV last Friday, despite the loss to Boise State. Mathews did everything in his power to run the Bulldogs back into the game after an early deficit, racking up a career-high 234 yards and 3 touchdowns. Mathews leads the nation with 447 yards, and averages 9.1 per carry. His touchdowns against a vaunted Boise State defense went for 69, 60 and 68 yards, respectively. As if he’s not enough for the Bearcats to worry about, the emergence of true freshman Robbie Rouse (5-7, 185) has opponents on alert. Rouse is second on the team with 174 yards (7.6 per carry). And don’t forget about seniors Lonyae Miller (5-11, 220) and Anthony Harding (6-0, 220). Both have gotten limited carries so far this season, but each rushed for more than 800 yards last year (Harding was the team’s leader).

Cincinnati relies much less on the run than Fresno State, but the Bearcats have a talented young back in sophomore Isaiah Pead (5-10, 193), who broke his high school’s all-time rushing mark previously held by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin. Pead is second on the Bearcats with 138 yards (4.6 average) while senior Jacob Ramsey (6-0, 216) has 161 yards and an 8.1-yard average. Though Ramsey has a the team-long with a 62-yard carry, he hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown, but has two receiving. Both backs will be used in the passing game, as they’ve combined for 159 yards receiving and thee scores.

Receivers
Edge: Even
Both teams have big playmakers at wide receiver, and though Cincinnati has the biggest name, Fresno State has four wideouts with more than 100 yards in just three games – junior Devon Wylie (5-9, 170), senior Seyi Ajirotutu (6-4, 210), senior Chastin West (6-1, 215) and senior Marlon Moore (6-1, 190). Ajirotutu leads the Bulldogs with 11 catches for 167 yards, but Wylie leads with 175 yards (17.5 per catch) – both have 2 touchdowns. West and Moore have 120 yards apiece, but Moore’s done it on just four catches (including a 92-yarder in the opener against UC Davis). Wylie had a 70-yard score at Wisconsin. Sophomore Jamel Hamler (6-2, 205) is waiting in the wings and will also emerge as a big-play threat when he gets his turn. He had three receptions last week. The Bulldogs average 15.4 yards per catch as a team, compared to 12.8 by the Bearcats. Most exciting for ‘Dogs fans is the ability the receivers have shown to go up and get the ball at its high point in recent weeks.

The biggest danger the Bearcats present is senior Mardy Gilyard (6-1, 187), an All-American who had 1,276 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and leads the Bearcats with 265 yards and 4 scores this year (11.5 average) and is a candidate for several national awards. Sophomore D.J. Woods (6-0, 175) emerged last week against Oregon State with 7 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. Woods is second with 208 yards on the year, ahead of junior Armon Binns (6-4, 200), who has 179 yards and is second-best on the Bearcats with 15 receptions. Pike has spread the ball around to 14 different players, including junior tight end Ben Guidugli (6-0, 237), who has 5 catches for 49 yards.

Offensive Line
Edge: Bulldogs
For the second straight week, the Bulldogs allowed two sacks in a game, and face their stiffest challenge on Saturday morning against a 3-4 blitzing defense from Cincinnati. The Bulldogs’ scout team has been emulating the Bearcats’ blitz looks this week to prepare for the battle in the trenches, but Fresno State matches up better against bigger defensive fronts than faster, more athletic ones. Credit Fresno State’s line for opening up running lanes for Mathews and Rouse last week and helping propel the Bulldogs to No. 4 in the nation among rushing offenses. Junior right guard Andrew Jackson (6-5, 295) will be the best lineman on the field.

The Bearcats have a stable line that returned three starters from last season and found two new starters who have been set in their positions each game this year while the unit has allowed just two sacks. The two linemen Cincinnati lost from last season are the only offensive starters who didn’t return this year. It starts with senior left tackle John Linkenbach (6-6, 311), senior center Chris Jurek (6-2, 286) and junior left guard Jason Kelce (6-4, 290), who have 49 career starts combined. Keep an eye on junior left tackle Samuel Griffin (6-4, 260), who is greatly undersized but might have an easier time keeping up with Fresno State’s speedy ends than Linkenbach.

Defensive Line
Edge: Even
Junior end Chris Carter (6-2, 230) has blossomed into a fierce pass rusher for the Bulldogs, despite an obscenely large cast on his left hand resulting from an injury in the Wisconsin game. Carter’s owns the team’s only two sacks of the season, leads the team with 3 tackles for loss and was in Boise State’s backfield all night last Friday. How often and how quick he and fellow end, sophomore Kenny Borg (6-3, 245), can get in Pike’s face on Saturday might determine the outcome of this game. With the secondary as Fresno State’s biggest concern, it’s all the more important the Bulldogs force Pike into pressure decisions with defensive line play. Junior tackle Chris Lewis (6-3, 260) is on the verge of a breakout season if he keeps up the intensity – which was his problem area in past seasons. Fresno State could sorely use a better pass rush from the interior linemen.

When a defense gives up an average of just 12 points per game as Cincinnati’s has, no one’s going to have a ton of tackles. But senior end Alex Daniels (6-4, 259) is tied for second on the team with 15. The team has a ridiculous 32 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Senior end Ricardo Mathews (6-3, 294) leads the Bearcats with 4.5 tackles for loss and is second with 2.5 sacks. The Bearcats surely saw game film of Fresno State using the draw against Boise State last week and will have to be ready for it if they’re in the Bulldogs’ backfield early.

Linebackers
Edge: Bearcats
Sophomore Kyle Knox (6-1, 215) had one of the biggest hits of the season for Fresno State on Friday, when he blasted a gap and met Boise State running back D.J. Harper head on, unfortunately ending Harper’s season with a knee injury. But it was the type of good, clean hit the Bulldogs need from their linebackers to keep Bearcats’ receivers from getting too comfortable in space. All-WAC junior Ben Jacobs (6-3, 225) leads the team with 25 tackles after recording 113 last season, and has 2 tackles for loss. Junior Nico Herron (6-3, 240) had little impact last week after a big start to the season, and may see less time in favor of reserve sophomore Shawn Plummer (6-0, 200), a former walk-on who offers more speed.

The Bearcats defense has been surprisingly strong after losing 10 starters from a season ago, and the leading tackler is senior Andre Revels (6-0, 221) with 21. Redshirt freshman Walter Stewart (6-5, 226) made his first start at Oregon State in place of Curtis Young, who was lost for the season with injury. Stewart had 4 tackles, 2.5 for losses and forced a fumble – he leads the team with 3 sacks. Sophomore J.K. Schaffer (6-1, 223) has two interceptions.

Defensive Backs
Edge: Bearcats
Fresno State faces a tall task with junior safety Lorne Bell (5-10, 200) still out with injury – not just because he’s established himself as the defense’s hardest hitter and on-field leader, but because his replacements struggled last week. Senior Marvin Haynes (6-1, 205) fills in with two-plus years of starting experience but dropped a wide-open, would-be interception against Boise State that was right in his hands with the Bulldogs trailing by only seven points in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Zak Hill (6-0, 200), Pat Hill’s son, was an even bigger liability in his first significant game action, being caught out of position and outrun for two big plays last week. The Bulldogs could benefit from sliding redshirt freshman Phillip Thomas (6-1, 205) into that spot for pass coverage on Saturday. While Thomas lacks the experience to lead the defense like Bell, he’s got the talent to be one of the WAC’s best. Junior corner Desia Dunn (5-9, 190) has to improve his awareness, especially if he matches up with Gilyard so senior A.J. Jefferson (6-0, 190) can cover the taller Binns.

The Bearcats have seven interceptions on the year, compared to Fresno State’s one, but their secondary faces its biggest challenge with the number of skilled receivers that will be on the field and rotating in and out to keep fresh. Senior safety Aaron Webster (6-2, 211) is tied for the team lead with two picks, while redshirt freshman safety Drew Frey (6-4, 205) is coming off his best game with 12 tackles in the win at Oregon State. Frey played in four games last season before an arm injury forced him to take a medical redshirt. Webster is the team’s lone returning starter from a year ago, when he finished with 60 tackles and a pick.

Special Teams
Edge: Even
Forget how good the Bulldogs have been in the past decade blocking kicks. Forget how good A.J. Jefferson, Devon Wylie, Chastin West and Marlon Moore have been returning kicks and punts. The kick coverage has been flat out poor. And special teams coach John Baxter needs to do something about it – stubbornness doesn’t win ballgames. The Bulldogs were burned more than ever under Hill for big returns last season, and the trend seems to have carried over, as Boise State had two different players with 77-yard returns, and a long punt return that was called back on a penalty. Fresno State can’t afford to put its defense in bad field position and expect to win big games.

Mardy Gilyard earned Big East special teams player of the year honors last season. Think he can repeat? Gilyard’s 53-yard punt return for a touchdown against Southeast Missouri State ended a 12-year drought without a punt return score for the Bearcats. To put that into perspective, consider the Bulldogs returned three punts for touchdowns just last season (with three different players). Gilyard averages a modest 20 yards per kick return, but the Bulldogs can’t afford to take risk with him. Junior Jake Rogers is just 1 of 2 on field goals this season, with a long of 30 yards. Freshman punter Patrick O’Donnell (6-5, 210) averages only 37.9 yards, giving Fresno State a big edge in the kicking game but it’s evened out in coverage.

Coaching
Edge: Bearcats
It’s hard to pick against Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly right now after he led the Bearcats to a BCS bowl last season and an all-time high No. 12 final ranking. He’s got the team ranked 14th right now, and has national media even talking about national championship possibilities – unheard of at the school that’s had back-to-back 10-win seasons after having just one previous 10-win season in its history (1951). But don’t forget, it’s the type of big-time non-conference game Pat Hill and his players live for, and after a 1-2 start with a team this talented, they’re hungry. Still, Fresno State has lost its past 10 games against ranked teams.

Intangibles
Edge: Even
A week after Fresno State wore its all-Bulldog Red uniforms during a “white-out” of Bulldog Stadium in which the visitor wore all white uniforms, Cincinnati is doing it right with the Bearcats wearing all white to match their fans. Fresno State will wear the Bulldog Reds. The Bulldogs let a lesser Wisconsin team sneak back in the game and steal a win at Camp Randall two weeks ago and now find themselves in danger of falling to 1-3 with another loss. With a team that’s proven to lack the mental toughness to bounce back in the past, that’s a big risk. Though Cincinnati is a BCS-conference opponent, 35,000-seat Nippert Stadium is smaller than the Bulldogs’ home. From Cincinnati’s perspective, a win is a must to keep national title dreams alive.

***Photos courtesy of Juan Villa

Thou shalt not discipline Boise players

Is there some WAC rule we don't know about prohibiting discipline against Boise State players? The Broncos have played just three games in the young season -- two of them featuring questionable behavior by their players.

We've all heard all about the first incident, when defensive lineman Byron Hout ran by Oregon star Lagarrette Blount, hit him on the helmet and shoulder pad before giving a little taunt, and then got a roundhouse to the chinny chin chin. Hout was not suspended for his actions.

Now, word out of the WAC office today is commish Karl Benson reviewed two Boise State hits from this past Friday's game at Fresno State -- both on Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Colburn -- and determined neither were worth disciplinary action.

The Fresno Bee wrote it this way: "In fact, Benson said further replay showed it was the shoulder pad of Broncos safety Winston Venable that came in contact with Colburn's helmet during the fourth-quarter collision ..."

Then The Bee quoted Benson as saying, "The Boise State defender was leading with his helmet, but did not make helmet-to-helmet contact. ..."

The Bee story then follows with this nugget: "Benson did say that the officiating crew should have flagged Venable with a personal foul for hitting a player above the shoulder pads ..."

Really? Does Benson have replays more clear than this one (fast forward to fourth quarter and listen to commentators' remarks)? Because, with my modest 20-20 human eyesight, it appears quite obvious that it was not Venable's shoulder pad that first came into contact with Colburn. It also appears possible there was indeed helmet-to-helmet contact (unless there are better replays available proving otherwise). And thirdly, the officiating crew did not flag Venable -- he got away with a hit and Boise State got away with a win.

Shoot, if I didn't know any better, I'd think Benson is a Boise State alum or something...

Time to talk Colburn

It was still the first quarter of Friday night's 51-34 loss to No. 10 Boise State when the Red Wave (which was mostly clad in white) made me cringe. Quarterback Ryan Colburn threw an incomplete pass and the fans, his own fans, Fresno State's own fans, booed. Not all of 'em, but dozens of them at least. And they should all be ashamed.

Colburn's not an NFL player making $2 million a game. He's a college kid, and he's playing his heart out for the Valley's team. And how can you not root for a guy who's hurt this much by a loss? If that doesn't show how much Colburn cares, I don't know what would?

Now that that's settled, let's analyze how he's doing (no boos allowed). After throwing for just 10 yards in the first half Friday, including two interceptions, Colburn finished 14 of 29 for 187 yards and two scores. Very underwhelming stats, but considering the poor first half he finished quite strong. Plus, he out-passed Boise State's Kellen Moore.

On the year now, Colburn is 41 of 74 (55.4%) with 637 yards, 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

So you tell us Red Wave, has Colburn done enough to earn a stronghold on the starting quarterback job? Was it a mistake for coach Pat Hill not to play Derek Carr, or even Ebahn Feathers in passing situations?

Grading the 'Dogs (1-2) vs. No. 10 Boise State (3-0)

Quarterbacks: C-
Give Colburn credit for battling back, but atrocious start with pick-six put his team in a whole it would never quite crawl out of. Both of Colburn's interceptions were terrible decisions, and he had just 10 yards at the half. Finished 14 o f 29 for 187 yards after big second half. Overthrew West on a critical would-be TD late in the game.

Running Backs: A+
Not everyone got involved, but Mathews and Rouse (who is quickly becoming the second option) did. Mathews had a career game with TD runs of 69, 60 and 68 yards en route to 234 yards (12.3 per carry). No one does that to Boise State's defense. Rouse added 7 carries for 53 yards.

Receivers: A-
Rebounded from a slow start to make several huge plays and keep Fresno State alive, including West's wrestle-away from a Broncos corner, Ajirotutu's leap ball and Wylie's ability to stay in bounds and twist around for the TD catch on a fade route.

Offensive Line: B
Came out flat as 'Dogs dipped to a 24-3 hole, but got stronger later in the game, and made key second-level blocks on Mathews' big runs. Gave up two sacks for the second straight week.

Defensive Line: B-
Applied pressure most of the night, especially with Carter and his casted left arm dominating everyone lined up across from him, but couldn't quite get to the quarterback or running backs in time. Career game for Lewis.

Linebackers: C+
Made key first-half stops, but softened along with the rest of the defense in the second half. Needed to do a better job of foreseeing.

Defensive Backs: D
Give Jefferson credit for running guys down multiple times, forcing a fumble into the end zone and leading the team with 8 tackles, but play of Zak Hill was inexcusable -- out of position, lack of reaction time, not fast enough to play-catchup. Haynes dropped easy interception when 'Dogs were down by 7 points early in the fourth quarter. Dunn had his back to the play as Broncos were in the middle of a huge running play. Why no Thomas, Pat Hill!?

Special Teams: F+
Not that the plus matters, but give Goessling credit for the two field goals and Shapiro for the longer kickoffs. That said, the kickoff coverage is abysmal right now, and Baxter needs to step up and fix it. The 'Dogs have too many of their slower players on the coverage unit and blow their lanes all too often.

Coaching: C
It almost got out of hand early, but credit the staff with bringing the 'Dogs back and giving Boise State a big scare early in the fourth. Offense is humming, but kick coverage was horrible and defense couldn't keep coming up big. Cover kicks better, don't play Hill over Thomas and what's with not putting Carr or Feathers in to throw in the final four minutes when the game was decided?

WAC rundown Week 3

***Note: Shucks, there goes my undefeated streak of WAC picks. And wouldn't ya know it Fresno State's double-overtime loss to Wisconsin last week is the only blemish on my record so far this year. I hope to bounce back strong, but I also hope I lose on my 'Dogs-boise state pick this week.

No. 10 Boise State (2-0) @ Fresno State (1-1)
Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN
Last week: Wisconsin 34, Fresno State 31 (2OT)
Make no mistake, Fresno State fans are disgusted by the Broncos -- they wouldn't mind a similar WAC winning mark, but overall the feeling is disgust. Boise State has won seven of the past eight in the series, with the last loss coming in 2005 at Bulldog Stadium, 27-7. The series remains a mystery, as Fresno State always seems to have an edge on paper, but never in the score book. Until that trend starts to change, and someone figures out how the Broncos execute so flawlessly, we've gotta pick the other way.
Prediction: Boise State

Nevada (0-1) @ Colorado State (2-0)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Last week: Nevada bye
Nevada's preseason hype came to a humbling crash in a 35-0 opening loss at Notre Dame. The Wolf Pack got a week off to think about it, and now faces what appears to be a tougher test than people realized two weeks ago -- an undefeated Rams team fresh off wins against Colorado and Weber State (albeit by one point). But Nevada won't get shut out again, and will flat outscore the Rams.
Prediction: Nevada

San Diego State (1-1) @ Idaho (1-1)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Last week: Washington 42, Idaho 23
Signs point to a new era at lowly San Diego State, where things have never been quite as lowly as they have in Idaho. The Aztecs, under new coach Brady Hoke, have renewed discipline and beat Idaho 42-17 last season. They did, however, lose in Moscow in 2002. But don't expect a repeat. Idaho coach Robb Akey has four wins in his three-year career.
Prediction: San Diego State

Nicholls State (1-1) @ Louisiana Tech (0-2)
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Last week: Navy 32, Louisiana Tech 14
There's no way a Nicholls State team (sorry don't know their nickname so couldn't use it) that lost 72-0 in the opener at Air Force, can beat a team with the athletes La Tech has. Chalk up the first win of the year for those other Bulldogs as they try to rebound from losses at Auburn and Navy.
Prediction: Louisiana Tech

Utah State (0-1) @ Texas A&M (1-0)
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Last week: Utah State bye
The WAC Aggies had a bye last week to prepare as it tries to win its first road game in eight tries. Though these two teams have never met, the Big 12 Aggies are riding high off a bye week as well -- only their bye follows a 41-6 thumping of New Mexico. For a team that struggles as much as Utah State does on the road, it would be unthinkable to pull off a win in such a hostile environment.
Prediction: Texas A&M

UTEP (0-2) @ New Mexico State (1-1)
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Last week: New Mexico State 21, Prairie View A&M 18
Wow, the Aggies might literally be the worst team in the country. Let's hope Dwayne Walker can turn this program around and stop embarrassing the WAC. UTEP has already dropped two decisions to Buffalo and No. 24 Kansas, and awaits No. 2 Texas and No. 21 Houston after this one. It'll be a dreadful start to the season if the Miners can't win this one.
Prediction: UTEP

San Jose State (0-2) @ Stanford (1-1)
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Last week: No. 17 Utah 24, San Jose State 14
The Spartans are playing quarterback shuffle again with Jordan La Secla and Kyle Reed, and the team was competitive against a ranked Utah squad. The problem with San Jose State remains offense (save for the 56 points USC dropped on 'em). Jim Harbaugh will have Stanford's offense ready to score enough to outlast the Spartans, who last beat Stanford in 2006.
Prediction: Stanford

Hawaii (2-0) @ UNLV (1-1)
Saturday, 8 p.m., CBS College Sports
Last week: Hawaii 38, Washington State 20
UNLV is improved, and gave Oregon State a huge scare last week before losing on a last-second field goal, but Hawaii QB Greg Alexander caught fire in beating a Pac-10 team (that probably shouldn't be) on the road last week. Would be an easy Hawaii win if it were on the islands, but the desert will keep it close. Two road wins in a row for the Warriors? Unheard of.
Prediction: Hawaii

Q&A with OBNUG

You might have noticed our exclusive interview with the folks at OBNUG, Boise State's very active, heavily commented blog, yesterday. Check it out for all the Boise State perspective your inquiring mind desires.

But today, we return the favor and get some insight into the heads of the Broncos fans as we head into Week 3 -- which for us means rivalry week!

Bulldog Bounce: Which Fresno State player scares Boise State most?
OBNUG: Speaking for Bronco Nation as a whole, I would have to say nobody, because Boise State fans can tend to be a little full of ourselves. Speaking for myself, I am most afraid of Ryan Colburn. I think that Colburn is the one player who can make the biggest difference in the game on Friday. Boise State's defense can play bend, don't break with the best of them, so a decent rushing day for Fresno might not lead to the impact you'd expect. However, if Colburn is on his game (think early against Wisconsin), we might be in for a different story.

Bulldog Bounce:Which Boise State player should Fresno State be most afraid of? OBNUG: It's hard to pick just one, since Boise State has done so well this season playing as a team. QB Kellen Moore can tear a defense apart. WRs Austin Pettis and Titus Young can turn small gainers into long TDs. CB Kyle Wilson can shut down an entire side of the field. But I'm going to go with DT Billy Winn on this one. He has been phenomenal so far this season. Winn helps set the tone for the defense with his penetration and line play, and he causes headaches for opposing offensive lines with his quickness and versatility. In the Broncos' new 3-3-5 look, Winn could line up as a stand-up defensive end, or even as a linebacker. His pass-rushing skill are top notch, but his specialty is run defense. He'll make some noise in the backfield unless Fresno gameplans to stop him.

Bulldog Bounce: Do you miss Tom Brandstater?
OBNUG: Only every day. I would have much more confidence in the outcome of this game if Brandstater were under center. Can't he get a medical redshirt for incompetence or something?

Bulldog Bounce: Are Boise State fans happy with their non-conference scheduling, or is there a buried sense of inner-questioning about how the Broncos would fare with a schedule like Fresno State's?
OBNUG: I think we're kind of over it. Our schedule picks up next season with games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech, so the AD has shown a willingness to start scheduling better teams. In the meantime, I can't complain about the success our team has seen using the scheduling tactics the university employed. Would the Broncos have made a BCS championship game with a tougher schedule? No. Would they have not gotten screwed over so many times by the bowl selections if they hadn't cleaned up on cupcakes? Maybe. Would they have had their incredible winning percentage and national recognition with more BCS teams on the sched? Probably not.
P.S. Don't tell anyone I said this because my official stance as a Bronco fan is supposed to be: "Boise State deserves a BCS game every season, regardless of who is on their schedule. College football is unfair. Mark May is a boob. Potatoes!"

Bulldog Bounce: Where does Kyle Wilson rank among the Broncos all-time greats?
OBNUG: His 2008 season was one of the best of all-time, so if he can replicate his success from last fall, I think you have to consider him to be Boise State's all-time best cornerback. He has had more national recognition than anyone before him, and he'll probably go higher in the draft than any other Bronco defensive player. Boise State has had great cornerbacks before, but none with the NFL talent of Wilson.

Bulldog Bounce: Why is it Fresno State often has the more celebrated players and bigger NFL prospects but can't beat Boise State regularly?
OBNUG: Coaching is a big part of it. Execution, game management, and game planning are huge on the college level, and it can really make a difference in the outcome of a game or a season. I'm not saying that Pat Hill is a bad coach. Actually, yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
I also think that, for whatever reason, the desire has been greater for the Broncos. I'm not sure if it is a motivation thing or what, but Boise State always seems to give greater effort than Fresno when the two teams take the field. Sources: My biased point of view, and I think Rod Gilmore said this once.

Bulldog Bounce: Why can't Dan Hawkins win at Colorado when he was so good at Boise State?
OBNUG: Karma, most likely.

Bulldog Bounce: Be honest, should the Broncos be forced to wear something other than blue uniforms in their home games?
OBNUG: No more than North Texas should be required to wear something other than green.

Bulldog Bounce: How many yards will the Broncos allow rushing on Friday? How many points will they allow?
OBNUG: Rushing yards allowed: Less than 100. Points allowed: Less than 25.
I think that Fresno will be forced to pass once the Broncos' get their offense rolling. That will cut into the rushing totals, but I don't really see the Bulldogs getting much push in the ground game anyway. The 25 point threshold is generous, in my opinion, judging by how the BSU defense has played so far this year. Throw in factors like special teams, turnovers, and late game defensive strategy changes, and I think 24 or so could be a possibility. In my heart of hearts (where all my homerism is kept), I think it will be in the teens - if that.

Bulldog Bounce: What's Boise State's best tradition?
OBNUG: You mean, besides the age-old sledgehammer thing? I can tell you what the most grating tradition is: the "Boise! ... State!" cheer. It used to be that Bronco fans would break out the cheer to inspire the team, shouting back and forth across the stadium and creating a really cool echo effect. Now, we do it in a Carl's Jr. if we some guy wearing a BSU shirt. It's bad.

Bulldog Bounce: If the Mountain West wanted to expand, would Boise State want to go with or without Fresno State?
OBNUG: As a fan, I would like to see Boise State and Fresno continue to play at least once every other year. I don't think that BSU necessarily wants the Bulldogs in the MWC with them, if only because Fresno hasn't exactly provided ideal competition the past eight years. I think the university would be quite ambivalent. However, as fans, I would probably grow tired of the annual Boise State - UNLV game and long for the days of Pat Hill's fu manchu and Fresno quarterbacks choking away big games. If I already miss Tom Brandstater this much, then I don't know what I would do without my annual dose of Fresno fan shtick.

Bulldog Bounce: First word that comes to mind with the following:Red Mile - Tom Hanks movie sequel.
Bulldog Stadium - Upsets.
Ryan Dinwiddie -Demigod.BCS - Playoff.
the color orange - Homeland Security threat level.
White Out - Snow.
Chris Petersen - President of the United States of America.
Derek Carr - Metrosexual.