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?

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

A news flash for Kevin Frandsen

Hey Kevin Frandsen, guess what, we don't blame you for despising Fresno State so much. Like many san jose staters (the school doesn't deserve capital lettering), you're jealous of the Bulldogs.

And, in case you forgot, the all-time series between Fresno State and san jose state now stands as:
Bulldogs 147, spartans 70

Enjoy the video of the Red Wave celebrating at your favorite restaurant, just across from the Fresno State campus, Dog House Grill...

Road trip to Irvine anyone?

After a whirlwind Sunday that rekindled those magical 2008 Fresno State baseball feelings, the NCAA regional brackets were announced this morning on ESPN.

Once again, Fresno State drew a fourth seed -- and rightfully so with a record just a smidgen above .500. The Diamond 'Dogs open with host, and No. 1 ranked, UC Irvine. The Anteaters will likely trot out ace Daniel Bibona (11-1, 2.65 ERA, 95 strikeouts in 98.1 innings). But last season, on its way to the national championship, Fresno State essentially knocked off most of the top 10 teams in the country.

The Bulldogs will be far from intimidated. UC Irvine has a plethora of guys hitting more than .300, but its home run leader, Francis Larson, has just 9. Comparatively, Fresno State's home run leader is All-America third baseman Tommy Mendonca, with 27. Bulldogs freshman Dusty Robinson has 14.

As far as comparisons to last season go, UC Irvine might be most similar to Rice. Very good pitching and guys who get hits and can play a bit of small ball. The biggest question for the Bulldogs is how good the pitching staff can be? One thing's for sure, the starters will have to work deep to make sure someone has gas left in the tank in case of a decisive Game 4 on Sunday.

1. UC Irvine
2. Virginia
3. San Diego State
4. Fresno State

Let's hear it Red Wave...what are your predictions for the regional?

Top 10 ways to look at the bright side with Fresno State baseball

10. The annual Mike Batesole-era regular season Diamond 'Dogs disappointment is over, and the postseason has always been kinder.

9. With WAC hitter of the week Isaac Vivas and senior Gavin Hedstrom finally doing a little something at the plate Baseball America might think twice about saying certain guys shouldn't even be on the field for a program of Fresno State's caliber.

8. Dusty Robinson's one of the best power hitting freshman in Fresno State lore.

7. There's a chance Danny Muno will either walk or get a hit in every single postseason at-bat. Don't laugh.

6. With the Bulldogs not playing anymore home games this year, it'll give the university a chance to come up with a better national championship display at Beiden Field than the tiny sign under all the ads on the scoreboard and the not-so-eye-catching flag that should be 10 times bigger.

5. Hey Boise State, how's your baseball season going?

4. The Diamond 'Dogs have a chance to win their fourth straight WAC tournament championship.

3. With star first baseman Alan Ahmady suspended, superfan Sugar Bear can debut his newest hit chant: "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...that's Jaaake Johnsooonnn!"

2. Tommy Mendonca just might be the best all-around player in Fresno State history. And as long as he's on the field there's a chance.

1. Fresno State is still the reigning national champions, and controls its own destiny from here on out.

Thanks for coming out Red Wave!

It's rare for a Bulldog Bounce blog headline to get an exclamation point, but this one deserves it. Fans flocked out to Pete Beiden Field at Fresno State this weekend for the season-opening series. It started with a sellout Friday, about 2,900 on Saturday and more than 2,100 in wet weather Sunday -- and the Diamond 'Dogs didn't disappoint despite their youth taking the series two games to one.

It was great seeing all those new fans out there. And contrary to what you might have seen on the front page of The Fresno Bee Saturday morning, it's not important whether you were there every game last year or no games at all. What's important is growing the fan base and getting any fans who used to come out and don't as often anymore to return.

A young lady was pictured holding up a sign at the opener reading, "Where were all of you when we were 8-12?" Well, I'll tell you what (and this comes from someone who was indeed there when we were 8-12)...everyone becomes a fan at some point. The only thing that matters is keeping them coming. That's how this whole thing works. The team wins, attracts more fans and new fans, you get 'em out to the ballpark, you make the experience enjoyable for them and you hope they want to keep coming back.

I mean, I don't get the "where were you" attitude? Do you not want more fans to come? What if someone asked you where were you in 1991? Or 1988? Maybe you were there then too? But maybe you weren't.

The important thing is you were there on Friday evening. Or Saturday or Sunday afternoon. And that you plan to keep coming.

Put a little extra pep in your step Feb. 20

Live it up Red Wave, because tomorrow is the last day for us to wallow in the glory of Fresno State's 2008 College World Series championship. As of 6:05 p.m. a new season is under way, and the Diamond 'Dogs go from reigning national champs to defending national champs.

So let's all take an extra minute to reflect on that accomplishment...

In other Fresno State news, after another stick-your-hand-in-my-chest-and-tug-on-my-heart loss on the hardwood, my only question is whether this year's men's basketball team is the most talented and best last-place WAC team ever? From what I can remember, all signs point to yes.

Preseaon All-Whack team

OK, so maybe the preseason All-WAC baseball team isn't all whack, but it sure is at first base, where Fresno State's Alan Ahmady got the shaft. Pssshhh, and you thought Tatiana making the final 36 of American Idol was as bad as it gets...

Somebody has an explanation to make, because surely there has to be some sort of technicality or unthinkable mishap that led to the WAC's seven skippers not voting Ahmady a unanimous first-team selection. After all, the guy was first-team last year. As a sophomore.

Maybe all the nominations were put into a shoebox and there was a tiny hole in the bottom where Ahmady's name slipped out before the nominees were revealed to WAC coaches? Or maybe it's a prank, and Ahmady met Ashton Kutcher during the offseason, struck a friendship and is now being Punk'd? Better yet, maybe the WAC agreed to some sort of behind-the-scenes, unwritten rule that All-Americans aren't allowed to be on the preseason All-WAC team?

No, you say? It can't be? Well why then? Why is Ahmady, who led the WAC and tied the all-time Diamond 'Dogs record with 92 RBIs last year, led the national championship Fresno State team with a .382 average, and hit 13 homers not preseason All-WAC? Instead, it was Nevada's Shaun Kort, who had 60 RBIs, a .324 average and 6 homers. Yet, despite the gross advantages Ahmady held in all three statistical categories, and the idea that Ahmady is also the best defensive first baseman in the conference, he didn't even make the All-WAC team as a utility player.

Excuse me while I scratch my head.

Hawaii to the BCS?

Part of me says "good." (Fresno State could use the extra $300,000 or so)

Part of me says "darn it!" (Who are we kidding? Hawaii has always been full of a bunch of trash-talking jerks in football and b-ball, has a football coach who made screwdriver claims that still haven't been substantiated and unruly fans who pick on old ladies).

Part of me says "I hope they somehow fall to 13th in the BCS rankings." (That way playing a pathetic excuse for a non-conf. schedule won't be encouraged).

Alls I know is that whatever happens, the 'Dogs are setting out to make it next season (only an undefeated 'Dogs record against UCLA, K-State, Wisconsin and Toledo would equal a berth in the national championship). Buckle up Red Wave!