Idaho "playing for everything"

idaho men's football coach Robb Akey is hyped. And he's gearing his team up to play with its collective hair on fire Saturday at Bulldog Stadium. His vandals are 5-6 with two games remaining, meaning they have to win out to become bowl eligible at 7-6(their final game is home against perennial doormat san jose state).

“Hey, we’re playing for everything right now,” Akey said, in this write-up, “a lot more than they’re playing for.”

Umm, excuse me Robb with two b's -- Fresno State is playing for a ton. A seventh win guarantees the 'Dogs a bowl bid and a winning record in the WAC.

Anyway, let's get to the point. It's always fun to listen to manly man Robb Akey talk in his deep, gravelly voice. And ever since he was hired at idaho a few years ago I've been trying to place why he sounds so dang familiar. Nothing a little YouTube search can't solve (is there such a thing as a voice doppelganger?):

FRESNO STATE (1-0) at Utah State (1-1)

Bulldogs at Aggies
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Romney Stadium (25,513)

TV: KAIL

Quarterbacks
It’s far too early to talk about national stats leaders, but Fresno State senior QB Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) leads the WAC and is second in the NCAA with a 208.1 passer rating after one game. It was well documented during fall camp that Colburn looked different — improved passer with more command — in practice and if the season-opening 28-14 win over two-time defending Big East champ Cincinnati is any indication, those observations were correct. Colburn was 18 of 24 for 247 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception. Last year he was a manageable QB – this year he might be the type of QB who can carry a team to victory.

It’s widely known by now how lethal senior Diondre Borel (6-0, 190) can be, especially for a defense like Fresno State’s that has traditionally struggled against mobile QBs. And Borel is as mobile as they come – even on a ‘Dogs schedule that also includes Zach Collaros (Cincinnati), Jeremiah Masoli (Ole Miss) and Colin Kaepernick (Nevada). But Borel can also throw it, as his 596 yards and 3 touchdowns in two games this year shows. He’s completed 61% of his passes, but has tossed 3 picks. The Bulldogs’ defense is familiar with what Borel can do (he’s caused it fits two straight years) and have a lot of respect for his ability. Last year against the ‘Dogs, Borel threw for 240 yards and ran for 105. This game will go a long way toward determining which school has the better QB.
Edge: Even

Running Backs
The Bulldogs endured some tough-to-swallow news this week when Pat Hill announced starting RB sophomore Robbie Rouse (5-7, 185) won’t play on Saturday because of injury. Rouse had a disappointing opener, averaging just 2 yards per carry, but that may have been more the fault of the offensive line than Rouse. With one elusive sophomore sidelined, another elusive sophomore gets his first career start in A.J. Ellis (5-11, 180). Ellis had 1 carry for 6 yards out of the “hound” formation (Fresno State’s wildcat) in the opener, and has just 3 runs for 13 yards in his career. He spent most of camp as the fourth-string back, but is a danger in the passing game, especially out of shotgun formation. Thanks to being healthier than his teammates on the unit, he’s shot up the depth chart and will have a chance to emerge as an every-down runner. That said, expect senior Tracy Slocum (5-10, 205), a Fresno native who transferred from Cal, to get his first action in Bulldog Red. He sat out the opener with turf toe but is expected back for Utah State. Slocum rushed for 125 yards in 2008 for Cal. Slocum’s power running game should be the perfect ingredient to mix in with Ellis’ speed. Sophomore Michael Harris (5-10, 200) is the other back to keep an eye on. He’s been a stud the past two years in scrimmages, and should see his most significant playing time. Harris had 11 carries for 26 yards against UC Davis last year.

Utah State also has been hit hard by injury at RB, as returning 1,000-yard rusher Robert Turbin (138 yards against the ‘Dogs last year) is out for the season. There’s no doubt the Aggies would like to establish the run on Saturday, something they haven’t been as successful with as they’d like. But the cupboard’s not empty – in fact, it’s running back by committee. Senior starter Michael Smith (5-9, 195) leads the team with 134 yards rushing (6.7 per carry) and senior Derrvin Speight (5-9, 209) isn’t far behind with 121 yards (4.2 per carry). Second-string sophomore Kerwynn Williams (5-9, 185) has just 32 yards on 7 rushes.
Edge: Even

Receivers
The injury bug hit Fresno State even harder at WR, though there’s more depth. Senior Devon Wylie (5-9, 185), the fastest WR in school history with a 4.25 40-yard dash, had foot surgery and could miss half or all of the season. Wylie made two spectacular catches in the opener, including a 28-yard, leaping touchdown in double coverage. The most comparable replacement option, as far as skill set, is true freshman Jalen Saunders (5-9, 160), who had an 18-yard grab in his first college game. Saunders doesn’t quite have Wylie speed (in the 40 at least), but he’ll be one of the school’s fastest ever by the time his career is over, and is already a major deep threat. Redshirt freshman A.J. Johnson (6-0, 180) and junior J.J. Stallworth (5-11, 185) are the other options. Neither has a college catch yet, but Hill is very high on Johnson’s potential and Stallworth has the bloodlines (younger brother of NFL’s Donte Stallworth). The two sure things for the ‘Dogs will be junior Jamel Hamler (6-2, 195) and sophomore Rashad Evans (5-9, 180). Hamler had a highlight touchdown grab in the opener, jumping backward in traffic in the corner of the end zone, and Evans sprinted up the seam for a 59-yard score of his own. The two combined for 9 catches and 124 yards. Hamler was second on the team with 503 yards and 5 touchdowns last season.

Junior Utah State WR Matt Austin (6-2, 198) was expected to be Borel’s top target this season but was lost to a knee injury against Oklahoma after making 1 catch for 59 yards. Austin was predicted as WAC newcomer of the year by Blue Ribbon’s preseason magazine. Now, the Aggies will roll with sophomore Dontel Watkins (6-2, 193) and junior Xavier Martin (5-11, 195), who lead the team with 139 and 114 yards respectively. Each had a touchdown. Watch also for freshman Travis Reynolds (6-0, 169) who has 7 catches for 70 yards. This group came up with some big catches against Oklahoma’s secondary, but may have tougher sledding against a Bulldogs unit that looks much improved in press coverage and tackling.
Edge: Bulldogs

Offensive Line
The biggest shock of the opener was the line’s poor performance in the running game, allowing the team to rush for just 1.6 yards per carry – when’s the last time that happened? With five returning starters, and a boatload of depth returning, don’t expect to see that again. The line has three legit first-team All-WAC candidates in RG Andrew Jackson (6-6, 295), RT Kenny Wiggins (6-7, 315) and C Joey Bernardi (6-2, 285). Jackson was a first-team honoree last season and is an All-America candidate, while Wiggins earned second-team All-WAC.

Utah State’s line is holding up well after two games, helping the rushing attack average 4.2 yards per carry and allowing just 4 sacks. And that’s with two seniors, two juniors and a freshman, Tyler Larsen (6-4, 298), starting at center. The biggest question is whether the Aggies tackles can slow Fresno State’s edge pass rush. And Larsen will have his hands full with the Bulldogs’ big, veteran interior linemen.
Edge: Bulldogs

Defensive Line
If the defensive front continues to play with the type of tenacity it had against Cincinnati, the Bulldogs are on their way to a big, big season. Junior DT Logan Harrell (6-2, 275) had one of the most unsuspected breakout performances in Hill’s tenure, recording 3.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss against mobile Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros. Senior DE Chris Carter (6-2, 240) was just as ruthless with 3 sacks and 3 tackles for loss. Both also forced fumbles. Carter will be a mismatch for his counterpart all season with his speed off the edge, and Harrell should have opportunities with the amount of attention senior DT Cornell Banks (6-3, 310) will command at scrimmage. And if senior DE Chris Lewis (6-3, 260) plays with a high motor, this front four will rival Boise State’s for best in the WAC. A leaner Lewis added 0.5 sacks and 3 tackles in the opener.

To put into perspective how well the Bulldogs front four played in their opener, Utah State’s front four combines for just 1.5 sacks – less than two individual Bulldogs have on their own in one game. Though senior DT Sean Enesi (5-11, 286) is a team captain, his battery mate senior DT Daniel Gurrola (6-1, 282) has been the most impressive so far with 8 tackles and a sack. Enesi has four tackles, but will try to clog the middle against a Bulldogs’ offensive line that owns a tremendous size advantage.
Edge: Bulldogs

Linebackers
Another breakout occurred at LB with a speedier, lean sophomore SLB Travis Brown (6-2, 235), a former four-star recruit who played as a reserve as a true freshman last season. Brown was second on the team with 8 tackles in the opener, including a sack for an 8-yard loss out of zone coverage. His closing speed in reacting to developing plays is night-and-day from last season. And, of course, Utah State will have to deal with returning first-team All-WAC senior MLB Ben Jacobs (6-4, 240), who had 7 tackles against Cincinnati and has more than 300 in his career.

Another hard-hit injury position could be LB for the Aggies, with standout junior Junior Keiaho (6-3, 243) in doubt for Saturday. Keiaho has 5 tackles, a sack and a pick this year. Junior rover Bobby Wagner (6-1, 230) leads the team with 18 tackles and junior Kyle Gallagher (6-0, 214) is tied for second with 13 stops.
Edge: Bulldogs

Defensive Backs
Another position, another breakout performance – and this one was predicted many months ago by The Bounce. Sophomore CB Jermaine Thomas (5-11, 190) emerged as the team’s first true lockdown corner in years. He’s strong enough to play physical, press coverage that ‘Dogs fans aren’t used to seeing and had 5 tackles in his first career start. When his man makes a catch, Thomas makes the tackle – and quick. His own team often avoided throwing his way throughout fall camp scrimmage situations. And how ‘bout senior CB Desia Dunn (5-9, 195) showing he could get up to scrimmage and play physical at times too? Dunn led the team with 11 tackles and delivered the biggest hit of the night, popping his own helmet off in the process. The ‘Dogs are very strong at safety as well, with the run stuffer and hardest hitter in senior FS Lorne Bell (5-10, 210) and sophomore SS Phillip Thomas (6-1, 205), who has good enough coverage skills to play nickelback. Thomas is an upgrade over the departed Moses Harris, who was a two-time All-WAC honoree.

A local native has emerged as one of Utah State’s top CBs in senior Curtis Marsh (6-1, 193) of Golden Valley High-Merced. He has 8 tackles along with senior CB Chris Randle (5-11, 187), who also has 0.5 sacks and an interception. The Aggies have 4 picks on the young season. Junior SS Walter McClenton (5-11, 193) is tied for second on the team with 13 tackles. The Aggies like to play physical, pressure defense against the pass, a characteristic of coach Gary Andersen, and will challenge the Bulldogs wideouts early.
Edge: Bulldogs

Special Teams
With Wylie out in the return game, true freshman WR Isaiah Burse (5-11, 180) is listed as kick returner along with Hamler. Hamler is likely to be used as a blocker. Evans will assume punt return duties (as he should have in the first place). After one game, the ‘Dogs have to be pleased with P Andrew Shapiro, who averaged 40 yards on 8 punts, including 2 inside the 20. It was also encouraging to see LB Kyle Knox flying downfield in kick coverage and making big tackles. That enthusiasm is contagious. Junior K Kevin Goessling didn’t attempt a field goal in the opener, but Utah State fans remember him well for nailing a game-winning 58-yarder (Fresno State all-time record) in the Bulldogs’ last trip to Logan in 2008. Goessling is up for the Lou Groza Award once again this year as the nation’s top kicker.

Utah State boasts perhaps the WAC’s most powerful punter in senior Peter Caldwell (6-4, 228), who averages 46.3 yards per attempt and has booted 4 of 9 punts more than 50 yards and placed 4 inside the 20. Caldwell is 2 of 4 on field goals, with a long of 40 yards. Kerwynn Williams averages 28.7 yards per kick return, and 11 yards per punt return. It’ll be interesting to keep an eye on him as the Bulldogs shut down Cincinnati in kick and punt coverage. If the game comes down to a field goal, it’ll be the Bulldogs’ advantage.
Edge: Bulldogs

Coaching
Fresno State coach Pat Hill is the grandfather of WAC coaches in his 14th season at Fresno State, and has won 101 games. He has a ton of respect for Utah State after seeing them play the ‘Dogs so closely the past two seasons and should have the team amped up for the game. Utah State coach Gary Andersen has this program looking better than it ever has in the WAC – which has never been good – in just his second season. His a defensive-minded coach and nearly led the Aggies to a season-opening win at Oklahoma.
Edge: Bulldogs

Intangibles
If ever there were some intangibles to talk about – whew! With Fresno State accepting an offer to join the Mountain West Conference, Utah State and the other remaining WAC schools feel betrayed. And the ‘Dogs better believe they’ll use it for motivation, and the fans will feed off it in Logan. Romney Stadium seats only 25,513, but the students are great fans at Utah State and will make plenty of noise to create a hostile road environment. That said, Fresno State is well aware of how dangerous the Aggies’ offense can be, and won’t be caught off guard. There’s a lot on the line for the Bulldogs, who could very well move into the Top 25 with a win (they’re currently 27th in the AP poll).
Edge: Aggies

**Photos by Cary Edmondson

Utah State Film Room

OK, so it's always tough to get a true feel for a game based on one team's highlight package, but take a gander at Utah State in its opener at No. 7 Oklahoma to get an idea for what the Aggies do:



Then take a look at the highlight package from the Oklahoma perspective to get an idea of how Utah State is vulnerable:



Then take a look at this distraught Oklahoma fan after the game (I don't advise watching more than a few seconds) for kicks and giggles:

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.

Why-oming?

Well, Fresno State decided to take it to another level of disappointment in yesterdays double-overtime New Mexico Bowl loss to Wyoming. We all know for sure now that the Bulldogs' defense is one of the nation's worst -- and that's just plain hard to argue. And it basically cancels out the Bulldogs' ownership of one of the nation's finest offenses. Sad.

Now only if we could get Pat Hill to talk openly with the fans about it... If he'd just come out and admit the defense has been bad and needs a ton of work, and take some steps to address that problem, it would go a long way in making his critics feel better.

That said, give Wyoming credit. The Cowboys might be a below average team, and one that would have battled Utah State and Hawaii for sixth in the WAC, but they made key play after key play after key play.

--Wyoming forced a Ryan Mathews fumble -- and Ryan Mathews doesn't fumble. (It's happened just three times in his career, one of which was a bad call by the refs earlier this season at New Mexico State when replays proved it wasn't really a fumble.)

--Wyoming made a defensive stand on first and goal from the 1-yard line, stuffing Mathews three times and Colburn once. Tapa Tamopeau blew a blocking assingment on fourth down leading to the debacle.

--True freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels led clock-burning drives and converted third downs all day. (Fresno State's defense makes even the worst offenses look prolific.)

So there you go Wyoming Cowboys -- credit where it's due. You deserved to win because you were more clutch. But it doesn't make the loss any less embarrassing for this Fresno State program.

What's it take for Fresno State to be ranked?

Don't dismiss the idea so quickly. Keep reading, 'cause you'll want to see this comparison between two teams with eerily similar resumes. One is in the top 25. One is Fresno State. (Shout out to "grantstomb" of BarkBoard fame for bringing this to my attention).

See how long it takes you to figure out which mystery team we're comparing the 'Dogs to?

--This team has a 6-2 conference record.
--Fresno State has a 6-2 conference record.

--This team has 1 win against a team with a winning record.
--Fresno State has 1 win against a team with a winning record.

--This team has 1 win against an AQ (Automatic Qualifier) school (a 4-8 Big East team at home).
--Fresno State has 1 win against an AQ school (a 3-9 Big 10 team on the road).

--This team played 2 AQ schools on the road.
--Fresno State played 3 AQ schools on the road.

--This team has two losses to teams that are going to BCS bowls this year.
--Fresno State has two losses to teams going to BCS bowls this year.

--This team beat San Jose State by 10 points.
--Fresno State beat San Jose State by 20 points.

--This team beat Utah State by 17 points.
--Fresno State beat Utah State by 4 points.

--This team lost at TCU by 28 points.
--Fresno State lost at home to Boise State by 17 points.

--This team lost at Oregon by 7 points.
--Fresno State lost at Cincinnati by 8 points.

--This team's opponents are a combined 48-48.
--Fresno State's opponenets are a combined 47-52.

--This team finished third in the Mountain West Conference.
--Fresno State finished third in the Western Athletic Conference.

--This team is 9-3, ranked No. 23 in the nation and headed to the Poinsettia Bowl to play Cal.
--Fresno State is 8-4, unranked and headed to the New Mexico Bowl to play Wyoming.

One could argue that if Fresno State replaced its non-conference game at Wisconsin with a game against 4-8 San Diego State, the Bulldogs would also be 9-3. But would the Bulldogs be ranked in the top 25? What do you say?

Preview: Fresno State (5-3, 4-1) @ Idaho (7-2, 4-1)

Quarterbacks
Edge: Even
The time is now for Fresno State’s Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) to prove what he’s made of. He’s been a heck of an upgrade at times this year throwing the deep ball, but has also thrown as many or more interceptions as his predecessor at his worst. On the year, the junior lefty is 100 for 168 (60%) for 1,447 yards, 12 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. But a 4:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio isn’t going to cut it as the Bulldogs head down a three-game stretch against their biggest completion remaining in the WAC – especially when there’s a mega talent standing on the sideline in true freshman Derek Carr (6-3, 190). Redshirt freshman speedster Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210) isn’t likely to play if Idaho is stacking defenders in the box, but if Colburn opens up the field with his passing, Feathers will have a chance to exploit the Vandals’ defense.

Idaho junior Nathan Enderle (6-5, 227) is the biggest reason for the Vandals’ rise from embarrassment this season. Problem is, Enderle is reportedly a game-time decision with a rotator cuff injury. Bulldogs coach Pat Hill said Enderle emerged last season in Fresno State’s 45-32 win over Idaho at Bulldog Stadium, when he completed 22 of 39 for 237 yards. He’s skyrocketed since, leading the WAC with 267.1 yards passing per game (16th nationally). On the season, Enderle has thrown for a career-high-and-counting 2,404 yards, 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, while completing 62%. He might be the toughest challenge the Bulldogs have had besides Cincinnati’s Tony Pike and Boise State’s Kellen Moore – but Enderle isn’t a mobile quarterback and Fresno State typically has more success against pocket passers. And though he has as many interceptions as Colburn, Enderle’s production is much higher. If Enderle can’t go, it’ll be sophomore Brian Reader (6-3, 220), who’s 12 of 15 on the season for 143 yards and a touchdown. If Enderle plays, give the edge to the Vandals. Otherwise, it goes to the Bulldogs because of Reader’s inexperience.

Running Backs
Edge: Bulldogs
It’s to the point now where anytime you talk running backs, Fresno State gets the edge – no analysis of the opponent necessary. Touting the country’s best running back allows for that kind of confidence, and junior Ryan Mathews (5-11, 220) should enjoy running on Idaho’s flat, artificial surface. Mathews averages a nation-best 164.5 yards per game, nearly 28 yards more than the closest competitor. He’s rushed for more than 100 yards all eight games this season (a school record) en route to 1,316 yards (7.4 per carry) and 11 touchdowns. Then consider Mathews sat about five quarters this year in four different Bulldogs’ blowouts. Mathews’ 31 career touchdowns is four away from tying Anthony Daigle (1991-93) for the school record. He’s 147 yards from passing Dwayne Wright (2006) for third all-time in single-season rushing, and 230 yards from passing Michael Pittman (1993-97) for second in career rushing. Mathews’ resilience in last Saturday’s win over Utah State was impressive as he bounced right back from a big blind-sided hit to carry the ‘Dogs to victory. For the first time all year, true freshman Robbie Rouse (5-7, 185) didn’t have a carry. Rouse is second on the team with 344 yards rushing, 4 touchdowns and a team-high 7.6 per carry. Senior Lonyae Miller (5-11, 220) has 215 yards and 3 scores on 5.4 per attempt. Miller torched the Vandals with 15 carries for 181 yards in the Bulldogs’ win last season, and senior Anthony Harding (6-0, 220) added 94 yards on 8 carries. A banged up Mathews had just 8 attempts for 57 yards.

Idaho’s got a trio of good backs as well – just not as good as Fresno State’s. It starts with rather large senior De’Maundray Woolridge (5-9, 241), who leads the Vandals with 554 yards and 14 touchdowns on 5.3 per carry. Junior Deonte Jackson (5-8, 190), the nephew of the St. Louis Rams’ Steven Jackson, was thought to be the star coming into the season. Jackson ranks third on the team with 325 yards and 2 scores on 5.2 per carry. In between those two is Valley product Princeton McCarty (5-8, 174) with 469 yards and 2 scores on a team-high 5.7 per carry. McCarty was Mathews’ high school teammate. While the three of these guys together are definitely dangerous, none of them present the full package the way Mathews does. But they face a Fresno State defense that’s given up 5.3 yards per rush on the year. Jackson carried 18 times for 93 yards in last season’s meeting.

Receivers
Edge: Vandals
Will junior Devon Wylie (5-9, 170) suit up after missing Fresno State’s past two games with injury? That’s the biggest question in the Bulldogs’ passing game – the unique ability of Wylie adds a different dimension to the offense. But with or without him, senior Seyi Ajirotutu (6-4, 210) has blossomed into arguably the WAC’s best wideout. Granted he doesn’t pile up the big stats, but his 31 catches for 480 yards and 3 touchdowns are impressive when put into context that he plays on a team with the nation’s top rusher. In Wylie’s absence, sophomore Jamel Hamler (6-2, 205) turned in his second straight 5-catch performance, this time good for 53 yards. Hamler’s now second on the team with 17 catches, but fourth in yards with 215, behind Wylie (242) and senior Chastin West (6-1, 215) who has 225 yards. Senior Marlon Moore (6-1, 190) is second with 3 touchdowns (out of just 7 catches). If Wylie plays, it turns this position into an advantage for Fresno State.

It’s no secret who Idaho’s favorite target is – senior slot Max Komar (5-11, 202), a former walk-on who leads the team with a whopping 50 receptions for 807 yards and 7 scores. Komar already has more yards than any Vandals wideout since 2005. And he’s got help from three juniors with size. Big junior Daniel Hardy (6-4, 235) has 25 catches for 413 yards and 2 touchdowns, even bigger junior Eric Greenwood (6-6, 213) with 29 catches for 382 yards and 2 scores and Maurice Shaw (6-3, 208) has 360 yards (22.5 per catch) for 3 touchdowns. The size of those three, coupled with Komar’s success, will cause match-up problems for the Bulldogs, who are already thin in the secondary. And Fresno State also has to concern itself with sophomore Preston Davis (6-1, 191), who has 296 yards on 25 catches – a reception total that would rank second on the Bulldogs. Davis led the Vandals last year against the ‘Dogs, hauling in 6 catches for 77 yards. Most impressive, four of the top five receivers have already surpassed their yardage and reception totals of last season, and Davis is tied with his yardage total from 2008.

Offensive Line
Edge: Bulldogs
Sit back, relax and pay close attention to the play in the trenches. Fresno State’s line is led by one of the WAC’s top NFL prospects in junior right guard Andrew Jackson (6-5, 295), who was second-team All-WAC last year and was recently named Academic All-District 8. Fresno State’s five Academic All-District players ranked highest in the nation. On top of that, Jackson was named to at least one publication’s midseason All-America team. Overall, this group has allowed just 10 sacks this season (none last week) and is paving the way for the Bulldogs’ backs to average a whopping 6 yards per carry as a team.

Speaking of NFL prospects, look out for Idaho senior left guard Mike Iupati (6-6, 325). The massive Iupati on both the Lombard Award (nation’s top lineman) and Outland Trophy (nation’s best interior lineman) watch list. He’s joined by three other seniors, including senior Adam Juratovac (6-3, 306). The Vandals’ line, though, has given up 19 sacks on the season – but Enderle isn’t a great escape artist and they’ve attempted 276 passes (Fresno State’s attempted 189).Idaho averages 4.4 yards per carry.

Defensive Line
Edge: Bulldogs
Fresno State struggled last week against the WAC’s fastest starting quarterback, and was kept off-balance the week before by New Mexico State’s duel quarterbacks. While this Saturday’s test features the WAC’s passing yardage leader, the Bulldogs’ defense should be relieved to face a pocket passer. The No. 1 reason that’s a relief? Enderle is far less likely to outrun junior end Chris Carter (6-2, 230) when he gets into the Idaho backfield. Carter leads the ‘Dogs with 4 sacks, 9.5 tackles for losses and 3 hurries. If he can get to Enderle early and often, and the Bulldogs get some help from sophomore end Kenny Borg (6-3, 245) on the other side, Idaho’s offense could stall. But that’s a big question mark considering Fresno State averages just 1 sack per game.

Idaho hasn’t fared much better than Fresno State this season, recording just 11 sacks. But the Vandals boast a couple of linemen to watch out for in the passing game – junior end Aaron Lavarias (6-3, 248) and junior nose tackle Jonah Sataraka (6-2, 280). Each is tied for the team lead with 3 sacks, while Lavarias has 6 tackles for losses and Sataraka has 4. This will be the toughest offensive line the Vandals have faced all year – and the best running back – so the Vandals will have to step it up a notch to prevent Fresno State from controlling the tempo and time of possession.

Linebackers
Edge: Even
Ben Jacobs (6-3, 225) keeps on keepin’ on. With 60 tackles, the junior middle linebacker has nearly twice as many as the next closest Bulldog. He’s also second on the team with 5 tackles for losses, has an interception and 2 breakups. The ‘Dogs linebackers will be needed in pass coverage Saturday against a Vandals team that like to distribute the ball through the air. It would be nice to see the Bulldogs experiment more with a two-linebacker set, but history suggests that won’t happen. This group will also be responsible for preventing too many big plays from the Vandals running backs, especially McCarty, the change of pace guy.

Junior strong linebacker JoJo Dickson (6-2, 229) is the one to watch for in the Vandals’ front seven. Dickson is second on the team with 54 tackles and 2 interceptions. He flies under the radar in the WAC, but is a solid player. Also keep an eye out for little known sophomore Tre’Shawn Robinson (5-11, 233) who is tied for the team lead with 6 tackles for losses. Both also have a sack on the season, but will be vulnerable to Mathews’ agility, speed and power and won’t be able to tackle him without squaring up (which is tough to accomplish with a back who can maintain speed the way Mathews does while changing direction and twisting his body).

Defensive Backs
Edge: Even
It should be a fun evening for free safety Lorne Bell (5-10, 200), the Bulldogs’ most vicious hitter. Bell thrives against pocket passers, when he can focus on blitzing or spying running backs (see Wisconsin). Despite missing two games with injury, Bell is fourth on the team with 31 tackles (3.5 for losses) and had his first career interception two weeks ago for a touchdown. The corner play has improved dramatically since the start of the season, with junior Desia Dunn (5-9, 190) and senior A.J. Jefferson (6-0, 190) combining for 10 breakups. But neither has an interception – in fact no Fresno State corner on the two-deep rotation has a pick this year. Add to that the challenge the Bulldogs’ secondary faces with four Vandals receivers over 6-foot tall. Jefferson is the Bulldogs’ tallest corner, with senior Damion Owens (5-11, 200) and sophomore Isaiah Green (5-10, 180) filling out the two-deep. Redshirt freshman reserve safety Phillip Thomas (6-1, 205) is capable of holding his own in coverage and will likely be the nickel back.

Lurking in the defensive backfield for Idaho is the WAC’s leading tackler, junior Shiloh Keo (5-11, 211) who has 88 tackles (2 for losses) and a team-high 3 interceptions. Keo is a big strong safety, and will be the Vandals best hope for containing Fresno State’s running game (ranked fifth nationally). Senior free safety Jeromy Jones (6-1, 200) is third on the team with 48 tackles, and Idaho has a group of underclassmen holding it down at corner with freshman Aaron Grymes (5-11, 160) and sophomore Kenneth Patten (5-9, 178) starting. This group hasn’t yet faced a team with as many weapons at receiver, especially if Wylie is healthy.

Special Teams
Edge: Bulldogs
Just how good is Fresno State sophomore kicker Kevin Goessling (6-0, 190)? He’s nailed 10 of 11 field goals on the year, including a 50-yarder last week that was as perfect as a kick can get. Since missing a field goal last season that could have tied the Wisconsin game, Goessling has missed just twice. His last miss was this year’s game at Wisconsin in Week 2. At punter, senior Robert Malone (6-2, 225) averages 47.5 yards – a number that would have him high amongst the nation’s leaders if he had enough attempts (he’s punted 25 times). Fresno State’s special teams have been at a high level since early season woes, but the kick return game still hasn’t come around. Two years ago, Jefferson led the nation in kick returns, and he had touchdown returns in each of the past two seasons. Yet this year, Jefferson averages a measly 22 yards per return with a long of only 36 – and he fumbled away a return last week that caused the Bulldogs to fall into a 10-point halftime deficit.

Idaho freshman Justin Veltung (5-11, 175) was the WAC’s special teams player of the week after returning a kick 94 yards for a touchdown this past Saturday in a win over Louisiana Tech. But he’s had just four returns all year, with Kama Bailey (5-9, 200) getting most of the returns and averaging 21.1 yards. True freshman kicker Trey Farquhar (6-1, 170) has been quite impressive – connecting on two 50-plus yarders this year and 12 of 16 overall (he’s also missed one from under 30 yards). But Farquhar has enough upside for Idaho to feel comfortable in a late-game situation if it comes down to the wire. Redshirt freshman punter Bobby Cowan (6-5, 221) averages 44.3 yards per try and has pinned 10 of 25 inside the 20-yard line.

Coaching
Edge: Bulldogs
Credit third-year Idaho coach Robb Akey for a season that’s earning him coach of the year consideration. Akey’s Vandals are 7-2 after winning just three games in the previous two years combined. That said, they still have to prove they can compete with the WAC’s best – Nevada beat them 70-45 and they haven’t yet played Fresno State or rival Boise State. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are consistently the WAC’s most talented team (albeit not the best at living up to expectations). Pat Hill is in his 13th year with the Bulldogs, more than any other WAC coach, and has the second most wins in Bulldog history behind Jim Sweeney.

Intangibles
Edge: Vandals
The Kibbie Dome is going to be rocking like never before. Former Fresno State players say the tiny converted airplane hangar is a flatout difficult place to play regardless, but with a packed house of 16,000-plus thunderstick-clanging fans enjoying Idaho’s best season best season in recent history, the Bulldogs are in for a noisy battle unless they can jump out to a big lead in a hurry. A win is crucial to both teams’ bowl hopes considering the tough games remaining on their schedules, and the loser is pretty much eliminated from WAC title hopes. Oh yeah, and Idaho is 4-0 at home this season. But, the Bulldogs haven’t lost to the Vandals since 1967.

***Photos courtesy of Juan Villa

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

Upcoming opponents and their defensive ranks YPG

It's time for the Bulldogs offense to shine.

Here are the upcoming opponents for the 'Dogs and the corresponding defensive yards per game ranks (and the 'Dogs defense YPG). If the Fresno State can secure the football, they are capable of putting up huge numbers from here on out.

104. Illinois - 415.86 YPG

101. utah st. - 413.57 YPG

100. nevada - 413.43 YPG

92. idaho - 401.25 YPG

66. louisiana tech - 360.29 YPG

61. Fresno State - 353.86 YPG

Side note for Heisman candidacy: 12. boise state - 281.57 YPG. Ryan Mathews himself rushed for 234 yards all by his lonesome, with the help of the o-line of course.

>>>>>>>>>>>>VOTE HERE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Stats provided by USA Today

***photo courtesy of Cary Edmondson

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

Preview: Fresno State (3-3, 2-1) @ New Mexico State (3-4, 1-2)

Quarterbacks
Edge: Bulldogs
Fresno State has to be pleased with first-year starter Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220), who’s bounced back from an interception-laden start to boost himself to 26th in the nation in pass efficiency. Since throwing an interception that cost the Bulldogs the game at Cincinnati, Colburn is 23 of 32 for 267 yards, four touchdowns and no picks in two-plus games. For the year, the junior lefty now has 1,027 yards, 11 scores and seven interceptions. The biggest thing missing in the past two games has been the ability to take over a game with the deep ball – something Colburn proved his capable of at Wisconsin. Expect redshirt freshman Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210) to keep increasing in playing time now that the Bulldogs are in the midst of conference play against lesser defenses. Feathers threw his first-career touchdown pass (4 yards) in last week’s 41-21 win over San Jose State, and also scampered for 16 yards on a keeper. If all goes according to how it should on paper, true freshman Derek Carr should get reps for the third straight Saturday.

Gone for New Mexico State is Chase Holbrook. Two new faces are see-sawing to fill his shoes. Though Holbrook was vastly overrated last season in the media, his replacements have fallen short in redshirt freshman Trevor Walls (6-5, 220) and sophomore Jeff Fleming (6-4, 195). Walls is slated as the starter for Saturday with 340 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions with a 52% completion rate. Fleming is the more versatile option with 38 rushing attempts, but has just 62 yards to show for it. Fleming also leads the Aggies with 446 yards passing and has two scores and two picks on 53% completions. Don’t be surprised if the Aggies rotate throughout the game, as coach Dwayne Walker likes to go with the “hot hand.” Walls is coming off his best game, completing 10 of 12 passes against Louisisana Tech, but the Aggies mustered only seven points.

Running Backs
Edge: Bulldogs
Fresno State’s rushing gauntlet poses big, big trouble for New Mexico State. Junior Ryan Mathews’ (5-11, 220) seldom-seen talent is no longer a secret kept by the most knowledgeable Red Wavers – now the whole nation knows about him and his NCAA-best 974 yards, 162.3 yards per game and 7.4 yards per carry. There’s even a little Heisman hype bubbling up with an already special season. With 233 yards last week against San Jose State, Mathews jumped from 11th on the all-time school rushing list to fifth – just ahead of 16-year NFL star Lorenzo Neal. Mathews’ seven touchdowns give him 29 in his career – tied for second all-time in the Bulldogs’ record book, and his sixth-straight 100-yard performance last week set a new school record. Factor in true freshman Robbie Rouse (5-7, 185) and his 329 yards (8 per carry) and four touchdowns, and senior Lonyae Miller (5-11, 220) and his 211 yards (6 per carry) and two touchdowns, and the Bulldogs have what might be the best backfield in the nation. And that’s before factoring in senior Anthony Harding (6-0, 220), who has 1,433 career yards and 11 touchdowns. With the success of Fresno State’s other three backs this year, Harding (who led the team in rushing last season) has just 10 carries for 21 yards in 2009.

Running hasn’t been New Mexico State’s forte in recent history, but the Aggies rely more than usual on the ground game this year. Redshirt junior Seth Smith (5-8, 198) has battled for 598 yards and a touchdown while averaging a casual 4.2 yards per attempt. Last season, the Aggies finished with minus-15 rushing yards against a Fresno State defense that ranked among the nation’s worst at defending the run. Since 2002, just two Aggies have rushed for more than 700 yards. Smith, a transfer from College of the Sequoias located about 45 minutes south of Fresno, had a career-high 150 yards on 25 carries in a win over Prairie View A&M, and also went for 113 in a victory over winless New Mexico. Senior Tonny Glynn (5-8, 192) is third on the Aggies with 107 yards and a score (3.5 yards per carry).

Receivers
Edge: Bulldogs
Bulldogs senior Marlon Moore (6-1, 190) shined with two touchdowns last week after keeping a low profile since his 92-yard catch and run in the season opener. Moore has scored nearly half the times he’s caught the ball – three touchdowns, seven receptions. Bad news for the ‘Dogs last week was losing junior Devon Wylie (5-9, 170) midway through the game to injury. Wylie hasn’t been ruled out for Saturday’s contest, but expect the coaches to keep him sidelined unless he’s 100%. Wylie has a team-high four scores, and is second with 242 receiving yards. Senior Seyi Ajirotutu (6-4, 210) leads the ‘Dogs with 292 yards and 21 catches. With senior Chastin West (6-1, 215) at 152 yards and Moore at 149, sophomore Jamel Hamler (6-2, 205) will become the fifth wideout to go over 100 yards with his next catch – he’s got 99 yards on the year.

It’s hard to tell who New Mexico State misses most – Holbrook or the receivers he threw to last season. Tiny sophomore Todd Lee (5-9, 155) leads the Aggies with 208 yards and a touchdown, but averages just 11.6 yards per catch. He’s joined by tiny, experienced senior Marcus Anderson (5-8, 166) and junior Marcus Allen (6-0, 190). Allen is second on the team with 195 yards and Anderson has 145 and a touchdown. But no one in the receiving corps has emerged as a big-play threat, with Allen’s 34-yard long the team-high.

Offensive Line
Edge: Bulldogs
Heading into this season, the line was thought to be questionable in pass protection. That proved not to be the case at all as the ‘Dogs headed into the San Jose State game with the eighth-fewest sacks allowed. But the Spartans sacked Colburn three times, running the season total sacks by opponents to eight. Keep in mind, at least one of those three against San Jose State was blown protection by the running back on a blitz scheme. With first-year starters at both tackle positions in Kenny Wiggins (6-7, 310) and Bryce Harris (6-6, 295), this unit is already better than last season’s at Fresno State. Proof is in the 6.1 yards per carry the Bulldogs average as a team.

Consider that number is almost double the 3.3 yards per carry New Mexico State averages behind a mostly large, veteran group that has given up 12 sacks in seven games – two of which were allowed by senior reserve Joe Suder (6-5, 346) who replaced starting senior right tackle David Norman (6-4, 300) when he missed two games with injury. Senior left guard Joe Palmer (6-3, 308) leads the Aggies with 46 knockdowns. It’ll be interesting to see how junior left tackle Dwayne Barton (6-4, 270) matches up with the pass rush from Fresno State’s Chris Carter, who is used to overwhelming larger opponents with his speed around the edge. Barton’s lack of size might actually be an advantage in this instance.

Defensive Line
Edge: Even
Fresno State junior end Chris Carter (6-2, 230) is the only Bulldog to provide a dependable pass rush with a team-leading four sacks. Finally, last week, a second Bulldog recorded a sack when sophomore tackle Logan Harrell (6-2, 275) handed San Jose State a 14-yard loss. But this unit is still far too inconsistent with its pressure, and has trouble finishing when it does apply pressure. If they can make the Aggies’ quarterbacks feel the heat, the Bulldogs can take advantage of mistakes and dominate. They held the Aggies to minus-15 yards rushing last season, but face a new running back this time. The Bulldogs have given up 5.2 yards per carry to opponents on the year.

New Mexico State sophomore end Pierre Fils (6-3, 230) recorded his fifth sack of the season two weeks ago in a win over Utah State. Fils alone has as many sacks as Fresno State does as a team – albeit against much lesser competition. Sophomore end Donte Savage (6-1, 229) has applied nearly as much pressure from the other side, with four sacks and a team-high seven tackles for losses. The Aggies have given up 5.1 yards per carry to opposing running backs, despite facing just two team with decent ground games (Idaho and Louisiana Tech) – neither nearly as strong as Fresno State’s.

Linebackers
Edge: Bulldogs
An injury to junior Nico Herron (6-3, 240) halfway through last week’s game gave highly-touted true freshman Travis Brown (6-2, 235) a chance for significant playing time. Brown recorded just one tackle, and Herron is expected back this week. Junior Ben Jacobs (6-3, 225) leads the Bulldogs with 40 tackles (3 for losses) and also has an interception, two pass breakups and three deflections. Fresno State needs to get sophomore Kyle Knox (6-1, 215) more involved in the pass rush, as he excels at getting to the backfield and making big hits.

Senior middle linebacker Jason Scott (5-10, 207) leads New Mexico State with 62 tackles (1.5 for losses), and is followed by senior strong linebacker Ross Conner (5-10, 212) and his 56 tackles. Mathews, Rouse and company will be in the second and third level of the Aggies’ defense often, and how long they can stay in the game will hinge on how well the linebackers tackle.

Defensive Backs
Edge: Bulldogs
Fresno State is coming off its most impressive secondary performance of the season, as junior Desia Dunn (5-9, 190) turned in his second consecutive lockdown performance with four tackles and two breakups. Dunn leads the Bulldogs with six breakups and six deflections on the year. Senior Damion Owens (5-11, 200) has also looked strong the past two weeks, coming up with key deflections. And a couple youngsters got in on the action against the Spartans when sophomore Isaiah Green (5-10, 180) broke up a possible touchdown pass deep downfield, and redshirt freshman Jermaine Thomas (5-11, 180) snatched the Bulldogs’ fourth interception of the season in the fourth quarter.

The Aggies aren’t do any better in the interception department. They also have four on the year, one each by junior corner Davon House (6-0, 172), junior free safety Stephon Hatchett (5-8, 170) and junior strong safety Alphonso Powell (5-9, 182). The safeties are abnormally small, considering both starting corners – House and sophomore Jonte Green (6-0, 175) – have substantially more height. Hatchett is third on the team with 44 tackles, and Powell is fourth with 41. Mathews loves to talk about creating one-on-one situations against safeties in the open field, and these two will be susceptible to his powerful stiff-arms.

Special Teams
Edge: Bulldogs
Wow is the keyword for senior punter Robert Malone (6-2, 225) after he booted a 69-yard punt last Saturday. With more attempts, Malone would be one of the nation’s leaders – he’s averaging 47.7 yards per punt and has placed 1/3 of his attempts inside the 20-yard line with just two touchbacks. Fresno State also picked up another blocked punt against San Jose State, giving it 82 blocks in the Pat Hill era. And sophomore kicker Kevin Goessling (6-0, 190) nailed field goals from 40 and 46 yards. Goessling is 7 of 8 on the year, and has converted 14 of his past 16 attempts dating to last season.

The Aggies’ Kyle Hughes (6-0, 184) assumes the punting duties and most of the field goal kicking as well. Hughes averages 42.4 yards on 37 punts this season, placing nine inside the 20. But the sophomore lacks accuracy beyond 40 yards on field goal attempts, hitting just 2 of 5 from that distance. He’s 5 of 8 overall on the year.

Coaching
Edge: Bulldogs
New Mexico State’s Dwayne Walker is in his first year after spending the past three seasons as UCLA’s defensive coordinator. Pat Hill and Fresno State beat his Bruins team at the Rose Bowl last season, and he has far less talent with the Aggies. But the fact Walker has already won three games this year is an accomplishment considering the lack of talent in the program.

Intangibles
Edge: Bulldogs
Though there’s a lot to be said for New Mexico State keeping the past three series meetings within seven points or less, Fresno State has never lost to the Aggies in 15 match-ups. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are 4-0 against New Mexico State, with two wins at Aggie Memorial Stadium (30-23 in the last meeting). The ‘Dogs are 8-0 all-time in games played in Las Cruces.

***Photos courtesy of Juan Villa

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

Grading the 'Dogs (2-3, 1-1) @ Hawaii (2-3, 0-2)

FRESNO STATE 42, Hawaii 17

Quarterbacks: B+
Ryan Colburn did everything he needed to for Fresno State to stick to its game plan and win big. And while I don't know what the heck his 204.86 passer efficiency rating means, I know it's a darn high rating. Colburn threw 2 TDs, no interceptions (a first this year) and completed 12 of 14 passes. Throwing for 120 yards isn't going to impress anyone, but there was no need for him to throw any more than he did. He methodically picked apart Hawaii's defense going from sideline to sideline to open the middle of the field for the run -- game management at its finest.

Running Backs: A-

Goodness gracious these guys are just unstoppable as WAC standards go. There's no one left on Fresno State's schedule to give any reason to believe Mathews won't top 100 yards every game this season. He went for 149 yards (6.2 per carry) on Saturday, edging his No. 2 in the nation season average of 148 per game. And true freshman Robbie Rouse has a chance to run wild on the rest of the WAC. Rouse had 2 TDs on 73 yards (12.2 per carry), including a career/season-best 34-yarder where he looked faster than every Hawaii defender. Lonyae Miller started and scored the team's first TD (though he later lost a fumble). And Reynard Camp's big-time blocking efforts at fullback did not go ignored.

Receivers: B+
Stats weren't flashy with Seyi Ajirotutu's 48 yards leading the way, but wideouts did a lot with the routes that were called. Highlight was Devon Wylie's 17-yard TD where he embarrassed Hawaii's defensive back with a nifty outside-in juke at near full-speed. And Chastin West's 17-yard TD grab in the front corner of the end zone just before half in double coverage ranked right up there (especially considering that a white truck appeared to back into West on the sideline as he ran through the end zone and out of bounds).

Offensive Line: A
Just can't applaud this unit enough right now. With Joey Bernardi battling injury, Richard Pacheco stepped in and played well enough for no one to notice Bernardi's absence (which is a compliment because Bernardi is a darn good player). Leslie Cooper also got early action and was the lead blocker on Miller's early TD run. Nice to see Matt Hunt get some reps as well. Overall, the unit helped the backfield earn 5.9 yards per carry as a team and gave up 1 sack. This group has the potential for greatness, considering none of the regular starters are seniors.

Defensive Line: C+
Credit the d-line for not giving up any big runs to the opposing QB, but for cryin' out loud would somebody please step up and help Chris Carter with some pressure? Carter literally abuses his opponent with speed and agility nearly every down, but pressure from the tackle spots is almost nonexistent (save for the occasional Logan Harrell spin move) and Kenny Borg hasn't produced as we expected after seeing him play so well in fall camp. Redshirt freshman Matt Akers saw his most extensive time (as Pat Hill loves putting speed rushers against Hawaii's overmatched offensive tackles) and showed some positives but also was pushed easily off the ball on one first down run. Carter got his WAC-high fourth sack (though we could have sworn he should have been credited with 2 Saturday night). P.S. Carter was held at least 10 times in the game without getting calls.

Linebackers: B-

The Bulldogs again stuck with mostly three-linebacker sets while defending a spread-type passing offense, but luckily it didn't hurt this time because of Hawaii's inaccurate passer (which is odd because coming into the game we all heard accuracy was his strength -- obviously not). Ben Jacobs picked off a pass, and Nico Herron nearly got one, while Kyle Knox forced a fumble. Those are the types of game-changing plays the Bulldogs need from this unit. But it also must take partial blame for Hawaii's early success in the running game (despite having one of the worst rushing attacks nationally).

Defensive Backs: B-

Desia Dunn really played up at corner, leading the team with 10 tackles and a forced fumble, and Moses Harris intercepted a pass in the end zone -- something Fresno State should expect from its safeties but rarely gets. It was Harri's second-career pick, but most impressive was the footwork he used to put himself in position and play for the turnover instead of fixating on the opposing receiver. Redshirt freshman Phillip Thomas saw his most extensive playing time, as did sophomore Isaiah Green. Thomas was second on the team with 8 tackles (1 for loss), but was caught out of position at times in the running game. Zak Hill gave up a touchdown on a missed tackle for the second straight game, and then missed another tackle the same way just minutes later. His play recently is a liability for the Bulldogs defense.

Special Teams: B

Just when the Bulldogs put the "special" back in special teams after blocking a field goal attempt on Hawaii's first possession (which Jacobs returned nearly 60 yards to set up a TD) and a fumble recovery by long snapper Bobby Shepard after he ran down in coverage in the Bulldogs' new shield punt formation, a mistake scarred the elation. Hawaii recovered an onside kick with more than 7 minutes to go when the Bulldogs weren't in onside formation and the ball bounced away from Vince Pascoe.

Coaching: A-

Coaching staff continues to impress with game plans put in place this season. Pass was designed to keep Hawaii's defense away from the middle of the field, opening big space for Mathews and Rouse to attack. Refreshing to see special teams coach John Baxter break the stubborness that has killed the Bulldogs in coverage and test new schemes. Still confused, though, why West is returning kicks/punts instead of Rouse, Wylie or Marlon Moore? Also refreshing to see Thomas and Green get more time. Great to see Derek Carr get some playing time, but coaches need to let him rip downfield instead of keeping his pass package conservative (there's no need to keep his arm under wraps like that, he's ready).

***Photo courtesy of Juan Villa

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

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

Time To Start Talking Some Hoops

As you all very well know, the football team has a bye week before playing Hawaii on October 10th, so what better way to celebrate a bye week than with the talk of some Fresno State basketball! It's always fun to play the guessing game and make predictions and that's just what we are going to do today! Let's talk about the potential line-up. Here is how I think the rotation will look for this year's squad based on nothing! Haha. There are a lot of new guys on this years team that I have never seen play, so my knowledge comes from what I have heard or read about.

Starting 5

Point Guard- Steven Shepp (6-2 170, So.) Has great ball handling skills and his pass first mentality is ideal for this team built with size and athleticism.

Shooting Guard- Mychal Ladd (6-5 190, So.) Might be the most athletic player on a team that is loaded with many athletes.

Small Forward- Paul George (6-8 210, So.) Showed tremendous talent last year as a freshman. Do it all player who can throw it down with the best of them.

Power Forward- Sylvester Seay (6-10 235, Sr.) Only senior on this years team. Will need to become a leader. He is a tough match-up with his length, athleticism, scoring and shot blocking ability.

Center- Greg Smith (6-10 250, Fr.) The most highly anticipated player to come into the basketball program since the Tark era.


Bench (In Order of Impact)

G- Brandon Sperling (6-4 180, So.) It looks like Sperling might be the back-up at both guard positions. He really turned it on at the end of last year, so it will be key for him to come off the bench and eat up some quality minutes. Needs to be more confident in his scoring abilities and driving to the basket.

F/C-Nedeljko Golubovic (6-8 245, Jr.) Started last year, but with the addition of Greg Smith, he will mostly likely be coming off the bench. Ned is a team player who will need to eat up some quality minutes with his ability to score inside and out.

G/F- Jerry Brown, Jr. (6-7 195, Fr.) Another freshman in this highly touted incoming class, Jerry brings a lot of athleticism and will see some time off the bench.

C- Brandon Webster (6-10 275, Jr.) Big body player who has shown signs of promise that makes you wonder if he can put it all together and play hard all the time, that he has the potential to be a very valuable player since most teams can't match up with his size.

G/F- Garrett Johnson (6-5 190, Fr.) Could potentially come off the bench for defensive purposes this season.

G- Taylor Kelly (6-2 200, RS Fr.) Red-shirted last season. Good shooter, who most likely will come off the bench in mop up duties this season, but may play himself into a much larger role.

F- Justin Johnson (6-6 205, RS Fr.) Surgery forced him to red-shirt last season. Father, Eddie, played in the NBA for 17 years.

G/F- Jonathan Wills (6-6 180, Jr.) The transfer from the University of New Mexico will sit out this year due to NCAA transfer rules, but will be able to practice with the team.



Now it's your turn. Tell us how you think the rotation will set up. I know there are others just as excited for the upcoming season. IT'S GREAT TO BE A BULLDOG!

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...

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