We Don't Want to Play Fresno State Bowl

Texas Tech plays host to Kansas this weekend in the creampuff killer classic. Both schools are undefeated, but neither team has played anybody of any significance. It could have been different, both were scheduled to play at Bulldog Stadium in 2005. Hence, the we don't want to play Fresno State Bowl.

The 2005 Fresno State home schedule was suppose to be one of the most attractive in school history. Opening weekend, September 3, the Kansas Jayhawks were scheduled to play Fresno State for the first time in school history, part of a home and home. Fresno State was to return to Lawrence, KS in 2007. Texas Tech was scheduled September 10 as a return game from Fresno State's visit to Lubbock in 1998.

What happened? Kansas moved their game with Fresno State to 2009. Texas Tech had previously moved their game at Fresno State from 2002 to 2003, and finally to 2005. They did all that rescheduling, only to buy out the contract in 2004.

Are these big bad Bowl Championship Series schools afraid of a school from the WAC? Maybe, but the old Bulldogs athletic director has to be at fault, too. What other major university has a buyout clause so cheap that it makes it easy for a school to weasel out of their commitment.

Texas Tech and Kansas are not perennial national title contenders. Their stadiums seat around 51,000 and are not accustomed to selling out. It is not like Tennessee or Georgia where an athletic department is losing millions by not having a home game.

It is not like Texas Tech or Kansas scheduled big name opponents for television purposes. Who did they schedule in Fresno State's absence? Home games against Division IA newcomers Florida International and Florida Atlantic.

Whatever the case may have been, both schools avoided traveling to Bulldog Stadium this year. I doubt Kansas will come to Fresno in 2009. Since Pat Hill became coach of Fresno State in 1997, the Bulldogs have played host to a BCS team just four times. Baylor has been the only one to come away victorious in Hill's first year. Cal in 2000 and Oregon State in 2001 and 2003 have all lost in Fresno.

Besides the two playing head to head today , another creampuff killer Oklahoma State did not fulfill its return game to Fresno. The 'Pokes changed the date from 2001, to 2002, 2003, but eventually bought on the contract in 2003.

Again, the former AD has to be at fault. He was never much of an Athletic Director, more like a used car salesman. New life has finally been brought into the athletic department with the hiring of Thomas Boeh as AD.

Fresno State has its best AD since Gary Cunningham. Back in the day before Al Bohl and the hiring of Jerry Tarkanian, but that is a totally different story.